GDT: Game 15 | Detroit Red Wings @ Minnesota Wild | 6:00 PM EST | FS-D

[dtones520]

When does Yzerman come back to be our GM?

Yeah, Yzerman is really building a juggernaut down their in Tampa...oh wait, they have less points than us? Crazy.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Yeah I kinda agree. It's not a typical mistake perse because he's trying his best to score. But you have to learn once in awhile to sell yourself in the NHL and make it look good to the refs.

My take is the refs should just call it a penalty shot so guys don't feel the need to dive. But that's just my opinion.

 

[PullHard]

Which no-name/young player will Babcock blame for the team's failures today?

I predict Mrazek.

Czechs have a way of finding their way into Babcock's doghouse

"Yeah, it's funny, ya know. We have all these Czech guys - these Czech players, and they don't ever check." *patented wry Babcock grin*

 

[sarcastro]

My take is the refs should just call it a penalty shot so guys don't feel the need to dive. But that's just my opinion.

He still should have scored on that play. Kuemper made a great stop, but Tatar's not going to get a better opportunity than he got if they give him a penalty shot. I am ok with the non-call.

 

[SoupGuru]

On the plus side, I took advantage of the opportunity to score some really easy vBucks.

So I got that goin' for me. Which is nice.

Gunga galunga...gunga -- gunga galunga

 

[Bench]

But really, we should trade for AG. He's been a bust in Dallas and he might be a good fit here.

He definitely hasn't met expectations, but he's the best they have. Kinda like a JBo in Calgary thing.

Makes sense to move the guy only if you have a replacement in the pipeline. They don't have one. And he's only 27, so he can grow with the current roster. Dallas has been auctioning off the veterans, so I think you'll see Morrow and Robidas out first.

Plus the Stars need D help just as badly as the Wings. With his brother on the team, and in a rebuilding posture, the Stars would certainly want Smith.

 

[Bench]

On the plus side, I took advantage of the opportunity to score some really easy vBucks.

So I got that goin' for me. Which is nice.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Congrats to Ken Holland for not doing anything over the last few years besides assembling a team that consists of AHL lifers and players that were in their prime in 2008. I can't honestly say we have a strength on our team.

 

[sarcastro]

Gunga galunga...gunga -- gunga galunga

 

[Flowah]

Great call, it is definitely Babcocks fault that this team has 9,000 injuries and very little depth.

Who would you suggest we hire that is in the same ballpark as Babcock as a coach? If anyone is to blame for this team it is Ken Holland, and I'm not saying he needs to go either. We have just had everything go right for us for 20 years now and we hit a speed bump and everyone flips their ****.

Other than Helm, Franzen, and maybe Smith, no one we are missing right now is a big deal. And frankly, Franzen is not playing great this year. Picking up a lot of ticky tack assists because he played on a line with our team's leading goal scorer, but that's it.

 

[aar000n]

My take is the refs should just call it a penalty shot so guys don't feel the need to dive. But that's just my opinion.

Thats the problem with the NHL they say one thing out of one end of the mouth and then another out of the other. Blah blah blah crack down on diving, but the refs dont call it if you dont dive and make it look better sooooo.

 

[Bench]

I can't honestly say we have a strength on our team.

Centers? Centers.

Other than that it's not looking so hot at the moment. Brunner is a nice surprise, at least, so I won't throw him under the bus. Everybody else gets bus burn, though.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Great call, it is definitely Babcocks fault that this team has 9,000 injuries and very little depth.

Who would you suggest we hire that is in the same ballpark as Babcock as a coach? If anyone is to blame for this team it is Ken Holland, and I'm not saying he needs to go either. We have just had everything go right for us for 20 years now and we hit a speed bump and everyone flips their ****.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are both + players producing over a PPG this year, all while centering their own line. So why would you put Pavs back on Hank's wing when it hasn't worked in 3+ years? He iced Cleary-Filppula-Samuelsson as our second line FFS.

Yeah Holland isn't doing his job well enough but Babcock hasnt shown why he's such an elite this coach this year. He's completely sucked this year. I wouldn't fire him right now, but if a good coach is available in the off season I'd STRONGLY consider it.

 

[Run the Jewels]

He still should have scored on that play. Kuemper made a great stop, but Tatar's not going to get a better opportunity than he got if they give him a penalty shot. I am ok with the non-call.

Either it's a penalty shot or it's not. Let's consult the rule book.

(i) The infraction must have taken place in the neutral zone or attacking zone, (i.e. over the puck carrier’s own blue line);
(ii) The infraction must have been committed from behind;
(iii) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, clearly would have obtained possession and control of the puck) must have been denied a reasonable chance to score (the fact that he got a shot off does not automatically eliminate this play from the penalty shot consideration criteria. If the foul was from behind and he was denied a “more†reasonable scoring opportunity due to the foul, then the penalty shot should be awarded);
(iv) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, clearly would have obtained possession and control of the puck) must have had no opposing player between himself and the goalkeeper.

Tatar was denied a more reasonable scoring opportunity. If he dove it would be more obvious but fortunately he didn't, he regained his footing and put a shot on net where he didn't have full speed or much space to put a better quality shot on net.

It happens. The NHL needs to realize that these types of no calls give guys incentive to dive like soccer players.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

He definitely hasn't met expectations, but he's the best they have. Kinda like a JBo in Calgary thing.

Makes sense to move the guy only if you have a replacement in the pipeline. They don't have one. And he's only 27, so he can grow with the current roster. Dallas has been auctioning off the veterans, so I think you'll see Morrow and Robidas out first.

Plus the Stars need D help just as badly as the Wings. With his brother on the team, and in a rebuilding posture, the Stars would certainly want Smith.

I know both players have gotten worse with age, but if the Wings were good, I'd like either of them.

 

[Bench]

I know both players have gotten worse with age, but if the Wings were good, I'd like either of them.

Morrow is a nice 3rd line energy guy now with secondary PP time.

He's a big upgrade over Cleary in that regard!

 

[theYman]

Our defense is mostly trash, but wow Kronwall was a one man **** show once again.

Just proves he'll always be a top 4 dman not a #1. Which how we're playing him and he's fallen flat on his face night in night out.

 

[Brick Top]

Great call, it is definitely Babcocks fault that this team has 9,000 injuries and very little depth.

Who would you suggest we hire that is in the same ballpark as Babcock as a coach? If anyone is to blame for this team it is Ken Holland, and I'm not saying he needs to go either. We have just had everything go right for us for 20 years now and we hit a speed bump and everyone flips their ****.

No, Babs isn't on the hook for the injuries and lack of depth, but any coach is responsible for how they react to injuries. The Wings are one permanent demotion of Cleary to the press box away from greatly increasing their odds of nabbing a playoff spot, yet Babs is consistently running Danny boy out on top 6 lines and giving him PP mins.

Really, virtually any forward on the roster would likely be a better fit in the top 6 and on the PP than Cleary this year. And Babs isn't generally a fan of the young guys, so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that he hasn't put Tatar in the top 6 yet despite his great play the last few games. Mind numbing that he isn't promoted when they are down a few top 6 starters and we're lucky if one of the top 2 lines generates chances, but not surprising.

I do agree that the state of this team is more on Holland than Babcock. The arrow's been pointing down for a few years and no major changes have been made on the fly by KH, so this is what it looks like post-Lidstrom. I just hope that Babs and Kenny get on the same page with having at least some of the kids still getting IT when everyone is healthy- I don't see a downside to trading off a few of our redundant bottom 6 forwards to make enough room for Tatar to stay the season with the Wings.

 

[theYman]

My take is the refs should just call it a penalty shot so guys don't feel the need to dive. But that's just my opinion.

I know I know...

But the refs suck.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

Morrow was always a heavier hitter than Cleary ever was though.

OK... now I'm thinking of:

Franzen Zetterberg Sammy
Morrow Datsyuk Brunner
Bert Flip Tatar
Abdelkader Helm Tootoo

Ah well... might be good if we had a defense

 

[PullHard]

Morrow was always a heavier hitter than Cleary ever was though.

OK... now I'm thinking of:

Franzen Zetterberg Sammy
Morrow Datsyuk Brunner
Bert Flip Tatar
Abdelkader Helm Tootoo

Ah well... might be good if we had a defense

I wouldn't want to weigh Z down like that, but that line up looks a lot more competitive than the one we had out there tonight. I think it is because Cleary isn't anywhere to be found. But really, Babcock needs to shift some things around, I feel.

 

[Mort Divine]

He needs to shift Cleary to the gutter

 

[sarcastro]

Either it's a penalty shot or it's not. Let's consult the rule book.

Tatar was denied a more reasonable scoring opportunity. If he dove it would be more obvious but fortunately he didn't, he regained his footing and put a shot on net where he didn't have full speed or much space to put a better quality shot on net.

It happens. The NHL needs to realize that these types of no calls give guys incentive to dive like soccer players.

That was my point though - he wouldn't have gotten a more reasonable chance if they gave him a penalty shot. The opportunity he got was as good as it gets - he had time to deke and dangle and do whatever he wanted, and he did. He just got stopped.

In the end it doesn't matter. They didn't play well enough or hard enough or smart enough to win this game, and they lost it. Justice is done.

 

[Bob Probert Owns You]

Just got home from that debacle. Some observations:

Cleary is even worse in person. A complete anchor on the team.

Lashoff made a LOT of mistakes, from poor angles on passes, to failing to cover his man.

Joakim is slow as dirt, and does not look like an NHL skater. He needs to play physical with ihs size, or there is no real future for him.

 

[SoupGuru]

I just saw a shooting star. Can I wish for a gif of Kronwall falling off the bench?