Post-Game Talk: Now we take this show to the Road... Need to play better hockey

[14ari13]

Babcock handling goalie situation

I have said several times this season and last season too.
I do not like how Babcock handles this situation.
Few seasons ago he was riding Howard like crazy. Howard played great, Babcock played him in back to back games.
I do not suppose anyone remember, but I was saying it was wrong because the team was taking many nights off, while Howard was winning them games. Howard was a top 3 goalies in the league. But you can't hide behind the goalie for too long.
I think Babcock overused Howard.
Last season I was suggesting all along that Babcock should have riden the hot hand. Posters did not agree, neither did babcock.
This season again I do not like how he handles it.

But we have a goalie specialist here who can explain what each goalie does right technically.

 

[Frk It]

Montreal is amazing ag winning close games. Idk if they just get lucky or they have some pact with the hockey gods. They literally always win those super close games.

Not luck when you do it as often as they do.

To use a boxing analogy, the Canadiens have a fantastic chin. They can stand in there and take alot of damage, and let you wear yourself out, and then wait for their time to strike.

 

[Kronwalled55]

We need more Nyquist. He looks so easy to knock off the puck lately, and I know that's not like him.

I'm not sure how others feel about this, but I loathe Helm being on any scoring line. I appreciate that he can skate in and beat defensemen to dump ins, but once he gets the puck it's like watching Tomas Holmstrom trying to stick handle. Every once in a while he shows some scoring touch that came out of nowhere (that behind the net wrap around a few games back) but he's really not a good at getting Datsyuk and Tatar the puck. His feet and mind move faster than his hands which result in the other team swiping the puck from him with ease. Those skating back and forth efforts behind the net don't do it for me.

 

[14ari13]

It's almost like team performances differ from game to game.

It amazes me that after watching last night people think that Mrazek would have somehow jumpstarted the offense. Montreal played a tight defensive game and while they didn't do much offensively, they didn't give the Wings much to work with, and let Price do his job without much of an issue. I cannot understand how someone can look at that game and pin any of it on Howard.



Howard. Are you implying that the offense plays better for some reason because of Mrazek?

I do not feel like many share my opinion how this situation should be handled.
The team was scoring more and was winning with Gustavsson last season and with Mrazek this season. So it is the fact the team scores more without Howard in net. Why?
I do not see the goalies in practice, but I know that I would play a goalie depending on the opponent.
As I said I would go with Gustavsson vs Pens, then with Howard as howard has a great record vs Pens. Mrazek would be my last choise. Babcock went with Mrazek.
Vs the Jets I would go with Mrazek.
And with Howard vs the Habs.
If we want to get most of our goalies, as we have 3 now, we have to find the way to get all 3 of them on the top of their game or at least 2.

6 road games.
Howard has to play vs Kings, he always plays them well.
Stars is very winnable game.
I am not sure which goalie to start to start off the road trip vs Hawks. Mrazek struggles vs good teams, so I would not start him. I would check the stats of Howard and Gustavsson vs Hawks before deciding.

 

[Mister Ed]

I'll be honest, this game although it was close, feels like a big time loss to me. Lose 2 points to a team the Red Wings are trailing, the game was hard fought all the way through, Howard has yet to win a game since his return (I know it's early).

Big road trip coming on, should determine if the Wings make some big trades come deadline day.

 

[DanZ]

Well??????? 4 games for sure. I'm not sure why many want to play a team with the best goalie in the world, a team the Wings just don't matchup well against and a team they haven't been able to beat?

I never said I want to play them, but we have to play someone. I don't necessarily want to play Tampa or Boston either. The series would be competitive though, at least 6 or 7 games.

 

[DanZ]

I have said several times this season and last season too.
I do not like how Babcock handles this situation.
Few seasons ago he was riding Howard like crazy. Howard played great, Babcock played him in back to back games.
I do not suppose anyone remember, but I was saying it was wrong because the team was taking many nights off, while Howard was winning them games. Howard was a top 3 goalies in the league. But you can't hide behind the goalie for too long.
I think Babcock overused Howard.
Last season I was suggesting all along that Babcock should have riden the hot hand. Posters did not agree, neither did babcock.
This season again I do not like how he handles it.

But we have a goalie specialist here who can explain what each goalie does right technically.

Mrazek got pulled last game he played and let in a couple soft goals. He's no longer the hot hand.

Howard>>>>>>>Mrazek

 

[RedWingsForPresident]

If Detroit just goes into disaster mode and goes 1-5 on this trip, Holland needs to seriously consider a shake up. This kind of hockey isn't acceptable right now when you're pushing for the Eastern Conference. A 7,8,8 seed 3 years in a row should not be accepted, if Detroit were to just play terribly the next month or so

Dropping your only 2 home games of the month the way they did just makes me nervous for a 6 game road trip. Guess we'll see what this team is really made of these next 2 weeks

 

[DanZ]

If Detroit just goes into disaster mode and goes 1-5 on this trip, Holland needs to seriously consider a shake up. This kind of hockey isn't acceptable right now when you're pushing for the Eastern Conference. A 7,8,8 seed 3 years in a row should not be accepted, if Detroit were to just play terribly the next month or so

Dropping your only 2 home games of the month the way they did just makes me nervous for a 6 game road trip. Guess we'll see what this team is really made of these next 2 weeks

Detroit does have an 8 point lead on Boston with a game in hand. Would take a pretty epic collapse to lose a divisional spot at this point.

 

[TimoneX]

TB left LA without a point last night so Detroit is still only 4pts behind the bolts with 4 games in hand. All this doom and gloom is to be expected after the last few tough losses, but the Wings have been good vs the West this season and still control their own destiny.

 

[ap3x]

I don't worry about that either. But he's right about that last part though. Hope that they confirm their great performances on the road trip in the West and get back on track again.

 

[TheOtherOne]

When Mrazek was winning 5-4 the posters blamed him for letting in "soft" goals, but we won games.
Now Howard is back, plays "great", but we are losing.

So a question to all of you.
What do you prefer?

Dan Cleary played in the 5-4 win against Florida.

Dan Cleary didn't play in the 0-2 loss against Montreal.

What do you prefer?

Hey, don't try to argue with the facts: Dan Cleary finds a way to win.

 

[Hunting Bow*]

Bottomline with the game last night. They did just enough to win and the Wings didn't do enough to win. The better team won.

 

[Sentinel]

We need more Nyquist. He looks so easy to knock off the puck lately, and I know that's not like him.

I'm not sure how others feel about this, but I loathe Helm being on any scoring line. I appreciate that he can skate in and beat defensemen to dump ins, but

You were right up until here

once he gets the puck it's like watching Tomas Holmstrom trying to stick handle.

Holmstrom was an excellent stickhandler, especially around the net. "Hands of Stone" Helm would kill to have that particular skill.

Every scoring line needs a "digger / retriever." Ideally be would also be able to score. Helm squandering his chances is infuriating. But the alternative would be Daniel Clearly. His hands are better than Helm's. Would you like that?

 

[Heaton]

Is Helm still really 'hands of stone'? He's been on a 20 goal pace the last two seasons.

 

[sepster]

We need more Nyquist. He looks so easy to knock off the puck lately, and I know that's not like him.

I'm not sure how others feel about this, but I loathe Helm being on any scoring line. I appreciate that he can skate in and beat defensemen to dump ins, but once he gets the puck it's like watching Tomas Holmstrom trying to stick handle. Every once in a while he shows some scoring touch that came out of nowhere (that behind the net wrap around a few games back) but he's really not a good at getting Datsyuk and Tatar the puck. His feet and mind move faster than his hands which result in the other team swiping the puck from him with ease. Those skating back and forth efforts behind the net don't do it for me.

While I agree with you that Helm should not be on a scoring line, comparing his hands to Holmstrom's is an insult to Homer. That dude wasn't a smooth skater, but he had hands and could stick handle in close. Helm has hands that make Draper's look like silk.

 

[Frk It]

Is Helm still really 'hands of stone'? He's been on a 20 goal pace the last two seasons.

Depends on your defintion of hands. I think his wrist shot and shot in general has looked much better the last 2 years. I think 1 on 1 trying to deke goalies he is very much still stone hands.

 

[RedWingsForPresident]

Detroit does have an 8 point lead on Boston with a game in hand. Would take a pretty epic collapse to lose a divisional spot at this point.

I understand that, but if you go 1-5 on this road trip you'll be at 74 points with 21 games to go. They'd need probably go at least 10-10-1 to make the playoffs coming out of a 1-7-1 stretch. It'd be hard to just kick it into gear if you're playing that poorly. This is all speculation that they do this bad in their next 6 though, of course

But if they do go 1-5 on this trip and Boston goes 3-3 in that span, you're only up 4 points an automatic playoff spot with 21 games to go. Currently 12 points ahead of Florida, if they go 3-3 also, then I don't really consider an 8 point lead with 21 games left comfortable on a playoff spot. Just my ridiculous thought process of how this season could take a scary turn here soon

 

[Heaton]

Depends on your defintion of hands. I think his wrist shot and shot in general has looked much better the last 2 years. I think 1 on 1 trying to deke goalies he is very much still stone hands.

I think it's semantics, I don't really care if you can't deke a goalie 1 on 1 if you're scoring decently otherwise.

 

[DanZ]

I understand that, but if you go 1-5 on this road trip you'll be at 74 points with 21 games to go. They'd need probably go at least 10-10-1 to make the playoffs coming out of a 1-7-1 stretch. It'd be hard to just kick it into gear if you're playing that poorly. This is all speculation that they do this bad in their next 6 though, of course

But if they do go 1-5 on this trip and Boston goes 3-3 in that span, you're only up 4 points an automatic playoff spot with 21 games to go. Currently 12 points ahead of Florida, if they go 3-3 also, then I don't really consider an 8 point lead with 21 games left comfortable on a playoff spot. Just my ridiculous thought process of how this season could take a scary turn here soon

So Detroit would have to go 10-18-1 in their last 29 games to miss the playoffs? They've been one of the most consistent teams all year and despite losing 2 out of their last 3 in regulation, they still have the least amount of regulation losses in the Eastern Conference. Only Toronto collapses like that.

These boards are so bipolar. We just came off a 9-1 stretch.

 

[Sentinel]

Helm's scoring went up by virtue of playing with one of the best playmakers in history. Like it was said, he kinda improved his shot. But up close and in the crease he is nearly useless. Holmstrom was miles ahead of him. A "Helmstrom" hybrid would be a superstar.

 

[Hunting Bow*]

So Detroit would have to go 10-18-1 in their last 29 games to miss the playoffs? They've been one of the most consistent teams all year and despite losing 2 out of their last 3 in regulation, they still have the least amount of regulation losses in the Eastern Conference. Only Toronto collapses like that.

These boards are so bipolar. We just came off a 9-1 stretch.

They're not immune to a 6-7 game slide. Some of the great teams have done that.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

They're not immune to a 6-7 game slide. Some of the great teams have done that.

Perhaps not, but even if they lose 7 games in a row from now, they would still need to go 10-11-1 to miss the playoffs based on the previous circumstances.

Detroit is in a good spot right now, and at the moment I am not worried about missing out.

 

[DanZ]

They're not immune to a 6-7 game slide. Some of the great teams have done that.

I didn't say they were, I said they aren't going 10-18-1 in their last 29 games.

 

[TimoneX]

I didn't say they were, I said they aren't going 10-18-1 in their last 29 games.

lol

It's almost as though you resent people creating strawman arguments and attributing them to you.

The Wings play a good game, but lose to a team that mesmerizes their opponents with boredom and now the sky is falling.