Wings in the standings?

[ricky0034]

I think a lot of people are setting the bar way too high

I was not impressed at all how our young D played this preseasons.

and still finished with lower GA than every team in our division other than Boston and Buffalo despite playing some brutal competition

in any case if they actually made smart decisions with the lineup I could see them getting second,maybe even first if everything went right

but with Holland and Babcock managing the lineup? maybe 3rd or 4th

 

[Syckle78]

How much of that is down to our relative lack of familiarity with the conference though in terms of how they compare to us and the teams we so far regularly played? Does anyone really know how we compare to the Sens or Rangers or anyone else in the East for that matter? I feel like there is a certain arrogance perhaps in thinking the West was so much better that we go from "fighting to get in" to "contender".

Well I can't speak for how others are looking it. For myself I'm not comparing those team to us or taking conference into consideration at all. I'm looking at each team individually. Outside of Boston and Pittsburgh what team has less question marks and more overall talent than us? From three to 9 or So teams are pretty closely bunched. There's a whole lot of parity.

 

[Yemack]

and still finished with lower GA than every team in our division other than Boston and Buffalo despite playing some brutal competition

in any case if they actually made smart decisions with the lineup I could see them getting second,maybe even first if everything went right

but with Holland and Babcock managing the lineup? maybe 3rd or 4th

if Wings are so terribly managed how the heck are they going to get to 2nd or 3rd? You dont think Datsyuk and Zetterberg in a terribly managed team will make the playoff do you?

 

[WingedWheel1987]

if Wings are so terribly managed how the heck are they going to get to 2nd or 3rd? You dont think Datsyuk and Zetterberg in a terribly managed team will make the playoff do you?

A healthy Zetterberg and Datsyuk will get any team to the playoffs. Not a top four finish, but they will make the playoffs.

Their effectiveness has been mitigating the damage done my management.

 

[Yemack]

A healthy Zetterberg and Datsyuk will get any team to the playoffs. Not a top four finish, but they will make the playoffs.

Their effectiveness has been mitigating the damage done my management.

You are mistaken. There has been countless teams who had multiple supers stars yet couldn't function and couldnt make playoff.

btw I dont want to make this another 'Lets bash Holland and Babcock because armchair GMs know better' thread. So if you want to unload your pent up frustration about our management, which I know you want to, please go away and do so in every other thread.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

You are mistaken. There has been countless teams who had multiple supers stars yet couldn't function and couldnt make playoff.

btw I dont want to make this another 'Lets bash Holland and Babcock because armchair GMs know better' thread. So if you want to unload your pent up frustration about our management, which I know you want to, please go away and do so in every other thread.

The Wings still have a good coach (who has random bouts of madness), with two elite two way centers, a good goalie and a defense that bends more often than it breaks.

That is good enough to get you into the playoffs as a lower seed, barring any major injuries.

That will probably change next year or even this year if Z or Datsyuk decline. I feel pretty confident it won't be this year.

 

[Heaton]

The Wings still have a good coach (who has random bouts of madness), with two elite two way centers, a good goalie and a defense that bends more often than it breaks.

That is good enough to get you into the playoffs as a lower seed, barring any major injuries.

That will probably change next year or even this year if Z or Datsyuk decline. I feel pretty confident it won't be this year.

I think even with the shortcomings the Wings have a really good regular season and pretty good playoff team. Howard accounts for a good majority of that too.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

I think even with the shortcomings the Wings have a really good regular season and pretty good playoff team. Howard accounts for a good majority of that too.

I think the team is better built for regular season success, but i think their opponents are just that much better. I think the Wings could finish as the #4 seed if Nyquist and Tatar replace two veterans. Gives you secondary scoring and speed. I also think that Nyquist and Tatar will eventually help the defense in the long run. Digging for pucks and maintaining possession which means less time being spent in the Wings zone.

The playoffs is when the teams shortcomings are really highlighted.

Lack of secondary scoring which allows the opposing defense to key in on Zetterberg and Datsyuk and makes it even harder to generate offense.
Defense that gives up one too many quality scoring chances. Nashville series was the perfect example of this happening. Wings having to work way too hard to score one goal and the Preds score on an unforced error. It's very demoralizing when that happens.

I should have mentioned earlier that my opinion was based on the roster currently constructed. They will rise and fall in the standings depending on how long the veterans stay in the lineup.

Longer = lower in the standings and it's less likely they do any damage in the playoffs because Tatar and Nyquist didn't do enough developing.

 

[Heaton]

I think the team is better built for regular season success.

The playoffs is when the teams shortcomings are really highlighted.

Lack of secondary scoring
Defense that gives up one too many quality scoring chances.

Yeah, but I think the playoffs is where Tatar and Nyquist show their mettle. We've seen the Wings go with Helm and Ericsson in the playoffs even though they didn't play much (if at all) during the regular season.

82 games is a grind and even though Bert/Sammy/Cleary don't bring very much and Tatar/Nyquist should be in the lineup 100% of the time - I still think they'll contribute in more positive ways than what people are saying. That said, again, I don't want them on the team.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Yeah, but I think the playoffs is where Tatar and Nyquist show their mettle. We've seen the Wings go with Helm and Ericsson in the playoffs even though they didn't play much (if at all) during the regular season.

82 games is a grind and even though Bert/Sammy/Cleary don't bring very much and Tatar/Nyquist should be in the lineup 100% of the time - I still think they'll contribute in more positive ways than what people are saying. That said, again, I don't want them on the team.

I mostly agree with that assessment in regards to Tatar and Nyquist in the playoffs.

 

[DatsyukianDekes]

While everyone else debates the unknown I'll just be sitting here waiting for Wednesday...

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

By the way this team has a very soft opening ten games. Really two games at Boston are the tough ones, but they couldn't have asked for a much more friendly schedule. So the fact they have completely fubared the lineup like this is awful. Maybe the vets will pull through because the schedule is soft and that is a part of the logic in sitting the kids, wouldn't want them hammering home the point of how much better they are I guess.

But should they waste this opening ten games that is a mistake in my opinion. Some parts of the schedule are easier than others, really our first 20 games are kind of light in my opinion not just the first ten so we need to be in a good position at the quarter poll.

 

[JmanWingsFan]

While everyone else debates the unknown I'll just be sitting here waiting for Wednesday...

Hey, I'll bring pop corn, and we can wait together.

 

[Hckytwn]

I think a lot of people are setting the bar way too high

I was not impressed at all how our young D played this preseasons.

Preseason Performance > Playoff Performance? Hmm.

D will be fine, improved from last year even. Wings should finish 3rd or 4th in the conference, provided no serious injury issues.

 

[Flowah]

You are mistaken. There has been countless teams who had multiple supers stars yet couldn't function and couldnt make playoff.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are two of the best two way centers who are each #1 centers on at least half the teams in the league.

Few other teams can claim that. The ones that can, make the playoffs.

 

[Yemack]

Preseason Performance > Playoff Performance? Hmm.

D will be fine, improved from last year even. Wings should finish 3rd or 4th in the conference, provided no serious injury issues.

Wings will not be able to play with as much as intensity as last playoffs. That's just not possible in my humble opinion. Playoff is a totally different beast. Sure if Wings play as hard as they did last playoff, I can easily see them winning president trophy. But that's not going to happen. Humanly not possible

btw when I said defence I was more or less looking at individuals instead of team. Individual decision makings, awareness and stuffs like that. Maybe I'm guilty of having high standard myself on defense after watching decade of Lidstrom. But honestly it doesnt really look like championship caliber defense right now. Our young D just can't handle the pressure that well right now in my opinion.

But then with Z being the captain, who knows what's going to happen in playoff.

 

[LeighDx59]

Hey, I'll bring pop corn, and we can wait together.

I can bring soda, can I join?

 

[Yemack]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are two of the best two way centers who are each #1 centers on at least half the teams in the league.

Few other teams can claim that. The ones that can, make the playoffs.

I agree with your assessment on our euro twins

But really, at NHL level, and in year 2013, 2 players dont make a team. Just think beginning of last season why Wings were losing so badly despite having Datsyuk or Zetterberg.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

You are mistaken. There has been countless teams who had multiple supers stars yet couldn't function and couldnt make playoff.

btw I dont want to make this another 'Lets bash Holland and Babcock because armchair GMs know better' thread. So if you want to unload your pent up frustration about our management, which I know you want to, please go away and do so in every other thread.

Not many teams have two two-way centers of Datsyuk and Zetterberg's caliber.
We're not talking Stamkos and Marty Saint Louis and no defense.

That's not to say that Datsyuk and Z automatically get us to the playoffs. But if healthy, they make us competitive.

 

[Vladdy84]

No matter how terrible the initial line-ups are. The Wings will make the playoffs unless Dats and Z get injured. If Tatar and Nyquist are in and the D is solid. The Wings should finish anywhere from 4th or 6th. If not. Babcock should be fired.

 

[bullocks]

Bob McKenzie picked the Wings to win the East and lose to the Hawks in the finals. Alot of people from ESPN (no that they matter) have them in the Conference finals. Some player on Chicago said we'd win the Atlantic easily.

 

[opivy]

Cursed now!

 

[InjuredChoker]

Bob McKenzie picked the Wings to win the East and lose to the Hawks in the finals. Alot of people from ESPN (no that they matter) have them in the Conference finals. Some player on Chicago said we'd win the Atlantic easily.

Who?

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Tim Cowlishaw picked us to beat the Kings in the Cup in 6 today on ATH.