The wake up call we needed

[wingerdinger]

I'm still very happy with the progress this team has made this year. Our offense has exponentially improved, the comradery in the lockroom is great. The longterm vision for the team is there and we're generally moving in the right direction.

Grand Rapids and most of our key prospects are trending upwards.


The trade for deBrincat has worked out brilliantly, he's met expectations production wise and the collection of a core of American/Michiganders have gave this team an identity and ability for us to overachieve up to this point in the season.

Dylan Larkin the captain deserves the majority of the credit, the team is a reflection made in his image.

Now onto the problems.

Not major, but over these last two games against the cream of the NHL crop. Against Florida and the Aves, we were completely out of our depth and completely chasing shadows. That's to be expected to a certain extent.

But I do hope Yzerman is learning his lessons from this stretch of games. We need to get younger to be able to keep up with the top end of this league. Our defense 2nd/3rd pairing is too mediocre and puts too much pressure on the Seider/Walman pairing, it's time to bring Edvinsson permantly into the fold.

Second lesson too many of our wingers are some combination of old, slow, and lightweight. I'm grateful for Perron, Kane, but niether of these guys are going to be confused with a Marian Hossa. DeBrincat bless him, tries his darndest but he just doesnt have the physique to defend. Fabbri's limited by his injuries, and it's not Sprong game.

After sleeping on the Colorado game. I'm glad this is happening now. Where before we commit one way or another. We have to make some tough choices. I believe without a doubt we can't bring back both Kane and Perron. We cannot accommodate both and compete.

The solution for our forwards group, is still a ways away. Kasper and Danielson are still seasons away from being heavy contributors to a NHL roster.

Mazur can play in the show Friday without a doubt, but he's still having a hard time putting on weight.

I dont know the solutions for this one I just know something has to be adjusted.

Click to read more...

 

[Run the Jewels]

I agree with most of what you have said regarding defensive depth and I suspect that is why Detroit was linked to the pursuit of Hanafin. I'd like a RHD to fill out our top 4 so if there is any truth to the Parayko rumors I am down with that. Yzerman isn't ready to bring Edivinsson into the fold just yet so my guess is we have to wait until next season, but a top 4 to start 2024 of Walman-Seider, Edvinsson-Parayko would be pretty great.

We may also see Kasper and perhaps even Danielson in the lineup next year. The roster Yzerman assembled this year was designed to make some progress to keep morale up and give us a shot at playoff hockey. We should all be impressed with the work the front office has done, the majority of the guys they identified have been plus contributors. This roster wasn't assembled to compete for the Cup and that's why there are so many guys on short term contracts.

The guys who will be part of the Cup contending teams are locked in or will be in the near future: Larkin, DeBrincat, Seider and Raymond. Others will join the team within a year or two and if all goes according to plan they will be locked up long term as well.

The worst thing Yzerman could do at this point is lock us into a player long-term who would consume cap space and prevent us from locking up one of our key players or signing a free agent to fill a need.

 

[ricky0034]

saying you can't compete with both Kane and Perron because they're both so old and slow is like saying you can't compete with both Jacob Bryson and Quinn Hughes because they're both so small

it's weird to even conflate them and there'd be zero issue with it if Perron was as good as Kane is

 

[izlez]

Y'all overreact too much

 

[Pavels Dog]

Deep breaths. Team is 6-4-0 in the last 10.

 

[wingerdinger]

Y'all overreact too much

I thought my op was very balanced, and this is something I've thought since Kane joined tbf.

I'm not saying this year was a complete wash at all and overall Im very happy with the team.

I just think we need to be able to know when it's the right time to walk away from a player before they become a true anchor to the team.

saying you can't compete with both Kane and Perron because they're both so old and slow is like saying you can't compete with both Jacob Bryson and Quinn Hughes because they're both so small

it's weird to even conflate them and there'd be zero issue with it if Perron was as good as Kane is

This is a weird nitpick. You agree with my overall point but you dont like my reasoning. Ok. Perron's has slowed down because he is old and as a result, contributes to the overall poor team defense. With the addition of Kane, we can no longer accommodate both players and be competitive in the upcoming seasons.

 

[Frk It]

We are not a good enough team to beat good teams without Larkin in the lineup.

That’s all these last few games tells me.

 

[izlez]

I thought my op was very balanced, and this is something I've thought since Kane joined tbf.

I'm not saying this year was a complete wash at all and overall Im very happy with the team.

I just think we need to be able to know when it's the right time to walk away from a player before they become a true anchor to the team.

Yeah, this post in itself isn't too far over the top. But, my reaction was a culmination of reading many other posts over that last 3 days.

I don't necessarily disagree with your point, but Yzerman should not be getting a "wake up call", "learning a lesson", or making moves based on the last 2 games we lost or the hot streak before that. He should have an understanding of how good the players are on the team, how good the team is as a whole, and a big picture plan of how to do his job as a GM.

If a 2 game, or 10 game, sample size is making him rush to change his plans, I'm not so sure he knows what he's doing in the first place

 

[wingerdinger]

Yeah, this post in itself isn't too far over the top. But, my reaction was a culmination of reading many other posts over that last 3 days.

I don't necessarily disagree with your point, but Yzerman should not be getting a "wake up call", "learning a lesson", or making moves based on the last 2 games we lost or the hot streak before that. He should have an understanding of how good the players are on the team, how good the team is as a whole, and a big picture plan of how to do his job as a GM.

If a 2 game, or 10 game, sample size is making him rush to change his plans, I'm not so sure he knows what he's doing in the first place

Yeah the title of the thread is clickbaitish. Thou I do think Yzerman did change his mind on the team after the back to back Ottawa humiliation of last year. So I do think that these two games made it clear we cant get away with icing Perron and Kane next season.

 

[izlez]

Yeah the title of the thread is clickbaitish. Thou I do think Yzerman did change his mind on the team after the back to back Ottawa humiliation of last year. So I do think that these two games made it clear we cant get away with icing Perron and Kane next season.

I think the discussion would go much better if you didn't group these 2 together.

Perron had a role, but is going downhill and an upgrade would be nice.
Patrick Kane still largely looks like Patrick Kane, and he's never been particularly big, strong, or fast

 

[datsyukfan]

I think the discussion would go much better if you didn't group these 2 together.

Perron had a role, but is going downhill and an upgrade would be nice.
Patrick Kane still largely looks like Patrick Kane, and he's never been particularly big, strong, or fast

The D is what needs to be fixed the forward core in large is pretty damn good. Offense is like top 5 and would only get better with a better D core. Good news is Detroit’s D prospects are probably the best in the league

 

[wingerdinger]

We may also see Kasper and perhaps even Danielson in the lineup next year. The roster Yzerman assembled this year was designed to make some progress to keep morale up and give us a shot at playoff hockey. We should all be impressed with the work the front office has done, the majority of the guys they identified have been plus contributors. This roster wasn't assembled to compete for the Cup and that's why there are so many guys on short term contracts.

They might be in the lineup next season, but it will still be a few years until there able to physically exert themselves against grown men.

I think the discussion would go much better if you didn't group these 2 together.

Perron had a role, but is going downhill and an upgrade would be nice.
Patrick Kane still largely looks like Patrick Kane, and he's never been particularly big, strong, or fast

My mistake I should make it clearer. I mean it's one or the other. Not that I think both need to go. Just we can't have Perron and Kane. I hope we bring back Kane, without Perron.

But say Kane wants to bounce after this year I could be talked into bringing Perron back depending on his role.

Ideally I'd like to keep Perron around the team as a consultant.

 

[Detroit Knights]

It's tough for absolutely any nhl/ahl player to gain weight during the regular season. It is just a fact. Mazur needs the summer to get it done.

Datsyuk used to eat heavy pasta between periods and lost weight. The amount of food you need to eat during the regular season/playoffs would be too enormous to have any resemblance of a weight gain.

 

[SoupGuru]

Perron was the only one that looked like he knew what he was doing last night.

 

[PullHard]

Perron was the only one that looked like he knew what he was doing last night.

I also thought Perron had a strong game even outside of his goal. He's one of the few guys who will go to the net or fire the puck with no hesitation. He also got into the middle of the scrum when Colton ran Lyon. He brings a lot of life to this team in my viewings.

 

[Snuggs]

We're fine, everything's fine.

 

[Gniwder]

After sleeping on the Colorado game.

I'm pretty sure they just hit the snooze button a couple times, and ignored your wake up call.

The problem is hotels don't let you snooze wake up calls, so they probably don't even bother waking up until DBoss comes back.

 

[FMichael]

I'm pretty sure they just hit the snooze button a couple times, and ignored your wake up call.

The problem is hotels don't let you snooze wake up calls, so they probably don't even bother waking up until DBoss comes back.

Yeah - it is convenient to use DBoss' injury as a reason why this team slumped at a critical point in this season...I personally find it a poor excuse considering the experience and overall talent this team has...I'm hoping the boys can turn things around starting in Buffalo tomorrow night.

 

[FMichael]

We're fine, everything's fine.

 

[heyfolks]

1) Gniwder's dumpster avatar is epic.

2) See 1)

OK OK. The wake up call we needed was a decade ago. As said, the Wings hit the snooze alarm until Yzerman arrived. When your scouting team takes Zadina over Hughes, you have BIG problems. When you trade Jensen for a 2nd an Bowey, you have deep rooted problems.


This team, newly found excuse (called a curse) aside, had the same collapse last year. This has nothing to do with the patch and everything to do with the roster.

The netminding by committee has actually been OK...

... but that D is a train wreck. Holl is actually worse than Petry. Leaving all else aside why is there no thread to discuss JAKE WALMAN getting benched?!?! That is a WAKE UP CALL. Seider, was getting called out by Pang for chasing behind the net and leaving the low slot WIDE open for a goal. THAT is a problem. This D is real bad.

Up front this team has very little ability to win puck battles. They are owned on the boards. They have no individual or team toughness and not enough skill to put any team on their heels.

Summary: This roster is built for early regular season play. When the game gets amped up, they can't keep up. Do I hope this is an over-reaction and not a historically factual observation? Sure, but on this day history is with me. The last month is not yet written.

 

[14ari13]

We are not a good enough team to beat good teams without Larkin in the lineup.

That’s all these last few games tells me.

Specially on the road

 

[19 for president]

This is a young core team. We have spent this entire season on big up swings and big down swings. How we play depends on the confidence of the team. We have a ton of middle depth but very little top end talent depth. Larkin or Seider go down and we are a wreck. With that said we can team defense it along without Seider some, we have no creative output up the middle without Larkin.

As much as this losing streak has stunk, I could see them also roll off 6 in row right afterwards. Larkin is the guy for this team. Losing him hurts this team both on the ice and mentally. If he comes back this weekend then I think we could see them turn it around quickly again (Dec vs Jan). WIth that said the race is so tight, we could still miss, but I don't think we'll just continue to bomb out the rest of the season if Larkin makes it back in a timely manner.

Wings really need a true #2 or better yet 1B center. Hopefully Danielson or Kasper can take that role, but I worry that they may take too long to develop to work into Larkin's peak window.

Overall our top 6 currently is a bit flawed in that it is very small overall. Ray is improving both offensively and defensively, but he still has a ways to go defensively. Larkin is Larkin, although I think he occasionally gets a bit lazy on D and tends focus too much on trying to draw penalties vs playing. Kane is brilliant offensively but the man will not engage physically or defensively at all (Which I entirely get, but he is a 1 way player). DBC tries on both ends but his size makes him not great defensively. He can get hemmed in with physical play pretty easily. Compher is one of those jack of all trade guys, whom I like, but I will say I've been disappointed with him at the dot. He needs to be a lot closer to 50% than the 43% he has been. If you aren't super skilled offensively you need to be able to help get possession for those creative guys.

We really could use a guy with some size on the wing for the top 6. Someone that could help them cycle. I also think it might be wise to split up Kane and DBC when not on the PP or like down late and needing a goal. They really sort of sink your line defensively.

Defensively Chia/Petry need to be a bottom pairing. We need a top 4 RD to pair with Ed next season. Wings are only ever going to go as far as their defense can carry them because we did not luck into a Crosby or McDavid level center.

Trouba/Parakyo could be great RD trade options and I still really like Buch on wing.

 

[DamonDRW]

I'm not getting what kind of "young core" people here are the talking about. We have Seider, Raymond, Larkin in his prime, Walman and then a lot of "what ifs" in grand rapids. Few good D and goalie prospects but nothing spectacular and a giant black hole at the offense.

Mazur, Danielsson or Kasper could become players similar to Filppula if things will go extremely well. And we need Zetterbergs to be relevant.

Classic case of overvaluing prospects by the fanbase.

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

4 forward ufas in Sprong, Fish, Kane and Perron. Only Kane should be considered and he may not want to come back. 1 Ufa D man in Ghost, bye bye. Could open up one more roster spot by not going 3 goalies and letting Reimer walk.

Three will be on expiring deals in Fabbri, Maatta and Petry. If Yzerman can offload any of them, it would be great.

6 spots open for sure. Some young guys have to get some spots.

 

[raymond23]

Speaking as a fan, we didn’t need this