My apologies for my extended absence due to illness. I’ve been flat on my back in bed since Saturday, and I’m just starting to feel human again. I’m hoping to be back up and running for tomorrow’s morning skate.
I’d like to thank the folks in the comments section and on Twitter for keeping the conversation going while I’ve been out. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Was worried about ya!
Yeah don’t overwork yourself George. Your breadth of coverage is more than anyone out there…so if you slack for awhile it’s no big deal. There will be much to write about this summer, er, I guess spring for us.
I’ll be shifting focus to GR as the season winds up next week, so don’t worry about coverage, there will be lots of it…and I’ve been on my back. If I can sit up, sick or well, I work, but I’ve been very ill over the past week-and-a-half :/
You at 50% is still amazing. Don’t rush it, even though I know you want to .
Anyone remember why I was so upset about Bertuzzi being papered down to the AHL so that he could remain with the Wings but be eligible to rejoin the Griffins for the playoffs? I argued that this was just a waste of 1 of our 4 call-ups. I argued that Bertuzzi had nothing left to prove in the AHL and that when the Wings season finishes he should enjoy an extended summer. Focus on adding some weight, conditioning, video review, but there is no need for him to grind away for another AHL playoff run. I was advocating that we should have used 1 of these 4 call-ups to give a look to other prospects. Maybe give Russo some games and make a final decision on him. Maybe bring Turgeon back and see if he might make Glendening expendable for a draft day trade. Maybe save it for one of our college kids or a college free agent who will only sign if we burn a year with a token appearance this season.
I was ridiculed. I was told how important it was for Bertuzzi to rejoin the Griffins and experience another playoff run. Blah, blah.
Well now it appears the Wings are re-thinking this and considering giving Bertuzzi a longer summer so he can focus on gaining strength and rejuvenating his body. If that’s the case, then we wasted a call-up on him. I’m pleased that they are leaning towards what I considered all along to be the correct decision. But Kenny and friends continue to look like bumbling fools. Anyway, just thought others might find the topic interesting.
Playing AHL Playoffs is a risk. Not only conditioning at the level pro coaches require, but his physical style put him in harms way.
The mental side of feeling that playoff pressure and pushing through it can only happen empirically. I think it is extremely valuable and I would say everyone but Mr. Bertuzzi needs it desperately. I think the way he caries himself shows that pushing pressure aside and being himself comes naturally.
And… he should finish on top and remember that he was THE cup winning playoff MVP.
Mr. Holland was stacking his AHL playoff deck, I’m willing to give him a break. Mr. Bertuzzi stock went up more than anyone dared hope and the coach admitting that is fine by me.
I am also OK with Bert going to the AHL and the call ups are no big deal. Mountains out of mole hills, really.
Everest!
upvote.
I thought??? Lil Bert was going to decide on going to AHL this weekend? HIS Concerns where, if GR goes deep, his training will be cut short and he said he had a full summer of training scheduled with NHL.
If true did holland override his request?
I would prefer a full summer of NHL training to GR playoffs, as long as that may be.
Can’t someone from the Wings talk to players BEFORE things like this go viral????
When we made the decision to waste a call-up on Bertuzzi he had already proven that he belongs in the NHL. He was excelling in the NHL. He had rapidly jumped ahead of several other guys on our depth chart. We had already witnessed what he’s done in the AHL playoffs (ie MVP is as good as you can ask for).
So it should have been obvious that after the NHL grind winds down, there was no reason to ask him to spend perhaps 2 more months in an AHL playoff run. It was obvious to this reader, but I guess Kenny and friends weren’t really thinking. Instead we’ve now squandered an opportunity to give another prospect a look during an extended stretch of meaningless NHL games. Meanwhile, other organizations have used their 4 call-ups to give their prospects a taste of the NHL. See what Buffalo, Ottawa, Vancouver, etc…have done in the last month. Not us though. We managed to play Svech on the 4th line and gave Hicketts 3 or 4 games before sending him back down. But it will be great to watch David Booth and Luke Witkowski tonight…
so, is this comment about lil’bert? is it about George? or, is it about you?
Just trying to ignite a conversation in George’s absence. You are free to contribute, or ignore it, or I guess waste everyone’s time by making it about me.
Are you pleased with how we handled our 4 call-ups? Yes or no?
I’m curious, can you write a post without using the words: me, I, mine….?
Serious though, if you wanted to talk about lil’bert, then there are other threads you could have made this post in and you certainly could have left yourself out of what IS a post about GM’s illness. Of course, I understand asking a narcissist to do something selfless is like asking Sisyphus to keep that damn boulder at the top of the hill.
Sorry. I just used the most recent article to start a conversation. Pretty sure George isn’t offended by that given my first comment on this thread was wishing him to get well, as I’ve done on several occasions. Would you feel better if I apologize to George? Sorry George. Didn’t mean to start a discussion about Bertuzzi on this particular thread. My bad.
It’s all three.
But mostly it’s about how someone else had a different opinion and he is a victim. Classic regressive millennial.
oh man….this is supposed to be someone in what soon will be the largest voting block in the USA?
Give it a break people, Jesus. FS, Sometimes it’s better for everyone if you move on from an argument, others..give it a break, seriously, you’re just as annoying to the rest of us as FS is to you guys.
“I’d like to thank the folks in the comments section and on Twitter for keeping the conversation going while I’ve been out. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.”
I thinks its plenty alright to have a change of subject in this thread. It’s a Red Wings blog after all.
IMO Tyler has proven a NHL’er. Unless he’s dying to go down and play, let him get a good HEALTHY summer in. GR is pretty ridiculous in Veteran and dwindling prospect presence in the lineup this year. As much as I believe the wining culture and leadership is very important at that level and age there needs to be a healthy balance. Guys who need to play need to play minuets. Rotating defensemen etc. Too conservative.
Yes, FS ranting type responses and overaggressive responses get old but, you know what? It’s not that big of deal at the end of the day. I enjoy the different viewpoints. Some I agree with, some I don’t.
Millennial insult? I use it all the time in my head but.. when it comes to stereotypes, whop are the ones getting offended and whining so much? Give it a rest.
He missed a portion of the year with injury, so I think part of it is muscle memory for lack of better term. The grind of 82 games – don’t stop short.
I think it’s not worth it, but I also see the value in it. Just not sure if I would call anyone stupid over doing one thing or the other and having a back and forth battle. No one can seem to handle a dissenting opinion without getting personal or being a martyr for some selfish cause.
In any case, the Wings do just fine figuring out their talent – usually too late, but still. Look at how quickly they brought up Larkin and what he has turned into. (And he just scored a great goal!) It’s the draft table where they suck butt…mostly.
How about Mr.Coreau? He was tagged with a waiver also i think. The Wings needed him, but did he need to be the AHL playoff goalie? For his own mental growth I would say yes, but Mr. Mcollum was a known quantity and has kicked ass as de-facto #1 for the Griffins. I would say that this is the pick that should have been passed on if any.
Mr. Bertuzzi was definitely showing he had graduated when the paper was filed, but brings a style that Griffins are short on and probably requested and desired.
Nothing but the best.