Post-Game Talk: <insert whiny comment about officiating>

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Well, sad truth is, there are those out there who feel that for the price that's paid to field the team, both internally by the organization and externally by the fans, performance excellence is not only to be expected, but can be justifiably demanded, from start to finish. If that benchmark is not met, the only logical option is to throw the baby out with the bathwater and start fresh, because "the whole f***ing thing just went to s**t," and blame for that spreads like peanut butter (but doesn't taste as good ).

No, I'm not one of those people. I think things will turn around once the gang clears the cobwebs, gets over the injuries, and (in some instances) remembers that they were selected to play for the Red Wings at the NHL level for a damn good reason.

Oh, don't get me wrong... excellence should be demanded. I'm not letting Blashill and the players off the hook... they've been bad. But plenty of good teams have had bad stretches. I want to give them some time to pull out of it, because that is what good teams eventually do. You need continuity and stability to eventually improve. If you over-react to every disappointment and failure, you turn into what the Maple Leafs have been for the past 20 years.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Oh, don't get me wrong... excellence should be demanded. I'm not letting Blashill and the players off the hook... they've been bad. But plenty of good teams have had bad stretches. I want to give them some time to pull out of it, because that is what good teams eventually do. You need continuity and stability to eventually improve. If you over-react to every disappointment and failure, you turn into what the Maple Leafs have been for the past 20 years.

I agree you can't fire the coach at this time. Way to early in the season. You have to let things play out. However there is a fine line. Given a total lack of improvement how far do you let your product and brand sink before you decide it isn't working?

The same would apply to players. You have a roster of guys in its' entirety whom have all previously shown to be much better than they are now. You can't just ship out guys after 9 games because the team as a whole lacks any cohesive structure or confidence. Trading a guy or two will not suddenly fix their problems.

 

[Hendricks433]

I agree you can't fire the coach at this time. Way to early in the season. You have to let things play out. However there is a fine line. Given a total lack of improvement how far do you let your product and brand sink before you decide it isn't working?

The same would apply to players. You have a roster of guys in its' entirety whom have all previously shown to be much better than they are now. You can't just ship out guys after 9 games because the team as a whole lacks any cohesive structure or confidence. Trading a guy or two will not suddenly fix their problems.

We've also been holding onto some of those players for years and years when they are clearly not good enough or improving. There has been one attempt to improve this defense and that was signing Green.

 

[Bench]

We've also been holding onto some of those players for years and years when they are clearly not good enough or improving. There has been one attempt to improve this defense and that was signing Green.

Lots of attempts have been made. Suter, Jay Bo, Myers, just off the top of my head. Lots of smaller but significant free agency whiffs, too, like Stralman. Green was the only success, and he's a piece of the puzzle, but not the final one of course.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

http://www.russianmachineneverbreak...zs-video-sessions-last-season-could-cut-deep/

Saw this on 30 thoughts the other day, its Orpik talking about how they started when Trotz took over and adjusting to a new coach early in the season. I wonder if this is some of what the wings are going through right now, thinking too much. I'm not really going to worry for another 10 games if they dont pull it together, they are still .500 early in the year and have had some injuries to some of their best players

It's a great point. I'm reminded of the scene in Miracle when Herb Brooks is explaining his system in training camp and all the players are totally overwhelmed by it. Fast forward to January, and all the players know their role on the ice and can recite it for any situation.

At the NHL level, if you have to think about what to do next, it's too late. I've always thought that was the biggest problem with Ericsson and Smith, sometimes you can almost see the gears churning in their head. Take a second to decide who to pass it to, and it looks like you're paralysed by indecision (and you've been closed down, or the lane is blocked etc)

 

[Bench]

I've always thought that was the biggest problem with Ericsson and Smith, sometimes you can almost see the gears churning in their head.

I'm taking a risk posting this, but I have confidential medical records from Smith. This was his latest x-ray.

 

[Actual Thought*]

I'm taking a risk posting this, but I have confidential medical records from Smith. This was his latest x-ray.

Clearly not real. If that were truly Smith's X-ray the mouse would be running the other direction.

 

[Actual Thought*]

We've also been holding onto some of those players for years and years when they are clearly not good enough or improving. There has been one attempt to improve this defense and that was signing Green.

You missed the entire point of the post. If tomorrow you put Duncan Keith on this team they would not just start winning. They aren't playing well as a unit.

If this were just a talent hole then the team would have improved by adding Green, Larkin, and Richards. The roster is much improved over last year. However the performance of the team is not at par with last year's team. Not even close.

The question is how long do you let it go on? Some here entertain the fantasy that you dip out of playoff contention and win the lottery. You then draft a new Lidstrom. However if that were to happen you would still have a coach that couldn't get this team into the playoffs and that should be a no brainer. So even if you acquired a massive upgrade on defence you still wouldn't be capable of winning. Of course it remains to be seen if Blashill can get this team into the playoffs so all this is hypothetical but if you look at LA and Chicago you will see that they both have strong veteran coaches guiding their talent.

 

[Shaman464]

Clearly not real. If that were truly Smith's X-ray the mouse would be running the other direction.

No there would be two mice running in opposite directions, actually.

 

[Flowah]

I'm taking a risk posting this, but I have confidential medical records from Smith. This was his latest x-ray.

HIPAA violations man.

 

[SirloinUB]

nevermind

 

[ArGarBarGar]

No there would be two mice running in opposite directions, actually.

Actually there wouldn't be a mouse at all.

 

[TheRatPoisoner]

Actually there wouldn't be a mouse at all.

And the wheel would be turned over.

 

[newfy]

It's a great point. I'm reminded of the scene in Miracle when Herb Brooks is explaining his system in training camp and all the players are totally overwhelmed by it. Fast forward to January, and all the players know their role on the ice and can recite it for any situation.

At the NHL level, if you have to think about what to do next, it's too late. I've always thought that was the biggest problem with Ericsson and Smith, sometimes you can almost see the gears churning in their head. Take a second to decide who to pass it to, and it looks like you're paralysed by indecision (and you've been closed down, or the lane is blocked etc)

Exactly, Miracle is another good example whether or not it actually happened like that it fits the exact narrative from Orpik only a year ago. People need to relax, the wings players have shown they are more than capable to play better than they are and I'm sure with time they will. Theyre still at .500 with a brand new system and their best player missing. People shouldnt panic yet

 

[Mount Suribachi]

I'm taking a risk posting this, but I have confidential medical records from Smith. This was his latest x-ray.

Lol, that's pretty much how I imagine it.

 

[RayMoonDoh]

No one-up intended, dr benchington. Any excuse to post this one tho:

We'll call it Big Rig's noodle, eh?

 

[14ari13]

First game after

The road trip is a loss.

That is the rule.

 

[Laser Rayzor]

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive
Blashill said Howard starting tomorrow.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 46m46 minutes ago
Larkin back on wing with Zetterberg and Abdelkader. Sheahan with Nyquist, Tatar

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 37m37 minutes ago
Working on power play entries. Units: Tatar, Zetterberg, Nyquist. Abdelkader, Kronwall and Pulkkinen, Sheahan, Larkin, Jurco, Kind

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 23m23 minutes ago View translation
Bottom six:
Jurco-Helm-Pulkkinen
Miller-Glendening-Ferraro/Andersson

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 22m22 minutes ago
Defense the same:
Kronwall-Ericsson
DeKeyser-Marchenko
Smith-Kindl

I seriously can't remember a time where a line of Tatar-Sheahan- Nyquist was successful at the NHL level but it gets tried over and over again, why!?

 

[Run the Jewels]

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 46m46 minutes ago
Larkin back on wing with Zetterberg and Abdelkader.

Good. It's better to have one good line and 3 ****** lines than 4 ****** lines.

I seriously can't remember a time where a line of Tatar-Sheahan- Nyquist was successful at the NHL level but it gets tried over and over again, why!?

Because people think Sheahan is a center in the NHL when he's clearly not. He needs to be utilized as a power forward. He'd be much better in that role than Abdelkader and he's not at the tail end of his prime like Abby is right now.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Good. It's better to have one good line and 3 ****** lines than 4 ****** lines.



Because people think Sheahan is a center in the NHL when he's clearly not. He needs to be utilized as a power forward. He'd be much better in that role than Abdelkader and he's not at the tail end of his prime like Abby is right now.

You see size and think powerfoward. I'm sorry but Sheahan is not one and probably never will be.

 

[Yemack]

You see size and think powerfoward. I'm sorry but Sheahan is not one and probably never will be.

maybe this team can ask him to ramp up his offseason training and ask him bulk up.

having strong center who can easily protect the puck and win battles in O zone is something this team desperately needs. so far we only have Z and D. if we want to increase offensive zone time, we need to hold on to the puck better down the line.

 

[TCNorthstars]

maybe this team can ask him to ramp up his offseason training and ask him bulk up.

having strong center who can easily protect the puck and win battles in O zone is something this team desperately needs. so far we only have Z and D. if we want to increase offensive zone time, we need to hold on to the puck better down the line.

Doesn't matter if he bulks up. He is big enough already. He needs to be willing to use that size and so far he hasn't figured that out. Bulking up would just make him an even larger softie.

 

[detredWINgs]

maybe this team can ask him to ramp up his offseason training and ask him bulk up.

having strong center who can easily protect the puck and win battles in O zone is something this team desperately needs. so far we only have Z and D. if we want to increase offensive zone time, we need to hold on to the puck better down the line.

Sheahan is the last person who needs to get stronger. What needs to be fixed is between his ears.

I'm glad people are finally getting on Sheahan. Maybe the media will pick up on it too. For all the flack that the small guys like Tatar and Nike get for not blocking shots or hitting, Sheahan is just as bad. And the stats bear that out. He's wasting his potential.

 

[DanZ]

Exactly, Miracle is another good example whether or not it actually happened like that it fits the exact narrative from Orpik only a year ago. People need to relax, the wings players have shown they are more than capable to play better than they are and I'm sure with time they will. Theyre still at .500 with a brand new system and their best player missing. People shouldnt panic yet

That's a lot to ask of this board

I seriously can't remember a time where a line of Tatar-Sheahan- Nyquist was successful at the NHL level but it gets tried over and over again, why!?

Seriously? That line is what led us to the playoffs that year that Datsyuk and Zetterberg were injured... Yeah maybe they should try something new but it's pretty clear why they try it.

 

[Run the Jewels]

maybe this team can ask him to ramp up his offseason training and ask him bulk up.

having strong center who can easily protect the puck and win battles in O zone is something this team desperately needs. so far we only have Z and D. if we want to increase offensive zone time, we need to hold on to the puck better down the line.

He's similar to Filppula in that he's always been an overly conservative/reliable defensives center. Move him to the wing and take those responsibilities from him and he will blossom. Keep him at center and he'll be a good defensive presence and nothing more.