Why can't XO get in a game?

[Redder Winger]

Are you guys watching the same hockey team as I am? Where Nick Jensen gets ragdolled in all three zones and it leads to goals? Where Jensen constantly gets beat for goals? Where Jensen coughs up the puck and it leads to goals?

Over the last 14 games he's riding a 0-1-1 -8 stat.
The team has two wins in that time.

Somehow, this poor excuse for an NHL defenseman has managed to play in 70 of 71 games.

Xavier Ouellet - who's no great NHLer by any stretch of the imagination, has played one NHL game in March.
He's played just six games since February.
He's played 12 games since the new year.
And just 15 games since Nov. 30.

XO will probably never be anything special. But he's 24 -- nearly 3 full years younger than Jensen.

Jensen is one of the worst defensive players I've seen suit up as a Red Wings defenseman - and my days of watching the Red Wings date back to the days when 10-game losing slumps were barely newsworthy.

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[TheMule93]

Take Jensen and make him the worst skater on the team, but and make him 10lbs heavier, and you have Xavier Ouellet. I'd prefer Jensen all day.

 

[HIFE]

This is another player we don't see eye to eye on. XO's skating is simply too slow and labored to play a regular spot in the NHL. I don't believe another team would claim him off waivers.

I can agree that with how badly Jensen gets abused, between him and Ouelett is pretty much a wash. I don't care if they're interchanged because it does nothing either way. In the end Jensen is the slightly more capable player.

The real fault is on Holland for allowing the defense to regress to this horrific of a standard.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Yea, and Mrazek should be playing instead of Howard because their stats are identical but he is younger!

Alternative response: Who cares?

Seriously, with all the problems this team has, why are you so focused on replacing one inconsequential bad player with an equally inconsequential bad player?

 

[lidstromiscool]

I think this Wings defense is proof that you can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. Putting in XO is rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic.

 

[kliq]

I actually do prefer XO to Jensen, but I see both as press box guys. Players that are healthy scratches that can play here and there when someone is hurt.
I don't see either being anything special, if we received an offer for XO or Jensen, I would make the trade.

I wouldn't change anything right now, I want to keep this losing streak going and I would worry that any change could spark something. Though even in saying that, I highly doubt XO would be that spark.

 

[Redder Winger]

Take Jensen and make him the worst skater on the team, but and make him 10lbs heavier, and you have Xavier Ouellet. I'd prefer Jensen all day.

Take Jensen, slow him down, make him smarter and stronger, and actually able to play defense, and you have XO.

Even if you prefer Jensen, you can't honestly believe he's so f***ing much better that he's a f***ing fixture in the lineup.

 

[Redder Winger]

I think this Wings defense is proof that you can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. Putting in XO is rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic.

At what point does merit come into play?

How bad does Jensen have to get before he gets scratched?

Or did this guy do something that makes him automatic?

 

[Claypool]

XO is terrible. You literally spent 10 minutes of your life writing about XO. Time to go outside.

 

[Goalie guy]

He sucks more than our shitty D that's why.

 

[Henkka]

They are tanking. Maybe they are just using worse players on some spots on purpose?

I would understand these questions if we would be any good. Now it's pretty much meaninless.

 

[TheMule93]

At what point does merit come into play?

How bad does Jensen have to get before he gets scratched?

Or did this guy do something that makes him automatic?

I think they're both terrible but Jensen can skate and XO can't. It's as simple as that for me.

 

[Lampedampe]

He's too fat to fit through the door?

Completely beyond me how a medium size defender without grit and horrible skating decided to put on weight in the off season.

 

[datsyukfan]

Are you guys watching the same hockey team as I am? Where Nick Jensen gets ragdolled in all three zones and it leads to goals? Where Jensen constantly gets beat for goals? Where Jensen coughs up the puck and it leads to goals?

Over the last 14 games he's riding a 0-1-1 -8 stat.
The team has two wins in that time.

Somehow, this poor excuse for an NHL defenseman has managed to play in 70 of 71 games.

Xavier Ouellet - who's no great NHLer by any stretch of the imagination, has played one NHL game in March.
He's played just six games since February.
He's played 12 games since the new year.
And just 15 games since Nov. 30.

XO will probably never be anything special. But he's 24 -- nearly 3 full years younger than Jensen.

Jensen is one of the worst defensive players I've seen suit up as a Red Wings defenseman - and my days of watching the Red Wings date back to the days when 10-game losing slumps were barely newsworthy.

I agree. I don’t understand why he is in over XO. He does one thing better than XO and that is skating. He is weaker, less skilled, lower hockey iq. The thing I hate about Jensen the most is that he literally ruins every play in the ozone. XO I actually like his reads in the ozone and he is able to get shots through. Ideally neither are on the team but if you really want to see who should be here next year between the 2 then blashill should be creating competition between the two because right now XO isn’t even being given a chance.

 

[Winger98]

I can't get on board with this idea that playing a better player doesn't matter just because that player isn't a top line/pair player. I seriously doubt the Wings are playing Jensen while believing he's not their best option. If you believe XO to be a better player than Jensen there is no reason not to play him or to make the argument for him.

I think they're both terrible but Jensen can skate and XO can't. It's as simple as that for me.

Jensen needs that skating to bail him out far more often than XO's lack of skating gets him into trouble. My bigger issue is that this fixation on skating is a bit misplaced, imo. I don't know if it's just an "in" thing around the league right now, if it's forced by a (perceived) lack of puck skills, or if the ice around the league necessitates it, but smart guys who can move the puck - as I think XO can and does - can play a quicker game than guys who skate faster but lack the mental game to move the puck up ice with something other than his feet.

 

[datsyukfan]

I can't get on board with this idea that playing a better player doesn't matter just because that player isn't a top line/pair player. I seriously doubt the Wings are playing Jensen while believing he's not their best option. If you believe XO to be a better player than Jensen there is no reason not to play him or to make the argument for him.



Jensen needs that skating to bail him out far more often than XO's lack of skating gets him into trouble. My bigger issue is that this fixation on skating is a bit misplaced, imo. I don't know if it's just an "in" thing around the league right now, if it's forced by a (perceived) lack of puck skills, or if the ice around the league necessitates it, but smart guys who can move the puck - as I think XO can and does - can play a quicker game than guys who skate faster but lack the mental game to move the puck up ice with something other than his feet.

Jensen probably fits the system better because he skates to the puck better and rifles it off the glass or does a high flip. I hate the way the game is played now it’s all about skating fast but I still think and know that the puck moves faster than a skater skates. But it seems today it’s all about stretching and just throwing it up to the red/blue line and hoping you win a foot race/ get a lucky bounce. It really is boring to watch

 

[njx9]

Jensen needs that skating to bail him out far more often than XO's lack of skating gets him into trouble. My bigger issue is that this fixation on skating is a bit misplaced, imo. I don't know if it's just an "in" thing around the league right now, if it's forced by a (perceived) lack of puck skills, or if the ice around the league necessitates it, but smart guys who can move the puck - as I think XO can and does - can play a quicker game than guys who skate faster but lack the mental game to move the puck up ice with something other than his feet.

Your first sentence notwithstanding, skating poorly leads to needing to be absolutely perfect in positioning. XO is not, and never will be good enough in the rest of his game to make up for his physical issues. His passing might be 'better', but that doesn't make it good. It's not an 'in' thing, so much as it's a thing that helps distinguish great defensemen from plugs.

But whatever. The argument is literally about a #6D on his best day of the week in the worst defensive group in the league. Fine if XO is better, but that doesn't make him good, and I certainly couldn't care less if the coaches are riding him or Jensen, trying desperately to eke some tiny iota of value from either one. Neither is a player in the league in 3 years.

 

[Winger98]

Jensen probably fits the system better because he skates to the puck better and rifles it off the glass or does a high flip. I hate the way the game is played now it’s all about skating fast but I still think and know that the puck moves faster than a skater skates. But it seems today it’s all about stretching and just throwing it up to the red/blue line and hoping you win a foot race/ get a lucky bounce. It really is boring to watch

Yeah, I'm not thrilled with the chuck and chase thing that's going on, either.

 

[datsyukfan]

Yeah, I'm not thrilled with the chuck and chase thing that's going on, either.

I truly do feel that is a major reason why guys like mantha and AA are struggling to play the right way because the system literally is all about playing the wrong way imo

 

[Henkka]

I truly do feel that is a major reason why guys like mantha and AA are struggling to play the right way because the system literally is all about playing the wrong way imo

Agree with this.

 

[Claypool]

I truly do feel that is a major reason why guys like mantha and AA are struggling to play the right way because the system literally is all about playing the wrong way imo

Pretty sure the "system" isn't about playing lazy hockey and turning the puck over. Mantha should probably try shooting the puck more.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Honestly it probably comes down to skating speed. And XO isn't better enough in other areas to cancel that out. It could also be that they know what they've got in XO but want to see if Jensen can turn into something?

I don't disagree with your assessment of Jensen but I will say he's exciting to watch, for good and bad reasons.

 

[datsyukfan]

Pretty sure the "system" isn't about playing lazy hockey and turning the puck over. Mantha should probably try shooting the puck more.

Then what is it? Because what I watch is a that constantly rims the puck and makes 100 foot hope passes and flips. I don’t see how anyone could think that that won’t lead to turnovers and lazy hockey. Guys stretching and blowing the zone is lazy hockey and isn’t playing the right way. But the whole team does it heck Z does is sometimes especially when he gets switched to wing (not first forward back on the backcheck) so if Z is doing it I see it more as a system rather than as those guys being lazy

 

[Mlotek]

Last season nearly everytime XO had the puck in defensive zone it was a turnover.

At least Jensen can skate.

I don't mind Jensen, but I prefer Marchenko. His defensive positioning was amazing to watch.

 

[Winger98]

I truly do feel that is a major reason why guys like mantha and AA are struggling to play the right way because the system literally is all about playing the wrong way imo

I can see the argument for it. I think the problem is that it's just a system we don't have the personnel for, and guys have to cheat more to try to make it work. Yeah, AA has always had an issue with being a bit selfish and lazy defensively, but we're putting him into a system that at times requires it.

Babcock might have played some really boring hockey at times, but it was hockey the team could play, they could execute it. Maybe it just emphasizes the lack of skill on this team, but it doesn't do these guys any favors to put them into a system they can't consistently execute. I don't think it's a shock that a team of roughly the same players has gotten progressively worse the further it has moved away from Babcock's system.