Post-Game Talk: winner winner

[ap3x]

I think so far this year every game that I missed, Tatar has scored.

Hopefully this ends the slump.

How many games are u willing to miss for a higher purpose?

 

[Sheriff Bert]

How many games are u willing to miss for a higher purpose?

I'm not sure if I'll catch the next game. But if Tats scores again, I promise not to watch anymore.

I don't know if the theory works though, because a couple of seasons ago a friend gave me a couple of front row tickets to a Sabres game, and Tatar scored right in front of me. That was a pretty cool moment.

 

[Henkka]

Tatar is missing ~3 goals from his season estimation vs. Quality scoring chances. Those will even out on long run.

He has too much assists btw...!

 

[ap3x]

I'm not sure if I'll catch the next game. But if Tats scores again, I promise not to watch anymore.

I don't know if the theory works though, because a couple of seasons ago a friend gave me a couple of front row tickets to a Sabres game, and Tatar scored right in front of me. That was a pretty cool moment.

What I take from this, is that u may choose between seeing games live or not at all.

 

[jkutswings]

If we can win with Larkin, Mantha and Mrazek looking this good, it's excellent for the team. Add Athanasiou to the mix, get Sproul back into the lineup and I don't see why we should be wishing for failure. This year's draft isn't even that good. Doubtful there's a player in the top 10 that significantly alters a team's future. I'd rather take a decent year, make the playoffs, and hope for our current batch of D prospects to hit potential.

I think the recurring argument hinges upon, if we can win WHAT, exactly?

Some fans are content to extend the playoff streak, regardless of the postseason results, as the young players improve. That's their prerogative, and that's fine.

Other fans are only interested in being one of the best teams in the league, and returning to regular championship contention. That's their prerogative, and that's fine as well.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

Well....only 3 points out of 2nd in our division....Just improve at the Joe. We aren't a bad team on the road looking at the record

 

[Pavels Dog]

I think the recurring argument hinges upon, if we can win WHAT, exactly?

Some fans are content to extend the playoff streak, regardless of the postseason results, as the young players improve. That's their prerogative, and that's fine.

Other fans are only interested in being one of the best teams in the league, and returning to regular championship contention. That's their prerogative, and that's fine as well.

We're obviously not winning the cup, but I think making the playoffs with Mantha/Larkin/Mrazek being among our best players, and Sproul/Ouellet/Athanasiou/Bertuzzi/etc developing also, would be a good year. Then you hope those guys can continue to take steps forward as we move Russo/Saarijarvi/Hronek/Cholo/etc onto the roster in the next 1-4 years.

I'm interested in the Wings being among the best in the league but if that can happen without first being among the worst, I'll root for that to happen. And I don't think it's necessarily impossible. What players in this years top 10 of the draft project as likely elite players?

 

[DanZ]

And some people think that's not what's best for the team in the long run. It's almost like it's been a recurring argument back and forth. Weird.

Either way I don't wish for a loss. The team should give it their all every night and if that results in a win, so be it. If not, figure out why and address it. If the team is good enough to make the playoffs then that should be their goal.

 

[Frk It]

We're obviously not winning the cup, but I think making the playoffs with Mantha/Larkin/Mrazek being among our best players, and Sproul/Ouellet/Athanasiou/Bertuzzi/etc developing also, would be a good year. Then you hope those guys can continue to take steps forward as we move Russo/Saarijarvi/Hronek/Cholo/etc onto the roster in the next 1-4 years.

I'm interested in the Wings being among the best in the league but if that can happen without first being among the worst, I'll root for that to happen. And I don't think it's necessarily impossible. What players in this years top 10 of the draft project as likely elite players?

Relative to the last 2 drafts, yeah there are no McDavid or Matthews level guys. The top 3 and overall depth are on the weaker side. But look at the guys taken in the 5-10 range over the last 4-5 years. Even in drafts with a weak top end like the RNH draft, there were guys like Scheifele and Dougie Hamilton taken. In the Yakupov draft, there was Rielly, Lindholm, and Trouba.

"Franchise altering" talent, maybe not... But again, I don't know why we have to live in this world of extremes.

Vilardi, Hischier, Mittelstadt, Necas would be a great add IMO. Or if they rise and Liljegren drops, that's gravy too.

 

[borisbadenough]

Ovechkin looked much better.

Do people seriously not remember how ridiculous Ovechkin was in his first couple of years? Obviously he was older, but it's not even close..

I agree , no comparison yet/ Until he puts up five or ten fifty goal seasons and is in the top ten of all time scorers the two names do not belong in the same sentence

 

[Heaton]

I agree , no comparison yet/ Until he puts up five or ten fifty goal seasons and is in the top ten of all time scorers the two names do not belong in the same sentence

And Ovechkin was doing it on a much worse team, he didn't have a center for a while.

 

[njx9]

Either way I don't wish for a loss. The team should give it their all every night and if that results in a win, so be it. If not, figure out why and address it. If the team is good enough to make the playoffs then that should be their goal.

I don't disagree at all. I can't make myself want a team I root for to lose, whether I think it would be ultimately better or not.

That said, I didn't think we needed yet another rehash of the same argument that's been had for at least the last year, with no new information added. And I don't get the "OMG I'm so sick of people not liking what I like" crap.

 

[19 for president]

Basically I just don't want them finishing 10th. Either make the playoffs and continue the streak or tank and get a high pick. If by the deadline this team isn't in a playoff spot then you sell off what you can, and go for the highest pick you can. Finishing in 9th or 10th would be an absolutely disaster. If they make the playoffs then I am fine with getting the young guys that experience. Get them hooked on the playoff high so that if we do eventually miss, they are desperate to get back. I honestly think with a couple of high picks and some shrewd moves, this team could be back to contending quickly. I just think we need someone other than Holland running the ship, because he is really only good at drafting at this point.

 

[jkutswings]

I'm interested in the Wings being among the best in the league but if that can happen without first being among the worst, I'll root for that to happen. And I don't think it's necessarily impossible. What players in this years top 10 of the draft project as likely elite players?

I'd be fully on board with that approach, if I thought for a moment that the current front office could do it. But there's a whole lot of entrenched extreme conservatism that would need to get out of the way for that, and I don't see them cleaning house any time soon.

As for draft projections...to be honest, I don't follow the draft. Never have. But the math says that your best odds are at finding them near the top, and as Frk mentioned, every year, there are really good players in the top 5-10 picks that surprise.

And from a selfish perspective...I'm just really really bored with the Wings' identity over the last few years. It's nice to see guys like Mantha taking advantage of opportunities, but for every Mantha, there are one or more bad contracts, or overextended role players, or other repeated bad decisions. And after chasing their tails for a few years, I'd like to just see a clean break and a fresh start, instead of a series of small iterations that will either take forever to really make an impact, or possibly never amount to anything.

 

[Syckle78]

I simply want what I believe is best for the team

\_(ツ)_/¯

How dare you? Wrath,scorn,righteous indignation!

 

[Hammettf2b]

Anyone have a gif of Zetterbergs shootout goal?

 

[drwings40]

anyone have a gif of zetterbergs shootout goal?

 

[Hammettf2b]

Thank you kind sir!!!

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Basically I just don't want them finishing 10th. Either make the playoffs and continue the streak or tank and get a high pick. If by the deadline this team isn't in a playoff spot then you sell off what you can, and go for the highest pick you can. Finishing in 9th or 10th would be an absolutely disaster. If they make the playoffs then I am fine with getting the young guys that experience. Get them hooked on the playoff high so that if we do eventually miss, they are desperate to get back. I honestly think with a couple of high picks and some shrewd moves, this team could be back to contending quickly. I just think we need someone other than Holland running the ship, because he is really only good at drafting at this point.

If the Wings are 9-10th by the time the TDL approaches, you know what Holland is going to do.

"Look at dat parity"

I'm sticking to my original prediction that they end up drafting somewhere between 7-14.

 

[JoesuffP]

Don't understand how the Jets aren't a powerhouse team. I know they've had lots of injuries this year but they've never been able to put it all together. That roster on paper looks like one of the best teams in the league to me

 

[jkutswings]

Maybe their problem is the opposite of Detroit's: plenty of talent, but not enough veteran leadership. Or maybe it's coaching, or any number of factors. Who knows.

 

[Frk It]

Don't understand how the Jets aren't a powerhouse team. I know they've had lots of injuries this year but they've never been able to put it all together. That roster on paper looks like one of the best teams in the league to me

Maybe their problem is the opposite of Detroit's: plenty of talent, but not enough veteran leadership. Or maybe it's coaching, or any number of factors. Who knows.

Bottom 5 goaltending is one of the biggest reasons.

 

[The Zermanator]

Went to the game. Was having a terrible time in the first lol. Thought it was going to be a long night. Glad they picked things up, that 3rd period was great!

Larkin was flying all night. Dangerous offensively and stripping pucks from the Jets left and right.

Solid performance from Mantha as well. Did notice a bit of what he's been knocked for in the past as far as effort level. Not too concerned about it since it seems to happen more in low pressure situations like chasing a puck swinging around the boards, stopping the puck from leaving the O zone, etc. Won't harm the team necessarily but the extra effort could produce more opportunities. But he turns the burners on when we're attacking or defending which is encouraging to see.

Green was an all-star tonight. Didn't end up producing much offensively but the effort was there, bounces just didn't go his way. Always looks dangerous though. But he was great defensively last night. He's really matured as a player. I might like to keep him around as one of the team vets once his contract expires, rather than trading him.

Ericsson has to do a better job battling in front of the net. No way a guy his size should be letting the other team set up shop in front of our goalie unchallenged like that. I noticed it most with Byfuglien and to be fair he's not a small guy, but Ericsson isn't a Smurf himself. He seems to have lost a bit of the physical edge that served him so well early in the season.

 

[SirloinUB]

Don't understand how the Jets aren't a powerhouse team. I know they've had lots of injuries this year but they've never been able to put it all together. That roster on paper looks like one of the best teams in the league to me

The list of teams with high draft picks yet struggling is long. Columbus has perennially struggled (found some success but are also a league leader in PDO), Carolina has basically been irrelevant for all but one year of their existence. Despite drafting first overall several times the Oilers required a generational to take a step forward, Colorado has struggled year in and year out. Flyers have elite talent and continually draft in the top 10 but can't make progress. Arizona, and the Islanders have a swath of top picks but are still at the bottom of the league. Florida is struggling to repeat the success they found last year.

Now factor in the expanded lottery and it is clear that tanking isn't some magic pill.

Obviously, high picks yield great talent, but I'll argue until the day Detroit misses the playoffs that you don't disregard current success to buy lottery tickets. Its much more likely that you end up as one of the above teams than a Chicago, LA or Pittsburgh.

Conversely, teams like Dallas, Boston, SJ and Ottawa have found ways to acquire high end talent without deliberately bottoming out.

All of that said, I will agree that Detroit's front office absolutely needs to be more bold if they would like to acquire talent without tanking.

 

[Austin Wings Fan]

I have no expectations for this team, but regardless of whether you want to tank or not, we should all be hoping that our younger players grow into larger roles.

To that end, I've enjoyed the Mantha-Z-Tatar line. I'd like to get to a point where AA, Mantha, Larkin, XO and Sproul are all in the lineup and getting a large amount of ice time.

Can we not dress Lashoff?