GoWings1905

Hossa! That is a terrible goal to allow. EDIT: What the hell are we reviewing?

Touching

Good lord, I am listening to Florida's announcers now on FS Detroit. What is going on?

Nice hit Kronner. Oh good, back to more commercials during the game.

I just watched ten minutes of commercials. Thrilling TV.

Me too. Afflalo plays tough defense and he has really improved his jumper from last season. That was one (of the few) draft classes recently that actually worked out for the Pistons. Oh, and Allen Iverson is just incredible. I knew it before, but man I have a whole new appreciation for AI watching him on a nightly basis. He took over in the third quarter last night and got the Pistons back in the game. We haven't had a player like that since Grant Hill.

1. Jason Spezza 2. Nathan Horton 3. Dustin Brown 4. Shea Weber 5. Matthew Lombardi

After watching Dom play last season, no I don't miss him at all. I appreciate everything he did for the Red Wings, but it was time.

Friday: New Jersey @ Washington Columbus @ Buffalo Carolina @ Atlanta Detroit @ Florida St Louis @ Chicago Nashville @ Anaheim Saturday: Toronto @ Vancouver Philadelphia @ Montreal Washington @ New Jersey Ottawa @ NY Islanders Boston @ NY Rangers Buffalo @ Pittsburgh Columbus @ Minnesota Dallas @ Phoenix Colorado @ Edmonton Nashville @ Los Angeles Sunday: Tampa Bay @ Carolina Montreal @ St Louis San Jose @ Chicago Atlanta @ Philadelphia Los Angeles @ Anaheim

This is a very good post YoungGuns. The more I considered what you stated about the Red Wings currently, the more I agreed with your sentiment. The Red Wings are definitely missing that drive from last season. We watched them dominate on a nightly basis, which is why the first 14 games are so frustrating and puzzling. It's probably natural to get complacent after winning a championship, but it doesn't make it acceptable. Look no further than the Pistons to see the definition of a complacent core that needed a change. It took three years of lackluster effort, but it happened. The Red Wings don't need an Iverson-like trade, but a subtle roster move may help get that spark back. I think Darren Helm could be that spark if it comes from within the organization. As it gets closer to the deadline, a Dallas Drake type player would be a great addition too. Overall though, this is a problem only the Red Wings players themselves can fix. They are hands down the most skilled team in the NHL. If they ever decide to play defense like last season, there's no excuse not to win another championship. Babcock needs to instill some focus, Lidstrom needs to lead by example, and they need to realize quickly just showing up because they are the Red Wings doesn't win games.

I don't hate Sammy as much as I dislike the manner in which Babcock plays Samuelsson. To be perfectly honest, Sammy doesn't deserve half of the ice time he gets. He is careless with the puck and IMO is very overrated from a defensive standpoint. Sammy can make mistakes galore and Babcock will stay play him in any situation. Jiri Hudler gets the exact opposite treatment. Hudler was exceptional last night (far better than Sammy, who was awful) and yet Sammy play doubled what Hudler did and I can't recall Jiri getting a single shift after he scored. Sammy may play on the third line technically, but he seemingly always gets equal or more playing time than Fraznen, Filppula, and hell even Hossa at times. Babcock is a hypocrite when it comes to Sammy and Hudler. Hudler is a far better player than Sammy and somehow Babcock's obsession with Sammy overshadows that fact.

The Red Wings don't need new players. They need the players they have to start playing.

The answer you quoted wasn't accurate. Once again, Sammy and Kopecky are not two of the better defensive forwards on the team and those two were on the ice with about a minute to play and a one-goal lead. It would be one thing if the best defensive players were truly playing in those situations, but tonight they weren't. Having other options besides Hudler isn't a good argument when the alternatives used tonight were Samuelsson and Kopecky.

Good post. When exactly did Hudler develop the "poor defensively" stigma? Hudler can't possibly be any more careless with the puck than Samuelsson is and Sammy always plays in crucial situations. Sammy is very overrated defensively - he doesn't do anything to warrant the playing time he gets from Babcock. Hudler would do just as well, if not better, than Sammy or Tomas Frickin' Kopecky in defensive situations. We'll never know though because Babcock will keep riding Sammy's sloppy play, while Hudler sits on the bench. Hudler does far more than Sammy with half of the ice time.

It was Staal, and yes it was a hook. I said in an earlier post that the play Staal made to steal the puck from Datsyuk was more of a hook than the call on Filppula earlier that gave the Penguins a 5-on-3 for two minutes. Situational officiating at its finest. It's sad to expect to be constantly shorthanded when your team gets a lead. You know it's coming and there's nothing you can do to prevent it.

When did Sammy and Kopecky become "known for their defense"?

I would typically agree, but that's a flawed argument tonight. Babcock had Sammy and Kopecky on the ice with a minute left. Those two are nowhere near the best players on the team, especially defensively. I am fed up with Babcock and his handling of Hudler too. Hudler was exceptional tonight, Sammy was downright awful, and who does Babcock play down the stretch? Sammy can do almost everything wrong, while Hudler can do plenty right, and it still doesn't matter to Babcock. Sammy turns the puck over constantly - how is that defensively responsible? I don't have many gripes with Babcock, but he is messing up badly with Hudler and Samuelsson.

Well-said and I agree. It's easy to say "oh we'll be fine, we're the Red Wings." I know the Red Wings will be fine, so does everyone else here. That doesn't change how they are playing right now though. The defense is brutal. There is no sugarcoating that anymore. Every single defenseman is playing below their level. I don't know what it is or why it's happening, but Babcock and McCrimmon need to fix it and quickly. It isn't wrong to question or be concerned about the team you root for. Tonight was pathetic, there's no way around that fact. It's not the end of the world, nor a reason to overreact, but this team has major issues. You can only use the "defense will get better" excuse for so long. IMO, we are way past that point already.

This is one of the most sickening and disgusting regular season losses I can remember for so many reasons. First off, let me start by saying the officiating did not lose the game for the Red Wings. However, the NHL is absolutely a complete joke of a league. EVERY time the Red Wings get a decent lead this season, they immediately spend the rest of the game in the penalty box (usually 5-on-3's involved too). The two calls that gave Pittsburgh a two-man advantage were bulls***. Franzen didn't deserve a penalty whatsoever and Filppula's penalty could be called 1000 times in a game. If Filppula had been hooked in the same manner in that situation with the Red Wings leading 5-2, there is no way the refs make that call. If the Red Wings don't spend a full two minutes killing a 5-on-3, this game is an easy win. That was a huge momentum swing, especially considering the fourth goal was pretty much a result of being shorthanded. Staal's "backcheck" on Datsyuk that led to the winning goal was more of a hook than the s*** they called on Filppula earlier in the game. The situational officiating literally is blatant and a joke. No lead is safe because any lead is penalized with shorthanded situations galore. More scoring and close games isn't a theory - it's mandatory practice in the NHL. Second, Babcock puzzles me so much at times. Did anyone notice that Samuelsson and Kopecky were on the ice TOGETHER with a one-goal lead and a minute left? I don't know what Babcock sees in Sammy defensively. Sammy was awful tonight and Babcock still overplays him at crucial times. Hudler was terrific tonight and never got on the ice late in the game. I haven't looked at the stats, but it seemed like Sammy played more than Hossa again. I'm honestly incredibly sick of Babcock's love for Samuelsson. I thought Babcock "played the best players." Evidently not or Hudler would be playing more than Sammy. I was going to rant about the defense too, but what needs to be said? Blowing a three-goal lead at home in the third period says it all. Ozzie was really good too, which is a shame because his defense couldn't have been any worse. The Red Wings need to wake up defensively and quickly. Fifteen games isn't a defensive slump. What a bad night.

New season, same result. Red Wings: 4 (Z, Rafalski, and Hossa x2) Penguins: 2 (Malkin and ... Hossa, or nevermind)

'Dyess will be back with the Pistons. There's only one team he wants to play for and that's the Pistons. Good thing too because Kwame Brown blows off the bench.

I have a feeling the Red Wings could win 10-0 and you would still find a plethora of things to complain about.

I don't believe there is any chance Sundin signs for anything even remotely close to two million. The Red Wings are right at the cap as it is, so we are talking about sacrificing multiple players to even sign Sundin at the two million dollar level. Sundin is a consistent 70-point player, it doesn't make sense for him to come back and play for the salary of a third liner. If Sundin does decide to play, my guess is Vancouver and for far more than two million.

March 17th, provided Shanny does indeed sign with the Flyers.

Friday: Ottawa @ Carolina Montreal @ Columbus Atlanta @ Buffalo Dallas @ Anaheim Saturday: Buffalo @ Boston Montreal @ Toronto Pittsburgh @ NY Islanders Tampa Bay @ Philadelphia NY Rangers @ Washington New Jersey @ Detroit Calgary @ Columbus Nashville @ Colorado Florida @ Phoenix Minnesota @ Vancouver Dallas @ San Jose St Louis @ Los Angeles Sunday: Atlanta @ Carolina Calgary @ Chicago Edmonton @ New Jersey Florida @ Anaheim San Jose @ Phoenix Edited because I bolded both Edmonton and New Jersey on Sunday.