Decent Article from Today's Slap Shot about Red Wings and the Streak.

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http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nhl-e...treak-ending-could-be-positive-for-red-wings/

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Ever since Steve Yzerman retired in 2006, writers looking for the ultimate “I told you so” have been predicting the demise of the Detroit Red Wings and their playoff streak. The number of pundits looking to foretell the end of this run seemingly doubled when Nicklas Lidstrom hung up his skates in May of 2012.

Through it all–through the dead puck era to the salary cap era–the Red Wings have managed to be a constant in a sports world that is constantly being overturned and shaken up on the fly. The last time Detroit missed the playoffs was 1989-90, good for a run of 24 seasons. That consistency is clearly important to Ken Holland and the team’s brass, as they typically add a piece or two at the trade deadline even when a deep run isn’t likely.

There’s a tough question that Red Wings fans don’t want to consider now. Not as the team clings to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. But would it actually be so bad if The Streak came to an end this season?

As we work through this, keep in mind that this isn’t a prediction of any kind. We’re not saying that this team led by Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Dylan Larkin will be caught and surpassed by the Philadelphia Flyers. Too many scribes have attempted to forecast that ending, only to look silly once the playoff seeds are set.

We just want to know: would it really be so bad?

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This isn’t a call for any sort of rebuild. We’re just talking about missing the playoffs for one year. That would remove a lot of pressure on the players in the locker room and in the front office. It would also allow Detroit to possibly draft higher than 15th overall this summer. The difference between the 11th-overall pick and the 17th can be pretty massive.

The Red Wings shouldn’t be looking to miss the postseason and fans would have a right to be upset if the impressive streak came to an end. But once the emotion dies down and reason can set in, would it really be such an awful thing? It’s impossible to know for sure, but it’s a reality fans in Detroit may have to face sooner rather than later.

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[Henkka]

I still want that streak NOT to end on purpose. Always fight for the playoffs, even without hands or legs, keep fighting. That's the culture, no surrender. We check the results and count the points after 82 games. Not build for losing selling all assets which are good. If the streak ends, I want it to be that there exists 8 teams in the same conference which has to outplay us. Then that's it. Accept that.

Then what? Draft and develop. Nothing will change. Just the talk about the streak will end. Building plan will stay same. Holland can't do anything different on the summer if we are in or out of the playoffs. He has retooled from the fly so much already.

My "favourite" way to end this god damn streak (which I would care less) would be a massive injury bug which would drop us totally from the competition already early in the season. Then do somekind of 1-season shakeup, get one prospect dratted high (Top5) and then bounce back for a new rise. If Nazem Kadri's skate would have cut Datsyuk's thigh ligaments behind his knee yesterday, this would have been it. Already Kronwall out, season would have ended on that point.

 

[Shaman464]

I still want that streak NOT to end on purpose. Always fight for the playoffs, even without hands or legs, keep fighting. That's the culture, no surrender.

And if the streak ends, I want it to be that there exists 8 teams in the same conference which has to outplay us. Then that's it.

Then what? Draft and develop. Nothing will change. Just the talk about the streak will end. Building plan will stay same. Holland can't do anything different on the summer if we are in or out of the playoffs. He has retooled from the fly so much already.

My "favourite" way to end this god damn streak (which I would care less) would be a massive injury bug which would drop us totally from the competition already early in the season. Then do somekind of 1-season shakeup, get one prospect dratted high (Top5) and then bounce back for a new rise. If Nazem Kadri's skate would have cut Datsyuk's thigh ligaments behind his knee yesterday, this would have been it. Already Kronwall out, season would have ended on that point.

Or they could just barely make it or miss it season in and season out for the next half decade, never getting the talent they need to compete until they implode and become a bottom feeder.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

There is a difference between it not being so bad when we finally do miss the playoffs and the amount of people in our own fanbase who seem to be cheering for it.

I want the Wings to keep pushing for the playoffs. If they missed the playoffs on purpose or didn't do everything they could (within reason, which is exactly what they've been doing with the Legwand and Cole/Zidlicky deals, for instance) to make it, I'd be disgusted.

I'm with Henkka. I want them to miss organically. I want it to be because Pittsburgh and Philly outplay them and not some kind of silly ass "mini-tank" to get a 0.5% lottery chance because people are sick of first round exits or something. If they lose when giving it their all because they simply weren't good enough? I can live with that as long as they work to improve.

However, the current team is good enough to make the playoffs, so they certainly should.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

I still want that streak NOT to end on purpose. Always fight for the playoffs, even without hands or legs, keep fighting. That's the culture, no surrender. We check the results and count the points after 82 games. Not build for losing selling all assets which are good. If the streak ends, I want it to be that there exists 8 teams in the same conference which has to outplay us. Then that's it. Accept that.

Then what? Draft and develop. Nothing will change. Just the talk about the streak will end. Building plan will stay same. Holland can't do anything different on the summer if we are in or out of the playoffs. He has retooled from the fly so much already.

My "favourite" way to end this god damn streak (which I would care less) would be a massive injury bug which would drop us totally from the competition already early in the season. Then do somekind of 1-season shakeup, get one prospect dratted high (Top5) and then bounce back for a new rise. If Nazem Kadri's skate would have cut Datsyuk's thigh ligaments behind his knee yesterday, this would have been it. Already Kronwall out, season would have ended on that point.

Of course, if we assume everything remains status quo and we simply miss the playoffs. The only benefit is that the odds of drafting a better quality hockey player increases based off where we seed. And of course, there is the minute possibility of winning the draft lottery.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Or they could just barely make it or miss it season in and season out for the next half decade, never getting the talent they need to compete until they implode and become a bottom feeder.

And then they get the talent then. I don't understand your point. You want them to suck so they can get players now when the end game is the same either way. They'll either suck now and maybe land some elite talent or they keep going like they are and worst case, suck so they can land some elite talent.

 

[Shaman464]

And then they get the talent then. I don't understand your point. You want them to suck so they can get players now when the end game is the same either way. They'll either suck now and maybe land some elite talent or they keep going like they are and worst case, suck so they can land some elite talent.

Because in 10 years none of us might be alive? I'd rather have it done now, because the sooner it starts the sooner it ends.

 

[PuckDynasty]

Because in 10 years none of us might be alive? I'd rather have it done now, because the sooner it starts the sooner it ends.

No guarantees it ends, ever. Ask Toronto fans. How many rebuilds have they gone through now? They're going on 50 years without a Cup. Many other teams you can add to that list who are "rebuilding" and have been for years without ever coming close to being an elite team. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[ap3x]

There’s a tough question that Red Wings fans don’t want to consider now. Not as the team clings to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. But would it actually be so bad if The Streak came to an end this season?

Nah, no Red Wing fan would ever do that.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

No guarantees it ends, ever. Ask Toronto fans. How many rebuilds have they gone through now? They're going on 50 years without a Cup. Many other teams you can add to that list who are "rebuilding" and have been for years without ever coming close to being an elite team. Be careful what you wish for.

This is their first real rebuild. They tried to skip every rebuild and cut every single one short.

When teams exercise proper rebuilds, where they are able to draft and develop players outside of the first round and surround them with shrewd signings, then it goes well. Notice that once the Islanders had Tavares as their center piece, things began to come together, and as soon as they made those shrewd trades for Boychuk, Leddy, and Halak everything came together.

It's not an exact science, you can't just tank to a contender, but it definitely helps to have top 5 picks to provide for the cornerstones of a rebuild.

 

[Shaman464]

No guarantees it ends, ever. Ask Toronto fans. How many rebuilds have they gone through now? They're going on 50 years without a Cup. Many other teams you can add to that list who are "rebuilding" and have been for years without ever coming close to being an elite team. Be careful what you wish for.

Just like the Wings were up until 1997. It took a change in management for that to change. I honestly thing Toronto will contend before Detroit does if there isn't a change this off season.

 

[lomekian]

I never understand the logic of tanking when you are a bubble team, when the worst outcome of not tanking now is that you may in a few years be bad enough to tank....

Ok we know having a top 3 pick or two can transform a franchise. But even if they traded away a lot of their best assets, the wings still have enough on the farm to probably not get a high % chance of one of those picks.

We're half way through an on the fly re-tool, and have enough kids already in and around the NHL to give it a couple of years and see how they go before any thoughts of burning the whole lot down

 

[Shaman464]

I never understand the logic of tanking when you are a bubble team, when the worst outcome of not tanking now is that you may in a few years be bad enough to tank....

Ok we know having a top 3 pick or two can transform a franchise. But even if they traded away a lot of their best assets, the wings still have enough on the farm to probably not get a high % chance of one of those picks.

We're half way through an on the fly re-tool, and have enough kids already in and around the NHL to give it a couple of years and see how they go before any thoughts of burning the whole lot down

Completely disagree, they are no where near even on the first steps of a retool. Larkin has been wonderful, and Mrazek all we could hope for. Beyond that they have almost literally nothing. No defense, a lot of softish forwards, no real center depth. It's a trainwreck.

 

[lomekian]

This is their first real rebuild. They tried to skip every rebuild and cut every single one short.

When teams exercise proper rebuilds, where they are able to draft and develop players outside of the first round and surround them with shrewd signings, then it goes well. Notice that once the Islanders had Tavares as their center piece, things began to come together, and as soon as they made those shrewd trades for Boychuk, Leddy, and Halak everything came together.

It's not an exact science, you can't just tank to a contender, but it definitely helps to have top 5 picks to provide for the cornerstones of a rebuild.

The Islanders started their rebuild in earnest about between 8 and 10 years ago depending on when you measure that point, and after all that, having missed the playoffs 6 or 7 times of the last 10, they are a whopping 3 points with 2 games in hand ahead of the worst Red Wings team in 25 years....even with, as you rightly point out, some good trades. I'm not sure they are the best example...

 

[PuckDynasty]

LOL, if you think this is Toronto's first real rebuild since 1967. I must have missed it, when did the Islanders win the Cup this awesome rebuild? Two whole playoff appearances in 10 years. How about Columbus? They've only made the playoffs twice in their team history. How close are they to elite? Edmonton? Vancouver? Colorado? Buffalo? Carolina? Minnesota? Winnipeg? San Jose? Ottawa?

St. Louis lost their long playoff streak and missed for a few years. What's the result been? Multiple first round exits and one second round exit. You can miss the playoffs, get good young players, have good coaching, have good management, and still not go far in the playoffs.

 

[Henkka]

Only thing we currenly need is a 1st defenceman.

Chychrun
Juolevi
Sergachev

These are TOP3 ranked guys at next draft. Chychrun in ranked somewhere between 3rd-9th overall, Juolevi at 5th-12th overall, Sergachev at 9th-12th overall.

If one of these guys will slid to our pick, playoffs or not, our future could pretty much be set. At current point score, we would have 16th overall if we get at the playoffs and won't go further than 2nd round. If we are blown out, we probably will draft at 13th-14th position.

Larkin sliding 15th overall at 2014 draft looks now laughable, so anything can happen.

 

[lomekian]

Completely disagree, they are no where near even on the first steps of a retool. Larkin has been wonderful, and Mrazek all we could hope for. Beyond that they have almost literally nothing. No defense, a lot of softish forwards, no real center depth. It's a trainwreck.

That's why I said re-tool, not re-build. We may have discovered a new 1st line center and starting goaltender, with 2 other highly rated first rounders hot on the heels, and a lot of serviceable NHL depth. Ok we are seriously light on top-line players, and the D may lack quality, but much depends on whether Holland has the chops to make some trades with our excess roster players.

This is the first year of not actively trying to trade away resources for a playoff push in 25 years, and we still have the makings of a good but imbalanced forward core. One has to assume Blashill will do a better job next year, or will be replaced by someone better, because this roster has massively underachieved this year. Only D, K, & Z (and maybe Ericsson) can have any age based justification for regression. Were the likes of Nyquist, Tatar & Sheahan performing to last years standards, with the additions of Green and Larkin, people would be feeling more optimistic aboout the roster, particularly as Marchenko and AA have proved themselves NHL calibre players.

I agree that the next 2 years of player development and trades are crucial to determine whether to tank or not, but a couple of trades and a continued development trajectory for Larking, Mrazek, AA, Marchy and the kids on the farm, maintaining the level we are at should be easy enough...it it proves not to be, then sure start thinking about blowing things up. But the tank philosophy assumes a worst case scenario about the GM's trading capacity and the development of our younger players.

The wings had a top half prospect ranking for a reason.

It made sense for Toronto to tank because their roster was a mish mash of misfits or skilled players on salaries that very long and very bloated, and 3 years ago their prospect cupboard was pretty bare. We aren't there...YET....

If things get significantly worse over the next two years, then a little re-distribution of assets makes a lot more sense, particularly with the contracts that will come off the payroll in that time.

 

[PuckDynasty]

Pittsburgh is probably the team most comparable to the Wings of the past decade. Except they have stars in their prime. They've made big trades, signed free agents, they've changed management, fired coaches and they are in the exact same position as the Wings, unless you count one point being far and away ahead.

 

[Henkka]

Pittsburgh is probably the team most comparable to the Wings of the past decade. Except they have stars in their prime. They've made big trades, signed free agents, they've changed management, fired coaches and they are in the exact same position as the Wings, unless you count one point being far and away ahead.

Yep. They are an example of a team which did TANK and sucked at depth drafting afterwards and lost any kind of "sure dynasty" ever happening. Just rebuilded their core for a decent team and got one Cup.

We are an example of a team which will NEVER TANK and have got same results from 2006 to this day because of our great depth drafting.

Chicago is kind of an Organization which did get both things going. They did tank very successfully and also have had great depth drafting system pushing new talent in year after year. Then you have selling pieces to keep the run going. Kids for rentals, year after year.

 

[Reddwit]

Only thing we currenly need is a 1st defenceman.

Chychrun
Juolevi
Sergachev

These are TOP3 ranked guys at next draft. Chychrun in ranked somewhere between 3rd-9th overall, Juolevi at 5th-12th overall, Sergachev at 9th-12th overall.

If one of these guys will slid to our pick, playoffs or not, our future could pretty much be set. At current point score, we would have 16th overall if we get at the playoffs and won't go further than 2nd round. If we are blown out, we probably will draft at 13th-14th position.

Larkin sliding 15th overall at 2014 draft looks now laughable, so anything can happen.

This is why I'm hoping Philly misses the playoffs and ends up with the chance to draft Sergachev. There is zero reason for them not to see what they can get for that pick with the ridiculous amount of young defensive talent on that team. Drafting Sergachev would be bloody overkill considering they already have Ghost, Provorov, Morin, and Sanheim (not to mention Hagg and Alt). If we get 15 and they get 11-12, we need to do everything we can to get that pick. Philly doesn't need 5 defenseman who are within a few years of each other who look worthy of being a mid-1st round pick.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Judging from the way Hextall has been talking, the Flyers will be drafting some big heavy wingers this draft; most people suspect the Flyers will use the majority of their picks on forwards as they are set on defense and goaltending.

Tomorrows game is going to be intense.

This is why I'm hoping Philly misses the playoffs and ends up with the chance to draft Sergachev. There is zero reason for them not to see what they can get for that pick with the ridiculous amount of young defensive talent on that team. Drafting Sergachev would be bloody overkill considering they already have Ghost, Provorov, Morin, and Sanheim (not to mention Hagg and Alt). If we get 15 and they get 11-12, we need to do everything we can to get that pick. Philly doesn't need 5 defenseman who are within a few years of each other who look worthy of being a mid-1st round pick.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

LOL, if you think this is Toronto's first real rebuild since 1967. I must have missed it, when did the Islanders win the Cup this awesome rebuild? Two whole playoff appearances in 10 years. How about Columbus? They've only made the playoffs twice in their team history. How close are they to elite? Edmonton? Vancouver? Colorado? Buffalo? Carolina? Minnesota? Winnipeg? San Jose? Ottawa?

This is the first real rebuild from Toronto though? Everything else has been abridged sucking seasons followed by scrambling and throwing pieces together to make something fit. Throwing uncooked spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. Just because a team is bad doesn't mean they are rebuilding. There is a clear difference.

The Islanders haven't won a cup yet, but this is year three coming out of the rebuild and their team is pretty darn good now.

Edmonton and Columbus are examples of rebuilds being done poorly. No shrewd trades, no late round drafting, no development of prospects outside of the first round.(Though Columbus has been getting better at these things.)

Vancouver had a great rebuild and went to the finals in 2011 where, if they weren't so injured, would have won the cup. That team is now in decay, and they have the worst GM in the league who doesn't know what direction he wants to take the team.

Buffalo had a great rebuild, won a President's trophy, and is now in year 3 of their new rebuild.

Colorado has a bad GM and a bad coach?

Carolina won a cup in their last rebuild and then proceeded to middle with a middling GM in Rutherford and were handcuffed by an internal cap.

Minnesota never had a rebuild.

Winnipeg post Atlanta never went through a rebuild, and Atlanta had arguably one of the worst GM's of the last 2 decades in Dudley which caused them to relocate.

San Jose is doing and has been doing what we are doing.

Ottawa is another team saddled by an internal cap that has also not had a rebuild in some time. The last time they went through a rebuild, they were the eastern conference juggernaut for several years.

So I mean, what???????

St. Louis lost their long playoff streak and missed for a few years. What's the result been? Multiple first round exits and one second round exit. You can miss the playoffs, get good young players, have good coaching, have good management, and still not go far in the playoffs.

St. Louis had a great rebuild, even though they choke year after year doesnt deride from that. It's just as hard to build a team from the ground up as it is to take that contender to the next level. That's been what they've been struggling with for a few years now.

 

[Henkka]

This is why I'm hoping Philly misses the playoffs and ends up with the chance to draft Sergachev. There is zero reason for them not to see what they can get for that pick with the ridiculous amount of young defensive talent on that team. Drafting Sergachev would be bloody overkill considering they already have Ghost, Provorov, Morin, and Sanheim (not to mention Hagg and Alt). If we get 15 and they get 11-12, we need to do everything we can to get that pick. Philly doesn't need 5 defenseman who are within a few years of each other who look worthy of being a mid-1st round pick.

Checked latest 2016 draft predictions and counted averages from nine different rank provider... also Dante Fabbro is ranked there ~14th-15th overall. 6'1 Rh defenceman. Jake Bean at 15th-17th, 6'0 LhD.

 

[Frk It]

Only thing we currenly need is a 1st defenceman.

Chychrun
Juolevi
Sergachev

These are TOP3 ranked guys at next draft. Chychrun in ranked somewhere between 3rd-9th overall, Juolevi at 5th-12th overall, Sergachev at 9th-12th overall.

If one of these guys will slid to our pick, playoffs or not, our future could pretty much be set. At current point score, we would have 16th overall if we get at the playoffs and won't go further than 2nd round. If we are blown out, we probably will draft at 13th-14th position.

Larkin sliding 15th overall at 2014 draft looks now laughable, so anything can happen.

~5 defenseman are usually drafted by the time the Wings pick, and those guys are pretty much universally ranked as the top 3 defenseman, so I'd say it is very long odds we get one of them.

 

[Bench]

St. Louis had a great rebuild, even though they choke year after year doesnt deride from that. It's just as hard to build a team from the ground up as it is to take that contender to the next level. That's been what they've been struggling with for a few years now.

St. Louis is still a great team that has numbers that show them to be superior to the Wings in nearly every way. If the Wings were "choking" in the 1st round, that would be a massive improvement from losing, predictably, as underdogs every year.

In order to choke you actually have to be the favorite team. They haven't been a clear favorite in like what, 5 years? 2011 against the Coyotes.

That said I don't want them tanking. You put together the best roster you can and let the chips fall. If that roster just happens to miss, then you regroup and try again. It's a delicate balance between the future and present. Holland has done great keeping the team average, but if he wants to see more banners, he's going to have to up the ante and potentially do something stupid.

Burke upped the ante with Kessel. It didn't work. It sucked. But dammit, he went for it. Kings went all in with Carter and Richards. It worked. And so on. You aren't a player without some risk.