Post-Game Talk: They don't like to make it easy

[Henkka]

The Wings are a below average team offensively and a poor team defensively with solid goaltending and are a borderline playoff team. They are what we thought they were.

Sorry to spoil your negative reality, but current Detroit Red Wings are better than that. No one expected Larkin be this good and he was calculated out from every estimations. Your argument falls already on that category.

Also Mike Green looks to be better than anybody expected. And I mean defensively. We haven't seen the best from this team yet until it really gels together. They are now possession monsters from latest games.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Sorry to spoil your negative reality, but current Detroit Red Wings are better than that. No one expected Larkin be this good and he was calculated out from every estimations. Your argument falls already on that category.

Also Mike Green looks to be better than anybody expected. And I mean defensively. We haven't seen the best from this team yet until it really gels together. They are now possession monsters from latest games.

When exactly do you think they will "gel"? A quarter of the season is gone already.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Its because we're not an elite team - happens in all sports. When we were dripping with elite talent we could put in a half assed effort and still pull out a win. When you're in the middle of the pack talent wise like we are, its not always enough to play well.

The pack is basically all the same. Its a parity league. There is very little separation between the best and the worst. That's why we need coaching. Its really the only way to have an advantage.

 

[sean3250]

Sorry to spoil your negative reality, but current Detroit Red Wings are better than that. No one expected Larkin be this good and he was calculated out from every estimations. Your argument falls already on that category.

Also Mike Green looks to be better than anybody expected. And I mean defensively. We haven't seen the best from this team yet until it really gels together. They are now possession monsters from latest games.

The season is a quarter of the way done already and we are still a bubble team. Currently 7th in the conference at this point. Datsyuk will be playing his 10th game this week and Green has already played 17 games. This team should make the playoffs but I don't expect them to go anywhere. It's always nice to be optimistic but I don't see how this team is any better than 6th in the conference at the end of the year.

For all of the TB's struggles they are only a game behind us. Ottawa and Boston have been doing just as good, if not better. Pittsburgh and the Islanders have started slow as well. It's gonna be a battle to the end of the year, just like it has been every year since Lids retired.

The pack is basically all the same. Its a parity league. There is very little separation between the best and the worst. That's why we need coaching. Its really the only way to have an advantage.

Having one of the best coaches in the game sure did help Detroit win only 1 Cup during his tenure. Don't forget all of the first round exits Post Lidstrom.

 

[PuckDynasty]

Sorry to spoil your negative reality, but current Detroit Red Wings are better than that. No one expected Larkin be this good and he was calculated out from every estimations. Your argument falls already on that category.

Also Mike Green looks to be better than anybody expected. And I mean defensively. We haven't seen the best from this team yet until it really gels together. They are now possession monsters from latest games.

Call it negative, but you were right it is reality. I'm thrilled with how well Larkin has done. Can you imagine this team without him? The Red Wings are near the bottom of the league in goals per game, shots per game, PP goals. The PP is what we got Green for. He hasn't made a noticeable difference so far. They are also towards the bottom in shots allowed per game, but in the top 10 in goals against. So bottom line, what I said was reality, based on facts.

 

[Henkka]

Why look just straight to ALL season statistics?

Go to Datsyuk thread and see how dramatic change there has been in possession after BOTH Green and Datsyuk have been back and we'll see the results during the next month.

Huge jump on the standings incoming. You read it here first.

http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/20...s-possession-numbers-pavel-datsyuk-mike-green

 

[PuckDynasty]

Why look just straight to ALL season statistics?

Go to Datsyuk thread and see how dramatic change there has been in possession after BOTH Green and Datsyuk have been back and we'll see the results during the next month.

Huge jump on the standings incoming. You read it here first.

http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/20...s-possession-numbers-pavel-datsyuk-mike-green

At the end of the season, they don't look how you did for certain stretches of the season. Of course the Wings are a better team with Datsyuk. It doesn't make them a great team. They still have at least half the team who are having sub par seasons, most of the defense and the bottom 6. Glad Pav is back and he is making those who play with him better. But at the same time, while he was out, they were anemic offensively and the guys who should have took the reins, didn't. When you have to rely on a 37 year old to generate offense, that isn't a good sign.

 

[Arytonblue]

Its because we're not an elite team - happens in all sports. When we were dripping with elite talent we could put in a half assed effort and still pull out a win. When you're in the middle of the pack talent wise like we are, its not always enough to play well.

To be fair, I thought most Wings fans had the team down as a solid playoff team on the periphery of a true contender. We took the cup finalists Tampa to 7 last season in a series we really should have won. The top six on paper really should be performing better than they actually have, our lack of goals so far this year are a bit of a mystery. We all knew the D was lacking but the addition of Green and the emergence of Marchenko as a solid Dman has improved that position without doubt. Larkin having an outstanding rookie season is remarkable because most here didn't think he would be even be in the roster at this stage, he's added another dimension to our offence and has probably been our most consistent performer.

Overall to say the team isn't 'elite' is a bit odd because who can you really say is 'elite' in the league this season? Dallas, Rangers and Montreal? They're about the only teams really performing to par this year, we've seen the Ducks, Tampa and Chicago all struggling this season and they were all down as certainties for the playoffs before the season started. Last night's game, and the games against Boston, Ottowa and St.Louis were bizarre for me because the team is a lot better than to be throwing away leads like they have, they are more than good enough to be finishing in the top 3 in the Atlantic IMO.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

This team is a better team in the playoffs. They just have that certain something. Recent years their roster just isnt that good enough to win. Look at that 2013 team. Look at last years team. They played 100x better.

Everybody thought Tampa was winning at 5 at the longest.

 

[Pavels Dog]

When exactly do you think they will "gel"? A quarter of the season is gone already.

I think they will start gelling about 10 games ago.

This is enough of a trend that we can say it's more than just a couple of good games.

 

[Henkka]

I think they will start gelling about 10 games ago.

This is enough of a trend that we can say it's more than just a couple of good games.

They haven't even found the best possible lines and power-play isn't working yet.

 

[14ari13]

I think they will start gelling about 10 games ago.

This is enough of a trend that we can say it's more than just a couple of good games.

I think 20-40 games.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I think 20-40 games.

Of what, until what?

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Of what, until what?

they gel and play good consistently. or bad. consistently

 

[WingedWheel1987]

This team is a better team in the playoffs. They just have that certain something. Recent years their roster just isnt that good enough to win. Look at that 2013 team. Look at last years team. They played 100x better.

Everybody thought Tampa was winning at 5 at the longest.

This team is worse in the playoffs. It's easier to hide their defensive short comings during the regular season.

When you lose in the first round 3/4 years, you really can't point to that team and say how they are better in the playoffs.

it would take nothing short of a miracle for this roster to go on a deep playoff run.

Teams with a core that is 35+ and mediocre defense doesn't get miracles.

Good teams make their own luck and mediocre teams point to how hard they competed and how they would have won if they had a little more puck luck.

Lol i didn't even see the post below mine when I submitted this.

 

[Pavels Dog]

they gel and play good consistently. or bad. consistently

But they've already been playing good pretty consistently for about 10 games. That's not a fluke, that is the team getting healthy, gelling, and adjusting to Blashill's system. 4-0-2 in the last 6. With a little bit of puck luck we'd be on a 6 game winning streak.