KyleKujawa
said:
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... Don't act like there aren't legitimate gripes about his play? Did you read what I wrote? That was hardly supportive to his play, the idea is he's not been nearly as bad as most make him out to be. I acknowledged that he makes mistakes regularly, big ones like the powerplay thing every couple of games. That was probably the dumbest thing he's ever done. The spinny stuff has got to stop -- he's best in front of the net. However, he's also making good plays as well and people are just choosing to ignore that. "Useless" is just absurd. I even acknowledged that he needs to start scoring. He's off to a slow start. It's a quarter of the way through the season, and he's generating more chances now than he did at the beginning of the year. I agree, as I said, that he needs to start finishing once in a while. But the season is still young, and there are plenty of Wings struggling with staying on the scoresheet -- some more than Bertuzzi. Yet he's the only one that gets called "useless." My point is, for the money he's doing a decent job. I'm looking at what he IS creating, and he does regularly make plays with his size and control the puck along the boards -- but everyone else only chooses to talk about the bad plays. And, if it were up to me, with all that Detroit's missing right now, I'd prefer having an extra couple of scoring chances per game opposed to not having them at all. But hey, I guess that's just me. |
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KeithB
said:
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... I thought Bertuzzi was old, slow, no D, and a pain in the ass when we signed him. He's proven me 100% wrong. Every game he has 2-3 solid scoring chances that seem to hit the post or hit the D (who for some reason is behind the goalie) or he just misses. Against Florida he created an amazing chance when he started in the corner and skated backwards to the front of the net. I think his lack of points is due to 1. Datsyuk starting slowly and 2. bad luck. Now that Datsyuk is getting back to being Datsyuk and bad luck hopefully ending he should put up lots of points. He could easily have between 6 and 9 goals right now. The thing that has surprised me the most, even more than the fact that he seems to be a decent guy and how many chances he's creating, is how hard he plays D. This guy busts his ass to get back, he is good at picking up sticks, getting in the right spot, clearing big rebounds, and covering the point. As a fan of both your sites I think Kyle has this one right (just like his view on Howard). |
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KeithB
said:
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... Since I already posted this at Matt's site I'm copying it here. "I hope the league fines Laraque. He clearly was mad and tried to injure Kronwall. I have no idea why he would, I don’t think he and Kronwall have a history, but he wanted knee to knee contact. Sometimes a guy dekes you and you instinctly stick out your knee as a last defense, but this wasn’t that. Laraque should have been in the box for 9 minutes, 4 for the high stick and 5 for the knee. I really think the league needs to change high sticking and other major penalties. I think the blood rule is dumb. A stick to the eyes is more dangerous than a cut on the chin. I think a stick that hits the face directly should be an automatic 4 (face is chin up not neck area) and a stick that hits the helmet, neck, or deflects off another palyer’s stick (from either team) should be a 2. This makes the call based off of intent and discipline not skin thickness. My reason for only 2 minutes on a deflected stick is because the highsticking is clearly an accident and normally doesn’t hit the player hard. My only gray area, and I’d like others to comment on it if they have an idea, is a high sticking that comes on a shot. Sometimes a player will highstick another when he 1. lifts his stick behind him to take a slap shot or 2. on the follow thru. The intent isn’t there and when he highsticks a guy behind him he didn’t know he was there and on the follow thru his focus is on the shot. However, these can really, really hurt the other player AND the player is responsible for his own stick all the time. On a deflection his control is marginalized but not on a shot. Besides highsticking, all of the 2 minute penalties should have a 5 minute option for a penalty that intends to injure the other guy. A slash that breaks a stick and a slash that intends to hurt a player’s wrist should not both be 2 minutes. Some penalties are meant as a means to hurt an individual. Laraque’s kneeing, the blindside hits (like the one on Hudler), the elbows to the face, and the Lemeiux hit from behind on Drapper should be automatic 5 minutes and 10/20 minute misconducts. Too often head hunters get a 2 minute penalty when they knock out another player. I’m not saying the penalty should automatically equal the injury, sometimes a legit hit keeps a guy down. I’m saying the league needs to hand out penalties on more than the result, the intent should matter." |
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junkyarddog
said:
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... #1 Big george did not mean to have knee contact. Watch the replay closer and you can see he was trying to get out of the way. He has never been known as a skilled skater. #2 Big bert is 10 to 15 pounds over weight. That is why he is missing the net cause his timing is off. Less weight= quickness= goals. #3 You are right Mr. K, Howard is now the #1 goaltender on the wings! NOT! |
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KyleKujawa
said:
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... Keith, I like your penalty ideas. I've never actually read the rule book (it's on my long-term to do list) but I think most penalties have a five minute major variety. I know I've seen fives for slashing, cross-checking, boarding, etc., when intent to injure is there. Laraque should have received a five for kneeing and a double-minor for high-sticking. My question though, would have been how does that kind of powerplay work? A major doesn't expire when teams score, but a minor does. One nine minute powerplay? A four minute five-on-three? No idea. Mr. J, I think you're out to make more of the Howard situation than I'm intending. I don't mean to suggest that Howard is the #1. The thought of Howard in goal for the playoffs terrifies me. Osgood is the guy here until he proves otherwise. I just want Howard to do well, because I think Ozzie's too old to handle 60+ games. But he'd have to if Howard wasn't dependable. Since Ozzie got sick, I think Howard proved he's capable of good enough goaltending for 30-40 games. |
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Simon
said:
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... Good ideas Keith, but if NHL refs can't call a goal when the puck is clearly in the net and not under a pad, there's no way on earth they'll be able to make such fine distinctions on high sticking penalties! To make one penalty so complex would make an infinitely complicated job all that much more difficult. I'm not trying to defend the referees, although you MUST keep in mind how FAST the game moves, and of course the small fact that refs are human. I just want to point out that there's probably a reason Kyle (and myself) hasn't read the rulebook - it's ridiculously complicated! On another reffing note, I'm living in France, and Ireland played France last Wednesday in a qualifier for the 2010 World Cup. Ireland ended up loosing out because of a missed (and I mean really really missed) call by the ref. I traveled to Ireland this weekend and the whole country was talking about it for the whole weekend. But life goes on. Screw Laraque. |
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LauraD
said:
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... No junkyarddog, watch the reply closer and you can see that George was beat and he stuck his leg out to trip Kronwall. Did he mean to trip him? Yes. Did he mean to go knee on knee? I don't know and I don't care. It was a stupid careless play that led to the injury of another player. That's the problem. That's what needs to be addressed with the suspension. |
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junkyarddog
said:
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... OK, Laura D. I watched the play over again. Guess your right. He must be accountable. He should be suspended for life. If he can't stop he should take skating lessons. Mr. K how is the backup goalie we had last year doing and do you know what team he is on? |
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Coffey
said:
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... junkdog, A five game suspension for Laraque seems about right. He intended to take out Kronwall. I have seen many players going after Kronwall since he took that cheap shot hit on Martin Havlat. |
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waltdetroit
said:
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... At this point, (for a few games) get 1 real strong line, Z & Dats plus homer, so Dats can get his touch back. Put Cleary with Abie & Helm. 3rd line Drapes, Miller & Eaves. (you could switch miller & abie). Work Leino in wherever u can to get quality minutes Keep Bertuzzi off the PW and give the newbies/youngsters the time. Early in the season I saw potential for Bert but it just hasn't materialized. Maybe something will click. |
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Keith B
said:
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... Simon, Yeah I saw that game. The French player (Henry) said the game should be replayed. I don't think the rule book should be dumbed down because of how poor NHL officiating is. I think blood is the dumbest thing the NHL could possibly use to differentiate a major/minor. |
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Keith B
said:
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... Kyle, If a player picks up two minors it becomes a 4 minute power play and a goal ends a powerplay (so 2 goals possible). I think Laraque would of had a 9 minute straight penalty where Detroit could score as much as possible on the 5 minute and then twice on the 4 minute (if they score once in the first 2 minutes otherwise just 1). I think the unlimited scoring for a major is the best way to clean the league up. A 5 major basically guarantees the other team 1 goal (25% in a 2 minute + another 3 minutes after being exhausted substantially increases the odds of a goal) and 2 goals occurs at least 15-20% of the time. If a player knows that hitting a player from behind will cost his team 2 goals, he'll think twice of making that hit. |
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