Why is Cheli in and Meech out?

Question

I know Cheli is the Veteran, but he has really been ineffective this season, I watched Meech the last part of the year and there is no comparison between the two of them in my opinion. Now that the Wings have Stuart instead of Lilia (thank God) why don't they sit Celios down and give Meech a shot in the playoffs? Am I the only one seeing this??

Answer 1

I agree with you man, they need to get his antique a$$ out of there

Answer 2

because Chelios has played more Stanley Cup playoff games, than Meech has EVER played in the NHL.

Chelios has won a cup. Meech hasn't.

Chelios has won the Norris 3 times. Meech hasn't even been declared eligible for the trophy.

Chelios is a +11 this year. Meech is a -4. (Chelios is a +351 in his career)

what was your question again?

add - Zap. you're right. i guess i'm implying that experience and defensive awareness is better than young legs and raw energy. But I think i can already hear your reply. sounds like you've observed Chelios going thru some mental lapses. I can't comment on that. I wasn't able to watch game 5 (other priorities in the home during peak hours of 2 kids under 2 yrs of age), and it sounds like i missed the things you are talking about in game 4. since i don't know, all else equal, based on the preponderance on this season, I'd take Chelios over Meech. maybe i should've paid closer attention to game 4. maybe babcock benches him tonight to get his attention and hopefully spurn him to greater production in the finals (provided the wings get there). but if this goes to game 7, i'd go w/ Chelios. what would you do? what did i miss. thanks for the point.

add 2 - allllllRIGHT. yes i do know what year it is; thank you for putting it so lightly. i STILL think that experience is a huge intangible. not an excuse, or reason to expose a team's weakness (i.e. Hasek situation). if his play was THAT bad, then i was talking too much during game 4. (or too drunk). i'm not saying Chelios is perfect. I'm just saying that he's got a ton of experience, and that can't be "manufactured" or "taught". again, bench him for game 6 ... we can armchair QB that all day. but for game 7, are you guys saying (as of right now), that you don't want Chelios? if so, that's your opinion. i'll try to watch Cheli and the rest of the D more closely tonight. to say that Meech brings the same thing to the game that Chelios does, is basically implying that Chelios has experienced a brain dump, and has forgotten all his experience. if that is the case (again, i'll have to look more closely at this), then maybe Cheli should sit. but i haven't seen him involved in any breakdowns anymore than the rest of the Detroit defence. make sure you're using the same bar to measure the entire team, because after all, you want the best player in the game at the crucial time, and sometimes you have to guess. Chelios makes it less of a guess than Meech. However, granted, that doesn't automatically mean that Chelios will ALWAYS make the better play. (yes, he had that bad shift change which led to a goal in game 5 ... from what i heard). but we even had bad shift changes in the other 2 series that led to goals, from what i remember. so let's make sure our low tolerance policy extends to the whole team. i think a veteran player would get a little more slack. not much. but a little. maybe i'm out of it. again, i'll watch more closely tonight. if the question is still open, i'll let you know if i was smokin' crack over the previous 72 hours.

(my, how quickly we want to discard and dispose of this great. where was all this angst during the regular season? he apparently was making you people happy enough then. this anti-chelios bandwagon is suddenly growing like weeds.)

and w/ all due respect, at the end of the day, this is Chelios, not Potvin, who has been retired for 20 years. Chelios has shown that he still can compete at the game's highest level over not just the past season, but the ones before it. taking the hits of the 20 - somethings. this guy is proven, and up until now, has had the faith of his team and his coach. and no, i'm NOT implying that he should occupy the #2 defencemen slot. that would oversimplify the concept that you formulate your lines not just around talent, but chemistry also. Chelios helps "anchor" those same young defencemen. What about Gretzky? Was he at the same level when he finished his career than when he began? did he have the same step? nope. but he's still gretzky. you don't bench him until he benches himself. now, i am in NO way comparing Chelios and Gretzky OTHER than saying if you've played in the league over 20 years, you rate some d**n respect. and the young guys pay their due. now, if Cheli was being outright lazy. and letting the whole team down, sure, do what is best for the team. but i think the guy rates a freakin bad move or two once in awhile. otherwise, we'd be going thru defencemen like water, cuz every time they made a mistake, we'd bench them. funny how our tolerance for the older guy is inversely proportional to his experience. shouldn't it be the other way around? oh wait, no. s***w you, Chelios. thanks for the years. ride the pine.

what do i know?

add 3 - he didn't play tonight; so we won't know. are you guys going to respond? i addressed your points. not going to address mine? why not? run out of ideas? waiting ...

Answer 3

Excellent question.

Not only has Chelios been ineffective, he's been an outright liability in several instances these past couple of weeks (and I'm not just talking about the Dallas winner in game 5).

I have to imagine Detroit fans feel the same way when Chelios is on the ice as I do when Jason Strudwick is on the ice for the Rangers.

To the above answer, excellent points yet, nobody is comparing resumes. Just because the guy's going to the Hall doesn't mean he should be a lock to dress. Based on your argument, Chelios should be slotted into the number 2 defense slot, just behind Lidstrom.

Hey, Denis Potvin was a pretty capable defenseman, in his own right but, I wouldn't want him on a roster in 2008.

Answer 4

chelios is much better. you may be blind

Answer 5

EXPERIENCE.

Answer 6

You- You do know that it is 2008 and Chelios brings absolutely nothing to the game Meech can not....

He's slow, gets stood up too much, and makes bad clearing choices.  You can bring in the "experience" factor but isn't Helm playing SOLID hockey, and how many regular season or playoff games has he played?

Answer 7

He is still a valuable penalty killer.  But I do believe this should be his last year.  I think if the Wings re-sign Stuart, then he will be gone.  They will want Eriksson to play next year, he can take Lilja's spot.  They should get rid of Lilja because he has no speed.  That leaves Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Eriksson, Lebda, (Stuart).  Then Meech and Quincey.  Meech was definitely solid this season, but they are not going to sit Chelios, while his play isn't great, its not bad enough to sit him.

Answer 8

The Wings have extensive depth at D this year, especially picking up Brad Stuart. Chelios is the most seasoned and versatile of the remaining D not on the 1st or 2nd line.

When it comes to playoffs, Meech has had less playoff experience, and may be more of a liability.

Besides Babcock is going to pick the guys who put out the hardest and smartest during the practices. He's not afraid to scratch Chelios and give him an extra rest if there is another D that is stepping up.