GoWings1905

What a terrible call. I'm assuming Brad Watson was the genius behind it.

Go back to Z, Pavel and Brunner. Datsyuk with Cleary and Abdelkader is a joke. How can Babcock think two guys with no offensive skills at all is going to work? Cleary gets 15 games of crap and never gets demoted, but Tatar got a shift to prove himself. Jimmy has the right idea. I would want to bail on this defense too.

I'm not sure they can score two on Rinne. They couldn't in the playoffs and they had a lot more skill then.

Cleary and Abdelkader with Datsyuk. All that skill can't help him with those two. Tatar got a whole shift up there.

Why is Cleary always on the ice? There is an abundance of capable and better PK options in the bottom-six. Oh great, another injury.

Those are two pretty weak calls, but why is Kindl playing over Huskins?

This is a stellar opening to the game. Ken roaming the streets and Murph firing up the band.

I'm not going to panic. This team is about what I expected so far: average and wildly inconsistent. They will probably be fighting for a playoff spot all season and won't advance far, should they get in at all. It's somewhat easier to swallow if you can just accept that our hockey team is mediocre. Trust me, it's frustrating to admit at times personally, but I think realistically most of us saw this coming. The expectations in this city are insanely high and rightfully so given the standards of success this organization has achieved recently. Watching Z, Datsyuk and Brunner now is fun at least. I want management to give the kids an expanded role the rest of this season to see what we have for the future. These Red Wings are not championship quality and Cleary, Samuelsson and Bertuzzi have no place in years to come. At least they shouldn't if the front office would embrace playing some prospects more. It would be nice to see what a healthy roster could accomplish. However, I still have my doubts of their ceiling as they won one playoff game last year with Lidstrom and Stuart around. There are parts I like about this group of players, but it seems to be overall severely lacking an identity and the rest of the league has caught up or surpassed Detroit in the skill department. This off-season will be crucial. I don't think there needs to be a complete rebuild, but some significant retooling has to take place if the Red Wings want to seriously contend in the near future again.

Need a top-pairing guy desperately. I just don't know what assets the Red Wings have to get one. I don't really want to give up prospects since this team is more than one player away regardless right now. Almost have to go the overpay route in free agency this summer.

Three straight losses to rookie goalies. Just can't put 60 minutes together, but not entirely surprising considering the injuries and lack of talent mostly. No reason for Samuelsson and Cleary (or Bertuzzi) to be playing in the top-six on this team. Let the young kids get an expanded role the rest of the season and see what we have for the future. Z, Pavel and Brunner all on one line is a catch 22. The third line played well, but where else does the scoring from? I haven't seen Filppula do anything for awhile besides pinch poorly for the third goal tonight.

I feel like Tom Renney is stealing money right now. Samuelsson with his signature fire into traffic move there too.

That was borderline penalty shot I thought. Rather have Tatar's hands than whatever these two minutes will bring.

That was a great autocorrect. I cracked up when I saw it.

Haha, you caught it but thanks for the laugh there. I needed it after watching that period.

Brendan Smith needs to come back soon. I can't believe Samuelsson and White were out there together on the point. Everything but the net gets hit with those two firing. First 30 minutes were very strong, next ten looked like the same stretch of meltdown in every other game lately.

Only when Mrazek plays? Happens to Jimmy every night too. That third goal was pretty weak that Mrazek let in too.

Wow, the Wild are garbage offensively which speaks to the Red Wings quality of defense right now. This team gives up goals in bunches. The past four games they have blown a lead.

Not sure what Filppula was doing there. Another 2-0 lead gone just like that. They played so well the first 30 minutes. Have to start clamping down on defense when they get ahead.

Wow! What a snipe by Pav. Huge difference having him back. Zetterberg has been in playoff mode all season. Racking up the points. The depth suffers stacking that top line, but boy they are fun to watch.

Datsyuk - Z - Brunner Cleary - Fil - Sammy Abdelkader - Andersson - Tatar Miller - Emmerton - Tootoo Top line and third line were excellent in the first.

The puck just finds Brunner. Great pass to get it started by Lashoff.

Fair point. I just think he would add more value there than either Cleary or Samuelsson.

Haha, no kidding. That's his punishment.

Why does Eaves always get the shaft? Get Cleary out and move Tatar into the top-six.

Not that hard to find reasons to be displeased with White. Like the fourth goal against Anaheim or his inability to produce anything on the PP or offensively. I can overlook his defensive shortcomings more if he is contributing as an offensive d-man. However, he hasn't and has looked very bad since Lidstrom got hurt last season. It seems like you have an affection with commentating about how other people should feel.