Wings dead last in shots per game

[Pavels Dog]

We've also had among the fewest PP opportunities in the league which likely makes the problem more pronounced than usual

The two Carolina games really screw up all our stats. Nothing but penalties, barely any shots on goal, almost no PPs.. just gotta hope that there's 'something about Carolina' for us, and that we don't have games like that against other teams.

I mean, we looked fine against Tampa. Not a ton of shots, but they didn't have many either. Tonight's game will be interesting. It's a good team, that isn't tired like Tampa was. If we lose decisively, that's when I will be concerned. A win would restore my faith in what Blashill is doing.

 

[DanZ]

We've also had among the fewest PP opportunities in the league which likely makes the problem more pronounced than usual

This could be a function of our inability to control the puck. Teams that have the puck usually draw more penalties. The Wings had the puck a lot last year and thus drew a lot of penalties. This may not be the case though, only time will tell.

The two Carolina games really screw up all our stats. Nothing but penalties, barely any shots on goal, almost no PPs.. just gotta hope that there's 'something about Carolina' for us, and that we don't have games like that against other teams.

I mean, we looked fine against Tampa. Not a ton of shots, but they didn't have many either. Tonight's game will be interesting. It's a good team, that isn't tired like Tampa was. If we lose decisively, that's when I will be concerned. A win would restore my faith in what Blashill is doing.

I don't think Carolina is a push over team. Especially last night when they were desperate to get their first win and not lose to Detroit twice in a week. They have a pretty good defense and had a top PK last year.

The Wings looked good in both their games that weren't against Carolina (Toronto and Tampa), so this could have some truth to it. I agree that a win tonight will lessen my concerns.

 

[TheRatPoisoner]

Not that it matters (stats are useless at this point in the season), but if it makes people feel better, Carolina was 3rd in the league last season in shots against and Tampa was 5th. Basically, 3 out of 4 games have been played against teams that are good at suppressing shots.

Don't worry folks -- we'll be fine...

 

[snailderby]

For some historical perspective:

06-07: 5th in the league in Shots/GP
07-08: 1st
08-09: 3rd
09-10: 2nd
10-11: 2nd (the year Rafalski retired)
11-12: 5th (the year Lidstrom retired)
12-13: 10th (the last year we had Colaiacovo----just kidding)
13-14: 16th
14-15: 18th
15-16: 30th (through 5 games)

So I don't know how much of this issue is due to a lack of puck-moving defensemen or our defensemen's ability to play a transition game or our lack of PP opportunities or the new system or the coach or the particular teams that we've played, but I think it's safe to say that we've trending downward in this stat for several years now.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

For some historical perspective:

06-07: 5th in the league in Shots/GP
07-08: 1st
08-09: 3rd
09-10: 2nd
10-11: 2nd (the year Rafalski retired)
11-12: 5th (the year Lidstrom retired)
12-13: 10th (the last year we had Colaiacovo----just kidding)
13-14: 16th
14-15: 18th
15-16: 30th (through 5 games)

So I don't know how much of this issue is due to a lack of puck-moving defensemen or our defensemen's ability to play a transition game or our lack of PP opportunities or the new system or the coach or the particular teams that we've played, but I think it's safe to say that we've trending downward in this stat for several years now.

Id say it has stayed the same for the past 2 years. Just like the penalty kill.. Right in the middle of the pack.

 

[joe89]

Too much fancy shit going on at the offensive blue when there's a chance to shoot and create a rebound. And no rebounds = even less SOG.

It all goes hand in hand. Less turnovers equals more shots equals more possession equals better defense overall.

 

[Run the Jewels]

It's the transition game. They struggle to get out of their zone, and when they do they struggle to get through the neutral zone. I see awful passes everywhere. Because of this, idk if the system is causing there to hardly be any outlets/lanes, or or the players are just ****ing up 9/10x

We can hardly maintain any offensive pressure because of this. When we do make it to the offensive zone we do okay, but the struggle is getting there in the first place. Hardly playing in the ozone = low shot totals

I don't follow the AHL at all but I do trust Injured Choker as a hockey analyst and he said Blashill's transition game will not cut it in the NHL and to date that seems dead on. There were lots of people giddy to have Blashill in Detroit and I am still taking a wait and see attitude. To date IC has the best analysis and it's not even close.

 

[Marky9er]

I've seen it mentioned here and there, but why isn't Mike Green on the first powerplay?

HNIC was going on about what a great addition he is to Detroit's Powerplay while finishing the sentence with "12 seconds remaining".

 

[8snake]

I don't follow the AHL at all but I do trust Injured Choker as a hockey analyst and he said Blashill's transition game will not cut it in the NHL and to date that seems dead on. There were lots of people giddy to have Blashill in Detroit and I am still taking a wait and see attitude. To date IC has the best analysis and it's not even close.

There's some of that too...I think Blashill needs to make several adjustments, not only to his system but more importantly the personnel he has here. Hopefully he is learning on the run and can get a grasp of what works quickly, because what he has in place now is CLEARLY not working...and it's not just players playing poorly (though we have several of them doing that right now).

 

[Hendricks433]

There's some of that too...I think Blashill needs to make several adjustments, not only to his system but more importantly the personnel he has here. Hopefully he is learning on the run and can get a grasp of what works quickly, because what he has in place now is CLEARLY not working...and it's not just players playing poorly (though we have several of them doing that right now).

Is it the system causing the turnovers and making players look bad or the players adjusting to a system? My guess is it's a combo of the 2 but Blash is gonna have to swallow some pride and make adjustments I think.

 

[Hendricks433]

I don't follow the AHL at all but I do trust Injured Choker as a hockey analyst and he said Blashill's transition game will not cut it in the NHL and to date that seems dead on. There were lots of people giddy to have Blashill in Detroit and I am still taking a wait and see attitude. To date IC has the best analysis and it's not even close.

Do you have any links?

 

[Run the Jewels]

Do you have any links?

Right here:

blash neutral zone stuff won't cut in in NHL.

 

[TheObserver]

its the zetterberg and datsyuk effect.

the players try to emulate these guys and get all fancy.

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

Certainly seems like a coaching problem.

 

[Frk It]

Right here:

I'm wondering out loud if it's not as if Blashill wants to play more offensive and Babcock more defensive, or if Babcock just had a better grasp on the pros and cons of his personnel and made his system accordingly (due to being there forever). Basically, that off the glass and out stuff was just as simple as he could make it for his defense knowing we don't have the deepest blueline anymore. Maybe not what he necessarily wanted, but what he knew would work.

Blashill it seemed was thinking he could come in and do some quick reclamation projects on Kindl and Smith and play an uptempo transition game, and I think he's learning that our back end just isn't good enough for that. Something Babs already knew, but I think Blashill will adjust he just needs some time.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I'm wondering out loud if it's not as if Blashill wants to play more offensive and Babcock more defensive, or if Babcock just had a better grasp on the pros and cons of his personnel and made his system accordingly (due to being there forever). Basically, that off the glass and out stuff was just as simple as he could make it for his defense knowing we don't have the deepest blueline anymore. Maybe not what he necessarily wanted, but what he knew would work.

Ding ding ding

It still boggles my mind that people thought Babcock changed the way we played because he suddenly wanted to play like that. 05-10 or so we played amazing possession hockey, we rarely dumped the puck into the zone, we rarely exited the zone by banking it off the glass. It was skillful, fast-paced and beautiful hockey.

Losing Lidstrom and Rafalski in a short time REALLY hurt our ability to play like that. And thus we started playing a simpler style that was definitely designed in large part to hide the shortcomings of our defense.

The good thing is that with the addition of Green we should be able to play a better transition game. But Ericsson is still an anchor on the first pairing in that regard, and Quincey, Smith and Kindl are all bad puck-movers. So Blashill may be trying to get us to play a way we simply don't have the personnel for. Maybe it would help if we get XO/Marchenko/Jensen in there on defense.

 

[Frk It]

Ding ding ding

It still boggles my mind that people thought Babcock changed the way we played because he suddenly wanted to play like that. 05-10 or so we played amazing possession hockey, we rarely dumped the puck into the zone, we rarely exited the zone by banking it off the glass. It was skillful, fast-paced and beautiful hockey.

Losing Lidstrom and Rafalski in a short time REALLY hurt our ability to play like that. And thus we started playing a simpler style that was definitely designed in large part to hide the shortcomings of our defense.

The good thing is that with the addition of Green we should be able to play a better transition game. But Ericsson is still an anchor on the first pairing in that regard, and Quincey, Smith and Kindl are all bad puck-movers. So Blashill may be trying to get us to play a way we simply don't have the personnel for. Maybe it would help if we get XO/Marchenko/Jensen in there on defense.

We're also seeing with Smith for example, when you give him the freedom to play more offensive he just turns it over a ton and gets lost in his own end. Blash probably wanted to believe there was some untapped offensive ability with him and Kindl, just like the rest of us, but it's apprearing it's just not really the case. I don't fault Blash for trying to implement a system more to his liking, but I just question that we have the personnel to pull it off.

 

[Winger98]

I think there's also a learning curve still going on. We saw it all pre-season where the kids who had played under Blashill in GR just got the system so much better than the vets and executed it better. As guys get healthy, and as they go out there and play some more, I think we'll see them "get" the system more and the play tighten up. And this is just the bare bones learning a system bit about the a coaching change. Guys are also getting accustomed to a new lockerroom and everything. Maybe this season will crash and burn, but it's way too early to make that conclusion through anything other than guesses and panic.

 

[Actual Thought*]

We're also seeing with Smith for example, when you give him the freedom to play more offensive he just turns it over a ton and gets lost in his own end. Blash probably wanted to believe there was some untapped offensive ability with him and Kindl, just like the rest of us, but it's apprearing it's just not really the case. I don't fault Blash for trying to implement a system more to his liking, but I just question that we have the personnel to pull it off.

So is it better to tank while Blashill tries to fit a square peg into a round hole or is it better to maximize the potential of your roster?

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Blashill was the only option for Detroit. Holland wasn't going to find someone else. It was either Blashill or Babcock, and Babcock didn't want to come back.

The whole point of hiring Blashill was about continuity and having a coach who was already familiar with the roster and system.

Blashill was hired to maximize the potential of the Wings roster.

 

[Frk It]

So is it better to tank while Blashill tries to fit a square peg into a round hole or is it better to maximize the potential of your roster?

1) I think either his system will click eventually, or he will adjust.
2) 3-2 is tanking now?

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

So is it better to tank while Blashill tries to fit a square peg into a round hole or is it better to maximize the potential of your roster?

Reading these posts around here you'd think we were 0-5.

 

[Actual Thought*]

1) I think either his system will click eventually, or he will adjust.
2) 3-2 is tanking now?

Reading these posts around here you'd think we were 0-5.

I was merely addressing a post that seemed to say Blashill doesn't know his personnel. I can sort of understand fans thinking Smith had some amazing potential and Babcock was holding him back. I can't see Blashill thinking that. He is the head coach of an NHL team.

 

[Frk It]

I was merely addressing a post that seemed to say Blashill doesn't know his personnel. I can sort of understand fans thinking Smith had some amazing potential and Babcock was holding him back. I can't see Blashill thinking that. He is the head coach of an NHL team.

At the same time, Blashill isn't going to know in 5 games what Babcock knew after 10 years. That's just not realistic to expect that.

If Blash didn't know it before I bet he does know. Hence the benching.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Reading these posts around here you'd think we were 0-5.

Dude we have lost every single period for as long as I can remember.

Also, my brain only has enough RAM to store 20 minutes of hockey.

~hfboards