yave1964 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 The kid line of Sheahan, Tatar and Jurco is one of the biggest reasons the Wings still have a pulse. All three played key roles for the Grand Rapids Griffins Calder Cup run last year, along with Gus Nyquist and Luke Glendening, meaning on a typical night five rookies are playing key roles among the Wings forwards. Nyquist has 26 goals in 49 games after starting the season in the minors because he was the only forward with options. If he had kept his current pace for the entire season he would be among the league leaders in goals scored. This was unexpected, he was never a huge goal scorer in the minors, more of a play maker, but he has found a home on the slot firing accurate shots through a crowd with precision. Tatar was the leader of the Griffins and has proven a energetic player with the Wings, energy and desire and a nose for the net. After spending most of October watching the games from the press box he has 18 goals. Sheahan brings the big body that Babcock loves and has proven to be a accurate passer and a solid two way player with 21 points in 34 games. A fifty point season would have been his if he had been with the big team all year. Jurco, famed for his youtube video has shown slick moves and promise with 11 points in 28 games missing time with broken ribs but with him back in the lineup the kids have been reunited after only one period apart. Babs left Gus on the wing and moved Jurco to the top line but after the first period against Montreal the kid line was reunited. Glendening is a pain in the rear pest who reminds me of Draper, a center who lives inside the uniform of his opponent, he draws a penalty or two every game from people who cannot handle his gritty style. So there you are, five of our forwards night in night out are fresh faced and hungry. Imagine what we could have or would have done with a healthy Zetterberg and Datsyuk in the mix. A bright future, others in the organization include Teemu Pulkinnen who has the best shot in the organization and will be there next year, Anthony Mantha, a sniper who will be in Grand Rapids next year who was the steal of last years draft, the Wings are set at forward for the next five years. Don't feel bad for the defense. They have been boring and pedestrian on the blue line, but Danny Dekeyser has shown flashes learning on the job, Brendan Smith is becoming a top four (finally!!) and in Grand Rapids power play specialist Adam Almquist (another Swede, who knew??) who lacks size but makes up for it with vision and accuracy (typical Wing) will be up next year, Alexei Marchenko was brilliant in his first season in North America before a season ending injury and he will push for a job, along with returning kids Ryan Sproul, Gleason Fournier and Xavier Oullet who all look like future NHLers. The Wings have the most talent in the 'ready now' portion of the pipeline that they have had in two decades. If this is the season we finally miss the post season, so be it at least we got experience for the kids and saw how many can offer something up right now. If we do make it, Babs has been brilliant shuffling these guys in and out and in no small measure, the kids are one of the biggest if not the absolute largest reason the Wings make it. The future is bright, I think I am going to wear shades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 @yave1964 Athanasiou had 2 more nice goals and an assist Friday in a first round playoff elimination game. http://www.barriecolts.com/article/barrie-blasts-sudbury-7-0-wins-eastern-conference-quarter-final-4-1- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 @yave1964 Athanasiou had 2 more nice goals and an assist Friday in a first round playoff elimination game. http://www.barriecolts.com/article/barrie-blasts-sudbury-7-0-wins-eastern-conference-quarter-final-4-1-I wanted to mention both Athanasiou and Nastasiuk who are both looking like typical low risk high return picks which the Wings do better than anyone in the game at getting, but i figured if i kept mentioning names it would sound like boasting but seriously, the Wings managed to transition from an old slow club to a young fun to watch and playoff contender on the fly. I am just blown away by this season. And next year, cleary, Bertuzzi, quincey and Samuelsson (AKA the disappearing men) will be gone freeing up space to go after that rugged power play d-man we desperately need. And lets not forget Mrazak, the cocky young goalie who won all sixteen games in the Calder cup playoffs, the youngest goalie to ever do so. I know i am a Wings fan and can be accused of wearing rose colored glasses but the future and present look amazingly bright as a fan. It is so much better than simply bringing in Tim Gleason's or Martin Erat's. Even our pickup is Legwand, a 33 year old solid second line center from Detroit who we can probably resign for a home town discount. I get annoyed with holland, hell i am his biggest detractor on here but i have to give the man credit, the club is very much retooled mid year without missing a beat.Amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 @yave1964 Nastasiuk is actually from Barrie, I see his dad at Colts games the odd time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 @yave1964 Nastasiuk is actually from Barrie, I see his dad at Colts games the odd time.You suck. I keep telling the wife we need to move to Canada just for the reason you just mentioned. You have towns like Barrie where you get to watch hockey with parents of future NHLers, we have towns like Gary, Indiana where you can die of either boredom or multiple gunshot wounds. I tell you i am convinced i am Canadian switched at birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 @yave1964 LMAO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 @yave1964I agree with everything you said. I was also gonna mention Athanasiou, but @flyercanuck beat me to it.I said before the season that Gus Nyquist would play in such a way that KH would have no choice but to bring him up. But I had NO idea he was going to be THIS good. He is really showing a keen sense of putting himself in positions where he can score and where the puck finds him. I'm not sure that ability can be taught. If it can, I've got high praise for Blashill and Babcock for doing so. (I think some players just have it, and he clearly does.I was more a Nyquist fan than a Tatar fan before this season, but I must say that I think I ENJOY watching Tatar play more than any other Red Wing. His passion and enthusiasm is striking. We haven't seen this kind of enthusiasm in a LONG time. Nothing against Nick Lidstrom and Hank Zetterberg, but their styles are much more even-keel. There is value in that, but there ALSO needs to be a spark for the team, and Tatar is it!Sheahan has also been much more than I expected. I expected him to be a tough body in front of the net, but his playmaking/passing/ice vision has been impressive. He and Glendening's style of play has been something that has been missing from our game for a while...too long. It is necessary to wear down the opponents; to frustrate them; deny them space. They are doing these things, and it allows the guys like Tatar and Jurco to focus on playmaking. Obviously they can't totally forget their defensive responsibilities, but it certainly takes the pressure off knowing these guys are gonna have your back.Glendening is a very good complement to Helm on the PK too. Our PK has been pretty darn good for most of this year, and they are a big reason why.These guys are not just ready for the NHL. They have shown that they are ready for a 2nd line role, and 2nd line minutes.And lest we forget, even though he is not really a kid, Jonas Gustavsson has been a real savior in net. Without him, as much potential and confidence as Mrazek has, we wouldn't be on the cusp of making the playoffs if we didn't have Gus.These Red Wings will have NOTHING to hang their heads about if they don't make the SCPs. Nothing! And to think they might make it is exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 @SpikeDDS Very exciting season watching the growth of the kids. Callahan is another I did not mention, kind of a Darren Mccarty lite, I doubt he will stick not from lack of talent but from lack of a roster space but it was nice seeing him get a game in the NHL. I watch almost every Griffin game on line and he is the most popular guy on the team among the fans.. He has been getting the most out of his talent like most of the Wings prospects. Gustafsson is an UFA and likely gone next year, Mrazak has beaten down the door and deserves a shot, though I hate to see the Monster move on. The rest of our free agents, Samuelsson, Cleary, Bertuzzi, and Quincey are essentially addition by subtraction, that is with the hope that we resign Legwand. We should be in great cap room to make a splash for a top pair blueliner which is essentially all we need. You are right though, these kids have nothing to hang their head over. If we go 4-2-1 no matter what Washington and Toronto do we are in the playoffs and with two games against the Sabres and one against Carolina, if we sweep those all we need is a point against one of the other 4 games. It is looking really good for the 23rd straight season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 @yave1964And who woulda thunk we'd be saying what you just said a few weeks ago looking at the 3rd toughest schedule to finish the season. It ain't over yet. Still work to do, but it sure looks better now than 2 weeks ago.Speaking of work to do, hope we have a good game against Boston tonight. They are looking fairly formidable. We can't afford an off game if we want a decent shot at points. It would certainly be a confidence-builder heading toward the end here if we can compete well or even win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 You suck. I keep telling the wife we need to move to Canada just for the reason you just mentioned. You have towns like Barrie where you get to watch hockey with parents of future NHLers, we have towns like Gary, Indiana where you can die of either boredom or multiple gunshot wounds. I tell you i am convinced i am Canadian switched at birth. Look, the best of both worlds in Alabama.. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=995_1396461563 Seriously, WTF???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Look, the best of both worlds in Alabama.. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=995_1396461563 Seriously, WTF????WTF??? Can you imagine being on the ice with him when he dropped the pistol? nice wide path, there is no way I am checking that guy. Ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @yave1964 That guy is not playing in my league...ever. What possible reason could you have for bringing a handgun onto the ice in a hockey game? Pretty sure he would have been pummelled and arrested up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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