The Red Wings and a few other soft teams to search for an enforcer?

[fcm]

I was listenning to Les amateurs de sport, and...

According to 98,5 FM journalist Michel Villeneuve, the Red Wings are actually searching for an enforcer, according to a source that's really close to team. He also says that the San Jose Sharks and the Tampa Bay Lightning want to take the Florida Panthers for an example and add some grit to their roster.

He also argued that the best teams are the ones who have both toughness and talent, such as Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Chicago. He adds that teams like the Canadiens, the Bolts and the Red Wings have as much talent, but wont be able to take benefits out of it as long as the talented players don't feel respected, above all when facing a tougher squad. He adds that Habs' record against what he considers being tougher squads is 4W - 11L - 1OTL, proving that Habs' main problem isn't the talent or the goalies, but the size, the grit and the toughness.

A few minutes later, he says that he does not understand why the Canadiens are that soft, arguing that Jacques Martin, Randy Cunneyworth and Pierre Gauthier used to have a tough squad in Ottawa with players such as Andre Roy, Chris Neil, Zdeno Chara and Randy Cunneyworth himself.

I don't have to tell you that Michel Villeneuve is my favorite sports journalist in Montreal.

[SyrCrunch11]

detroit needs a brandon prust or zenon konopka type guy...idc if they dont get a steve macintyre as they have a hard time deciding which solid 4th lines to dress each game, but a guy like this plays a regular shift, PK, and 20 fights a year, ill take it

[Big_Fat_Dan]

I will believe it when i see it. Fingers crossed thou.

[fcm]

Originally Posted by Big_Fat_Dan

I will believe it when i see it. Fingers crossed thou.

Same for me. It would be surprising to see the Red Wings dress an enforcer and it would be pretty weird to see a player with a Red Wings' jersey drop the gloves...

[ThrowdownSJ408]

Sharks started playing McLaren. I think they are looking for grit not enforcing.

[Fireball_IV]

Hopefully someone snags up Orr

[Big_Fat_Dan]

Originally Posted by ThrowdownSJ408

Sharks started playing McLaren. I think they are looking for grit not enforcing.

I agree, i think that's the way to go, someone like a Asham, Prust, Moen, Thornton who can offer other things other than toughness and fighting.

[Viper207]

Originally Posted by westgennylax3

detroit needs a brandon prust or zenon konopka type guy...idc if they dont get a steve macintyre as they have a hard time deciding which solid 4th lines to dress each game, but a guy like this plays a regular shift, PK, and 20 fights a year, ill take it

Jeez, can we at least get Christmas out of the way before we start the April Fools jokes? Detroit has passed on scrappy guys like Konopka, Moen, Neil, Asham, etc every trade deadline and FA summer. The only guy we picked up was Exelby, and he'll never leave Grand Rapids.

On a somewhat related note, are there still the rumors of Parros being shopped around?

[Viper207]

Originally Posted by Fireball_IV

Hopefully someone snags up Orr

I'd like to see that, but I'm seriously doubting he's even close to 100% right now.

[OLLBLUEEYZ]

The Annual thread is back.

[Baronking]

Originally Posted by OLLBLUEEYZ

The Annual thread is back.

Every year they are "looking" for an enforcer and every year they end up with a guy 10 years past his prime who will play 15 games and then be gone, if anything at all. Don't get your panties wet Wings fans.

[Hav42]

Howard has scrapped several times this season with players who have made contact with him.

"Z never pushed him. I watched the replay," Howard said. "Hansen leans into him, he loses his footing, just steamrolls me.

"I’m just sick and tired of getting run over. It’s every single game."

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index....ucks_robe.html

Howard has been our toughest player this season. The Wings could use an upgrade (I don’t think they need a HW who will never play) but as I've argued before, my biggest gripe is that they have the potential to be tough now but instead choose to be complacent and apathetic most of the time. You see flashes of that potential here and there and you all know the frustration that causes for us fans.
The single tough guy mentality pisses me off as a solution. They are looking to outsource each player’s personal responsibility to play with an edge. The Wings have people on the roster that can stand up for their teammates and themselves but for whatever reason choose not to.
As fcm posted, “the best teams are the ones who have both toughness and talent.” It’s a combined arms strategy that is time tested. If the Wings do get an upgrade the rest of the roster better rally around him when those times call and not pass on their personal responsibility to play as a “complete” player.

[Broons66]

I dont think it would be difficult for some of these teams to pick up toughness. Gillies,King,etc. had to clear waivers to be sent down to the AHL. A simple waiver claim on any of them would do the trick. Might cost a late round pick. Orr would be tougher to move because of his higher salary,but if he's healthy,he'd be worth picking up.

[Hav42]

Originally Posted by Viper207

Jeez, can we at least get Christmas out of the way before we start the April Fools jokes? Detroit has passed on scrappy guys like Konopka, Moen, Neil, Asham, etc every trade deadline and FA summer. The only guy we picked up was Exelby, and he'll never leave Grand Rapids.

On a somewhat related note, are there still the rumors of Parros being shopped around?

I completely forgot about Exelby! *shaking my head* Not to mention Commodore wasting away in the press box...

[Captain Crunch28]

Yeah, it's not that hard to find an enforcer.

If I was GM, I would have my heavyweight signed in a day. Might even venture off to Russia to find one