Post-Game Talk: Well that just happened...

[ap3x]

We don't match really well against the Habs. So I'd rather not playing them in the first round. Or they start to compete against them next game and prove me wrong.

 

[Pavels Dog]

When we were as a team at our best level, we always took a night off against bottom feeders, but usually won those 4 point games against division rivals. Just like Chicago is doing nowadays. It's true sign of a real contender.

I feel like we've been doing exactly that for many years, including the last few years when we have definitely NOT been contenders. And everyone complained about how we could never beat the bottomfeeders and that it was a sign of coaching/leadership issues.
But does it really mean anything? All teams have to lose some games, this season it's just happened to be we've lost many against the top of the East. Had we won those games too we would have been far and away the #1 team in the league and no team is that dominant. Looking at the actual games we've had some tight losses, and some really flat efforts with poor goaltending. Overall we have not been outmatched imo.

 

[14ari13]

If I remember right we dominated the East when we were in the west.

 

[DanZ]

We don't match really well against the Habs. So I'd rather not playing them in the first round. Or they start to compete against them next game and prove me wrong.

I think we match up better against the Habs than Boston.

 

[Frk It]

I think we match up better against the Habs than Boston.

You want to go up against a goalie with a .933 sv% though???

 

[Bench]

You want to go up against a goalie with a .933 sv% though???

Only .909 in the playoffs, though!

The bottom line is there's no easy road. For all the talk about the "weak East" there are a handful of teams there that could get hot and cause hell for anybody in the league. That's especially true if a goalie like Price is standing on his head. The road to the finals will be through Montreal, Tampa, or Boston, none of which will be easy match-ups for the Wings.

 

[RedMachine87]

That's not going to happen without selling the farm, but as long as we're designing fantasy Dman pairings, why is Smith on there at all while #27 & #52 are out?

Q & DDK are solid on the second pairing. Both guys are signed for another season, I say don't mess with it. Ericsson is a decent Dman that's playing over his head, but he's signed till 20/21 with a modified NTC...he's not going anywhere. Q has been a favorite whipping boy at times, but has been solid this year.

I say Babs starts a game with Kronwall - March on the top pairing and Smith - Ericsson as the bottom pairing. Curious what happens to Kronwall. I've little doubt that Smith continues looking bad and Ericsson begins to look better with the reduced level of competition. I suspect Marchenko continues to impress.

What exactly do you consider selling the farm? We don't have many open spots right now as it is...Holland has to either make room for these guys via trade or lose them for nothing to Europe or the WW.

I forgot about Ericsson though. That's how mediocre he's been. And I thought Q was a UFA this summer for some reason.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

The bottom line is there's no easy road. For all the talk about the "weak East" there are a handful of teams there that could get hot and cause hell for anybody in the league.

This is exactly how I feel. 1 through 8, you can throw a blanket over the teams. Injuries, hot goalies and puck luck are going to decide the east IMO.

 

[Yemack]

Some of you think wings were just having off nights on some occasion.

Actually Im not talking about the previous game. I'm talking about a trend. We are beastly against any other team BUT our division teams. The teams we must beat in playoffs.

Like I said, Wings are 9-13 against Atlantic teams and 22-9 against the others. It's not just odd occasions of off nights. It's a real trend with underlying causes.

 

[Actual Thought*]

You want to go up against a goalie with a .933 sv% though???

I think our biggest worries are Rask, Price, and Lundquist. We can play with any team in the league and we are much better than most.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Some of you think wings were just having off nights on some occasion.

Actually Im not talking about the previous game. I'm talking about a trend. We are beastly against any other team BUT our division teams. The teams we must beat in playoffs.

Like I said, Wings are 9-13 against Atlantic teams and 22-9 against the others. It's not just odd occasions of off nights. It's a real trend with underlying causes.

and it looks worse when one eliminates one of the worst teams ever from atlantic teams. didn't realize it was that bad. not overly concerned about that but i'd like to see it change.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Some of you think wings were just having off nights on some occasion.

Actually Im not talking about the previous game. I'm talking about a trend. We are beastly against any other team BUT our division teams. The teams we must beat in playoffs.

Like I said, Wings are 9-13 against Atlantic teams and 22-9 against the others. It's not just odd occasions of off nights. It's a real trend with underlying causes.

I know you are digging for why they will fail but a big chunk of those losses were against teams that will not make the playoffs. There is no trend worth noting here.

 

[TimoneX]

Oft times it seems like the compete level isn't there for the Wings when the puck is dropped against EC teams. By the time they really find their legs they're already behind a couple goals. They just seem more motivated to start the game vs WC opponents.

Not too worried about it at this point. Howie is back and appeared healthy in relief of Mrazek. Detroit has fallen to 3rd in the division with the loss and idle nights, but have game(s) in hand and control their own destiny. Let's see how the Wings do in their own barn against the Jets and Habs. Like to see a couple 60m efforts to build confidence before the brutal road trip.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I know you are digging for why they will fail but a big chunk of those losses were against teams that will not make the playoffs. There is no trend worth noting here.

Okay...

Vs. playoff Atlantic teams: 1-3-3

Is that a good record to you? Of course it could change for the rest of the season, as we have a bunch of games against Atlantic teams down the stretch, but right now we don't exactly have the best time playing against playoff teams in our own division.

 

[jerrymac]

vs. Montréal 2 0 1 1
vs. Tampa Bay 2 0 1 1
vs. Boston 3 1 1 1
vs. Florida 3 1 1 1
vs. Ottawa 3 2 1 0
vs. Toronto 5 2 2 1
vs. Buffalo 4 3 0 1

Metropolitan GP W L OT
vs. NY Islanders 2 1 1 0
vs. Pittsburgh 2 1 1 0
vs. NY Rangers 2 1 0 1
vs. Washington 2 1 1 0
vs. Philadelphia 2 1 1 0
vs. New Jersey 3 3 0 0
vs. Columbus 2 1 0 1
vs. Carolina 1 1 0 0

Sure it's more likely we face a divisional team. We have an even record against Boston and losing records against Mtl and TB. But really, two game sample size is nothing. There's no way a series against any of the teams the Wings are likely to play is going to be an easy win for either team.

 

[jerrymac]

Also, not sure where to post this and not worth it's own thread but is the plan to send Mrazek to GR before tomorrows game? I'm awful with the roster limits but am I correct in saying that we can keep Mrazek up since Franzen is on IR? Or send Mrazek to GR and recall Ouellet?

 

[Yemack]

I know you are digging for why they will fail buta big chunk of those losses were against teams that will not make the playoffs. There is no trend worth noting here.

Hmm I dont think you realize what you actually say. It doesn't change the fact that Wings have losing record aginst ATL teams above playoff cutoff.

Wings are against 1-2 aginst Bruins. 0-2 against Habs. 0-2 against Lighting.

Yes, hopefully it's all in the past

 

[Actual Thought*]

Okay...

Vs. playoff Atlantic teams: 1-3-3

Is that a good record to you? Of course it could change for the rest of the season, as we have a bunch of games against Atlantic teams down the stretch, but right now we don't exactly have the best time playing against playoff teams in our own division.

Do you really think that based on that sample size you could establish a trend?

 

[Yemack]

Do you really think that based on that sample size you could establish a trend?

out of 7 games, wings won exactly 1 game in regulation against ATL playoff teams.

if you can write a doctoral dissertation with 2 samples, you can definitely find a statistical significance with 7 samples

I'm NOT saying that's what's going to happen but there was a clear trend BEFORE.

 

[TimoneX]

Also, not sure where to post this and not worth it's own thread but is the plan to send Mrazek to GR before tomorrows game? I'm awful with the roster limits but am I correct in saying that we can keep Mrazek up since Franzen is on IR? Or send Mrazek to GR and recall Ouellet?

The Wings haven't announced it yet, but I'm certain they'll send Petr down. They want him playing rather than riding the bench next to Monster.

 

[korrowan]

The Wings haven't announced it yet, but I'm certain they'll send Petr down. They want him playing rather than riding the bench next to Monster.

Hopefully they just cut Monster and have Petr and Jimmy split time. Monster will just get hurt as soon as he is put in a game anyway.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Do you really think that based on that sample size you could establish a trend?

Do you think it is a positive statistic? I'm not saying we will get walked in the playoffs, but you can't just handwave away stats without context.

We have not been good against Tampa Bay. We have been inconsistent against Boston. We have been inconsistent to poor against Montreal. That's reflected in the fact we have only beaten those three teams one time in 7 games.

 

[TimoneX]

Hopefully they just cut Monster and have Petr and Jimmy split time. Monster will just get hurt as soon as he is put in a game anyway.

No reason to do that. Monster is a UFA this summer and is unlikely to be re-signed in Detroit. Think you give Howie the lions share of the work to tune up for the playoffs while you work on flipping Monster for a late pick. Meanwhile Mrazek actually gets to play in GR instead of sitting on the bench with a notepad.

 

[DanZ]

Hmm I dont think you realize what you actually say. It doesn't change the fact that Wings have losing record aginst ATL teams above playoff cutoff.

Wings are against 1-2 aginst Bruins. 0-2 against Habs. 0-2 against Lighting.

Yes, hopefully it's all in the past

And? The Wings had a favorable record against Boston last year and look how that turned out...

 

[Yemack]

And? The Wings had a favorable record against Boston last year and look how that turned out...

well I didnt exactly say I can see the future

who knows a meteor can hit the earth tomorrow or multiple injuries will hit a team the next day like it has last season.

my point is that it could go either way. we can do better or we can actually do worse. But as of now, the baseline isn't that great against teams in our division.

Do i believe Wings will do well in playoff? of course I do. Am i concerned yes I am.