GoWings1905

I agree, but losing to the Rangers once again comes back to poor usage and expecting the veterans to carry the load after an 82-game grind. Blashill was playing not to lose yesterday and they did. I'm not saying this is a cup contender with these hypothetical moves, but I do believe it gives them more of a chance to win than the losing formula they clung to down the stretch. Babcock could get away with that system because he was such a good coach. Blashill is not there, nor should he try to become something that he isn't. He got the job because he developed prospects well and seemed to embrace transitioning them to the next level here in Detroit. Why we got away from that in a perfect year (not a cup contender, declining veterans) to incorporate more youth is beyond me.

The crazy thing is they could go on a run in the playoffs if they put the right pieces in play. The Lightning are very vulnerable right now with injuries and is anyone that scared of the Panthers or Rangers/Islanders? I'm not saying the Wings would come close to beating the Capitals or Penguins, but the first round especially is winnable and then go from there. I thought Blashill would bring a new identity and finally push the young guys into larger roles. Instead he has been Babcock without the coaching acumen. I don't know if Holland has him by the balls or what, but I honestly feel this is a pretty dangerous team with better personnel decisions and usage. Right now though, they won't beat the Lightning if they are going down the same path as the one they used to limp into the playoffs.

As if backing into the playoffs and having Joakim Andersson around wasn't depressing enough. Whatever is left in the Wings season, I am going to spend it enjoying watching the Magic Man. No hard feelings -- he gave everything he could to this organization for the entirety of his career. Ken Holland's dumb cap management is the culprit if he can't move Pav's salary next season. Larkin needs to move back to center without question going forward. Same with AA.

I'm fine with that logic if your top-six is actually solid. The Wings top two lines aren't though, by any stretch. What have Darren Helm or Justin Abdelkader done to earn the same role with way more opportunity?

This organization is so stupid sometimes. 29 other teams wanted no part of Joakim Andersson two months ago and the Red Wings are going to dress him in the playoffs. How many PK bodies does a team need? You already have Glendening, Helm, Sheahan, Abby. Plus AA and Larkin or hell, even Pav and Z if Blash didn't run them into the ground already. You aren't winning the Stanley Cup and your future looks even bleaker with Datsyuk gone. What better time than now to give your young guys valuable playoff experience? What's the worse thing that could happen -- the Wings lose in the first round like every other year anyways? 25 years, though! Holland will cling to that pointless streak until someone finally steps in and holds him accountable for seven years and counting of mediocrity.

Mrazek certainly can steal games and/or the series, but not right now. He's gotta be hurt still. I think Jimmy is the better option at this point -- might not be spectacular, but since February he has been way steadier than Mrazek,

I think with better personnel decisions and proper usage, the Wings can can win this series against the Lightning. If Blashill coaches like he did down the stretch, they are going to lose. I know he probably felt pressure to preserve the streak and all, but the over-reliance on declining veterans at the end of a six-month regular season was not the answer. I would have preferred the Wings use most of this year to transition younger players into larger roles, but the playoffs provide a new stage to give them an opportunity. Z - Pav - Larkin Nyquist - Sheahan - Mantha Tatar - AA - Richards Helm - Glendening - Abby DeKeyser - Smith Kronwall - Green Quincey - Marchenko None of this will ever happen, but I am going to believe at some point the real Jeff Blashill appears and not the Mike Babcock clone we have seen emerge lately. Maybe Blash's hands are tied by Holland. I just know the Wings are missing the boat entirely in player development and maximizing their ability to win games right now.

Not pretty in any sense, but they battled back from down 2-0 and hopefully this is the start of their game going in the right direction. Should help if nothing else from a confidence standpoint because they seemed pretty fragile lately.

Down 3-2 penalty late in a game. So predictable. Funny that's a slash now because of the circumstance but the one on Tatar earlier got let go.

Yes, by "like" I mean absolutely detest it.

Another untimely Kronwall penalty. Four games in a row now he has done that. I like how Blashill shortens his bench and that means AA doesn't play, but Glendening and Helm still do.

Biggest 20 minutes of the season to date. Gotta get out of here with two points.

Pretty sure he's just getting the Blashill treatment. Spent a period with Pav and apparently deserved a demotion.

Much like everything E does, that was a mistake. It's gotta be the Wings night based on that alone.

Great shift! I tried to turn it off and cut ties, but I couldn't do it. First time they have showed any urgency lately.

By that, you mean sell? Because I agree. Should have tried to speed up the rebuild.

I had such high hopes Blash would be different than Babs in terms of usage. Except he's worse and he's not half the coach Babs is to make up for it otherwise.

Embrace the Rebuild. Mediocrity for seven years has not worked.

Only guy on this defense that has any ability at all to move the puck (to the right team). Well, Smith too but we definitely need Ericsson, Quincey and Marchenko all playing exactly the same style not very well.

Hahaha, Kronwall is on the ice there and Brendan Smith is scratched. Awesome coaching.

Luke Glendening is just as useless as Joakim Andersson. Dude sucks at hockey -- I don't care how hard he plays.

I wanted him gone because I thought the Wings were getting stale, but it is so obvious now Babs made this team look better than they were for years. Which brings us to the most maddening thing: how awful of a job has Ken Holland done the past seven years? And when does someone finally hold him accountable? Seriously, either tear it down and rebuild entirely or have some guts to make moves and contend again. This middling in mediocrity garbage is the worst place to be. Hopefully the playoff streak does end, so he can stop clinging to that pointless "achievement."

No. I don't trust Holland to get it right and he's a rental no less.

Those lines stink. That's Blashill's definition of trying something new? Even Larkin won't be able to make Richards and Helm look like NHL players.

Couldn't agree more. The PK is bottom ten in the league, given up four PP goals in two games. 29 other teams didn't want Andersson, Glendening is awful and somehow the Wings couldn't survive without one or both of them? It is nonsense to defend their spots being cemented solely because of their PK "ability." There are plenty of guys in the lineup you proposed that could effectively kill penalties. Your team can't score goals and you keep Joakim Andersson dressed over the guy that led the AHL in goals last season. Blashill's usage of his forwards is horrendous.