Post-Game Talk: Wings play bad, end up losing

[Frk It]

says who?

Look around.

 

[Yemack]

Would it be better to become a revolving door of gameplans whenever we look like crap for a handful of games? Give it twenty games, see if they can catch on, while better identifying tweaks and changes.

i didnt mean to say we need a 180 degree total change right now

but the problem needs to be identified quickly and be dealt with swiftly

someone mentioned if wings are 15-25 then we have a reason to worry. lol no if that were happen some significant change would have occured already mostly likely headcoach fired.

 

[Actual Thought*]

I dunno...too many of these guys have been doing the I-96 commute over the past 2 years to convince me that they need to "learn" Blash's "new system".

What it seems like to me is that Blash needs to learn the NHL way a little better...better puck possession, a little more physical play. These guys aren't elite shooters and D-men (yet), so they need to work the meat-and-potatoes plays a little more crisply.

Agreed. He is gonna need to adapt quickly or he is going to lose the team altogether.

 

[19 for president]

I am not all that surprised by this, and the total overreaction. We are 6 games in and at .500. Not really the end of the world. Our D is still a mess and having DD/ Green not play together most of the pre-season or just be hurt hasn't helped it. E still plays awful, I'd rather try Q there at this point, even with his own goals lol. Tatar and Pulu need to start using their teammates and stop over handling the puck. Nyquist has looked ok but I hate him with Tats. They haven't looked good together since entering the NHL. Team is missing some size. I don't think Pulu fits this team because we already have a bunch of small scoring wingers. I'd move him to upgrade the D in a second. I'd be pro bringing AA up to play on the 3rd line too because his speed would really help entry, he also has decent size. Helm has also looked pretty slow, but I'm hoping that is just conditioning. These vets are learning a completely different system, and it shows. Upgrading E is massively necessary right now. Wings can't play Blash's system with this D.

 

[Tatar Shots]

It's something I think they'll only stand a chance at getting better at if we allow/force them to keep doing it, though. I'd still give it 20 games before making any significant changes.

This is true depending on what exactly Blashill is telling them to do in these situations. We don't know how aggressive he is telling the Dmen to be in terms of pinching to keep the play alive. He could be telling them to go for it only if you think you have a good chance of winning the puck. In this case they would likely get better at making quicker/better decisions as time goes on. But if he is telling them to challenge the opposing team and try and win 50/50 pucks I don't see any improvements being made.

 

[Frk It]

This is NOT good

 

[Tatar Shots]

This is NOT good

Wow that was quite surprising. This team is in a real rut right now. Lets hope they figure it out really quickly.

 

[Pavels Dog]

This is NOT good

Just seems like another evidence of how bad our PP has been. Everyone needs to get more shots on goal, but we especially haven't been able to put enough pucks on net with the man advantage.

 

[NumberFive]

Neither do I, which is why I tried to suggest some middle ground earlier in this thread. Blashill is going to need some time as an adjustment period. And also, not 100% of the blame should go on players or the coach, they both need to be held very accountable for what goes on.

Blashill just seems like the scapegoat right now for every mishandled puck and every shot fired wide, by some. The players are grown men and have to show up and do their jobs too. Regardless of who is calling the shots.

I wasn't super high on Blash after a 3 game win streak and im not super low on him now after dropping 3. We all just need to ne a little more patient right now.

Absolutely. It's FAR too early to judge to Blash's overall performance. Hell, let's be honest, he could take a 16-32 record into 2016 and still feasibly turn it around enough to make the playoffs, and I think it's safe to say that the chances of Detroit having that or near that record on 1/3/2016 are utterly slim, indeed. So it's not panic time by any stretch of the imagination.

We've got good talent, and I believe good coaching. Just not firing on all cylinders, or in sync just yet. Everyone's just an armchair head coach, is all.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Absolutely. It's FAR too early to judge to Blash's overall performance. Hell, let's be honest, he could take a 16-32 record into 2016 and still feasibly turn it around enough to make the playoffs, and I think it's safe to say that the chances of Detroit having that or near that record on 1/3/2016 are utterly slim, indeed. So it's not panic time by any stretch of the imagination.

We've got good talent, and I believe good coaching. Just not firing on all cylinders, or in sync just yet. Everyone's just an armchair head coach, is all.

While that is mathematically possible if they get to that point he will have completely lost the team making it virtually impossible to recover. Let's hope in spite of how bad it looks that it never gets that bad.

 

[Classicnamesup]

Absolutely. It's FAR too early to judge to Blash's overall performance. Hell, let's be honest, he could take a 16-32 record into 2016 and still feasibly turn it around enough to make the playoffs,

No. Last year we barely snuck into the playoffs with 25 regulation losses.

and I think it's safe to say that the chances of Detroit having that or near that record on 1/3/2016 are utterly slim, indeed.

After losing 3 straight games in spectacular fashion against a couple of the worst teams in the league? Unless something changes it is very possible.

We've got good talent, and I believe good coaching. Just not firing on all cylinders, or in sync just yet. Everyone's just an armchair head coach, is all.

The talent is OK, not great by any means. Nice top line, weak 2nd line with underperforming players. With Dats back it becomes 2 nice lines if Nyquist and Tats start scoring. Third line is useless, 4th line is purely defence.

The defence can't score, can't move the puck, doesn't run a good PP, don't defend well.

Goaltending is good.

 

[Retire91]

Its so early for all the negative feedback. Not only need to give it time but the team needs Daytsuk back. Daytsuk is almost as important to the team as Lidstrom was. D and Z are who make up for the mediocre to worse defense this team has. Starting the season with a new coach is a big deal, not having Daytsuk is a bigger deal.

 

[PelagicJoe]

I will agree that our defense was total garbage last night. Kindl looked ok (Yes, I said it) but the rest.... cripes. The posts about people over handling the puck are spot on too. I've noticed Green and Tatar doing this a lot. The only people who have impressed me so far are Z, Larkin, Abby, and the goalies. Even Kronwall looks lost out there at times.

 

[ashenhigh]

Here is the problem with our team, and has been an issue since probably 2011.

Our defense is terrible at the transition game. Outside of Kronwall and Green, we have no defenders that can properly start a breakout.

Ericsson, Quincey, Kindl, Dekeyser, Smith, are all pretty terrible at doing this. Our strategy seems to be for one of those defenders to headman the puck as soon as they get it in our zone, by lunging the puck up through the neutral zone to the farthest Red Wing up the ice. That player typically is tied up by the opposing team, and if lucky, can tap it to prevent icing or deflect it away so another forward can scoop it up and take it into the zone.

What kind of hockey is this? This is not Red Wings hockey. We have so many puck carries on our top 3 lines, why can't one of these defenders pass the puck east-west rather than north-south to a streaking player with speed in the neutral zone?

Last night there was a play where Quincey had a wide open Tatar in the neutral zone, but rather than passing him the puck so he could carry it with speed, he decided to dump the puck up ice so Sheahan could tap it into the opposing zone. The result was the opposing defender tipped it back into our neutral zone, and we turned the puck over. This happens multiple times a game with our defense.

Just tired of it.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Helene St. James ‏@HeleneStJames 19m19 minutes ago
Jeff Blashill says Wings considering switching up defense pairings when Wings at Calgary Friday.

 

[NumberFive]

No. Last year we barely snuck into the playoffs with 25 regulation losses.

AND 14 OTLs. Again, I believe it's an overstretch to think it's going to get that bad.

After losing 3 straight games in spectacular fashion against a couple of the worst teams in the league? Unless something changes it is very possible.

No. Quite simply no. That's akin to saying that because you have a slow drip in a water pipe, your basement will surely be flooded by morning. Two games doesn't constitute that kind of possibility. Exactly 7.3% of the season is over. Too early. Period.

The talent is OK, not great by any means. Nice top line, weak 2nd line with underperforming players. With Dats back it becomes 2 nice lines if Nyquist and Tats start scoring. Third line is useless, 4th line is purely defence.

The defence can't score, can't move the puck, doesn't run a good PP, don't defend well.

Goaltending is good.

I did say the talent was good, not great. Agreed that puck possession and physical play needs to step up. Can't speak on D's ability to score, seeing as they haven't been taking any shots! I did also mention that coaching needs to shore up a little. Agreed also on the G front, though there's room for improvement there, as well.

Again, all but 2 of these players have played under Blash at one point or another, so his system shouldn't be blind-siding the majority of them. Blash just needs to tweak his approach a bit, and the guys need to get the chemistry going.

 

[Yemack]

Here is the problem with our team, and has been an issue since probably 2011.

Our defense is terrible at the transition game. Outside of Kronwall and Green, we have no defenders that can properly start a breakout.

Ericsson, Quincey, Kindl, Dekeyser, Smith, are all pretty terrible at doing this. Our strategy seems to be for one of those defenders to headman the puck as soon as they get it in our zone, by lunging the puck up through the neutral zone to the farthest Red Wing up the ice. That player typically is tied up by the opposing team, and if lucky, can tap it to prevent icing or deflect it away so another forward can scoop it up and take it into the zone.

What kind of hockey is this? This is not Red Wings hockey. We have so many puck carries on our top 3 lines, why can't one of these defenders pass the puck east-west rather than north-south to a streaking player with speed in the neutral zone?

Last night there was a play where Quincey had a wide open Tatar in the neutral zone, but rather than passing him the puck so he could carry it with speed, he decided to dump the puck up ice so Sheahan could tap it into the opposing zone. The result was the opposing defender tipped it back into our neutral zone, and we turned the puck over. This happens multiple times a game with our defense.

Just tired of it.

Tatar has been an relentless turnover machine this season. might have resulted to same thing.

 

[BF3]

Get back to me at Thanksgiving when we have something resembling a sample size. Until then its like getting demanding the goalie be pulled every time he lets one by.

 

[Yemack]

Get back to me at Thanksgiving when we have something resembling a sample size. Until then its like getting demanding the goalie be pulled every time he lets one by.

dont need wait till Thanksgiving to discuss how poorly Wings played in their losses.

 

[ashenhigh]

Tatar has been an relentless turnover machine this season. might have resulted to same thing.

Certainly could have, but we gotta trust our puck carriers to get the job done. Otherwise we are the maple leafs.

 

[Yemack]

Certainly could have, but we gotta trust our puck carriers to get the job done. Otherwise we are the maple leafs.

I'm not a hockey coach so I dont/can't really discuss why somethings are executed certain ways. I'm just guessing that it is done that way to minimize the interception and turnover at really vulnerable position.

It's kinda like pinching at the blueline. you gotta find the right balance that suits your team. if the pinch is making more positive return than negative, then you do it. If not, it's wrong to force the concept.

But then again, I claim no expertise on this issue.

 

[The Zermanator]

Helene St. James ‏@HeleneStJames 19m19 minutes ago
Jeff Blashill says Wings considering switching up defense pairings when Wings at Calgary Friday.

Maybe try Green on the top pair with Kronwall? Green hasn't looked too bad and he's kept the defensive breakdowns to a minimum (by his standards, at least).

Kronwall-Green
DeKeyser-Quincey
Ericsson (where he belongs)-Kindl
Smith

Use that 6 spot to try to squeeze as much potential trade value out of Kindl and Smith and ship them out as soon as humanly possible. Some teams may struggle or get a rash of injuries on defense. Then Ouellet/Jensen/Marchenko fight for that last playing spot.

 

[Frk It]

Maybe try Green on the top pair with Kronwall? Green hasn't looked too bad and he's kept the defensive breakdowns to a minimum (by his standards, at least).

Kronwall-Green
DeKeyser-Quincey
Ericsson (where he belongs)-Kindl
Smith

Use that 6 spot to try to squeeze as much potential trade value out of Kindl and Smith and ship them out as soon as humanly possible. Some teams may struggle or get a rash of injuries on defense. Then Ouellet/Jensen/Marchenko fight for that last playing spot.

Yes, please.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Maybe try Green on the top pair with Kronwall? Green hasn't looked too bad and he's kept the defensive breakdowns to a minimum (by his standards, at least).

Kronwall-Green
DeKeyser-Quincey
Ericsson (where he belongs)-Kindl
Smith

Use that 6 spot to try to squeeze as much potential trade value out of Kindl and Smith and ship them out as soon as humanly possible. Some teams may struggle or get a rash of injuries on defense. Then Ouellet/Jensen/Marchenko fight for that last playing spot.

That's all well and good but as long as they have crap structure dumping vets and bringing in projects is not going to do a single thing to make the team better. It will make things even worse.

 

[Yzerman1919*]

Still need to be physical. Have we seen a cycle at all, ever? Perimeter hockey and turnover is what I see.

Sheahan needs a kick in the ass.