Mantha being scratched again in NY tonight?

[Red Stanley]

Looks like the benching plus whatever other message was sent before the game worked. I'm no fan of Blashill's, but results speak for themselves.

 

[obey86]

Yep it's totally because they get benched after a series of games where they floated. That is absolutely why. It's not that they went from being third line guys and riding on Datsyuks coat tails to first liners who are meant to drive the play and they're not capable of the greater responsibility. It's definitely the benching.

It's not because people actually have the book on Nyquist and Tatar now and they haven't made the adjustment to do something different. Or that Larkin they know is gonna try to zip around the outside so they shut that off. It's totally the benching.

Nice made up theory you have there, except there seems to be little evidence to that effect regarding Tatar and Nyquist.

P/60: 2014 through 2017

Tatar: 2.08 --> 1.7 --> 1.69 --> 1.71

Nyquist: 2.81 --> 1.44 --> 1.69 --> 2.07

Nyqvist's best point production happened his first year when both Datsyuk and Zetterberg missed large portions of the season and he's actually been putting up points at his 2nd highest rate this year WITHOUT Datsyuk on the team and therefore hypothetically getting "tougher" matchups on a regular basis.

Tatar has been basically the same player point production wise for three straight seasons now, in a variety of roles, with a variety of linemates....from playing with Datsyuk to playing on the 3rd line with Sheahan and Nyquist, to whatever else.

I remember people said last season their P/60 rates were inflated because they were playing limited minutes against easy competition. Well, their ice times per game has increased this year (+1.5 minutes and +2.5 minutes) and they are still producing points at the same rates or better than they did last season.

 

[Reddwit]

If there's a time for overly pedantic calls by the coach, I guess being out of the playoffs is as good a time as any. But I think the timing here is horrid. A couple games ago, Helm had a horrific night with brain-dead giveaways and didn't get scratched. Those mistakes led to two goals. He's a vet. He's allegedly great defensively. But he was downright negligent in that game. The next night Larkin makes a stupid peewee move in front of net that leads directly to a goal. And yet Mantha is the guy being scratched?

Terrible timing. Scratching Mantha after multiple, high-profile major mistakes by teammates is a great way to make the guy you're scratching distrustful and suspect of your decisions.

 

[Dotter]

If there's a time for overly pedantic calls, I guess being out of the playoffs is as good a time as any. But I think the timing here is horrid. A couple games ago, Helm had a horrific night with brain-dead giveaways and didn't get scratched. The next night Larkin makes a stupid peewee move in front of net that leads directly to a goal. And yet Mantha is the guy being scratched? Terrible timing.

Didn't the Wings just win?

 

[Flowah]

Didn't the Wings just win?

If we scratched Z for 10 games I guarantee we win one game.

Does that make it a good idea?

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

If there's a time for overly pedantic calls by the coach, I guess being out of the playoffs is as good a time as any. But I think the timing here is horrid. A couple games ago, Helm had a horrific night with brain-dead giveaways and didn't get scratched. Those mistakes led to two goals. He's a vet. He's allegedly great defensively. But he was downright negligent in that game. The next night Larkin makes a stupid peewee move in front of net that leads directly to a goal. And yet Mantha is the guy being scratched?

Terrible timing. Scratching Mantha after multiple, high-profile major mistakes by teammates is a great way to make the guy you're scratching distrustful and suspect of your decisions.

He didn't bench him for the mistake. He benched him for the laissez-faire way he reacted to it. It's hockey, you're going to turn the puck over. You need to fight after the pucks you give away.

 

[Red Stanley]

If we scratched Z for 10 games I guarantee we win one game.

Does that make it a good idea?

Well, you're looking for immediate results when you scratch or bench people. Tonight the team looked motivated, so whatever was said/done prior to the game worked. If Mantha comes back and plays with fire, sitting him would prove to have been the right call. If he doesn't, then it wasn't. I guess we'll wait and see next time he's in the line up.

 

[Dotter]

If we scratched Z for 10 games I guarantee we win one game.

Does that make it a good idea?

Mantha isn't Z. Mantha is a kid not playing to his full potential and is currently on a "mental" vacation.

This is his rookie season in the NHL, no better time to break bad habits than now. And judging by his Tweet, he gets that. Which is a very good sign and shows his maturity. Now lets just hope he comes back with a vengeance.

 

[jolly roger]

He didn't bench him for the mistake. He benched him for the laissez-faire way he reacted to it. It's hockey, you're going to turn the puck over. You need to fight after the pucks you give away.

But...the pucks Helm and Larkin gave away in this example, ended up in the net!
So you liked how they reacted to that?

The point here is that Mantha is a very valuable piece of a small puzzle going forward.

Why would it be appropriate for a coach with 17 games left in his RedWings career
(and everyone knows it) to dish out more of his uneven discipline to teach a kid he's already abused,
a lesson?

I'm for Mantha. Get rid of Blashill.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I have no problem sending the message. My problem was coming out of the Boston game the young guy that needed to receive the message the most was Larkin....

However, I think Mantha himself made comments I like. They want him to be a star in this league. I have said before outside of just a base requisite skill, the most important part about being a pro athlete is consistency. If you don't have it you won't be great, we need to keep force feeding Mantha, Athanasiou and Larkin that message. They are the three identified building blocks up front, I don't mind tough lessons every once in a while when they are playing poorly and to be clear they were for the last little stretch entering this decision.

 

[RedWingsfan55]

Yep it's totally because they get benched after a series of games where they floated. That is absolutely why. It's not that they went from being third line guys and riding on Datsyuks coat tails to first liners who are meant to drive the play and they're not capable of the greater responsibility. It's definitely the benching.

It's not because people actually have the book on Nyquist and Tatar now and they haven't made the adjustment to do something different. Or that Larkin they know is gonna try to zip around the outside so they shut that off. It's totally the benching.

It's the mismanagement of all the young kids.

 

[RedWingsfan55]

He didn't bench him for the mistake. He benched him for the laissez-faire way he reacted to it. It's hockey, you're going to turn the puck over. You need to fight after the pucks you give away.

Then kronwall, helm and nyquist should be bench at least 41 games a year.

 

[Ezekial]

Well, you're looking for immediate results when you scratch or bench people. Tonight the team looked motivated, so whatever was said/done prior to the game worked. If Mantha comes back and plays with fire, sitting him would prove to have been the right call. If he doesn't, then it wasn't. I guess we'll wait and see next time he's in the line up.

Perfect. I fully expect Mantha to be an animal tomorrow.

Then kronwall, helm and nyquist should be bench at least 41 games a year.

Except Helm's engine never stops regardless of the 2 mistake game the other day. It's apples and oranges really.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Benching Mantha is a tank move.

Plain and simple.

 

[Dotter]

Benching Mantha is a tank move.

Plain and simple.

The objective of a "tank move" is to lose. Wings just beat Chicago. So I guess their "tank move" backfired in their faces?

 

[Winger98]

I don't think benching Mantha was a tank move or had anything significant to do with the team's play versus Chicago. christ, people, reading too much into this going every direction with it. The kid goofed, coach thought he was dogging it, and benched him for it. That's it.

 

[Bench]

I don't think benching Mantha was a tank move or had anything significant to do with the team's play versus Chicago. christ, people, reading too much into this going every direction with it. The kid goofed, coach thought he was dogging it, and benched him for it. That's it.

I'm not satisfied unless there's a hot take to correspond to every damn piece of Red Wings news.

But seriously, this isn't anything. I think the timing is laughable, but that's it. Making a statement benching to a rookie when the season is completely gone... Much bold, such coaching, wow.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

The objective of a "tank move" is to lose. Wings just beat Chicago. So I guess their "tank move" backfired in their faces?

You think they did that on purpose?

Benching Mantha is stupid. It's just stupid. It's a stupid move. It implies stupidity. It reeks of stupidness.

Or, it's a tank move.

 

[wings95]

It's pretty obvious they're going for a tank now. Not incompetence from blash. A couple games isn't really bad but not playing Mantha kind of is. Nyquist would be a good scratch

Mantha is the second best forward on this team right now I'm pretty sure. So yeah if you get rid of him you're likely to lose

Not sure about Nyquist. Scratch DD

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Mantha out again tonight against the Rangers, Blashill once again his losing his mind here.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Not sure about Nyquist. Scratch DD

Pretty hard to scratch DD, When you're down only to 6 D men as it stands.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

This should not be happening for two games, I will not defend this decision from Holland or Blashill at all.

Drew Miller needs to be in the press box tonight. That or heck you can discipline another player. But you said a game and just because we lucked into the win doesn't mean we don't have somebody that could draw out to get Mantha back in for the lesson to be fair and what was hinted at up front. It is too important that Anthony Mantha becomes a big-time player moving forward to do things like this. I know it is only one game (two for some but I don't mind the initial message as much as most of you), but it is none the less extremely disappointing.

Oh Mantha.....

 

[Birko19]

He should have done that to Larkin a few times this season, the picking on Mantha is getting ridiculous.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Mantha is going to be 23 at the start of next season. If he hasn't figured out how to be a pro yet you have to wonder if it will ever happen. Another high profile draft pick that never fully develops, par for the course unfortunately.

 

[RedWingzz]

Mantha out again tonight against the Rangers, Blashill once again his losing his mind here.

Alright coach, you made your point with the 1 game benching. He got the message. Compete harder, move your feet, be responsible defensively. I don't disagree with Blashill, Mantha could find some consistency.

Sitting him out again though? This is insane. The kid has had a great rookie year. I know +/- stats can be misleading at times, but he's +12. Meanwhile we have SIX forwards at -10 or worse, yet Mantha is the one being benched?

Please let this Blashill experiment end in the offseason.