GDT: Detroit Red Wings @ New York Rangers 7:30PM Est

[Frk It]

We are kinda moving up in standings to where are real talent level is.. bottom 7-12. Not bottom 3.

We need to do some hard selling to get worse.

I totally get that people don't want to root for losing, but we are not in the best spot right now.

 

[Winger98]

I totally get that people don't want to root for losing, but we are not in the best spot right now.

The thing is, I think we don't want to root for the players to suck - especially if we think they are underperforming. We want them to play hard, to play as well as they can, but still be just bad enough to lose. The problem is that there are a lot of guys on this team who aren't horrible, and if the effort's there they can probably at least have a puncher's chance a lot of nights.

Maybe they'll get swamped the next few weeks with all of the away games against playoff teams, or at least better teams.

 

[Redder Winger]

This team is about to get beat down.
They didn't deserve the win tonight.

 

[Frk It]

The thing is, I think we don't want to root for the players to suck - especially if we think they are underperforming. We want them to play hard, to play as well as they can, but still be just bad enough to lose. The problem is that there are a lot of guys on this team who aren't horrible, and if the effort's there they can probably at least have a puncher's chance a lot of nights.

Maybe they'll get swamped the next few weeks with all of the away games against playoff teams, or at least better teams.

Yeah, I like to watch the team win... but I know where I want us to end up, too. It's hard. Maybe Howard will get "hurt" and then we give Coreau some starts.

 

[Winger98]

Yeah, I like to watch the team win... but I know where I want us to end up, too. It's hard. Maybe Howard will get "hurt" and then we give Coreau some starts.

Personally, it's not even watching them win. If guys like Larkin and Mantha just didn't play well this season that would be a horrible indicator for this club's future. Or if Athanasiou came back this year and had put up like ten points by now. The older guys have definitely played well and have helped keep them afloat, but without those kids...yeah, we're probably looking at drafting much lower this year.

I want us to be drafting higher, too. On the one hand, of the teams sitting 6-10 right now, the odds for drafting top3 or first over all aren't hugely different. I know it's just entirely arbitrary with how I feel about the percentages, but I think you really need to be one of the five worst teams to really like your draft chances. But once you climb to 11th, you should almost be saying to hell with it and fighting for a playoff spot. Your chances of drafting high really take a hit there.

 

[Frk It]

Personally, it's not even watching them win. If guys like Larkin and Mantha just didn't play well this season that would be a horrible indicator for this club's future. Or if Athanasiou came back this year and had put up like ten points by now. The older guys have definitely played well and have helped keep them afloat, but without those kids...yeah, we're probably looking at drafting much lower this year.

I want us to be drafting higher, too. On the one hand, of the teams sitting 6-10 right now, the odds for drafting top3 or first over all aren't hugely different. I know it's just entirely arbitrary with how I feel about the percentages, but I think you really need to be one of the five worst teams to really like your draft chances. But once you climb to 11th, you should almost be saying to hell with it and fighting for a playoff spot. Your chances of drafting high really take a hit there.

I don't know what the answer is. All I know is if we draft 8-12 every year I don't think we will ever actually re-build this team.

 

[Winger98]

I don't know what the answer is. All I know is if we draft 8-12 every year I don't think we will ever actually re-build this team.

I definitely agree. I think we're sort of screwed outside of just getting lucky in the lottery.

 

[Martinez]

Ehh, I’m not worried, tough month ahead. We will probably draft around 7-9 and take a guy like Dobson, Bouchard or Smith.

 

[HIFE]

This team is about to get beat down.
They didn't deserve the win tonight.

But that's been said since October. I just agree more with what Winger98 is describing- they have a puncher's chance most nights. An exit strategy that consists of shooting the puck at random players, resulting in 20 icings a game should not bring success but somehow in this upside down NHL they are a .500 club.

I still say Jimmy is a huge part of where we're at. A lot of other NHL goaltending is bad this year.

 

[theYman]

Well it looked like 2 teams that didn't want to win tonight really. I mean it almost went to a shootout lol.

 

[Claypool]

Well it looked like 2 teams that didn't want to win tonight really. I mean it almost went to a shootout lol.

Only one shot in overtime should tell you everything you need to know.

 

[Redder Winger]

I give credit to the Rangers.
They're cashing in on their old assets and UFAs.
They're up front an honest about their direction.

Ken Holland is mealymouthed and wishywashy.

 

[Spitfire11]

What a win, only 5 points out!!! How cheap is Kenny going to get Vanek for tomorrow? 2nd+Smith is my guess.

 

[Red Stanley]

That's how you tank properly, bois! All you have to do is let go of dignity and desire for competition across the board. Shitting all over pre-season expectations? A definite plus, as long as you tweet about how very sorry and reformed you are after the fact. Your #brightfuture dinner invitation is in the mail, NYR!

 

[Shaman464]

That's how you tank properly, bois! All you have to do is let go of dignity and desire for competition across the board. ****ting all over pre-season expectations? A definite plus, as long as you tweet about how very sorry and reformed you are after the fact. Your #brightfuture dinner invitation is in the mail, NYR!

And yet, they are probably going to contend long before Detroit if they are willing to make the hard decisions. Mediocrity is built on fear of making the hard decision.

 

[kliq]

I give credit to the Rangers.
They're cashing in on their old assets and UFAs.
They're up front an honest about their direction.

Ken Holland is mealymouthed and wishywashy.

They are definitely trading away upcoming UFA's, but we'll see in the summer what they actually decide to do.

 

[turkleton85]

mantha with 0 shots on goal. anyone else notice that nyquist is never passing him the puck when he's in good shooting poitions?

boring, boring game. NY rangers on their way to a bottom 5 finish

 

[Bench]

NY rangers on their way to a bottom 5 finish

And I'm green with envy.

The Wings have been pretty tough to watch all year and our reward for this completely uninspired season could be a pick outside the top 10? Dammmmmmnnn.

 

[jkutswings]

I definitely agree. I think we're sort of screwed outside of just getting lucky in the lottery.

Finish 23rd overall.
Still win the lottery.
Holland goes full Hossa, and retires with a skin allergy.

Problem solved.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Doubt Holland is going to move enough impact players (if any) to get this team the finish it needs.

Oh well. Maybe next year.

 

[Redder Winger]

They are definitely trading away upcoming UFA's, but we'll see in the summer what they actually decide to do.

I don't know what that means.

 

[Redder Winger]

mantha with 0 shots on goal. anyone else notice that nyquist is never passing him the puck when he's in good shooting poitions?

boring, boring game. NY rangers on their way to a bottom 5 finish

He's a pretty awesome decoy.
I didn't notice that though.
I did see Mantha with the puck quite a bit, but he didn't shoot or shoot on goal.

I thought AA had a great game until the 3-3 goal, when he and his linemates looked discombobulated.
Coach obviously blamed AA because the next time out, GLendening took his place on the line.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I don't know what the answer is. All I know is if we draft 8-12 every year I don't think we will ever actually re-build this team.

The combination of things that would need to happen for that scenario to play out is so unlikely that it's not even worth thinking about.

 

[Frk It]

The combination of things that would need to happen for that scenario to play out is so unlikely that it's not even worth thinking about.

It’s much more likely than unlikely this year (again).

 

[Redder Winger]

All I know is if we draft 8-12 every year I don't think we will ever actually re-build this team.

I think you can rebuild it with 5-10 years of 8-12 picks.
And by rebuild, I simply mean, return to a pretty good team.

But it's harder to become a real cup contender/favorite without top 3 picks.
And it's harder to have a quick turnaround without them.

Guys drafted 8-12 have a good chance of being NHLers. But they don't often join the NHL early. They're more likely to join the league at 20. And they're not going to light it up right away, normally.
So you're looking at 3-4-5 years for your forwards to hit their stride.
5-6-7 years for a defenseman.

Ultimately, you're not necessarily getting anything better than Tatar or Nyquist, maybe with better speed, or Green or Kronwall.

And look, this year's team has Green, Zetterberg, Larkin, Mantha, Tatar, and Nyquist.
A lot of teams have decent personnel and still never really contend.