Brendan Smith is Awesome, Ericsson Isn't: What Are We Gunna Do?
We told Pavel to step it up. He responds with two goals. We yelled at Zetterberg; he in turn gives us a sick backhander to start off the scoring last night.
This isn’t new. Wings fans are used to getting what we want. For example:
- We asked for Howard to become a solid goaltender we can count on. He responded by becoming a true Vezina candidate.
- We begged Bertuzzi to repent for his sins by backchecking, he responded by becoming defensively responsible (occasionally).
- We prayed to God that Lidstrom would have eternal youth. God responded by saying, “Son, Nick Lidstrom is God, so why don’t you ask him?” And so it was.
Click the jump to read about one Wing who just won't listen.
Jesus Ericsson...So why, pray tell, do we keep putting up with Ericsson ignoring all our requests? All we want is a defenseman who uses his size occasionally, actually take a hard slapshot here and there, and doesn’t continue to make lazy, rookie mistakes in his third full year. We even bribed him handsomely to do so. Yet he still skates around with his head up his ass nearly every game he’s played. Even putting him with Lidstorm hasn’t helped.
Smith, in his first three games as a Wings, has looked better than Ericsson in every way. He’s much quicker, smarter with the puck, has much more of an offensive upside, and just looks like an NHL defenseman. Two assists in two games. Sure he makes some dumb mistakes, but not even close to as many as the Big Rig.
So when White comes back, what is Kenny going to do? Plainly, Smith deserves to be here, but there are a couple million reasons that Ericsson won’t be the one sent down, even though he’s the one who deserves it. And Commodore, well I still don’t know what we have in the redhead. He’s just not been out there enough for me to judge. I could see the Wings waiving him or just keeping him on the sidelines just in case. But isn’t Smith a better just in case?
Aghh, I have no idea. This is why Kenny gets paid the big bucks and I've got a men's league game tonight.
I love the play and potential of Smith, but we have no reason to keep him on once White returns, unless we keep him on for good. He is much better off playing every game in GR at this point, as opposed to having him rotate in and out with Kindl/Commodore/etc.
That being said, Ericsson still sucks, plain and simple. But he's our problem now, for this year at least. Kenny gave him a larger-than-deserved deal, which makes him hard to use as trade bait, and makes it hard to bench the guy as well. I still can't get passed the fact that we paid what we knew would be a 5-6 defenseman top 4 money with no proof of development but... anyway...
I hope for 2 things: Ericsson finally discovers how to play as a top 4 defenseman, and Kenny looks like a genius, or he plays his way out of the lineup and we bury his contract in the minors next year, when Smith gets his call up.
Ericsson has played fairly well so far this season. The one reason I think Smith should stick around is the amount of knowledge he can gain from Lidstrom, Kronwall and Stewie. There just isn't room unless we dump Commie and keep Smith on as the 7th
Ericsson is fine... He aint the best, but he's not the worst. I do wish he would shoot more as well, but contrary to you... I think I've seen him use his body more this year than ever. Smith will be good to go next year. For now, he'll just go down and help out the Griffins who are struggling pretty terribly.
1 Like
I dunno man, whenever I get angry at a play on the ice, it usually ends up being E as the culprit.
Not to knock Smith, but he's had his fair share of mistakes so far. He's a rookie and I expect that. Ericsson isn't and I should expect more from him, but doesn't it just seem like one big hate filled record that keeps playing the same song? We gotta accept what he is and isn't at some point and move on. Ericsson is gonna use his body when he feels like it and will pass rather than shoot. His vision last night on the pass to Bert was great and so far, he's been more solid than most of the guys in his price range. I can't complain... I know he's going to screw up at some point, but how is that any different than Rafalski last year? My main complaint will always be with Ericsson not shooting enough and spending too much time in the box. He's competent enough for right now and he doesn't cost as much as what other guys playing worse than him are getting. I've stopped calling him Shitbox and won't go back unless he does something really terrible.
@moorecha That's the biggest reason people are so dissapointed. He looked so frickin good in 08 and we all got excited but he has fallen from grace in every way imaginable since. The greater the expectations, the greater the dissapointment.
I've been neutral on Big Rig forever, but I think my patience has ran thin. I'm so sick of him being so Lebda-like with his potential and it really looks to me that he just doesn't care. I've not had a good vibe from him since the 08 playoffs and his play only makes it worse.
Maybe I should just apologize... I'm weary of the Ericsson talk. If was funny at first, but just doesn't die. I'm almost open to a trade, just so I don't have to hear the complaining about him. It Ericsson is our worst defender... I think we'll be okay. Sorry if I'm looking a bit too much on the sunny side.
