Comments on: Red Beats White 5-3, Questions Linger Before Preseason

By: guest

guest — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Thanks for the blog post. From reading the Freep coverage you would think the NHL has decided not to play the 10-11 season and elected to hand the Wings the cup. I mean no mention at all of Ericsson’s struggles which is the one thing many of us are wondering about.

By: Osrt

Osrt — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:07:00 +0000

Yea, basically what ya’ll said.

Kindl’s goal was definitely a slapper. After he scored I wondered why he could get a slap shot off but never Big E, who consistently shoots wrist shots only. I know he’s trying to get the shot through but for fucks sake, put yourself in a position to get a windup. This matters only because it would help highlight his potential offensive upside, or at least the threat of it like Sammy’s off target shots. I’m rooting for him, and the coaching staff certainly is, but he will not have earned the spot this year…if his play stays this way.

If Mule went to the net like Cleary, he’d be the most effective player on the team. I was annoyed with his pussy-footing around. Tuzzi pulled some jackassery, but he did hit some people, lined up Dats and backed off. I want some toothless snarl from that bigfuck. Fil and Eaves need to work on quicker releases. They drag the puck before snapping the stick and it costs them.

Predicting a co-won Jennings. (Shutting mouth now)

By: J.J.

J.J. — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:35:00 +0000

In reply to Hockeytowntodd. Definitely a slapper. I remember specifically thinking that Kindl took too long to wind up and that it was going to get blocked and then immediately thinking that I should shut my mouth after the goal got by.

By: Hockeytowntodd

Hockeytowntodd — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:24:00 +0000

“Good to see Jakub Kindl get himself on the scoresheet, especially since his tally came on the power play. It came from a great setup pass off the stick of Salei (!) except somehow the Traverse City crew opted to give assists to Mursak and Maltby again.”

I thought it was a wrist shot, although no replay to confirm.

By: J.J.

J.J. — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:45:00 +0000

I’d like to continue to trumpet my Derek Meech love from earlier. I thought he was even better than Smith and overall one of the best defensemen on the ice. I know Ericsson played against tougher opposition, but there was a huge poise gap there. Meech was calm, cool. collected, and best of all, he was quick to make very good decisions in both zones. If, based solely on this game, I had to pick my seven defensemen to go into the season, Ericsson is on the trading block and #14 is sitting pretty behind Jakub Kindl and Ruslan Salei.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Ericsson brings to Pittsburgh tomorrow night. I feel he’s still having the problem “translating” his game from a forward’s mindset to that of a defenseman, so he sees the ice backwards and it takes him the extra half-second between seeing the ice as a forward and translating that into what he should be doing as a defenseman. It’s like trying to learn a whole new language, except every time he conjugates a verb wrong, everybody screams at him for costing us another goal. Still though, he had his last chance with me last season. He HAS to play better this year because I’m not willing to wait through any more of his dumbass mistakes.

[edited for typos]

By: Graham

Graham — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:44:00 +0000

Ericsson has the physical ability to be a solid defenseman in the NHL. His problems lie entirely between the ears, and only he can sort that out. Given the veteran leadership and coaching that he is surrounded by, if Ericsson can’t get the mental part of the game figured out, then put him in the press box and let’s see what Kindl can do. At least if Kindl falters, he’s got the “I’m a rookie” excuse to fall back on.

For a scrimmage in pre-season, I was impressed. The Bertuzzi/Franzen/Filppula line looked good, but the stars were not what I was watching for. Like you, I liked what I saw from Emmerton, and Owens’ goal was a nice use of his speed and hands. Overall, it was a good performance.

I get the impression we’re going to be pretty deep into the season before we have any stability at that last D-man position. Hopefully the rest of the preseason will bring us a sign that someone (anyone) is willing to step up and claim the job with some authority.