c9777666
Registered User
- Aug 31, 2016
- 19,892
- 5,875
what was with Detroit's 1996-97 regular season record looking back?
It didn't reflect their play, but..... 18 ties and the only time they didn't win 40 games in a non-shortened season from 1992-2012. They didn't even crack 40, forget 50.
Their record of 38-26-18 for only 94 points didn't exactly scream at the time 'This is the year!" given Detroit had flopped with much better years record-wise.
I know it's easy to say they didn't go all out that season after the 62 win 1996 season went down in disaster, but 18 ties and finishing 10 points back in a division they had owned, finishing behind a DAL team that was near the bottom of the '96 standings?
Hangover from '96? Pacing themselves? Meshing the new guys? The ties? I mean, they never really seemed to threaten Dallas for first place. Maybe they weren't going to go pedal to the metal, but you'd think they at least would have wanted to win their division.
And of course, it's worth noting that DET ended up not having to play DAL thanks to Cujo's famous save and Marchand's ot winner.
It didn't reflect their play, but..... 18 ties and the only time they didn't win 40 games in a non-shortened season from 1992-2012. They didn't even crack 40, forget 50.
Their record of 38-26-18 for only 94 points didn't exactly scream at the time 'This is the year!" given Detroit had flopped with much better years record-wise.
I know it's easy to say they didn't go all out that season after the 62 win 1996 season went down in disaster, but 18 ties and finishing 10 points back in a division they had owned, finishing behind a DAL team that was near the bottom of the '96 standings?
Hangover from '96? Pacing themselves? Meshing the new guys? The ties? I mean, they never really seemed to threaten Dallas for first place. Maybe they weren't going to go pedal to the metal, but you'd think they at least would have wanted to win their division.
And of course, it's worth noting that DET ended up not having to play DAL thanks to Cujo's famous save and Marchand's ot winner.