GDT: Wings @ Bruins 7pm, 12-1-18

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I mean, the Wings best player was picked at 15 in a season they made the playoffs. Not impossible to build a contender without bottoming out for multiple seasons. Just have to be really smart with their picks and young assets.

But let's be honest about the chances of doing that. Because it's not only the probability of drafting that good player the one time, it's the probability of doing it at several different pick positions over several different years. You have to drastically outperform draft position, year after year. That's when it becomes incredibly improbable.

Besides, you really think the Wings thought Larkin was a star? They thought he was Helm with hands at the draft. They said so. That's more luck than skill. Which is not to disparage the Wings' scouting staff. NHL scouting itself is more luck than skill.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

For one thing, I really like Alex Barkov. I think he's a really high end talent, and is a great example of the kind of windfall you can get at picks 2-3-4-5. Florida is in that Edmonton category where their management group is completely bonkers and holds their talent back, though. Arizona might be in that boat, but hard to say. I don't like how they treated Dylan Strome, for sure.

But I also don't think the Wings are a decade off. I think the Wings are 2-3 players off. It just so happens those players need to be real doozies, because this is a low-skill group right now.

This is the second time Florida has built a core around top 5 picks. I too like this one a lot better, but you aren't promised Barkov and Ekblad right away, you might get Nathan Horton and JayBo the first time....

 

[Ezekial]

New Jersey is last in the east and they have 4 points and a game in hand on us. Not too worried about it and certainly not gonna complain about winning hard fought games in which the kids play well. This team isn't good enough and it's hard to effort and will your way through 82 games.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

This is the second time Florida has built a core around top 5 picks. I too like this one a lot better, but you aren't promised Barkov and Ekblad right away, you might get Nathan Horton and JayBo the first time....

I feel as though there's an unfair era comparison going on there, though. In more recent years, the very top end of the draft has been far more consistent in terms of quality.

Now that I think about it, it may well be that player development has improved over those years, as well.

 

[lilidk]

it was boring game , cant believe wings bullied bruins , I bet next game with them will not be pretty

 

[FMichael]

Tell that to Buffalo. Or Edmonton. Or Toronto. They seem to be doing okay. I really don't like this argument. It's fairly common for the worst team in the league to land an absolutely gamebreaking player.

And it's nearly guaranteed for a team picking in the top 5 to land a core player.

Respectfully disagree.

Edmonton still sucks outside of McJesus, and this is the 1st year in many that Buffalo looks like they're capable of making it to the playoffs...Toronto is the only team of the 3 that you listed that probably have a chance of making it to the Eastern Conference finals (and it could very well be against the Sabres).

Finishing at, or near the bottom may get us a top 5 pick, but who knows if they'll pan out as hoped?

It only took Buffalo like what, 10 years or so? Edmonton a little more, and they only have one Playoff appearance to their credit. I want top end talent, but it doesnt necessarily mean a top pick to get it. If we completely fall apart and get the top pick then whatever, but I want to see progress from the talent we do have, thats what is making winning right now so great.

Agreed.

It's great to see the kids play, and win, but my only concern is if we somehow manage to finish 8th in the Eastern Conference thus taking us outta the draft lottery by making the playoffs...Finishing with a winning record (a few games above .500) should still get us somewhere around the 8th to 12th pick, and with some luck we could drop down.

 

[DetroitRed]

They totally violated the Bruins! That was a nice win.

 

[HIFE]

Any thoughts on AA? He has these games where nothing works out right- falling over, blocked shots, all sorts of broken plays. On paper you'd think that line would be better but Nielsen-Nyquist-AA don't seem to mesh well. Still, AA needs to be a driver and make smarter plays.

 

[Claypool]

Any thoughts on AA? He has these games where nothing works out right- falling over, blocked shots, all sorts of broken plays. On paper you'd think that line would be better but Nielsen-Nyquist-AA don't seem to mesh well. Still, AA needs to be a driver and make smarter plays.

Wasn't really a game where speed and skill was a factor. It was a chippy playoff game. Nearly all the goals scored were straight garbage.

 

[Filppula]

Wasn't really a game where speed and skill was a factor. It was a chippy playoff game. Nearly all the goals scored were straight garbage.

Yep, and yet he still he had a big input on the GWG, and had two great backchecks which prevented chances. This is a much more complete AA.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Like pick a beauty stud like Bert in the second round when everyone thought that was a reach

Yep and we haven't even seen someone like Velano crack the lineup yet..I'm so excited about the team for the first time in a long while

 

[drwings40]

God I love lil’Bert

 

[Claypool]

 

[pz29]

I approve this message.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

That Witkowski hit is a beaut.

 

[turkleton85]

That Witkowski hit is a beaut.

yes, beautiful vintage open ice hit. Too bad that this led to a stupid fight, since this was as clean as it gets, as far as i see it

 

[Pavels Dog]

Ugh. Come on. I need to stop watching games, because we win every time I do. But I'm sure this is all fine because the rebuild's already over.

Rebuilding is never over. We could win the cup this year and no, the rebuild wouldn't be over. We could finish dead last, get the #1OA pick and via trades acquire 5 additional 1st round picks and no, the rebuild wouldn't be over.

But the rebuild would look a lot worse if Larkin, Cholowski, Bertuzzi, AA, Ras etc. weren't helping us win games. If this team can fight for a playoff spot, what can they do when we add Zadina, Veleno, Hronek, etc.?

 

[FMichael]

yes, beautiful vintage open ice hit. Too bad that this led to a stupid fight, since this was as clean as it gets, as far as i see it

Although that fight did lead up to a fracas that was also 'vintage' in nature.

Would've been fun to have watched Howard/Rask go at it...Then again with our luck Howard would've broken his hand/wrist, and be on IR for the next 8 weeks, and there would go any chance of moving him for draft picks/prospects...

 

[FMichael]

Rebuilding is never over. We could win the cup this year and no, the rebuild wouldn't be over. We could finish dead last, get the #1OA pick and via trades acquire 5 additional 1st round picks and no, the rebuild wouldn't be over.

But the rebuild would look a lot worse if Larkin, Cholowski, Bertuzzi, AA, Ras etc. weren't helping us win games. If this team can fight for a playoff spot, what can they do when we add Zadina, Veleno, Hronek, etc.?

I honestly believe if we have a repeat of the 2018 draft for this upcoming 2019 draft - we'll be pretty well stocked team in a few short years, and possibly 1 of the top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference.

 

[jkutswings]

Both really. I mean I am a fan and person too. I want us all to discuss this team. I don't want anybody to feel unwelcome. But I have to be honest, if another teams fans popped in and said some of this I would thread ban them. I am trying to be fair, you have a view on what is important to this team and I understand why you believe that. But don't expect a slap on the back for wanting our fans to want to beat a team that has been walking up and down us lately in a hot back and forth contest. Can you see how I don't think that is going to generate a ton of good conversation? Again it is just we want this place to be fun, I want us to get along and not devolve into the same arguments.

We will see, it is more a hey just so you know, if I didn't know you were a huge Wings fan it borders on something we don't really tolerate. Going into a teams GDT to root against them is frowned on around here, even if it is the own teams fans. Not to the degree of banning yet, but just hey guys/gals lets be civil and remember we are all fans of the same team here please.

Which is ironic, since this thread is a good example of why I have zero desire to build a team in the vein of a Boston or Anaheim. Several comments toward Bruins fans were downright dismissive and rude... ultimately because it's an annoying and borderline dirty style of play to go against. Win, lose, or draw...I don't want that stuff here.

I'm fine with the kids playing well enough to win a few more games than most people expected this year. But there's nothing wrong with wanting to still stay near the top 5 of the draft, and I really do believe this roster needs at least one more pick in that range before it has a decent chance to eventually do any worthwhile postseason damage.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

You wanna now why arguing against buffalo or Toronto is so illogical?

Elite dmen and elite centres

The reason edmonton still sucks is because they don't have that elite Dman but those others finally found them both and presto, you win

We will never be good enough untill such time as we add one way or another that elusive elite #1 Dman and elite #1 centre.

 

[14ari13]

I WANT to cheer for the Wings, but I want to cheer for a team that's going to build a high skill, high offense team. Not... this.

It's not even that hard. Rebuild for 2 more years. Draft high skill forwards in the top 5. Bam, you've suddenly got a marketable base to build on. Instead, we have this 2000s Calgary Flames retread.

How do you finance the team? Somebody has to pay for the tickets, but who wants to pay to watch the team losing all the time? We need the money to pay the players.

 

[14ari13]

Tell that to Buffalo. Or Edmonton. Or Toronto. They seem to be doing okay. I really don't like this argument. It's fairly common for the worst team in the league to land an absolutely gamebreaking player.

And it's nearly guaranteed for a team picking in the top 5 to land a core player.

Good point. We need core players.
But maybe we can make playoff this season but tank tbe next one.

 

[waltdetroit]

Good point. We need core players.
But maybe we can make playoff this season but tank tbe next one.

Yes development isn't linear. You still need to have the youngsters play to their best whatever the record

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Also Marchand is the biggest f***ing rat in the league. No idea how anyone can defend that sequence with him slashing Bert and Howard and not fighting anyone.