Speculation: 2013 NHL Playoffs: Why is Detroit succeeding where the Wild did not?

[LemaireisGOD]

http://www.stateofhockeynews.com/2013-articles/may/why-is-detroit-succeeding-where-the-wild-failed-against-chicago.html

As I've watched Detroit and Chicago play I think there are some intangibles that really have worked in the Red Wings' favor. I know I could pick on scoring, etc, but it really just looks at two areas where the Wild's deficiencies become more apparent. Either way, enjoy!

Click to read more...

 

[WildFinn*]

Good read, sums up the opinions of many here, only small disagreements are how to solve those issues.

 

[BusQuets]

Good coach, good system everyone knows what they should be doing. Core has been together for a long time(Dats,zet,fil,franzen,cleary,kronwall). Hot streak?

 

[mezcal]

I haven't read the article yet, but I have to say a couple things. Why does Detroit have such a consistent and efficient team? Because they are balanced. They have good offense, solid defense and goaltending. They also have some pretty great coaching as well.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

Good coach, good system everyone knows what they should be doing. Core has been together for a long time(Dats,zet,fil,franzen,cleary,kronwall). Hot streak?

I feel Detroit has gotten hot in the playoffs. They sure looked like they were dead and gone a few weeks before the playoffs started.

 

[TheeNorthStar]

Coach.

 

[mezcal]

Coach.

In my opinion, the best coach in the league.

 

[countrygentleman]

Starts and ends with leadership, or lack thereof. Yeo, Koivu...

 

[Avder]

Easy: Detroit knows how to draw up and stick with a game plan, and players there are utilized much better there. If the Wild had done any of those things better, we would be facing Los Angeles in the 2nd round.

 

[Caior89]

they dont have a system that u need to constantly play in the edge to work it out, so when problems come u can have flexibility and turn around and get back to it. That's non-existence here, system fails everyones goes lost.

 

[firstroundbust]

1. Detroit is a far more superior puck possession team than Minnesota
2. Detroit has more playoff experience than Minnesota, especially on their blueline
3. Chicago's D is struggling, especially Seabrook

 

[thestonedkoala]

1/ Coaching
2/ Little depth
3/ No player stepped up
4/ Goaltending

 

[Hedning]

And... Detroit understood the importance of a good 2 way play/shutdown of the oppositions best players (Z on Toews) And he still has the backup that's needed in Datsuyk and others to the play in the offensive zone if he's glued to just being Toews shadow during the game.

But you guys have your future second/third line 2 way center waiting, oops, sorry he's also feasting on the wings right now. The Buffalo kind.

But all in all, It's the complete game from Detroit that's been most impressive so far. Every link is working.
The old machine still have some juice left. Series far from over tho.

 

[Sportsfan1]

1. Datsyuk and Zetterberg, they are still the best two players in all of the NHL and they are showing everyone exactly why again this postseason with their amazing play at BOTH ends of the ice.
2. Coaching, best coach in the league.

Detroit's defense is NOT any better then ours, but they've been a more tightly nit group that are playing above and beyond right now what they normally can and that is why they are in the lead right now in this series.

 

[rynryn]

Dats and Zetterberg are still very good players but in no way shape or form is Zetterburg one of the two best players in hockey. that's pretty nuts; something not even red wings fans would come up with in their finest homer moments. There's a better argument for Dats but still I think most Wings fans would slot Crosby above him.

Also...Detroit just has Chicago's number. Familiarity plays a big part in that...Chicago's big guns slumping at the wrong time while Detroit's are peaking. It isn't a matter of Detroit shutting down chicago's top players so far--or are you going to suggest the Wild did as well (and thus deserving of a little praise, which I'm sure you're loath to do). Detroit did however do a great job of shutting down chicago's depth which we failed to do.

tl;dr Detroit isn't a friggin powerhouse. Wings A squad peaks while Hawks A squad slumps + familiarity = better chances. kinda like how we did extremely well vs the Canucks for years while they were winning or contending for presidents trophies and we were rolling around in the bottom half of the league.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

I admit Howard is turning into a bit better goaltender than I gave him credit for.

 

[rynryn]

I admit Howard is turning into a bit better goaltender than I gave him credit for.

agree with you there...been bagging on Howard for a while now. he's actually looking good.

 

[OpRedDawn*]

And... Detroit understood the importance of a good 2 way play/shutdown of the oppositions best players (Z on Toews) And he still has the backup that's needed in Datsuyk and others to the play in the offensive zone if he's glued to just being Toews shadow during the game.

But you guys have your future second/third line 2 way center waiting, oops, sorry he's also feasting on the wings right now. The Buffalo kind.

But all in all, It's the complete game from Detroit that's been most impressive so far. Every link is working.
The old machine still have some juice left. Series far from over tho.

Koivu did the same to Toews.... and yet he gets crucified for it lol

 

[Wildfish]

Koivu did the same to Toews.... and yet he gets crucified for it lol

Give him a free pass for that? The $6.75 mil Captain Center scores ZERO points and is MINUS 7 in a five game series. Plus tried to QB an abortion of a PP that was 0 for 19. But he's got that going for him! Shut down Toews for two games.

 

[BusQuets]

Give him a free pass for that? The $6.75 mil Captain Center scores ZERO points and is MINUS 7 in a five game series. Plus tried to QB an abortion of a PP that was 0 for 19. But he's got that going for him! Shut down Toews for two games.

Koivu was -6. It was the Parisee who was -7.

 

[Vashanesh]

Give him a free pass for that? The $6.75 mil Captain Center scores ZERO points and is MINUS 7 in a five game series. Plus tried to QB an abortion of a PP that was 0 for 19. But he's got that going for him! Shut down Toews for two games.

Zetterberg hasn't exactly been lighting things up, and he's been sent out there to shut down Toews as well.

It's not a 1:1 comparison, of course, but it at least could be used as a rough idea of what to expect.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I agree with the two main points. We could really use a big crease clearer in the 2nd Dman pairing. And it's clear that our team is slow. 1st line, even Parise, looked slow all series. So did the 3rd line.

But I would toss in a lack of an elite (top-15) center. Every good team has one of those. Like Suter on the blueline, it pushes everybody into a proper role and makes the other team respect your offense.

Sadly, I don't see any of those holes being addressed this off-season.

Note - Hockey is a game of match-ups though. Sometimes you have to build with what you have an hope for the best.

 

[BigT2002]

Chicago is looking beat up right now.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Chicago is looking beat up right now.

I think it needs to be pointed out that Chicago has not looked great all playoffs.

The Wild outplayed them in 4 of the 5 games, but Chicago could score in a blink of an eye and the Wild had zero answer. The Wings have better scoring ability than the Wild.

 

[Jarick]

Yeo decided to try and take both top lines out of the equation...unfortunately pretty much every other line matchup favored Chicago.

Also, if you're going to try and keep low scoring games, you need to score on the PP. Wild couldn't do that at all.