Hodgson and Kadri

To both Leaf and Canuck fans alike, your two top prospects being returned to junior is not a bad thing. Kadri is a year younger, and maybe could have had some success, but neither of these guys are an Ovechkin or a Crosby who are great right away. Hodgson is a year older, and I wanted to see him make the Canucks this year because I wanted to watch him play. I wanted to see his progress live on TV. They don't televise Brampton Battalion games in Vancouver. But we found out right before training camp that he had sustained a back injury while training and wasn't skating. Add to that he played like 150 games last year. It was shaping up to be another Gilbert Brule, who got knocked way off track by being rushed. Then in preseason Hodgson never looked right.

Kadri put up a few highlights in camp, but really it was the safe play to play him against teenagers next season, let him play a prominent role in the World Juniors, and come back next year bigger and stronger. Detroit allows its prospects to develop properly in junior and minor pro, and look where they are as a franchise. They lost several key role players, and have a slew of hungry, talented young prospects just chomping at the bit to get on the ice in the NHL. They have had access to Detroit’s training staff for a few years, are put on off-season regiments, and play in the NHL when they are ready to play in the NHL. Peak performance is in and around 27 years old for hockey players. Start him at 18 if he is physically ready or you need him to help you win now, but look at what Ken Holland does. I was 10 years old the last time Detroit missed the playoffs. Detroit has never missed the playoff with Ken Holland making their personnel decisions.

I expect to see Landon Ferraro returned junior and spend a couple years developing in Grand Rapids. I have him penciled in for a roster spot in 2012, joining a playoff team that will be a contender every year. It will hurt when Lidstrom retires, but I am a huge fan of Kronwall and Ericsson. Rafalski is still producing at a high level. He is a lot like a Neidermayer who does not show his mileage. Detroit also has some blue chip prospects that you haven't even heard of yet. I will take all the Zetterberg, Franzen, and Datsyuk I can get my hands on for the next 7 years. Fillpulla has game. Watch out for Helm, Leino, and Abdelkadder. If the Leafs had even a taste of Detroit's organizational depth, they'd be competitive. Detroit has drafted very efficiently, and they never rush anyone. What does that get you? Playoffs. Lots of Playoffs. How many playoff games have the Red Wings won since the last time the Leafs made the playoffs? 100?

But I digress. The point of my little bragging session above, is that sending Kadri and Hodgson back to junior was the right thing to do. To Landon Ferraro I say don’t be disappointed that you dropped to the second round, be excited that you were drafted by Ken Holland. He does it the way it needs to be done.

DREAD THE RED!