national champs baby
OT: Mrazek
February 8th, 2013 at 12:42 PM
#1
OT: Mrazek
So. For the first time since 1929, a Wings goalie under the age of 21 won his first start in the nhl. I don't have anyone to discuss this with as everyone around here is a jackets fan and my wife, despite being from kinda close to Toronto is a Bruins fan.
Mrazek was pretty damn good last night. Very quick and athletic. Came out of the net well, great positioning for a20 y.o. rookie. Great stick and give placement. Very impressed with the kid. I figured he would be decent, being named the mvp of the '12 wjc, but I thought he looked every bit the experienced nhl goalie. Maybe got a little too daring on handling the puck a couple times, but did better than I remember Osgood doing. I didn't burst an aneurysm every time he left the net like Osgood.
Anyone else?
Edit: forgot to add, yes, one game sample and all. And the Blues have not done well the last few games. They looked like the Wings in their first game.
February 8th, 2013 at 12:51 PM | 
He's going to be good. Scale
He's going to be good. Scale
February 8th, 2013 at 1:02 PM |
Can't comment on...
Can't comment on...
...the quality of his play, but his goalie mask art is sweet.
LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe
February 8th, 2013 at 1:05 PM |
So...
So...
DC might not be happy with the use of the 'Superman' mark
I have a Fandom Endurance III merit badge
February 8th, 2013 at 1:05 PM |
this makes me love him even
this makes me love him even
this makes me love him even more. So rad
"This is Michigan for God sakes" -Brady Hoke
February 8th, 2013 at 1:23 PM |
Not the only cartoon character on a mask...
Not the only cartoon character on a mask...
This one was pretty awesome too...
Hail.
February 8th, 2013 at 1:32 PM |
WMU Goalie Mask
WMU Goalie Mask
If you're doing nothing, how do you know when you're finished?
February 8th, 2013 at 2:23 PM |
Steve Shields
Steve Shields
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February 8th, 2013 at 3:09 PM |
Hogan
Hogan
I can't find a good picture, but Bryan Hogan had Wolverine from X-Men on his mask.
February 8th, 2013 at 1:26 PM |
I just hope
I just hope
that Babcock gives him the opportunity to prove himself. He has a lot of poise for a rookie...
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing."
"The world is given to me only once..."
February 8th, 2013 at 1:32 PM |
??
??
Did the NHL strike get resolved, or something? What are you guys talking about?
February 8th, 2013 at 1:44 PM |
God would I love to see the
God would I love to see the
God would I love to see the Wings get a goalie that could steal a game or two instead of always hoping we can either get average play or score enough to overcome their shortcomings. I'm 53 and I cant even begin to count the number of games (seemingly always in the playoffs) where the wings would outshoot their opponent like 45 to 15 and lose 2-1 cause the other goalie stood on his head and ours let in a couple of softies.
February 8th, 2013 at 2:11 PM |
net front presence
net front presence
I think the issue for years has been the Wings style of play. For years, the offense has been Lidstrom from the point and Homer deflecting shots, gathering rebounds, and passing the puck. They do NOT go aggressively to the net and haven't in years. Many Goals come from crashing the net and getting traffic. The Wings haven't done that a whole lot in the Lidstrom years. Maybe they will more without him and Homer.
Wasting away in Ohio, a Wolverine in a sea of red and grey
February 8th, 2013 at 3:06 PM |
Franzen
Franzen
Every once in a while Franzen decides to not be lazy and goes aggressively to the net. More often than not this results in a goal.
I wish he did it more often...
February 8th, 2013 at 3:41 PM |
exactly
exactly
It's great to have someone who stands there and did what homer did. But I'd rather have a team of guys who drive to the net hard and are willing to get the "dirty"goals. I'd rather see 3 dirty goals on 20 shots than one goal or get shut out on 40 shots. Ideally, you would see some of both, a couple skill players and a grinder maybe instead of just a puck deflector. But that's not the way most of the Wings work. And the third and fourth lines, whose job it is to do this, if you want to go by skill vs. grinder type, hadn't done at all this year. Think back to The Grind Line, and they probably got 40 goals a year collectively doing that.
Wasting away in Ohio, a Wolverine in a sea of red and grey
February 8th, 2013 at 3:41 PM |
exactly
exactly
It's great to have someone who stands there and did what homer did. But I'd rather have a team of guys who drive to the net hard and are willing to get the "dirty"goals. I'd rather see 3 dirty goals on 20 shots than one goal or get shut out on 40 shots. Ideally, you would see some of both, a couple skill players and a grinder maybe instead of just a puck deflector. But that's not the way most of the Wings work. And the third and fourth lines, whose job it is to do this, if you want to go by skill vs. grinder type, hadn't done at all this year. Think back to The Grind Line, and they probably got 40 goals a year collectively doing that.
Wasting away in Ohio, a Wolverine in a sea of red and grey
February 8th, 2013 at 1:45 PM |
Not in the Jimmy Howard camp
Not in the Jimmy Howard camp
I for one was super pumped about the Monster, Jonas Gustavsson, but am just as happy after seeing what Mrazek has to offer and what hes done the past few years. I think Howards inconsistency and knack for letting in the weakest of goals is what turns me off about him. Just think its time to switch it up in net a bit, Vancouver tried it and now they're pretty sure they wanna dump Luongo.
Bo' Money Bo' Problems
February 8th, 2013 at 1:49 PM |
Fair comparison, but
Fair comparison, but
Fair comparison, but unfortunately the Wings don't have someone that they can turn to like Vancouver did.
February 8th, 2013 at 2:07 PM |
Also Vancouver changed their
Also Vancouver changed their
Also Vancouver changed their plan and are now more likely to trade Schneider
"I just hope Tressel doesn't fire me"
-Gordon Gee
February 8th, 2013 at 2:10 PM |
Sure, because no one in their
Sure, because no one in their
Sure, because no one in their right mind (the Islanders don't need another goaltender) would take Luongo on the terms Vancouver is willing to move him on.
February 8th, 2013 at 2:16 PM |
Interesting
Interesting
Didn't see your post until now, but yes, Luongo is definetely giving management something to think about. Although it would be very interesting and awesome to see Luongo back in Florida. I think theyd have a hard time rationalizing trading Schneider, he has proven himself on some major stages.
Bo' Money Bo' Problems
February 8th, 2013 at 2:12 PM |
This is very true
This is very true
And in fairness to Luongo, he has started to prove management wrong and really make them second guess it. Its going to be hard for them to keep Cory Schneider off the ice though. NOT a bad position to be in. cant wait (Bart Scott voice) to see The Monster healthy.
ALSO, major props on the Clarence Beeks MgoProfile, I would definetaly buy frozen concentrated orange juice from you.
Bo' Money Bo' Problems
February 8th, 2013 at 3:51 PM |
He's definitely picked up his
He's definitely picked up his
He's definitely picked up his play, but he would still make me nervous going forward since his issues always seem to crop up when the games really start to matter.
Thanks. It's awesome when people actually get the reference!
February 8th, 2013 at 1:59 PM |
It is not just the goalie.
It is not just the goalie.
It is wonderful that the Wings now have quality depth in goal.
But defense wins hockey games, and they really need to get their defense figured out.
February 8th, 2013 at 2:10 PM |
Jimmy
Jimmy
is our goalie of the now and future, I think he turns 29 this year. That being said, I watched the game last night and was impressed with Mrazek.
I agree that our defense needs work but we have great young talent with Smith and Lashoff. I think the Wings may be able to strike lightning twice and transition from Z and Datsyuk to Nyquist and Tartar.
I think we can make the playoffs but need to clean up the back end for sure.
"Old whores don't do much giggling" - Dr. Thompson
February 8th, 2013 at 4:57 PM |
"and transition from Z and
"and transition from Z and
"and transition from Z and Datsyuk to Nyquist and Tartar."
Tartar sauce or Tatar salad?
February 8th, 2013 at 2:36 PM |
How do you pronounce that?
How do you pronounce that?
How do you pronounce that? It's like someone threw a bunch of Scrabble pieces out chose their last name that way.
~Herm
Stop the uniform changes! Contact Dave Brandon 734-764-9416.
February 8th, 2013 at 3:53 PM |
BOOM
BOOM
HERM'D
February 8th, 2013 at 8:00 PM |
Waaaaay to early to tell. But
Waaaaay to early to tell. But
Waaaaay to early to tell. But he did look damn good last night. Even the 1 goal he did let in kind of seemed like a brain fart on his part, not something with his technical skills.
February 9th, 2013 at 12:36 AM |
I definitely wouldn't count
I definitely wouldn't count
I definitely wouldn't count that as a brain fart. He was in proper position and the puck seemed to squirt out to an open forward on the doorstep on a power play. If anything is was lucky for the Blues forward to have gotten that bounce. The kid played solid all night long. As others have said, it would be amazing to have a Rinne-like goalie steal some games. Howard is pretty solid but this guy could be something special.
He's going to be good. Scale back on the excitement, though. It'll be a few years and it may not even be for the Red Wings as he has a lot to compete with to eventually land that spot (think: Varlamov in Washington).
Also, Kuznetsov was the MVP of the '12 WJC...