Pre-Game Talk: Blackhawks at Wings, Friday

[Frk It]

Confirmation-

@AnsarKhanMLive
Jurco confirms what was apparent: He is back in the lineup tomorrow.

 

[Frk It]

@AnsarKhanMLive x 3
Same lines as yesterday:
Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen
Abdelkader-Datsyuk-Jurco
Tatar-Sheahan-Helm
Miller-Glendening-Andersson

On defense:
Ericsson-Kronwall
Quincey-DeKeyser
Smith-Kindl
Lashoff

Power play units:
Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen-Abdelkader-Kronwall
Tatar-Datsyuk-Jurco-Sheahan-Kindl

 

[LarKing]

LOVE these lines. Only thing I'd maybe do differently is switch Smith and Quincey. There's just so little offense coming from that second pairing. Datsyuk is exactly what Jurco needs to get going though. Hopefully that third line can dominate again even with Helm instead of Jurco. Three puck hounds on that line basically.

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

@AnsarKhanMLive x 3
Same lines as yesterday:
Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen
Abdelkader-Datsyuk-Jurco
Tatar-Sheahan-Helm
Miller-Glendening-Andersson

On defense:
Ericsson-Kronwall
Quincey-DeKeyser
Smith-Kindl
Lashoff

Power play units:
Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen-Abdelkader-Kronwall
Tatar-Datsyuk-Jurco-Sheahan-Kindl

Really like these lines on paper. Datsyuk might be able to help light a fire under Jurco.

 

[Flowah]

LOVE these lines. Only thing I'd maybe do differently is switch Smith and Quincey. There's just so little offense coming from that second pairing. Datsyuk is exactly what Jurco needs to get going though. Hopefully that third line can dominate again even with Helm instead of Jurco. Three puck hounds on that line basically.

Totes agree on the pairings. Plus Quincey has looked loads better when he's not being relied upon for a huge number of minutes.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Exactly.

They have to play at a super high intensity level to win, and the lackluster games vs Buffalo, etc, are proof they cannot sustain such a high intensity level night in and night out.

No team maintains the same intensity for every game. In most cases good teams have their flattest games vs bad opponents. It has been that way since the dawn of time. The emotion in hockey is what makes it such a great sport.

 

[irishock]

I hope we go in on their ***.

 

[Flowah]

No team maintains the same intensity for every game. In most cases good teams have their flattest games vs bad opponents. It has been that way since the dawn of time. The emotion in hockey is what makes it such a great sport.

That is a copout.

Better teams are more consistent. Worse teams are less consistent. Pretty much every team is capable of putting it together once in a while.

Clearly, the Wings struggling numerous times against bad teams shows that we are *not* an elite team, a contender..

 

[InjuredChoker]

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 1h1 hour ago
Kane said #RedWings are tough to play against, "especially the way they play — they clutch and grab and kind of hold on to you." #Blackhawks

 

[Flowah]

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 1h1 hour ago
Kane said #RedWings are tough to play against, "especially the way they play — they clutch and grab and kind of hold on to you." #Blackhawks

Hahaha, Kane. Don't cry, baby <333

 

[Hammettf2b]

Liking these lines. Ought to be a great game!!!

 

[TatarTangle]

That is a copout.

Better teams are more consistent. Worse teams are less consistent. Pretty much every team is capable of putting it together once in a while.

Clearly, the Wings struggling numerous times against bad teams shows that we are *not* an elite team, a contender..

+1

I don't see Detroit winning this game, sadly.

 

[DanZ]

Hope Jurco comes out flying after sitting two. At least hit some people if you're not gunna score. Hopefully Datsyuk can set him up for an easy one. Or shoot one off his ass like he's Abdelkader.

 

[DanZ]

That doesn't really dispute what I said. Yes, those players might turn into fantastic talents given time. But as of NOW, they just aren't. They're still developing. AT THIS POINT, we lack the talent.

We've looked great against some good teams. We've also looked terrible against some very bad teams. We lost to the Sabres if you can remember, a bottom feeder if there ever was one. It all points to a team that's just okay and not up there with the top teams in the league.

I'd rather look great against some good teams than great against some bad teams. We won't be playing the Sabres in April and May. At the end of the day, we are 9th in points % ahead of some teams I would consider elite like LA, Chicago, and Boston. Also, we've had some very bad puck luck and little to no production from the youngsters.

In my opinion, this is our baseline. We can only improve if the youngsters improve throughout the season. It looks like Tatar and Sheahan have done exactly that the past couple of weeks. I have a very hard time envisioning Tatar not putting up 20+ goals if he plays a full season.

 

[DanZ]

That is a copout.

Better teams are more consistent. Worse teams are less consistent. Pretty much every team is capable of putting it together once in a while.

Clearly, the Wings struggling numerous times against bad teams shows that we are *not* an elite team, a contender..

In the playoffs, how you play against good teams is all that matters. If the Wings have trouble playing at 100% intensity against elite teams then I'll be concerned.

 

[Actual Thought*]

That is a copout.

Better teams are more consistent. Worse teams are less consistent. Pretty much every team is capable of putting it together once in a while.

Clearly, the Wings struggling numerous times against bad teams shows that we are *not* an elite team, a contender..

So they beat Boston, Pittsburgh, and LA but those wins hold less weight than a loss to Buffalo? If that is the point of view from which you are assessing their playoff hopes then you would have to assume they would play their worst, emotionally flattest hockey in the playoffs.

I would say the team has played pretty well on most nights and best against the good teams. They have gotten some bad breaks and the scoring has been choppy but overall they have been pretty good most nights. They will only get better as the season progresses but this team can and will win playoff series(plural).

I can't think of a single game against a top tier opponent that they played poorly. They are a few questionable calls from 1st in the east.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 1h1 hour ago
Kane said #RedWings are tough to play against, "especially the way they play — they clutch and grab and kind of hold on to you." #Blackhawks

You would think with the Blackhawks winning two recent championships and besting the Wings in their last go-around, they would get over trying to complain about how we supposedly play.

You are the better team, Kane. You are supposed to be above that kind of stuff. Crybaby.

That is a copout.

Better teams are more consistent. Worse teams are less consistent. Pretty much every team is capable of putting it together once in a while.

Clearly, the Wings struggling numerous times against bad teams shows that we are *not* an elite team, a contender..

Erm, wouldn't that be the case if they struggled against playoff teams, and not the other way around?

 

[TatarTangle]

ITT people are confusing elite teams and playoff teams.

The Red Wings are a playoff team but in no way, shape, or form are they to even be considered elite

 

[Actual Thought*]

ITT people are confusing elite teams and playoff teams.

The Red Wings are a playoff team but in no way, shape, or form are they to even be considered elite

Based on what? Tell me the 5 teams in the league that are vastly superior to the Wings right now. Not last year, not on paper, this year, right now.

 

[Flowah]

So they beat Boston, Pittsburgh, and LA but those wins hold less weight than a loss to Buffalo? If that is the point of view from which you are assessing their playoff hopes then you would have to assume they would play their worst, emotionally flattest hockey in the playoffs.

I would say the team has played pretty well on most nights and best against the good teams. They have gotten some bad breaks and the scoring has been choppy but overall they have been pretty good most nights. They will only get better as the season progresses but this team can and will win playoff series(plural).

I can't think of a single game against a top tier opponent that they played poorly. They are a few questionable calls from 1st in the east.

There was only 1 questionable call so far and 1 missed call, from my point of view. Frankly, they happen to all teams and it tends to even out. Blaming calls gets you a game or two, maybe. You can say 1st in the east, I can say 9th in points %, which is a far better metric since it evens out games played.

Besides, I never said those games held less weight. I said the best teams are more consistent. It wasn't just one loss to Buffalo. We also dropped one to the Sens. In both games, the team came out way too flat for the entire first period. They looked TERRIBLE, there's no other way to spin that.

We beat the Bruins once, we also lost to them once. We've dropped games to Philly, the Rangers, Sens as mentioned. I don't think those teams are world beaters.

This team is just not that good. We're not that bad, but we're not that good. That's all there is to it. The Leafs spanked the Bruins last night. So what? Again, any team can look good on any given night, consistency is the difference. If the Wings can't consistently bring it more often than not, they aren't good enough.

And I completely deny the existence of "a switch" for the playoffs. It's not there. I've had to hear about the supposed switch for the past few years whenever casters talk about the Wings. So far, we've gotten knocked out in the second round or sooner. If there is a switch it's broken. Everyone plays harder in the playoffs. Opponents included.

 

[hot dog]

Interesting PP lineup. Datsyuk might be able to get PP2 going but if it hurts PP1 I'd move him back to that one really quickly. I'd rather have one deadly PP unit than two okay ones.

 

[Flowah]

Based on what? Tell me the 5 teams in the league that are vastly superior to the Wings right now. Not last year, not on paper, this year, right now.

Off the top of my head, the Ducks and Hawks are better. I'd include LA and the Pens as well. Habs. I know the standings don't show it but the Bruins are better, they're seriously missing Chara on the back end right now. I shudder to think of this team without Kronwall. Those are the teams that to me are clearly better.

I think teams like the Bolts, Blues, are better but not by any great leaps.

 

[Actual Thought*]

There was only 1 questionable call so far and 1 missed call, from my point of view. Frankly, they happen to all teams and it tends to even out. Blaming calls gets you a game or two, maybe. You can say 1st in the east, I can say 9th in points %, which is a far better metric since it evens out games played.

Besides, I never said those games held less weight. I said the best teams are more consistent. It wasn't just one loss to Buffalo. We also dropped one to the Sens. In both games, the team came out way too flat for the entire first period. They looked TERRIBLE, there's no other way to spin that.

We beat the Bruins once, we also lost to them once. We've dropped games to Philly, the Rangers, Sens as mentioned. I don't think those teams are world beaters.

This team is just not that good. We're not that bad, but we're not that good. That's all there is to it. The Leafs spanked the Bruins last night. So what? Again, any team can look good on any given night, consistency is the difference. If the Wings can't consistently bring it more often than not, they aren't good enough.

And I completely deny the existence of "a switch" for the playoffs. It's not there. I've had to hear about the supposed switch for the past few years whenever casters talk about the Wings. So far, we've gotten knocked out in the second round or sooner. If there is a switch it's broken. Everyone plays harder in the playoffs. Opponents included.

We have 3 regulation losses in 15 games. That means they win more than they lose.

I don't know what you are talking about with the switch stuff. This team right now is capable of beating any team in the NHL in a playoff series. We can roll 4 lines. We can shut down top lines with our 1st or 4th line. We have two elite 2 way forwards. We have good goaltending. The team plays structured and is capable of playing very fast. They are extremely well coached. They are plenty good enough to make a run and they should improve throughout the season.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Off the top of my head, the Ducks and Hawks are better. I'd include LA and the Pens as well. Habs. I know the standings don't show it but the Bruins are better, they're seriously missing Chara on the back end right now. I shudder to think of this team without Kronwall. Those are the teams that to me are clearly better.

I think teams like the Bolts, Blues, are better but not by any great leaps.

You know the simple answer is that we beat most of those teams. So this is where you make excuses for those teams because they lost to the lowly bubble team Red Wings. Apparently they are elite but inconsistent?

 

[Hammettf2b]

We have 3 regulation losses in 15 games. That means they win more than they lose.

I don't know what you are talking about with the switch stuff. This team right now is capable of beating any team in the NHL in a playoff series. We can roll 4 lines. We can shut down top lines with our 1st or 4th line. We have two elite 2 way forwards. We have good goaltending. The team plays structured and is capable of playing very fast. They are extremely well coached. They are plenty good enough to make a run and they should improve throughout the season.

We need consistent scoring for that to happen though.