Pre-Game Talk: Wings vs. Tampa 10/13

[Actual Thought*]

I dont think so either.


Also, why does Blash start howie over mrazek? Mrazek is obv the better choice against the lightning but whatever

He is working on building a goalie controversy through inexperience and indecision. He is playing with fire and he needs to make a choice before the team makes it for him.

 

[theYman]

Nice Helms back! Should help the pk and 4th line
even faster. This team has allot of jump in it's step this year. Should put Mrazek in against Tampa? I think we should.

 

[Yemack]

watched highlight of recent tampa games. very dangerous team no doubt. it looks like they could go far again this year. They are not a team who tries to outmuscle the other rather try to put hard pressure so I think some of our players should play better if they can out-think.

defensively they like to collapse a bit and leave some room up top so maybe Green might pot one tomorrow

offensively they like to carry the puck out with all 3 F attacking the zone. they can either go wide or behind to trailing player which they liked doing since last season and which has been very effective. I think best thing to do is when Lightning gets the puck, instead of falling back, someone needs to put immediate pressure on their puck carrier as fast as possible so they can't make play as freely. Their puck carring F won't have much support in immediate vicinity. Also noticed they drive the net pretty hard like Habs.

 

[Winger98]

Nice Helms back! Should help the pk and 4th line
even faster. This team has allot of jump in it's step this year. Should put Mrazek in against Tampa? I think we should.

I'd consider sitting Miller and leaving Ferraro in the lineup. Better skater, right handed, can handle PK duties (as can Helm). I'm not sure we're getting that much faster taking Ferraro out for Helm.

 

[Heaton]

Nice Helms back! Should help the pk and 4th line
even faster. This team has allot of jump in it's step this year. Should put Mrazek in against Tampa? I think we should.

Howard is in net.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

I'd consider sitting Miller and leaving Ferraro in the lineup. Better skater, right handed, can handle PK duties (as can Helm). I'm not sure we're getting that much faster taking Ferraro out for Helm.

Ferraro is nowhere near the player Miller is right now. For being such a burner, Ferraro has rarely shown it at the NHL level. What he has shown is the striking inability to clear the defensive zone on the PK at times, something Miller is very good at.

 

[Mijatovic]

Ferraro is nowhere near the player Miller is right now. For being such a burner, Ferraro has rarely shown it at the NHL level. What he has shown is the striking inability to clear the defensive zone on the PK at times, something Miller is very good at.

Quoted for emphasis. This man speaks the truth. Very happy with our current lineup. I cant wait to watch the game.

 

[SoupNazi]

He is working on building a goalie controversy through inexperience and indecision. He is playing with fire and he needs to make a choice before the team makes it for him.

What he's doing is running a tandem and it's actually quite common to start a season.

 

[Actual Thought*]

What he's doing is running a tandem and it's actually quite common to start a season.

Which is fine as long as he makes a decision at some point in the not too distant future. Players have relationships. Locker rooms build alliances. If the veterans on the team see their guy as getting a raw deal it could get ugly for the rookie coach. Rooms can and do become divided. With the dynamic of Blashill having relationships and therefore bias with the youngsters he could lose the room very easily. This isn't news. It has happened countless times in pro sports. I am not saying it will happen but it very well could. Blashill is obviously still very, very green in terms of the big leagues. Players in the minors or two bit colleges don't have the power of superstar major league players. The politics are completely different.

 

[Eggberto]

Which is fine as long as he makes a decision at some point in the not too distant future. Players have relationships. Locker rooms build alliances. If the veterans on the team see their guy as getting a raw deal it could get ugly for the rookie coach. Rooms can and do become divided. With the dynamic of Blashill having relationships and therefore bias with the youngsters he could lose the room very easily. This isn't news. It has happened countless times in pro sports. I am not saying it will happen but it very well could. Blashill is obviously still very, very green in terms of the big leagues. Players in the minors or two bit colleges don't have the power of superstar major league players. The politics are completely different.

It wasn't an issie when Babs made Mrazek the starter. It's not like these guys are blind to the fact that there is a goalie battle going on, and since they play to win I cannot imagine a scenario where there will be locker room issues if both play well enough to be the #1.

 

[SoupNazi]

Which is fine as long as he makes a decision at some point in the not too distant future. Players have relationships. Locker rooms build alliances. If the veterans on the team see their guy as getting a raw deal it could get ugly for the rookie coach. Rooms can and do become divided. With the dynamic of Blashill having relationships and therefore bias with the youngsters he could lose the room very easily. This isn't news. It has happened countless times in pro sports. I am not saying it will happen but it very well could. Blashill is obviously still very, very green in terms of the big leagues. Players in the minors or two bit colleges don't have the power of superstar major league players. The politics are completely different.

So you're saying there was an issue in the locker room when Babcock yanked Howard from starting? That's what you seem to be implying.

Can you back this up, or am I off base and this is just another way to take a shot at Blashill?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Ferraro is nowhere near the player Miller is right now. For being such a burner, Ferraro has rarely shown it at the NHL level. What he has shown is the striking inability to clear the defensive zone on the PK at times, something Miller is very good at.

Quoted for emphasis. This man speaks the truth. Very happy with our current lineup. I cant wait to watch the game.

Miller's not always that great at it. He's been great the first two games, and he was great at it last October and November, but his effectiveness does take a dip.

I'm not saying Ferraro is better, but the Miller apologists act like he is not replaceable.

 

[PetrPumpknEatr]

Because goalies are having a battle and Howard leads that with a shutout.

Mrazek's victory was far more significant. Howard was solid, but didn't steal the game. Mrazek kept Wings in the game all by himself.

 

[aar000n]

Tampa played last night Wings are rested. Early season game so endurance is not built up. Wings should win 7-1

 

[obey86]

Miller's not always that great at it. He's been great the first two games, and he was great at it last October and November, but his effectiveness does take a dip.

I'm not saying Ferraro is better, but the Miller apologists act like he is not replaceable.

Miller is pretty damn good for his role.

 

[joe89]

Miller's not always that great at it. He's been great the first two games, and he was great at it last October and November, but his effectiveness does take a dip.

I'm not saying Ferraro is better, but the Miller apologists act like he is not replaceable.

I think Miller is very replaceable, but we've seen quite a few guys come up and try to make that 4th line, and they just haven't been as good as him. Let's see what happens now that he has two guys who could be considered better than him on the same line in Glendening and Helm. A type of 4th line I've been waiting to see since we last saw Miller-Helm-Abdelkader(though I believe they were a 3rd line at the time).

I'd consider sitting Miller and leaving Ferraro in the lineup. Better skater, right handed, can handle PK duties (as can Helm). I'm not sure we're getting that much faster taking Ferraro out for Helm.

Miller has some solid wheels aswell. I mean, more than enough anyway to be effective. What stands out compared to Ferraro is his reach and ability to break up plays with his stick.

 

[Winger98]

Miller's not always that great at it. He's been great the first two games, and he was great at it last October and November, but his effectiveness does take a dip.

I'm not saying Ferraro is better, but the Miller apologists act like he is not replaceable.

I think the skaters in general are given too much credit for the PK. There are moments, such as Z's 5v3 PK against the Pens in the finals, where we see a skater step up and dominate the PK, but it's often the goalies who determine the success of it. If the goalies are rolling, shockingly, so is the PK. The past few years, our goalie tandems have evened out to be pretty average...and so has our PK every year.

I think Miller is very replaceable, but we've seen quite a few guys come up and try to make that 4th line, and they just haven't been as good as him. Let's see what happens now that he has two guys who could be considered better than him on the same line in Glendening and Helm. A type of 4th line I've been waiting to see since we last saw Miller-Helm-Abdelkader(though I believe they were a 3rd line at the time).

Miller has some solid wheels aswell. I mean, more than enough anyway to be effective. What stands out compared to Ferraro is his reach and ability to break up plays with his stick.

I've been waiting for a fourth line I like for awhile now, too. I still have hopes the McKee puts it together in Western and becomes a good fourth liner to put next to Glendening. If someone like Bertuzzi can up their defensive game, having him in the other wing spot would give us a nice, ugly line to throw out there to grind other teams down with.

I wasn't trying to say Miller was slow, just not as fast as Helm and Ferraro. If we're looking to have a faster team, those two would have to be a part of it, imo. At least until Athanasiou was up. Also, it's the regular season, a time to try something like Ferraro getting more ice time and trying to stretch his game out. Miller's here and he's not going anywhere. I don't think sitting will hurt his game any. If Ferraro can't hack it as the season goes on, Miller can step in at any point.

 

[Mijatovic]

I'm not saying Ferraro is better, but the Miller apologists act like he is not replaceable.

Well I am saying Ferraro is not better or close to Miller and therefore, Miller is not replaceable with Ferraro. Thats what I am saying.

 

[Frk It]

Which is fine as long as he makes a decision at some point in the not too distant future. Players have relationships. Locker rooms build alliances. If the veterans on the team see their guy as getting a raw deal it could get ugly for the rookie coach. Rooms can and do become divided. With the dynamic of Blashill having relationships and therefore bias with the youngsters he could lose the room very easily. This isn't news. It has happened countless times in pro sports. I am not saying it will happen but it very well could. Blashill is obviously still very, very green in terms of the big leagues. Players in the minors or two bit colleges don't have the power of superstar major league players. The politics are completely different.

I'm sure he'll name a starter when one emerges. Right now both guys have been great and one hasn't grabbed the job from the other.

And regarding managing the room... maybe he knows what he's doing?

 

[Heaton]

I'm sure he'll name a starter when one emerges. Right now both guys have been great and one hasn't grabbed the job from the other.

And regarding managing the room... maybe he knows what he's doing?

Plus, picking one guy right now would be a terrible decision. I see no rush in making any decision, as much as I believe Mrazek will be the guy, he's never been THE guy in the NHL. I highly doubt we'd get that same post if Babcock was coach.

 

[Actual Thought*]

So you're saying there was an issue in the locker room when Babcock yanked Howard from starting? That's what you seem to be implying.

Can you back this up, or am I off base and this is just another way to take a shot at Blashill?

No I don't think Howard was healthy at the time. I also don't think there is an issue right now given it has been 2 games and given that the schedule for the month is full of back to backs. However I do think the coach needs to pick a starter in the next few weeks. Yes you are off base. It is merely speculation about what effect Blashill's indecision may have. He isn't a god. It is okay to question him. I don't know why it is such a big deal. Many people ripped Babcock every day for hundreds of posts. Many have ripped Holland for millions of posts. Those guys actually have accomplishments on their resume.

 

[Heaton]

No I don't think Howard was healthy at the time. I also don't think there is an issue right now given it has been 2 games and given that the schedule for the month is full of back to backs. However I do think the coach needs to pick a starter in the next few weeks. Yes you are off base. It is merely speculation about what effect Blashill's indecision may have. He isn't a god. It is okay to question him. I don't know why it is such a big deal. Many people ripped Babcock every day for hundreds of posts. Many have ripped Holland for millions of posts. Those guys actually have accomplishments on their resume.

Why does he have to pick a starter in the next few weeks? And what is the starter exactly? Does he have to play the next 30 games in a row? Does he have to play 60+ games this year? What if he picks a starter and the starter has a few terrible games in a row, what then? What if the starter he picks isn't the guy who's playing well at the end of March?

If they're both playing well, why pigeon hole his decision?

 

[Actual Thought*]

Why does he have to pick a starter in the next few weeks? And what is the starter exactly? Does he have to play the next 30 games in a row? Does he have to play 60+ games this year? What if he picks a starter and the starter has a few terrible games in a row, what then? What if the starter he picks isn't the guy who's playing well at the end of March?

If they're both playing well, why pigeon hole his decision?

I think I explained why he needs to pick a starter. Indecision is not a good attribute in a head coach. If he appears indecisive the players will start making the decisions for him.

 

[Frk It]

I think I explained why he needs to pick a starter. Indecision is not a good attribute in a head coach. If he appears indecisive the players will start making the decisions for him.

He's not being indecisive right now. He is letting the situation play out because the goalies have been dead even. Heaton pointed out some good reasons why it would be premature to name one right now. Are you going to be hypercritical of everything he does all year even if we are winning?

 

[Vladdy84]

If Helm is back. When will we find out who gets waived?