GDT: Game 26 | Columbus Blue Jackets @ Detroit Red Wings | 5:00 PM EST | FS-D

HIFE

Registered User
May 10, 2011
3,219
250
Detroit, MI
This Wings team is not the 2003 ducks.

Our best players are still puck possession players.

I hear ya. Watching the Wings intently for the last 3 seasons, how come it feels so different this year? Could it be all from losing Lidstrom and Stuart? I had never considered the change was because of coaching decisions, but it makes sense as well.

I doubt the D want to dump the puck out our zone, but we're getting pressured and don't have the support or confidence/talent to make a clean play like before.

One thing is the Wings possession innovations have been copied and are standard plays in the NHL. The drop pass by the D to enter the zone on a powerplay, consistently using our D as outlets while cycling, refusing to dump the puck away so instead rewinding the puck back to the D to refresh the breakout....these other teams (especially in the West) are on to us.

We need new techniques but I'm not sure we have a competent supporting cast to work effectively with D and Z.
 

InjuredChoker

Registered User
Dec 25, 2011
31,402
345
LTIR or golf course
Babcock has this team playing Anaheim Duck 2003 style hockey.

The problems start in their own end. Babcock has everyone (generally) putting the puck off the glass and out instead making passes to forwards.

We're playing defense first, get the puck out, chip and chase, get the puck back/catch them in transition style hockey.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg spend more time chasing guys around our own end and less time being chased.

To Babcock's credit, it got us some points on the last west coast swing and when we got back.

But my criticism is that our gameplan should always take advantage of Datsyuk and Zetterberg's skills. Their lines should always be about puck possession.

Moreover, Babcock needs to wake up and look at his lineup.

Even if they aren't all starts, this is still (as it stands) a puck possession team. Our defense (except Lashoff, Huskins and maybe Ericsson) is still a puck moving D.

So why is Babcock trying to fit square pegs in round holes?

Yup, I actually speculated before the season started that we would be playing some sore of 'trap' hockey, the way Anaheim played with Ducks.

Clearly Babs doesn't trust this team's puck moving skills enough and injuries haven't helped.
 

HIFE

Registered User
May 10, 2011
3,219
250
Detroit, MI
Yup, I actually speculated before the season started that we would be playing some sore of 'trap' hockey, the way Anaheim played with Ducks.

Clearly Babs doesn't trust this team's puck moving skills enough and injuries haven't helped.

Could you or the Fading Captain elaborate on how a coach makes this happen? Is he literally telling the club to "just dump it in" or "just get it out"? My first thought is it on the players...
 

RedWingsNow*

Guest
Could you or the Fading Captain elaborate on how a coach makes this happen? Is he literally telling the club to "just dump it in" or "just get it out"? My first thought is it on the players...

Just dump it in.
Just dump it out

The big change is the transition game. Too often, there is none.

We just clear it out -- off the glass and out.

That's why Kyle Quincey, for example, has like 2 points but is plus whatever.

How many times this year have you seen a Red Wings defenseman with the puck... and seen Pavel or Hank skate through center for the pass... and not get it?
Instead it goes to a flatfooted winger, safe play, up the boards... but no speed/possession gaining the blueline.

Some of that is the loss of Lidstrom.

But some of it is coaching.

Look at Quincey's stats. They guy has had a hockey labotomy. No points. No hits. Nothing. He's following orders of some kind
 

HIFE

Registered User
May 10, 2011
3,219
250
Detroit, MI
Gator may suck playing alongside Datsyuk but the guy works his ass off every shift. And I don't understand how you can say Brunner isn't working hard either. His backchecking has improved tremendously and he isn't afraid to go along the boards and into the dirty areas. Neither of these guys deserve flack for not working hard enough, nor does Filppula or Eaves or Miller. They may not be effective every game but they sure as hell aren't taking games off, at least the ones I've watched.

I was simply hoping that some mentioned can rise and shine. We need to find that extra gear, or we are going to lose mightily. I've seen high effort from this team. It's going to have to be consistent to win. Doesn't Tatar stand out to you as a player that really wants the puck, really wants to score more than some others?

A very nice post from the Datsyuk thread(?) explains how I feel as well, I am crying for the passion-
...I would argue youth is more "reliable" than poor veterans at this point, because our team needs some heart. Nyquist/Tatar/Andersson/Kindl/Smith can provide said heart because they are playing for their professional lives! You don't think that kind of jump and enthusiasm rubs off on Zett and Dats???

Just ask Hull about playing with Dats a long time ago. Revitalized his passion.

That is what our team needs... some more passion.

Because I am not seeing it.

I am ok if they TRY and LOSE. I don't mind if Brunner / Tatar / Nyquist turn out to have massive problems with their games, because at least we are trying out the enthused players. The competition for jobs on the team is needed to instill fire in the players already on the team.
I am ok with Losing.
I am not ok with lazy bad efforts... and our team does not look like its working very hard out there.
 

aar000n

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
9,907
770
Just dump it in.
Just dump it out

The big change is the transition game. Too often, there is none.

We just clear it out -- off the glass and out.

That's why Kyle Quincey, for example, has like 2 points but is plus whatever.

How many times this year have you seen a Red Wings defenseman with the puck... and seen Pavel or Hank skate through center for the pass... and not get it?
Instead it goes to a flatfooted winger, safe play, up the boards... but no speed/possession gaining the blueline.

Some of that is the loss of Lidstrom.

But some of it is coaching.

Look at Quincey's stats. They guy has had a hockey labotomy. No points. No hits. Nothing. He's following orders of some kind

I dont think babcock trusts his defence enough to make the passes to be honest. I personally put last games loss 100% on Howard. @ long range softies and the shoot out he was flailing arouind like a blind man.
 

RedWingsNow*

Guest
Well Jimmy Howard ain't JS Giguere in his prime.

Howie looked out of it Sunday though
 

SoupGuru

Registered User
May 12, 2007
18,545
2,694
Spokane
Just dump it in.
Just dump it out

The big change is the transition game. Too often, there is none.

We just clear it out -- off the glass and out.

That's why Kyle Quincey, for example, has like 2 points but is plus whatever.

How many times this year have you seen a Red Wings defenseman with the puck... and seen Pavel or Hank skate through center for the pass... and not get it?
Instead it goes to a flatfooted winger, safe play, up the boards... but no speed/possession gaining the blueline.

Some of that is the loss of Lidstrom.

But some of it is coaching.

Look at Quincey's stats. They guy has had a hockey labotomy. No points. No hits. Nothing. He's following orders of some kind

Let me see if I understand what you're saying. You want the old Quincey back instead of the one with plus whatever.
 

RedWingsNow*

Guest
Let me see if I understand what you're saying. You want the old Quincey back instead of the one with plus whatever.

You didn't work very hard at understanding, SoupGuru.

If Quincey is out there with a line of Emmerton, Miller and Eaves, fine,,, just dump it out.

When Datsyuk is your center, you're wasting him by playing that style.

Square pegs, square holes.
Round pegs, round holes.

If Quincey can't make a decent first pass...what are we paying him nearly $4M for?

The problem is, it's not just quincey. I see Ericsson doing the same thing all the time.
 

sarcastro

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
13,059
1
how big is too big?

yzerman-steve-ski-hat.jpg


maybe i need to shrink it somehow

Stevie looks like Linoge in that picture...

stephen-kings-storm-of-the-century-colm-feore-3.jpg
 

TheOtherOne

Registered User
Jan 2, 2010
8,265
5,257
That's nothing new. Even the great Wings team had trouble with the bottom dwellers.

Yea I've noticed that.

Are they being coached to save their energy against these teams? Or are they disinterested at the lack of competition? It can't be that they just underestimate their probability of losing- it's been going on long enough that they should know it's a problem. Is it just pure bad luck?
 

silkyjohnson50

Registered User
Jan 10, 2007
11,301
1,178
Yea I've noticed that.

Are they being coached to save their energy against these teams? Or are they disinterested at the lack of competition? It can't be that they just underestimate their probability of losing- it's been going on long enough that they should know it's a problem. Is it just pure bad luck?

Imagine your a guy who's getting ready to go out with a smoking, hot girl that you so badly want.

Then imagine your getting ready to go out with a "meh" girl that you really don't have any interest in, but are doing a favor for a friend or something.

Now as much as you may want to trick your mind to thinking that scenario 2 will be as exciting as scenario 1, you can't. It's human nature. The Columbus Blue Jackets are "meh." Nothing about them is exciting. You can be told and know deep down that you should be up for this game and easily take 2 points, but subconsciously you're not up for it. Meanwhile, Columbus is up for this game. This is like a playoff game for them. It's the perfect storm.
 
Aug 6, 2012
10,752
5
Imagine your a guy who's getting ready to go out with a smoking, hot girl that you so badly want.

Then imagine your getting ready to go out with a "meh" girl that you really don't have any interest in, but are doing a favor for a friend or something.

Now as much as you may want to trick your mind to thinking that scenario 2 will be as exciting as scenario 1, you can't. It's human nature. The Columbus Blue Jackets are "meh." Nothing about them is exciting. You can be told and know deep down that you should be up for this game and easily take 2 points, but subconsciously you're not up for it. Meanwhile, Columbus is up for this game. This is like a playoff game for them. It's the perfect storm.

Good analogy, but Columbus is more like a sweaty fat chick.
 

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