2021/22 Regular Season Thread

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, lordstanley said:

That can be bridged by one star free agent signing this offseason, IMO. 

do you think they are that close? I go back and forth but in general I think they are still 3 or four better players away even after Edvinsson . I'd feel better if Velano at least would play well enough to force himself into the lineup.

[buddha]

i dont think they are 1 or 2 players away.  but if edvinsson can have the same impact seider has had and raymond keeps improving, they now have a top 5 that can compete with almost any team league's top 5.

that's probably optimistic on my part and theyre probably another year or two away.

part of thinks they can dangle zadina and a 1st round pick (provided its not top 3 or 4) for a really top center, sign a good scoring winger, and then roll out two top lines next year and 4 solid defensemen.

but again, i think thats the plan for 2023, not 2022.  one more year of patience and then they should have the solid foundation for which to add a top free agent/trade to make that final push back into relevance.

[gehringer_2]

54 minutes ago, buddha said:

thinks they can dangle zadina

If they are going to move Zadina I'd do it yesterday. I think his stock is dropping. You put him out there with better players and all it does is highlight his lack of finishing skill.

[lordstanley]

21 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

do you think they are that close? I go back and forth but in general I think they are still 3 or four better players away even after Edvinsson . I'd feel better if Velano at least would play well enough to force himself into the lineup.

No, I still think they have work to do. But if they play their way down to, say, a #12 pick instead of a #4 overall pick, I think a nice signing will make up for that. I'm not worried about their 2nd round pick being #45 instead of #35.

[Shinzaki]

Every aspect of Zadina's game has improved immensely...except his scoring.  Not sure how much value he has as the perception builds that he's at best a second or third line player.   Veleno has the same issue.  Does a lot of things well out there, but hasn't forced the issue in GR by generating enough offense.  Looks like he'll get another shot up here with the Stephens injury...but can he do that from the 4th line?

Re the draft...we have multiple 2nd and 3rd picks this year...if we play our way down to that 12-15 range, there's ammo to trade up a bit if there's a player they really love

[gehringer_2]

42 minutes ago, Shinzaki said:

Every aspect of Zadina's game has improved immensely...except his scoring.  Not sure how much value he has as the perception builds that he's at best a second or third line player.   Veleno has the same issue.  Does a lot of things well out there, but hasn't forced the issue in GR by generating enough offense.  Looks like he'll get another shot up here with the Stephens injury...but can he do that from the 4th line?

Re the draft...we have multiple 2nd and 3rd picks this year...if we play our way down to that 12-15 range, there's ammo to trade up a bit if there's a player they really love

I guess he wouldn't be 1st big time scorer at lower levels to find out his skillset doesn't get the puck in the net in the NHL. If he's not going to find his scoring touch though. I'd still hope he could at least turn himself into a Draper type player.

One of the early games this season I remember the Wings were on a PP and they put Zadina slot right and must have fed him a dozen passes and I'm not sure if between fanning on the puck and missing the net he managed one shot on goal. Pretty frustrating sequence for a guy who was billed as a shooter and scorer.

Edited November 15, 2021 by gehringer_2

[buddha]

1 hour ago, Shinzaki said:

Every aspect of Zadina's game has improved immensely...except his scoring.  Not sure how much value he has as the perception builds that he's at best a second or third line player.   Veleno has the same issue.  Does a lot of things well out there, but hasn't forced the issue in GR by generating enough offense.  Looks like he'll get another shot up here with the Stephens injury...but can he do that from the 4th line?

Re the draft...we have multiple 2nd and 3rd picks this year...if we play our way down to that 12-15 range, there's ammo to trade up a bit if there's a player they really love

the wings have the caps second round pick, the avs' fourth round pick, and the golden knights' fourth round pick.

they dont have any additional thirds.

[lordstanley]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

I guess he wouldn't be 1st big time scorer at lower levels to find out his skillset doesn't get the puck in the net in the NHL. If he's not going to find his scoring touch though. I'd still hope he could at least turn himself into a Draper type player.

 

Malthy was a 50 goal scorer in junior, McCarty 55. 

[gehringer_2]

12 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Malthy was a 50 goal scorer in junior, McCarty 55. 

A second line like McCarty, Maltby and Drapes would be to die for for the current Wings. They are not a particularly gifted forechecking team once you get past Bertuzzi. An area where the loss of Glendenning hasn't been made up.

[Shinzaki]

17 hours ago, buddha said:

the wings have the caps second round pick, the avs' fourth round pick, and the golden knights' fourth round pick.

they dont have any additional thirds.

For some reason...I thought the Av's was a third....now I'm questioning my entire worldview

[sagnam]

Wings lose 5-2 to Stars, Larkin removed due to COVID protocol

 

That certainly sucks

[gehringer_2]

4 hours ago, sagnam said:

Wings lose 5-2 to Stars, Larkin removed due to COVID protocol

 

That certainly sucks

Bertuzzi next in 3..2..

[lordstanley]

Hang on, Dion Phaneuf just retired today? I haven't heard his name in years. I used to like his wife Elisha Cuthbert in 24.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/dion-phaneuf-nhl-retirement-1.6250610

[buddha]

this recent run is more indicative of where the wings really stand.

theyre not a playoff team yet.

[slothfacekilla]

 

Carter Mazur is having a strong freshman season

 

 

 

Some Hanas highlights there

 

 

[slothfacekilla]

HE HAS SO MANY TOOLS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by slothfacekilla

[slothfacekilla]

 

 

[1984Echoes]

Get those beasts OVER HERE!!!

[Shinzaki]

Soderblom is the leading goal scorer on the top team in what is...arguably...the third best league in the world.  Can't wait to see him play in NA.

[buddha]

i get a feeling soderblom is a slower version of rasmussen, but i am definitely hoping i'm wrong.

[gehringer_2]

10 minutes ago, buddha said:

i get a feeling soderblom is a slower version of rasmussen, but i am definitely hoping i'm wrong.

But Rassmussen might not even be as bad as he looks. There is a lot of synergy on a hockey team when the players are good enough, but that works in the reverse direction too, sometimes decent players end up playing down to the level of the their line-mates and/or because they have to spend too much energy trying to cover on defense - heck look at Larkin last season. That said, no doubt Rasmussen needs to do more to make his presence on the ice noticeable.

Edited November 24, 2021 by gehringer_2

[Shinzaki]

Rasmussen's line was pretty good the other night.  He took a nice feed from Erne and hit the post..Namestikov took a really nice pass from him and banged it off the post.  I think that line has looked pretty good at times.  Ras still needs to pick up his skating a bit.

[buddha]

he needs to pick up his skating and use his size effectively.  he's a big guy who plays small.  he should be running into guys and pushing guys around, and instead he's always getting checked and being passive.  

he should be a bigger version of bertuzzi or at the very least tomas homlstrom.  but he's not.  not even close.

[slothfacekilla]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

i get a feeling soderblom is a slower version of rasmussen, but i am definitely hoping i'm wrong.

To me Soderblom actually has good hands.  Rasmussen "had good hands" around the net on the power play in his draft year because he was just being lanky against guys who couldn't stop him.  Soderblom makes puck plays with confidence that I don't think I've seen Rasmussen even attempt.  Part of it in my opinion is that Soderblom has improved his edgework a lot which lets him try these things at his size.  Rasmussen still looks quite stiff despite his overall skating improvements, at least to me.  Whether Soderblom can do it against NHL players is another story, but I think they're different players outside of not necessarily being punishing hitters for being enormous.  Soderblom was pulling off between the legs power play goals in the World Juniors before he ever really blossomed at the SHL level.  I would faint if Ras ever did that.  I think that right there just shows that Soderblom knows his body and how to manipulate it a lot better even at a young age.  Creating space with your body, using your huge reach, and being able to quickly snap a shot through your legs is quite impressive.

Rasmussen's ceiling to me appears to be a shutdown type third line center at best (which I would NOT complain about, he could be a very valuable player depending on how it all works out) and I don't see that in Soderblom's game at all.  Hell it seems like Frolunda are sitting him a bit at the end of SHL games even if he scores well earlier in the game.  I'm still not convinced that Soderblom will flourish in the NHL but I have a lot of excitement to see them try it.  Hopefully he comes over to North America soon.

[gehringer_2]

two things I would  want to see in a big guy short of being a bruiser (and the game has changed - and guys don't want to get concussed anymore.....) would be good use of his reach - and Rasmussen can be an effect forechecker on occasion, but the second is being able to use your size to protect the puck and be a strong possession player. I don't think he shows very much there.