Abel to Yzerman
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Digging Tuesdays
by IwoCPO on 09/30/08 at 02:25 AM ET
Comments (13)
Chris Osgood’s your starter. Groins and Chemistry. Hudler and Helm. Visors and vets. Your Diggers shotgunned us this morning. Not a single bit of repetition. Everyone doing their own thing. Refreshing. And, no, I don’t want to be one.
Remember this line from yesterday?
“The best people will be on the team,” Babcock said. “The best players play here.”
The question that apparently went un-asked immediately following that statement was, “what if one of those ‘best’ players happens to be a kid and he’s outplaying a veteran, like Maltby?”
In today’s Free Press, Helene St. James gives us this from Uncle Mike.
Babcock nodded at Darren Helm and said, “You want to talk about improvement in one year—unbelievable. Fantastic. I think his line, whatever line he plays with, and Zetterberg’s line have been the best two lines in camp.”
Got it. Stop. He’s been one of those “best people”, one of those “best players”. Give him a spot and let’s go. McCarty and Downey? GR. Helm? 4th or even 3rd line. Maltby? Press box, at least in the early going. What do you lose? Grit and experience. What do you gain? Speed and grit of a little more raw variety. If the kid’s that good, and Babcock is true to his word…there’s your thirteenth (or 12th, or 11th) forward.
How important is the backup this year? Khan(!) reports that Chris Osgood was admittedly more effective than any of us could have predicted because of his relatively light regular season workload.
I felt real fresh in the playoffs because I played (43) games.
Babcock also chimed in, saying he doesn’t see a need for Osgood to start 65 games this year. So, what are we looking at, 50? Ok. That means Uncle Mike’s going to whip his Conk out 32 times? Maybe.
Disturbing? I’ll let you be the judge, but 32’s an interesting prediction…considering Conklin was considered the best backup in the league last year when the season closed, after having started 33 times, posted an 18-8 record with a .923 save percentage. (Note: that’s 33 games played, not necessarily started.)
Is this the year we quit bitching about Happy? What’s a reasonable expectation? 25? Could be. Uncle Mike sees prolific stuff ahead.
“He’s a pure scorer,” Babcock said of Hudler. “Sammy is a streak scorer, and I think Hudler is an all-the-time scorer.”
An all-the-time scorer. Thanks Mike. Some have said I have a secret wish to be a Digger, to be the guy that breathlessly tip taps, “I just talked to Piet Van Zant…”. No. Not me. But to earn the description of an “all-the-time scorer”? Now that’s something, eh? At Hudler’s age? Sure. At mine? Probably not.
Look. The kid’s slated to play with Zetterberg and Franzen. He’s going to have more and better opportunities than 95 percent of the forwards in the NHL. 25 goals is not an unreasonable expectation.
Worried about Datsyuk’s groin? Yeah. I guess. Organ-I-zational stance is that it’s “still tender.” Is there some hand wringing that it’s going to take him a while to get going? Not really. Dave Dye makes a good point today that 13’s not technically the worry. The rapid acclimation of 81 is a greater, but thankfully short-termed, concern.
Babcock said the adjustment for a new player is more in learning the personnel around him.
“I don’t think he’s adjusting to the system as much as who he’s playing with,” Babcock said. “That’s the biggest thing. Now that Pav isn’t here, he isn’t getting any time, which is unfortunate.”
Finally…good stuff from MacLeod yesterday on the Lidstrom decision to go ahead and try a visor, something he hasn’t done in 17 years.
Visors are higher tech than when Lidstrom last wore one—as an NHL rookie in 1991-92. Lidstrom disliked visors then, partially because they weren’t as effective. He laughs now when he describes the shape, using his hands to cut a box-like figure in front of his face.
“It’s a lot different,” said Lidstrom. “You can see better, clearer. They’re formed nice now. The old ones almost had edges.”
Evidence?
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Comments
My sister has that very same card along with 30-some other Lidstrom rookie cards in plastic cases somewhere in our parents basement…she liked Lidstrom, I liked Federov…I think she made the better choice.
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 09/30/08 at 06:29 AM ET
Fascinating comments on Hudler but you’re right, he’s going to have better chances to score than most every other guy in the league playing with a bulldozer like Franzen and a freak like Hank.
Posted by HockeyJoe from Upstate New York on 09/30/08 at 07:02 AM ET
Is that your card chief?
I’m glad to hear the visors have improved and I’m sure Nick will adjust without any issues. Hudler worries me with his potential. He could do a lot with that line but more minutes usually means diminishing returns; 25 is a reasonable prediction but I expect Franzen to get that many too, if not more. Hank for 40 at least. That’s about a 100 goals just from that line. I’m skeptical is all I’m saying.
Conk and Howard will split the rest of those games. I expect Howard to come up for 8-10 games this season barring any knockonwoodandpraytothemercifulhockeygods serious injuries.
Posted by Osrt on 09/30/08 at 08:28 AM ET
If Huds stays on that 2nd line most of the season and stays healthy, I see at least 25, possibly 30 goals coming from him. I think he’s that much of a pure goal-scorer.
But what do I know?
Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 09/30/08 at 09:18 AM ET
That means Uncle Mike’s going to whip his Conk out 32 times?
Oh, no, you didn’t just say that.
“He’s a pure scorer,” Babcock said of Hudler. “Sammy is a streak scorer, and I think Hudler is an all-the-time scorer.”
Removes any doubt about who gets moved if they get an offer for Lilja plus a forward.
The kid’s slated to play with Zetterberg and Franzen. He’s going to have more and better opportunities than 95 percent of the forwards in the NHL. 25 goals is not an unreasonable expectation.
If he stays with Hank and Mule, I think the big number for Happy this year will be 50 assists, not 25 goals. He had 29 last year playing on the 3rd & 4th lines plus the second power play unit…with 58% of his assists coming at even strength.
I think a great year for Happy would be 20-50-70.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 09/30/08 at 09:28 AM ET
I’m hoping Hudler learns to find those soft spots in coverage and makes a living banging home one timers. For all his spunk and hard work, he’s just to small to consistently score any other way. Between Hank and Franzen, puck retrieving and possession shouldn’t be a problem for that line.
Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 09/30/08 at 10:15 AM ET
Lilja stays
The 2008 Stanley Cup winners had only 3 players that could properly handle a body check, and Lilja was one of them. When you watch the Wings, watch Chelios and Cleary. They are the other 2 that come off a check (delivered or received) going in the right direction and in stride most of the time. It is one tough trick to teach, and even hard checkers like Drake and Avery have never mastered it.
Babcock is doing a sales job on Hudler
Sum-Boddy got to go
9/18/08
And
I have been wrong many times
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 09/30/08 at 10:26 AM ET
I have that Nick card to, along with about 30 others. My collection of Wings is fab. A supplemental retirement fund.lol
Helm has to make it some way some form. I was so impressed with him and abdelwhatever at camp it wasn’t funny. The future looks bright, wow can they pick talent or what? it’s good to be a wings fan!!!!! It’s good to have Franzen, Hank and Hudler on your fantasy hockey team as well.
I am so geeked about the season,I can’t wait any longer. gee I made it through three fourths of a post without a Lilja Maltby trade rant! I am improving. hehe
Posted by hankyspanky40 from Michigan on 09/30/08 at 12:45 PM ET
So….does that make Lilja a Conk Blocker?
I am wondering about Mule’s health…is he 100%?
Posted by ScottH from Kazoo on 09/30/08 at 03:44 PM ET
no, no, no! we like you just the way you are, Bill.
i’m sorry I made the comment.
-CC
Posted by cowboycoffee from San Francisco on 10/01/08 at 01:35 AM ET
“what if one of those ‘best’ players happens to be a kid and he’s outplaying a veteran, like Maltby?”
Babcock sort of did address this (from another article yesterday that reported the same “best players will play” line).
“The other thing I’ll tell you when you’re 35 and won four Stanley Cups, sometimes this (camp) isn’t as important as when you’re 22 and you’ve won one and you’re trying to make the team.”
That’s Maltby, clearly…
So…sort of doesn’t bode well for Helm (or at least throws some doubt on him), though I really hope he makes the squad.
Posted by Garth on 10/02/08 at 08:40 AM ET
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Great find!
Scary how familiar yet intimidating that up-ice look is. You just know a laser pass is about to be delivered.
Posted by lilja4ever on 09/30/08 at 05:36 AM ET