GDT: Game 37: 12/22/2018 - Panthers @ Red Wings - 2 PM ET FS-D

[Reddwit]

You can feel the cliff approaching for this team. They have worked hard a lot of nights, but the talent disparity especially as other teams have figured out things that work is significant. I think we have a lot of very challenging games over the last 45 games. Almost halfway home...

Absolutely. Larkin is the poster child for that. He was carrying the team in a lot of games and it looks like he’s lost some steam in the past couple weeks. He’s a great talent but not talented enough to carry the team for long time without some help up front.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Only saw the last 15 and I thought the Wings looked dangerous pretty much the whole time. Lou was a stud.

Yep pretty sad to lose to the oldest goaltender in the league.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

The tank just got some new stripes

Looking like it, The injuries are catching up to us.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Do you guys consider Kronwall a true 1D in his prime?

 

[kliq]

Do you guys consider Kronwall a true 1D in his prime?

Are we defining a 1D as a top 30 D-man?

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Are we defining a 1D as a top 30 D-man?

A legit top pairing defenseman in the NhL in his prime?

 

[kliq]

A legit top pairing defenseman in the NhL in his prime?

Oh ok, sorry, I was thinking 1A D-man. If we are just talking a top pairing guy, then I would say yes.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Oh ok, sorry, I was thinking 1A D-man. If we are just talking a top pairing guy, then I would say yes.

Yeah that's what I figured too

 

[raymond23]

Went to the game, random thoughts from it:

I know Vanek scored, but he's gotta stop with the cute shit. Never, ever makes the simple play and it kills me.

Daley can't defend but I like his effort at least.

Abby is getting way too much ice time but looking at the roster it's hard to blame Blash.

Larkin is really good even when he's not totally on his game. Awesome to see.

Didn't even realize AA was out. Goes to show that he just isn't a difference maker on this team.

We're a long ways away from any type of sustained success sadly.

 

[raymond23]

Also, I know Rasmussen is 19. But right now he is not a good player.

 

[Ezekial]

I spent my time yelling at Matheson that he's a plug. I know he heard me during the timeout, Luongo had a chuckle at me and Matheson was sitting right next to him. I say sitting cuz that plug didn't see the ice in the last minute.

 

[Ezekial]

Teams a royal joke, Bunch of lazy players.

They should've won this game. Period.

Luongo had a good game. I got out of my seat 4-5 times thinking they scored.

Didn't even realize AA was out. Goes to show that he just isn't a difference maker on this team.

I also didn't realize AA wasn't playing until about 5 left in the first

 

[Ezekial]

Last thought from the game, Larkin should've gotten an assist.

 

[Frk It]

It’s a shame Luongo has never won a Vezina, he’s a HOF goalie for me.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Also, I know Rasmussen is 19. But right now he is not a good player.

At all. Should have just sent him back to junior.

 

[aar000n]

We lose one we should have won and won one we should have lost.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

In the closing minute, Ekblad had Larkin bent over & in a headlock in front of their net, while 2 other Panthers were crosschecking him in the back. Reminded me of the abuse that Z & D used to take, especially Z. FSD replayed the sequence, Mick commented on it. I can't believe that didn't end in a brawl, it certainly should have. Blash better dress Witter for 12/31 game. I guess FLA is still sore for the Abby hit on Barkov last year iirc. Abby, Big E, Witkowski, Ras better start throwing weight/size around in that game. It was Unacceptable, regardless of which Wings player it was, but especially Larkin/Nyquist/Nielsen/Green/Cholowski/Hronek/AA/Mantha/Bert.

 

[Claypool]

In the closing minute, Ekblad had Larkin bent over & in a headlock in front of their net, while 2 other Panthers were crosschecking him in the back. Reminded me of the abuse that Z & D used to take, especially Z. FSD replayed the sequence, Mick commented on it. I can't believe that didn't end in a brawl, it certainly should have. Blash better dress Witter for 12/31 game. I guess FLA is still sore for the Abby hit on Barkov last year iirc. Abby, Big E, Witkowski, Ras better start throwing weight/size around in that game. It was Unacceptable, regardless of which Wings player it was, but especially Larkin/Nyquist/Nielsen/Green/Cholowski/Hronek/AA/Mantha/Bert.

The same broadcast crew that praised Abdelkader for not blowing up Huberdeau while skating through the neutral zone with his head down? I don't know what happened, but this team was at least throwing the body around, even when they were losing. Now, they are purposely trying not to injure opposing star players while a player like Larkin is cross checked in the back? Doesn't add up.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

It’s a shame Luongo has never won a Vezina, he’s a HOF goalie for me.

Definitely. He's been one of the greatest goalies in the world his entire career. He's never played for a good team though, but has always elevated basement teams. i think he primarily gets overlooked because he never has playoff success. Rinne has always been elite, and was a Vezina finalist several times, but they never gave him the trophy until the year after his deepest playoff run - I think that perception counts for something even though those stats don't.

Another comparison would be someone like Cujo. Totally a HOF talent, but he played duing Roy/Hasek/Brodeur period when they won almost all of the trophies except for the random 'flash in the pan' years when an upstart would have a Cinderella season and steal the trophy.

 

[TheMule93]

Definitely. He's been one of the greatest goalies in the world his entire career. He's never played for a good team though, but has always elevated basement teams. i think he primarily gets overlooked because he never has playoff success. Rinne has always been elite, and was a Vezina finalist several times, but they never gave him the trophy until the year after his deepest playoff run - I think that perception counts for something even though those stats don't.

Another comparison would be someone like Cujo. Totally a HOF talent, but he played duing Roy/Hasek/Brodeur period when they won almost all of the trophies except for the random 'flash in the pan' years when an upstart would have a Cinderella season and steal the trophy.

Some of the Canucks teams he played for were really f***ing good

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Some of the Canucks teams he played for were really ****ing good

They were okay. I think they only had that 3 year run (semi/semi/WCF) because of RL though, if they had an average goalie they would have been a perennial first round exit in my opinion.

 

[theYman]

They were okay. I think they only had that 3 year run (semi/semi/WCF) because of RL though, if they had an average goalie they would have been a perennial first round exit in my opinion.

They went to the SCF dude. Member Boston beat them and Vancouver proceeded to burn their city down. Lol

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

They went to the SCF dude. Member Boston beat them and Vancouver proceeded to burn their city down. Lol

haha oh yea that's right. I have a blindspot for canadian teams that lose in the finals. My friend constantly has to remind me that the Oilers made the SCF in '06.

 

[drwings40]

Hronek had a strong game. Almost 23 minutes of icetime, 2nd most after Kronwall.

 

[Pavels Dog]

You can feel the cliff approaching for this team. They have worked hard a lot of nights, but the talent disparity especially as other teams have figured out things that work is significant. I think we have a lot of very challenging games over the last 45 games. Almost halfway home...

I honestly don't think it's much more complicated than this team not having the talent/depth to make up for key injuries for very long. Mantha, despite his slow start, is one of our few legit offensive threats. Green is our best offensive d-man. Dekeyser probably our steadiest defensive guy. Helm is a big upgrade over De La Rose or Ehn.

It doesn't matter much since in the long run it's probably a positive that we don't max out the potential of this roster and instead sell and get the best possible draft position, but it can't be ignored that we are icing far from our best possible lineup.