3/16 Afternoon Delight GDT - Islanders @ Red Wings - 1:00 PM ET

[Dabura 12,228]

15 minutes ago, Jonas Mahonas said:

Can't wait till AA puts up 35/30 next year and asks for 6-7 mil per.  Will be interesting to see all the LGW haters saying he has a bad attitude and doesn't play a complete game.

I admit to being really hard on AA in the past. And I won't apologize for it! FRK THA POLICE!

AA was maddening to watch last season. At least to me he was. He'd tease gamebreaking ability, but more often than not he'd frustrate me with really simple-minded hockey that left a lot to be desired. He played like he was still in junior.

He's taken a pretty big step forward this season; he's playing a more mature, rounded game. He's still inconsistent and he still frustrates, but I feel like progress is being made and I believe he's committed to doing what it takes to reach his full potential. I didn't feel that way last season. Today he was coming off a bad individual performance against Tampa and he put in a much better performance against the Isles. If he can play the way he played today on a consistent basis, he's golden.

I really want him to become a solid 2C -- or, ideally, the goal-scoring 1B to Larkin's playmaking 1A. Adding Hughes/Kakko and/or a top free agent forward (be it a UFA or an RFA) might get him to 70+ points.

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

3 hours ago, kickazz said:

I'm sure @Neomaxizoomdweebie will be happy to know that the Red Wings didn't tank for this game and won and AA scored both the goals. 

Right? Nah something's not right in that equation. 

Rooting for my team to win....crazy right?

Being critical of players on my team who arent living up to their potential, and then laying off the criticism when their play improves...even more crazy right?

2 hours ago, Jonas Mahonas said:

Can't wait till AA puts up 35/30 next year and asks for 6-7 mil per.  Will be interesting to see all the LGW haters saying he has a bad attitude and doesn't play a complete game.

Hes not putting up those kinds of numbers. That doesnt make me a hater.

AA is lazy and he sucks. That makes me a hater.

[Jonas Mahonas 1,872]

25 minutes ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

Rooting for my team to win....crazy right?

Being critical of players on my team who arent living up to their potential, and then laying off the criticism when their play improves...even more crazy right?

Hes not putting up those kinds of numbers. That doesnt make me a hater.

AA is lazy and he sucks. That makes me a hater.

Yah, it's crazy that AA never played up to his first round draft pick potential with all his 4th line minutes and linemates the first couple of seasons.  I expect more out of such a hyped first round draft pick.

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

2 hours ago, Jonas Mahonas said:

Yah, it's crazy that AA never played up to his first round draft pick potential with all his 4th line minutes and linemates the first couple of seasons.  I expect more out of such a hyped first round draft pick.

Chicken or the egg argument. You say he wasnt playing up to his potential because he wasnt getting more ice time. I say he wasnt getting more ice time because he wasnt playing up to his ability.

I think its pretty clear that AA is playing a much better game this year than last. If you agree, than you prove my point. If you believe he's playing exactly the same as last year, than I question how closely you're paying attention.

[TLGTrico 639]

At first I was OK with this win, since we're still 3 points behind Jersey.  Then I saw that Ottawa won tonight.

[Dabura 12,228]

4 hours ago, TLGTrico said:

At first I was OK with this win, since we're still 3 points behind Jersey.  Then I saw that Ottawa won tonight.

I mean, it's better than Ottawa not winning. But I get what you're saying.

[mackel 711]

2 hours ago, Dabura said:

I mean, it's better than Ottawa not winning. But I get what you're saying.

It seems Detroit drops everytime I run the tankathon simulator.  Its maddening how teams jump 6 or more spots get top picks.  I hope the real lottery turns out more favorably, we have enough middling first round picks that are disappointing and may flop entirely Rasmussen and Zadina I'm looking at you!

Edited March 17, 2019 by mackel

[Dabura 12,228]

1 hour ago, mackel said:

It seems Detroit drops everytime I run the tankathon simulator.  Its maddening how teams jump 6 or more spots get top picks.  I hope the real lottery turns out more favorably, we have enough middling first round picks that are disappointing and may flop entirely Rasmussen and Zadina I'm looking at you!

Tankathon's kinda weird. I think it does give you the results you'd expect based on the odds, but you need a large enough sample size. Like, yesterday I ran it ten times and the Wings got 1st overall seven times. And if I run it ten times today they'll probably get it, like, two or three times.

[Jonas Mahonas 1,872]

11 hours ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

Chicken or the egg argument. You say he wasnt playing up to his potential because he wasnt getting more ice time. I say he wasnt getting more ice time because he wasnt playing up to his ability.

I think its pretty clear that AA is playing a much better game this year than last. If you agree, than you prove my point. If you believe he's playing exactly the same as last year, than I question how closely you're paying attention.

No, that's your confirmational bias coming out.  AA is pretty much the same player he has been since day 1.  He hasn't made a selke candidate transformation like Steve Yzerman did in the mid 90s.  He's the same ok defensively and electric offensively player that he was in 2016.  The difference is that he's playing 20 mins a night, getting 3 mins of power play time, and playing with top 6 wingers.  He started off getting 13 mins a night, playing pk with no pp time, and playing alongside guys who shouldn't have been in the NHL.  The fact that he is now succeeding in the top 6 is NOT a testament to your vision, Neo.  While AA has fought his way up and earned his ice time, it's not because he has changed as a player after facing criticisms from coaches and players.  He's always ignored that NONSENSE.  His talent has taken him up the ladder, and it was there from the start.  It was impossible not to see, but for some stupid reason, certain Red Wings brass and his supporters seem to only be able to bestow their affections on one good center at a time.

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

26 minutes ago, Jonas Mahonas said:

No, that's your confirmational bias coming out.  AA is pretty much the same player he has been since day 1.  He hasn't made a selke candidate transformation like Steve Yzerman did in the mid 90s.  He's the same ok defensively and electric offensively player that he was in 2016.  The difference is that he's playing 20 mins a night, getting 3 mins of power play time, and playing with top 6 wingers.  He started off getting 13 mins a night, playing pk with no pp time, and playing alongside guys who shouldn't have been in the NHL.  The fact that he is now succeeding in the top 6 is NOT a testament to your vision, Neo.  While AA has fought his way up and earned his ice time, it's not because he has changed as a player after facing criticisms from coaches and players.  He's always ignored that NONSENSE.  His talent has taken him up the ladder, and it was there from the start.  It was impossible not to see, but for some stupid reason, certain Red Wings brass and his supporters seem to only be able to bestow their affections on one good center at a time.

LOL. You're right. AA was always playing this well all along. Even when he was being criticized. Even when he was being benched. That's how coaching works in the NHL. When guys are playing up to expectations, you decrease their ice time. 

It's clear that last year Blashill wanted to lose. He was all in on the tank. But now all of a sudden he wants to win this year. So now AA gets more playing time. AA's play has nothing to do with it. He was right there all along. Blashill was just blinded by his manlove for Larkin, Nielsen, and Glendening. He just couldn't see that AA was the 1C this team so desperately needed. But now he has seen the light. He has been reborn. Athanasi-luyah!

Or we could implore logic. AA is getting more ice time and scoring more because he has actually become a better player than he was. He has improved his all around game and becoming the player that the coaching staff thought he had the potential to be. In turn, he is getting rewarded with greater opportunity. If he was playing this well last year, do you really think that he would've been benched? Really?

 Which doesn't make me wrong at all. What AA is doing now is what I thought he could do, but wasn't doing last year. Now he is. So I was right to be critical of his play last year. It wasn't up to par. And I wasn't the only one saying so.

[Jonas Mahonas 1,872]

3 hours ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

LOL. You're right. AA was always playing this well all along. Even when he was being criticized. Even when he was being benched. That's how coaching works in the NHL. When guys are playing up to expectations, you decrease their ice time. 

It's clear that last year Blashill wanted to lose. He was all in on the tank. But now all of a sudden he wants to win this year. So now AA gets more playing time. AA's play has nothing to do with it. He was right there all along. Blashill was just blinded by his manlove for Larkin, Nielsen, and Glendening. He just couldn't see that AA was the 1C this team so desperately needed. But now he has seen the light. He has been reborn. Athanasi-luyah!

Or we could implore logic. AA is getting more ice time and scoring more because he has actually become a better player than he was. He has improved his all around game and becoming the player that the coaching staff thought he had the potential to be. In turn, he is getting rewarded with greater opportunity. If he was playing this well last year, do you really think that he would've been benched? Really?

 Which doesn't make me wrong at all. What AA is doing now is what I thought he could do, but wasn't doing last year. Now he is. So I was right to be critical of his play last year. It wasn't up to par. And I wasn't the only one saying so.

Back pedal back pedal back pedal.