GDT: 10/14/23 - 7:00PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Detroit

[TheDaysOf 04]

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[These Are The Days]

Cripes that was a needlessly long break. I needs the hockey like something fierce right now

 

[LightningStrikes]

The Red Wings look different from last year but are they really improved?

 

[DistantThunderRep]

We Gon' Lose

 

[DFC]

Not unless some young guys improve. I think Yzerman showed some rare impatience.

 

[Stormbreaker]

Let's go !!!

 

[Rschmitz]

Cripes that was a needlessly long break. I needs the hockey like something fierce right now

Four day wait felt longer than the entire summer break for real

Confirmation from Cooper that JJ is our #1

 

[Peacefool]

Ok, can season finally start NOW?!

 

[bov]

The Red Wings look different from last year but are they really improved?

I think they are improving year by year, just not gaining any ground due to their immediate competition (seemingly Buffalo, Ottawa at the moment).

It might take longer than expected, but with the ridiculous amount of picks they have and some really nice prospects, they'll become a playoff team soon enough. And I think they will be there to stay for a long time.

 

[Summer Rose]

Got to love the NHL schedulers giving us such a long break after opening night.

 

[These Are The Days]

Not unless some young guys improve. I think Yzerman showed some rare impatience.

In Yzerman's defense he inherited a team that could be best described as "Your team sucks AND it's out of cap space lol" and even getting that fixed was a few year ordeal. Then combine the fact the Wings have been notoriously unlucky in the lottery. He did like 98% of the work to make the Lightning a winner and it was still hard with Hedman and Stamkos already in tow -and those are guys you get only in the lottery.

It's crazy how history repeats itself for some people. He might have been the most scrutinized captain in history (or at least one of them) because it was as if the Wings couldn't win anything until every last drop of agony and blood could be exacted from him or the fans. Right down to playing on 2 bad knees to win a Cup. And now look at it. This mountain as GM might be even harder than what he had as a player. Even after 40 years he is synonymous with adversity and hardship.

I don't know. That's almost crazy for me to think about that it's still going that way. But that's what made him who he is

 

[StammerHammer]

Division opponent, a must win game. I was a Red Wing fan until 2004. Even after that I could still support them because they were in the Western conference. It all changed with the realignment.

Go Bolts!!!!

 

[Renopucker]

My dad had season's at Olympia, but when I moved to Tampa the Wingers became distant second. I do hope they have a better season. Lots of my HS chums are fans and go to games.

 

[LightningStrikes]

 

[RussianGuyovich]

go bolts

 

[StammerHammer]

My dad had season's at Olympia, but when I moved to Tampa the Wingers became distant second. I do hope they have a better season. Lots of my HS chums are fans and go to games.

My dad also had Red Wing season tickets when they played at Olympia. Back in the 50s.

 

[Point21]

Watching the Flyers/Sens game and my god Philly is so damn bad

 

[Peacefool]

Will ABB play today or tomorrow?

 

[DFC]

In Yzerman's defense he inherited a team that could be best described as "Your team sucks AND it's out of cap space lol" and even getting that fixed was a few year ordeal. Then combine the fact the Wings have been notoriously unlucky in the lottery. He did like 98% of the work to make the Lightning a winner and it was still hard with Hedman and Stamkos already in tow -and those are guys you get only in the lottery.

It's crazy how history repeats itself for some people. He might have been the most scrutinized captain in history (or at least one of them) because it was as if the Wings couldn't win anything until every last drop of agony and blood could be exacted from him or the fans. Right down to playing on 2 bad knees to win a Cup. And now look at it. This mountain as GM might be even harder than what he had as a player. Even after 40 years he is synonymous with adversity and hardship.

I don't know. That's almost crazy for me to think about that it's still going that way. But that's what made him who he is

I just think he finally made moves that make the Wings "different" rather than necessarily "better," which is something he didn't like to do.

As great as having Hedman and Stamkos were for getting us off the ground and into the ranks of contenders, and Hedman was absolutely a cornerstone piece for the championship teams, I think it can be argued that Yzerman drafted or traded for several players who were more important than Stamkos to our championship runs. I don't mean to disparage Stamkos here, but he just wasn't a key contributor in the cups. Hedman had one of the most impressive playoffs I've ever personally seen in 2020, but he was hurt in 2021 and McDonagh was likely our top defender.

Just saying, not having those cornerstone pieces in Detroit doesn't put them as far behind where we were as we might think. Hedman for sure, but Stamkos was rarely better than our 3rd best forward when we started winning cups. It'll be interesting to see if he develops 22 and 23 year old rookies the way he did here. Seems like that's the plan.

 

[JoVel]

What time are we expecting the puck drop to happen? Does Detroit have some home opener shit planned?

 

[LightningStrikes]

Florida off to a bit so great start against Winnipeg.

 

[Rschmitz]

I just think he finally made moves that make the Wings "different" rather than necessarily "better," which is something he didn't like to do.

As great as having Hedman and Stamkos were for getting us off the ground and into the ranks of contenders, and Hedman was absolutely a cornerstone piece for the championship teams, I think it can be argued that Yzerman drafted or traded for several players who were more important than Stamkos to our championship runs. I don't mean to disparage Stamkos here, but he just wasn't a key contributor in the cups. Hedman had one of the most impressive playoffs I've ever personally seen in 2020, but he was hurt in 2021 and McDonagh was likely our top defender.

Just saying, not having those cornerstone pieces in Detroit doesn't put them as far behind where we were as we might think. Hedman for sure, but Stamkos was rarely better than our 3rd best forward when we started winning cups. It'll be interesting to see if he develops 22 and 23 year old rookies the way he did here. Seems like that's the plan.

Yzermans first year here was absolutely insane, he preached patience but put the team through a massive overhaul. Every move he made seemed to work out and by midseason he was trading futures to fill the one or two holes the team still had. Our fanbase has never been more overtly pumped for an upcoming season than when he dealt the pylon Matt Walker for Simon Gagne. I don't think he could do today what he did then with how small and overpriced todays free agent pools are. I mean he was able to bring in two decent top 4 defensemen at a reasonable price(Kubina and Clark)

 

[Summer Rose]

We have two reasons to hate Detroit this weekend. Assuming you care about football.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[DFC]

Yzermans first year here was absolutely insane, he preached patience but put the team through a massive overhaul. Every move he made seemed to work out and by midseason he was trading futures to fill the one or two holes the team still had. Our fanbase has never been more overtly pumped for an upcoming season than when he dealt the pylon Matt Walker for Simon Gagne. I don't think he could do today what he did then with how small and overpriced todays free agent pools are. I mean he was able to bring in two decent top 4 defensemen at a reasonable price(Kubina and Clark)

Yeah, he was also way ahead of the curve with drafting undersized players. And Russians. Seems silly in hindsight that so many teams would write off homerun-type prospects and opt for a guy they hoped could be a fringe NHLer.

Interested to see that top line. Sheary has enough speed to keep up. But what I like most is Paul and Eyssimont (the Dick bros.) will likely get a top-six winger to play with most of the night.