GDT: Game 32: Red Wings at jets 7:30 pm et 12/20/23 (ESPN+, BSD)

[SoupGuru]

I'm back to having those uneasy feelings that I've had over the last few years about the player leadership. Is there no one in the locker room setting the standard and holding players accountable?

 

[Ezekial]

Except he sucks at breakaways. Nielsen was at least good in shootouts.

This team needs a Tywin Lannister type as its head coach.

Lalonde isn't it.

Frans sucked at shootouts as a Wing. All they did was talk about his percentage in the shootout every time until it became average because he never scored them for us.

 

[Dotter]

This team is suffering from mental fatigue and nagging injuries. The 3 day Christmas break can't come soon enough.

They're playing too much hockey during an already lull time since the Sharks and OTT fiascle, and now with lots of travel while important players aren't playing healthy.

If you look at games earlier on (before Sweden and after Sweden) when they were rested up, you see a much different team. They were skating, physical, crisp passing, winning battles, outworking their opponent and scoring tons of goals at will. They looked like a well oiled machine and were most certainly having fun as a team finally on the rise. They didn't just 'lose their touch' or decided as a group to go lazy. They are suffering from fatigue and health. Add to that, they lost confidence and are scrambling out there.

Can the coach be blamed for some of this? Yes. But changing the coach right now isn't the fix. I'm 100% sure the team will bounce back. They need some downtime/rest and an easier schedule, and most of all, they need to get healthy. If the injuries continue at this rate, then we can count them out on making a wildcard slot with TBL or MTL bumping us out. It's a tight race.

 

[saska sault]

.

 

[Sadekuuro]

Frans sucked at shootouts as a Wing. All they did was talk about his percentage in the shootout every time until it became average because he never scored them for us.

Yep, he was literally the best player in the history of the NHL shootout when he came to Detroit... and then went like 1 for 7.

 

[Henkka]

No energy. Let's play more some back-to-back games!

f*** the schedule.

 

[brett89]

this team needs to wake up. where is the team that started the season?

 

[RRhoads]

All I want for Christmas is good defensive coverage

 

[TheOtherOne]

Yep, he was literally the best player in the history of the NHL shootout when he came to Detroit... and then went like 1 for 7.

He's 7 for 24 (29.2%) for #21 all time as a Red Wing.

This isn't meant to be an argument, I was just curious so I looked it up.

edit: lol Helm is #15

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Maybe they need to skip some practices or game day skates..?

They just look out of sorts..time to try something new

 

[RedHawkDown]

Injuries are a bad excuse. Every team deals w it.

Just the other WC teams:
WSH missing Oshie, McMichael, Backstrom LTIRetired.
Tampa missing Sergachev.
Devils lost Hamilton for the full season.
Isles missing Pelech, Pulock.
Florida missing Lundell.

We only lost Larkin and Compher for 2-3 games and we’ve lost 7 of the last 8. Bad reason.

 

[RedWingzz]

Lalonde's post-game presser is sad and depressing. This guy never shows emotion, or sounds like he cares. We've completely plummeted down the standings, we've won 1 of the last 8, and this guy seems content.

We need a head coach, not a cheerleader.

 

[SoupGuru]

I am so mystified why people expect coaches' press conferences to be any different. The coach is supposed to start throwing players under the bus? He's supposed to call out bad plays in the media? He's supposed to be angry? Throw chairs? Nobody wants their coach selling them out in public. He has to maintain trust with his players. It's crazy to expect a coach to get in front of the mics and say anything other than "We've got a few things to work on but there were some positives too."

If there's any calling out or chair throwing, it happens away from the cameras.

 

[RedWingzz]

I am so mystified why people expect coaches' press conferences to be any different. The coach is supposed to start throwing players under the bus? He's supposed to call out bad plays in the media? He's supposed to be angry? Throw chairs? Nobody wants their coach selling them out in public. He has to maintain trust with his players. It's crazy to expect a coach to get in front of the mics and say anything other than "We've got a few things to work on but there were some positives too."

If there's any calling out or chair throwing, it happens away from the cameras.

A bit of emotion would be nice.

I'm not seeing the positives to be honest. 1 win in the last 8, that's not positive. I'd just like if Lalonde got fired up from time to time, and questioned the effort/compete of the team.

Again, he acts more like a cheerleader, and we need a head coach. Not saying Torterella doesn't have flaws, but look at how the Flyers are competing this year. Lalonde tries way too hard to be "one of the boys" in my opinion, and I've felt that way since day 1. He came in last year telling the players to call him "Newsy".

You're the coach Derek, put the pompoms down, take off your cheerleading outfit, and get to work.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

A bit of emotion would be nice.

I'm not seeing the positives to be honest. 1 win in the last 8, that's not positive. I'd just like if Lalonde got fired up from time to time, and questioned the effort/compete of the team.

Again, he acts more like a cheerleader, and we need a head coach. Not saying Torterella doesn't have flaws, but look at how the Flyers are competing this year. Lalonde tries way too hard to be "one of the boys" in my opinion, and I've felt that way since day 1. He came in last year telling the players to call him "Newsy".

You're the coach Derek, put the pompoms down, take off your cheerleading outfit, and get to work.

We have seen this movie before about five times already. Tortorella has a shelf life of 2.5 years. You can rinse it and repeat it if you want but it will never extend past 2.5 years. I say this as someone who is a big fan of him.

If you want to impeach Lalonde's coaching, there is plenty on the ice to go on. You don't need to look at his press conferences.

This team is suffering from mental fatigue and nagging injuries. The 3 day Christmas break can't come soon enough.

They're playing too much hockey during an already lull time since the Sharks and OTT fiascle, and now with lots of travel while important players aren't playing healthy.

If you look at games earlier on (before Sweden and after Sweden) when they were rested up, you see a much different team. They were skating, physical, crisp passing, winning battles, outworking their opponent and scoring tons of goals at will. They looked like a well oiled machine and were most certainly having fun as a team finally on the rise. They didn't just 'lose their touch' or decided as a group to go lazy. They are suffering from fatigue and health. Add to that, they lost confidence and are scrambling out there.

Can the coach be blamed for some of this? Yes. But changing the coach right now isn't the fix. I'm 100% sure the team will bounce back. They need some downtime/rest and an easier schedule, and most of all, they need to get healthy. If the injuries continue at this rate, then we can count them out on making a wildcard slot with TBL or MTL bumping us out. It's a tight race.

The schedule and injuries are a huge factor. I will give you that. The lack of structure in the defensive zone, however, cannot be written of on those grounds. We are seeing a ton of basic, mental mistakes.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Just watched the replay. We are sucking realbad this month.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I'm back to having those uneasy feelings that I've had over the last few years about the player leadership. Is there no one in the locker room setting the standard and holding players accountable?

I am surprised that we don't talk about this more around here. I too am very worried given that it is the constant that hasn't changed all that much in the last five years. I love Larkin at his best as a player, but I am open to the possibility that a leadership core built around him may not work in the end.

 

[raymond23]

A bit of emotion would be nice.

I'm not seeing the positives to be honest. 1 win in the last 8, that's not positive. I'd just like if Lalonde got fired up from time to time, and questioned the effort/compete of the team.

Again, he acts more like a cheerleader, and we need a head coach. Not saying Torterella doesn't have flaws, but look at how the Flyers are competing this year. Lalonde tries way too hard to be "one of the boys" in my opinion, and I've felt that way since day 1. He came in last year telling the players to call him "Newsy".

You're the coach Derek, put the pompoms down, take off your cheerleading outfit, and get to work.

He said it himself and continues to say it - we don’t expect to make the playoffs

No wonder this team plays so timid and soft when that’s the message coming from above

Maybe if we didn’t coach our defenseman to flip the puck out the second it touches their stick we could actually control pace and not constantly be stuck playing defense…

 

[Gniwder]

edit: lol Helm is #15

His feet were faster than his hands. He didn't need to skate fast for a SO.

 

[raymond23]

I am surprised that we don't talk about this more around here. I too am very worried given that it is the constant that hasn't changed all that much in the last five years. I love Larkin at his best as a player, but I am open to the possibility that a leadership core built around him may not work in the end.

It’s a valid question and observation. The same theme year after year after year

Starts at the top and Larkin is the captain

I don’t think you can blame him this year tho with all he’s been thru

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

It’s a valid question and observation. The same theme year after year after year

Starts at the top and Larkin is the captain

I don’t think you can blame him this year tho with all he’s been thru

I am with you. I think he rushed back from injury and clearly isn't very healthy. He played on the outside the entire game yesterday.

 

[FMichael]

I think that's really shortchanging Lalonde to call him a Blashill clone. I'm not saying he's ultimately the guy but this team actually has a system now. Zone exits have vastly improved. Shot blocking has improved.

With Blashill there was none of this.

Better coaching?

or

Better roster?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Better coaching?

or

Better roster?

Blashill didn't have much talent to work with but even at the time I was complaining there seemed to be no plan for zone exits other than high and hard off the glass. It's not that they were trying other ways and failing. There simply wasn't other ways.

Under coaches like Daryl Sutter I've seen 4th line facepunchers develop effective zone exits because there's essentially set plays for them to use. Guys know where to go to provide outlet pass options and puck support. That was lacking under Blashill but I'm seeing it with Lalonde. I'm not talking about Ghost or Seider skating the puck out of the zone on their own.

 

[ricky0034]

I am with you. I think he rushed back from injury and clearly isn't very healthy. He played on the outside the entire game yesterday.

he did say he doesn't feel safe

could just be a mental thing he needs to work through by playing

 

[FMichael]

We have seen this movie before about five times already. Tortorella has a shelf life of 2.5 years. You can rinse it and repeat it if you want but it will never extend past 2.5 years. I say this as someone who is a big fan of him.

If you want to impeach Lalonde's coaching, there is plenty on the ice to go on. You don't need to look at his press conferences.


The schedule and injuries are a huge factor. I will give you that. The lack of structure in the defensive zone, however, cannot be written of on those grounds. We are seeing a ton of basic, mental mistakes.

2.5 years?

It's more like 5 years (4.75 to be exact).

Tampa 7 seasons, NYR 5 seasons, Vancouver 1 season, CBJ 6 seasons.

Blashill didn't have much talent to work with but even at the time I was complaining there seemed to be no plan for zone exits other than high and hard off the glass. It's not that they were trying other ways and failing. There simply wasn't other ways.

Under coaches like Daryl Sutter I've seen 4th line facepunchers develop effective zone exits because there's essentially set plays for them to use. Guys know where to go to provide outlet pass options and puck support. That was lacking under Blashill but I'm seeing it with Lalonde. I'm not talking about Ghost or Seider skating the puck out of the zone on their own.

Sutter is a guy I wouldn't mind seeing behind the bench...Seems like this team is drinking from the well (tainted water) too often...Needs something fresh from a different source.