This Year's X-Factor

RedWingsNow*

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The penalty kill -- especially on defense.
I think this will decide if we are a threat to win the central or a team that fights to get into the playoffs.

We replaced Stuart and Lidstrom with Quincey, Smith and CC. Three guys not known for defense

I'm not fond of Kronwall on the PK to be honest.

Ericsson, IMO, is an average PK guy and he's going to be counted on big time. After that... Kronwall... meh... Quincey, bleh.... and then what? White? Jesus.
 

InjuredChoker

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Dec 25, 2011
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In a way I agree with this. Overall team defense has been bad for years, despite having some fine personnel lead by Lidstrom himself. Now it's different. I'm pretty sure that a coach like Tippett would do just fine with current dmen. Hopefully Babcock can do the same. He did well with pretty mediocre Ducks. So it's not like he can't coach a team with less talent.

Other factor is obviously our rookies. They better learn to swim.

We are going to trap. And hard.
 

Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
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The penalty kill -- especially on defense.
I think this will decide if we are a threat to win the central or a team that fights to get into the playoffs.

We replaced Stuart and Lidstrom with Quincey, Smith and CC. Three guys not known for defense

I'm not fond of Kronwall on the PK to be honest.

Ericsson, IMO, is an average PK guy and he's going to be counted on big time. After that... Kronwall... meh... Quincey, bleh.... and then what? White? Jesus.

I think Smith will be the fourth guy. If he is a solid 1st pair penaltykiller at Griffins, the jump to NHL 2nd pair shouldn't be impossible. We just have to grow him in the role by using him there. Kids will learn, or how does the life on this planet will work?

In my mind, Ian White is the 5th man who will jump in if one of the PK defencemen is at the box.

Kindl just haven't played the PK at all before. Can't count anything in him. Same for Colaiacovo. Last time Carlo has been mainly used on PK, was 2008 season at the Maple Leafs.

It will be our weakness, for sure. There's just no leverage for injuries when the starting point looks already insecure.
 

InjuredChoker

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Dec 25, 2011
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I think Smith will be the fourth guy. If he is a solid 1st pair penaltykiller at Griffins, the jump to NHL 2nd pair shouldn't be impossible. We just have to grow him in the role by using him there. Kids will learn, or how does the life on this planet will work?

In my mind, Ian White is the 5th man who will jump in if one of the PK defencemen is at the box.

Kindl just haven't played the PK at all before. Can't count anything in him. Same for Colaiacovo. Last time Carlo has been mainly used on PK, was 2008 season at the Maple Leafs.

It will be our weakness, for sure. There's just no leverage for injuries when the starting point looks already insecure.

For what it's worth, Kindl did PK at EHT.. wasn't that bad.
 

Henkka

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Jan 31, 2004
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For what it's worth, Kindl did PK at EHT.. wasn't that bad.

I really hope he drives himself to that PK role. That's the main thing what is missing from our team. If he won't be that point-producing defenceman, he still has that big 6'3 frame to be molded as defensive 3rd pairing guy. We just have to find some special team role for Kindl. Othervise we don't need him at all.
 

probertrules24

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Jul 10, 2007
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We are going to trap. And hard.

A rude drawing of our new defensive system.

imagesCAR7KZU7.jpg[
 

lazerbullet

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May 22, 2009
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I really hope he drives himself to that PK role. That's the main thing what is missing from our team. If he won't be that point-producing defenceman, he still has that big 6'3 frame to be molded as defensive 3rd pairing guy. We just have to find some special team role for Kindl. Othervise we don't need him at all.

IMHO it's pretty clear cut that he won't be a point producer in the NHL. And yeah... PK is must for him. Dman that doesn't kill penalties and can't play on the PP is pretty damn useless on any team.
 

InjuredChoker

Registered User
Dec 25, 2011
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A rude drawing of our new defensive system.

View attachment 60093[

I was actually serious. Somewhat.

Babcock also plans on relying on the depth the wings have at the forward position to make life easier for the defence. The group of forwards that the Wings have this year is going to be talented and Babcock indicated that he expects them all to be working extremely hard to help alleviate pressure and the workload for the defence.

http://thehockeywriters.com/mike-babcock-talks-wings-defence-on-the-fan-590/

Babs was trap coach back in the day at Anaheim.
 

icKx

Vanek 4 Prez
May 7, 2010
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Kindl has played some really solid positional defense at times. I don't see why he couldn't be at least an average PK'er were he actually given some friggin ice time.

But alas, Babcock doesn't like him and so he rots in favor of the Salei's, Commodore's and Cola's of the league.
 

Tomas W

Registered User
Oct 23, 2007
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Brunner, Franzen and Samuelsson. They will play with some elite playmakers and should be able to score a lot if healty and motivated.

Smith, will he get to the next level, and establish himself as a top 4 D?
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
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I think Smith will be the fourth guy. If he is a solid 1st pair penaltykiller at Griffins, the jump to NHL 2nd pair shouldn't be impossible. We just have to grow him in the role by using him there. Kids will learn, or how does the life on this planet will work?

In my mind, Ian White is the 5th man who will jump in if one of the PK defencemen is at the box.

Kindl just haven't played the PK at all before. Can't count anything in him. Same for Colaiacovo. Last time Carlo has been mainly used on PK, was 2008 season at the Maple Leafs.

It will be our weakness, for sure. There's just no leverage for injuries when the starting point looks already insecure.

My guess:

Ericsson-Kronwall
Quincey-Smith
White
Kindl

Yeah, not pretty. :shakehead
 

Heaton

Moderator
Feb 13, 2004
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X-factor as always will be Datsyuk and Z. They're the leaders of this team are are expected to carry a heavier load than usual this year.
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
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X-factor as always will be Datsyuk and Z. They're the leaders of this team are are expected to carry a heavier load than usual this year.

So are you suggesting they are going to elevate their game? At this late stage of their careers? Seems pretty unlikely IMO. Z's offensive numbers dropped off to his lowest PPG since his second season. He's 32 and Steve Yzerman hit a major wall at the age of 34-35. With Pavs he's still close to a PPG player I just don't see how he goes above and beyond that production. Seems overly optimistic as IMO you're hoping to maintain and put off father time for as long as possible. As Charles Barkley pointed out father time is undefeated.

Jimmah on the other hand has two .920+ SV% seasons out of three. He should just begin to hit his stride as he's in his prime at 28. In both of those seasons his GAA was sub 2.27. He can have a bigger impact than anyone else on this club. His SV% and GAA is actually trending better than Ryan Miller and Miller is considered one of the best goaltenders in the world.
 

Henkka

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Jan 31, 2004
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X-factor as always will be Datsyuk and Z. They're the leaders of this team and are expected to carry a heavier load than usual this year.


I really think it's the exact opposite. The team depth is the key, so you don't have to burn your older leaders totally out.
 

Heaton

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Feb 13, 2004
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[/b]

I really think it's the exact opposite. The team depth is the key, so you don't have to burn your older leaders totally out.

I disagree. Our best players need to be our best players more than ever. Depth is a big key, but how Z and Datsyuk respond is my x-factor.
 

LeftBackLegend

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Oct 15, 2011
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I don't think any one thing will do it... need lots going our way if we're to have a successful season.
 

lazerbullet

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May 22, 2009
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I disagree. Our best players need to be our best players more than ever. Depth is a big key, but how Z and Datsyuk respond is my x-factor.

And how they should respond? Play defense instead of Lidstrom and Stuart? We all know what they can do. They won't do much more than they did before. It's the other guys behind them who can improve. Starting from Kronner and Fil and going all the way down to our rookies.
 

Henkka

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Jan 31, 2004
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I disagree. Our best players need to be our best players more than ever. Depth is a big key, but how Z and Datsyuk respond is my x-factor.

It kind of goes hand in hand. If we have great depth, in creates an effect that our stars can shine, when it matters the most.
 

Squirrel in the Hole

Be the best squirrel in the hole
Feb 18, 2004
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In my opinion, this whole lockout scenario could not have worked out better for the Wings. Babcock now has ~48 games to sort out the O, figure out what he has and what he needs on the D, and generally try just about anything. If we make the playoffs, fantastic, if not, it's an asterisk season... who wants to win a Cup with an asterisk? The X factor is the kids, and now, Babcock is free to play them in situations he wouldn't ordinarily do, that would be too risky for an 82 game season team aiming for the playoffs.
 

JmanWingsFan

Your average Jman
Aug 18, 2011
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I don't think it comes as a shock to anyone that our Xfactor happens to be a collection of six particular players by the name of Kronwall, Ericsson, Quincey, Smith, Kindl, and White. They play serviceable defence, we win the Central. They don't, welp.... We be screwed then.


One advantage the 48 game schedule hopefully gives us is the avoidance of the injury plague. We seem to stay healthy for about half a season and then half the team goes down... Well, half the season is gone so we should be good to go for the first time in ever.
 

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