Red Wings

[WingsFan]

The 'midget tough guy' my first Red Wing hero and Captain 1978 - Dennis Polonich , it had to take a stick across his face to bring him down.

[jaadam4]

I'm on whichever side says we can have goon buried on the roster someplace. Cheap shots need repercussions.

It'll never happen while Holland and Babcock are around but I'd be for it. I mean seriously, Cleary has a f'ing job. I'd rather trade that press box slot for a goon all day long.

[jaadam4]

And don't look now but Mrazek is really cementing himself a place on this team for the rest of the year. Gus isn't and won't be ready and Howard has been blah.

The way Mrazek handles the puck alone puts us in a better place to win. I think the rook sticks around all year and if Howard falters at all I'd go with him.

[froot loops]

It isn't just Holland/Babcock, it is any team worth its salt. Goons have been talented out of the NHL. Those guys of 20 years ago would not last in the league. You have to have skill.

[Malto Marko]

And don't look now but Mrazek is really cementing himself a place on this team for the rest of the year. Gus isn't and won't be ready and Howard has been blah.

The way Mrazek handles the puck alone puts us in a better place to win. I think the rook sticks around all year and if Howard falters at all I'd go with him.

Agreed.

Howard was good his first game back but since then looks like he is still playing injured.

I think he sticks anyway and will get playoff experience this year because they are thinking he will be the man next year.

[jaadam4]

It isn't just Holland/Babcock, it is any team worth its salt. Goons have been talented out of the NHL. Those guys of 20 years ago would not last in the league. You have to have skill.

Not sure which NHL you've been watching. I've been watching the Wings games and seeing our skilled players getting cheap shots left and right. Players would think twice about punching Zetterberg in the face if we had an enforcer on the squad.

[froot loops]

I watch them just like you, those guys are gone. You been crying about this all during the 4 Wings cup runs.

[DanO]

Let Mrazek play. I have no faith in Howard. Sure he can have a great game or two or even a great several games but he's also prone to clunkers way to often. He's too inconsistent.

[jaadam4]

I watch them just like you, those guys are gone. You been crying about this all during the 4 Wings cup runs.

While growing up my mom used to make me volunteer for the charity "Leader Dog of the Blind". They help raise money for the blind that can't afford a trained dog. I hope you got yours and if you're needing another I'll send a check.

[froot loops]

Nope my eyesight is fine, I see the league as it is. You have to be skilled, nowadays you can't hide a goon like Stu Grimson. I know, I know, Toe Blake and Eddie Shore. Old time hockey. You look around the league there are very few enforcers. But I realize it will never stop your arguments and I embrace that.

pANDs

It isn't Holland/Babcock, it was Bowman. He wanted the other teams to have the goons so they had the weak spot on the ice.

[jaadam4]

Nope my eyesight is fine, I see the league as it is. You have to be skilled, nowadays you can't hide a goon like Stu Grimson. I know, I know, Toe Blake and Eddie Shore. Old time hockey. You look around the league there are very few enforcers. But I realize it will never stop your arguments and I embrace that.

pANDs

It isn't Holland/Babcock, it was Bowman. He wanted the other teams to have the goons so they had the weak spot on the ice.

While I can see the positive parts of your argument you have to remember Bowman had really tough guys on the squad if not enforcers. Don't forget he had Joey Kocur on those teams. He also had tough as nails players that could drop the gloves in Marty Lapointe, Shanny, Sean Avery, Chelly, McCarty, Maltby etc.

He had tough players to go along with the skill. Now we just have skill and very little grit. I'm not talking about putting a boxer on skates every night but having one in the press box and having that option if we need him the next go around would be nice.

Seeing Zetterberg miss games from being punched in the head with concussion symptoms is f'ing retarded. Its part of the game but this squad is FULL of talent. It would be nice if we had some grit to go along with it. We have Dan "Waste of a roster space" Cleary in the press box every night and once in awhile he gets to suit up. Why not have an enforcer there?

[froot loops]

By the time Kocur came on board for Bowman, he didn't fight much. Bowman could not stand Avery and sent him packing. He wasn't sad to see Lapointe leave. That dude cost them the LA series.

[jaadam4]

The point is that they existed on those teams. Every year we've won a cup we've had someone that could drop the gloves. The last cup we won in 08 we had Aaron Downey.

Again, I don't think we need a goon for every game but having one is better than not. Sit in the press box and use as needed.

[froot loops]

No its not better. You listed a bunch of guys who were skilled that did fight.

Aaron Downey, are you kidding me with this? That dude had no impact on the Wings. None.

[jaadam4]

I'm not saying I was in love with Downey the player but he had 10 fighting majors in 50+ regular season games and won 80% of them.

Pro goon