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Ericsson Proves His Worth With Wings
by Paul on 04/22/09 at 11:33 PM ET
Comments (12)
from Kevin Allen of USA TODAY,
Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock isn’t surprised by rookie Jonathan Ericsson’s effectiveness because he has been working as the defenseman’s chief lobbyist almost from the day he first saw him.
“I’ve seen him for three years and pushed to have him on the team for two years, but I didn’t have votes,” Babcock jokes.
Babcock simply couldn’t talk general manager Ken Holland into straying from the team’s philosophy of keeping prospects in the American Hockey League until they are ready to contribute significantly at the NHL level.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Jonathan+Ericsson,
Comments
“The waiting was worth it,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be any other place right now.”
Spoken like a Wing.
Posted by Osrt on 04/22/09 at 11:05 PM ET
I get a warm a fuzzy feeling all over when I think how pissed all the other teams are knowing the Wings got him with the Last Pick in the draft. Ahh life is good being a Wings Fan.
Posted by dbcooper from parts unknown on 04/22/09 at 11:18 PM ET
Hakan Andersson: The most valuable teammate the Wings have.
Posted by Hippy Dave from San Francisco by way of Detroit on 04/22/09 at 11:58 PM ET
The advantage that Detroit has in player development (and any other team that tends to leave players in the minors until they are ready) is that everyone knows this is their modus operandi, so no young player is surprised by being in the minors for a little longer than he might be with other teams, as he knows it isn’t a personal reflection on him but the way they normally deal with prospects.
I expect it helps a young player to not become discouraged and start wondering what he is doing wrong and if he is ever going to get a chance. If a player is in the system of a team that normally brings its prospects along very quickly, he would feel stuck and forgotten if he wasn’t doing the same.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/23/09 at 06:22 AM ET
Ahem, Paul, I think you meant for the headline to say, “Wings Prove Worth to Ericsson”.
You wouldn’t want to upset Jonny Ericsson. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 04/23/09 at 07:16 AM ET
Jonathon Ericsson is an eight foot two ton monster who can palm a medicine ball.
-To Jonny Ericsson (invisible exclamation point)
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 04/23/09 at 10:23 AM ET
Jonathon Ericsson is an eight foot two ton monster who can palm a medicine ball.
Yer damn right!
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 04/23/09 at 11:02 AM ET
We all feel safer when Johnny’s on the ice.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 04/23/09 at 11:32 AM ET
I have it on good authority that the Ericsson family crest is a picture of a barracuda eating Neil Armstrong.
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 04/23/09 at 12:13 PM ET
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I’m somewhat flabberghasted that Ericsson couldn’t just use his godlike powers to control the mind of Kenny Holland and coerce him into adding him to the roster sooner.
Posted by Hippy Dave from San Francisco by way of Detroit on 04/22/09 at 10:59 PM ET