GDT: Detroit Red Wings @ Tampa Bay Lightning

[breuk]

I absolutely hate that Mantha is net front on PP2. I am actually surprised we only lost by one though.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I thought it was mostly lack of talent but the more I watch the more I see that all he does is look for a stretch pass. And I rag on guys for being soft on pucks in the neutral zone but they have no support at all it’s insabe. Yes some of it is talent but it still boggles my mind why you would wanna throw a stretch pass to a guy who has no support with him to make a play. The pp is bad it’s ridiculous does anyone not realize the reason we generate a good chance was because Tatar rolled up high and drew someone to him then we had guys at the net. If it was me I’d instill a pp that incorporates that play a lot. Ran it in college hockey and had a top 5 pp in the nation on a pretty bad team

When your other option is spending another 50 seconds in the defensive zone it starts to look attractive. In all seriousness we are absolutely brutal at supporting the puck. This has been a major, major issue for a while and is one of the primary reasons this group won't ever overachieve. When we were skilled, we could get away with having some passengers. As we become less and less skilled, we need to work a hell of a lot harder. If we don't start forcing more turnovers in the offensive zone, we aren't going to score. The days of pretty transition offense and a sexy power play are long gone.

And yes, movement on the power play off of the puck is paramount. Players aren't being coached to stand still, they are just more lazy than we want to admit.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Nielsen and Z were the only two worth a damn tonight.

 

[BinCookin]

In his last 13 games vs Detroit Kucherov has 14 goals and 22 points. Clearly Detroit hs no answer for him.

No team does right now. Kucherov is proving that his "bridge deal" was for winning cups, because that man is worth 11Mil right now!

tb is easily the #1 contender for the SC right now... so the fact this game isn't 8-0 is nice.

 

[Heaton]

I think Z retires after this season and Blashill gets fired mid-season.

 

[Shaman464]

I think Z retires after this season and Blashill gets fired mid-season.

I can see the first, but the second one is unlikely because there is no heir apparent in or outside the org right now. I can see Z and Holland retiring over the summer and a new GM coming in and cleaning house.

 

[BinCookin]

Anyone think Z would ever request a trade to a new team???

Maybe if he didnt have that 6 mil cap hit?

 

[Claypool]

I think Z retires after this season and Blashill gets fired mid-season.

His salary goes from $7 million this season to $3.5 million next season. I suppose he could retire and leave that money on the table. He's certainly not playing the final two years at $1 million per, though.

 

[TheMule93]

Anyone think Z would ever request a trade to a new team???

Maybe if he didnt have that 6 mil cap hit?

I don't think he ever requests a trade, but if Holland asks him if he wants to go somewhere for one last shot at a cup he might agree to it

 

[Redder Winger]

Honestly, I think Holland should say
"Z, what do you want to do? How do you want to go out? Do you want to captain this team to the bottom of the ocean? Or do you want to play for the Cup one more time?"

Problem is Holland doesn't even recognize how shitty his roster is.

 

[Leronziia]

Feel bad for Henrik.

Works hard to gain the zone and keep control of the puck.

Passes to Abdelkader who tries a pass from behind the net that he really shouldn't, deflects off a defender's stick and exits the zone.

Henrik spends the rest of the shift playing defense.

Infuriating for a centre.

Same shit applies when Ouellet and Jensen continually fail to clear the zone in an orderly manner.

Oh look, another shift in the defensive zone because your incompetent defense cannot do their job.

 

[SoupGuru]

Well, that was an embarrassing game. The score did not reflect the game at all.

Mantha is lost out there. I wouldn't care if he was benched.

The PK was good. Nielsen, Helm, Glendening all played well. Everyone else.... sucked. We get pushed off the puck so easy.

Players of this quality need a strong system and they need it drilled into them so that it becomes instinct. "X happens, I need to be here. Y happened so I need to pass to my teammate who will be right over there. Z is happening and that means I need to take this guy instead."

But instead, no one knows what the f*** they're doing.

 

[TheMule93]

I'd trade our group of defensemen for Vegas' in a heartbeat

we actually have the worst defense corps in the league. The only guy with any talent is Green, but hes only good at one end of the ice

 

[Syckle78]

I think Z retires after this season and Blashill gets fired mid-season.

Blash will last the year. Soon as another coach comes in and fails it's totally on Holland with no excuses. He'll prolong that until next season.

 

[golffuul]

Is Ericsson ever going to go down to block a shot and stop screening our goalies? I mean seriously...the "Full Eclipse" is getting old where he thinks his legs, especially once he turns sideways, making the goalie's sightline completely useless and then seeing a puck too late, but still creating an easier time for the offensive player to get the puck through to the goal.

 

[theYman]

Is Blashill fired yet?

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

We keep on Fallin for dahlin..

It's kinda catchy

 

[Syckle78]

His salary goes from $7 million this season to $3.5 million next season. I suppose he could retire and leave that money on the table. He's certainly not playing the final two years at $1 million per, though.

After taxes and what not he'd be playing for one million next year as is. I think he's out the door at seasons end.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

After taxes and what not he'd be playing for one million next year as is. I think he's out the door at seasons end.

You think Zetterberg is paying $2.5 million in taxes on a $3.5 million salary?

 

[Henkka]

This is what it looked like when Dats and Zetts were on prime.

Just no chance against that Stamkos-Kucherov duo. Best in the league right now. They just get the job done every night.

Kucherov is phenomenal to watch. Like Pavel playing wing.

And what he had in last 13 games vs. Wings? 14+8 = 22 points or somethings... Most underpaid player in the league. Kucherov deserves 11 million and is locked for 4.7M for next 2 years.

 

[jkutswings]

This is what it looked like when Dats and Zetts were on prime.

Just no chance against that Stamkos-Kucherov duo. Best in the league right now. They just get the job done every night.

Kucherov is phenomenal to watch. Like Pavel playing wing.

And what he had in last 13 games vs. Wings? 14+8 = 22 points or somethings... Most underpaid player in the league. Kucherov deserves 11 million and is locked for 4.7M for next 2 years.

Must be a decent GM to have a player like that on such a good contract.

 

[HIFE]

Hi guys,

Probably not the best game to write my first post in a while. But the Lightning really exposes all of our weaknesses to see. It saddens and angers me (only from of a competitive spirit standpoint) to see the Wings like this. What we saw today was a perfect storm of poor coaching and lack of proper personnel to get the job done. All I see from the Wings are low percentage plays at each zone. I really don't know where to start with our problems. We all know that as far as on the ice goes, it begins in the back end. I don't know if its our system, or our players. But we can never seem to win a battle for the puck, support our players to provide outs/options just to get out of our own zone. Then comes the neutral zone. All teams have to do is crowd the blue line because once we get to the middle of the neutral zone, the puck carrier will skate forward while having his head turned around the entire time just waiting to give a drop pass that will take 2 long seconds to be received by the next carrier, only to go to the board option which by then will be anticipated by our opponents, only to then turn the puck over. Or, wait for it, dump it in to then hope to the almighty for one of our players to be within proximity to even engage in a board "battle", to which if they do engage in said battle, will lose the MAJORITY of the time. I don't know man, but can someone tell me why for the life of all things, we can't win board battles? Maybe i'm watching with goggles, I don't know. But my goodness I really do feel like we lose them so much. Now lets say we're in our zone and we do have possession for a few seconds, the player will go down behind the net, while everyone else is in no position to help out said player to receive a pass to keep the play going. So instead we either get hemmed up along the halfwall, to which then we will lose the battle and once again turn over the puck. Or try to use our d-men for them to either hold the puck and shoot in a clogged lane leading to a blocked shot, or then pass it to the half wall and go back behind the net. I feel like the Wings represent that saying, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again, only to expect a different result. I can go on forever, and in this post there will be SO many holes of the puzzle left to be unmentioned, but I have to go to work tomorrow and get some sleep, and for once I had to vent. So please cut me some slack. I will say that this our problem is a two way street stemming from the players and coach/management. But something just has to give. Its starting to get embarrassing, and I know businesses don't act on emotions or anything, and that if they are still making a dollar, no matter the quality of product, they will not do anything. But show some pride, show some passion. I think what we will see is alot of frustration in our future, which comes as no surprise. But its going to become mentally draining, for not only us fans, but the players too. They will be wondering, WHY CAN'T WE WIN? WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG? I don't think that one person can save this team. It all begins with a change in team/company philosophy and mindset. But of course, no matter how much we sucked today, or how much they annoyed me. Come saturday, I will be rooting for the wings. Maybe i'm the one whose insane lol. I also gotta say though, give credit where credit is due. Tampa kicks our ass for a reason and that is because they have an amazing team. So at the end of the day, I ain't mad at em'.

I was astounded how many battles Tampa Bay won. They played an excellent game. They aren't going to play this well every night but that was a dominant display. Agree with others the score did not reflect how much faster and stronger the Lightning were. At least Howard and the Wings tried to put up a fight and kept it 1/2 way interesting.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Everyone give Blash a round of applause for putting Kronwall out on the 6 on 4!!!!!!!

Some serious something right there.

 

[Syckle78]

You think Zetterberg is paying $2.5 million in taxes on a $3.5 million salary?

Did you miss the what not? He has to pay agent fees and other crap. Federal tax off the top is 40 percent. He's probably also paying tax in Sweden.

 

[Pavels Dog]

And yes, movement on the power play off of the puck is paramount. Players aren't being coached to stand still, they are just more lazy than we want to admit.

This is complete BS to anyone with any hockey knowledge. If there is no strategy that dictates player movement you will end up with complete chaos if the players just skate around aimlessly as to not be "lazy". If the system involves lots of movement and the players just aren't doing it because they're lazy, you can bet those players would quickly be pulled from the PP and perhaps the lineup in order to put players executing the system correctly on the PP instead.

The simple answer is the easiest: the strategy sucks. The PP has been garbage for Blashill's entire tenure now. We have a lack of skill, true, but players like Green, Zetterberg, Nyquist, Tatar, Mantha etc. should be able to form a competent powerplay. Not league best maybe, but competent. To blame it on lack of talent or even worse, laziness, is garbage. Special teams is one of the most clear areas where coaching is like 90% of how it works or doesn't work. We've seen teams like Chicago and Pittsburgh ice terrible, terrible powerplays despite all their talent. Heck even when the Wings had Lidstrom & Co. there was a quite a bit of variance in PP success. And my memory fails, but wasn't one of the worst years the year Blashill handled that part? Curious...