gcom007

I love Pavel Datsyuk.

Well, it's a game now.

Wow. That's all, and it covers everything.

2nd in the West despite... -numerous injuries to key players throughout the season, -a starting goalie who struggled most of the year (and then an injured backup goalie who was playing well to compensate before going down) -and the pressure of all the expectations in Detroit while every other team is gunning for you. I think he's doing fine. It's been an odd season in some ways. The lines haven't had much luck gelling after Modano went down and Flip once again struggled to find offensive consistency as a full-time 2nd line center. Add injuries to Datsyuk here and there and generally it's safe to say you've got struggles up front. I think he's done pretty well with the cards he's been dealt though. If Modano hadn't been out so long, I think the offense would seem a lot more "united" as he's supposed to be the guy anchoring the 3rd line. Even if Flip struggled, having Modano as a sure fire 3rd line guy made it a lot easier to experiment with Flip on a wing seeing as we still would have Dats and Z who could center the top 2 lines if necessary. And it's not like we've really struggled to score goals. The only reason we have the record we do is because we score a lot of goals this year as there were about 3 months where it was all but a given that Howard was going to give up 4 goals. When your starting goalie is young and slipping, it's tough on a team, and it's all the harder when your other move (Osgood) actually starts working out only to succumb to a long term injury. But we still found a way to fight through it and win games and stay near the top of the standings. So long as Datsyuk's not hurting heading into the playoffs and Howard continues to improve and keep it steady when the pressure's on, I think the team is in good shape heading into the post-season. They've got a lot of room to elevate their game, and sometimes it's better to be in that position than to head into the playoffs on cruise control after an easy regular season ride. I think success in the Playoffs will boil down to 2-3 things that are almost entirely out of Babcocks control: 1) the health of Datsyuk 2) the goaltending (will Howard struggle again? If he does, could Osgood possibly be ready at all?) 3) the inevitable injuries that will creep up on guys in the post-season The rest I think will work out fine.

It goes both ways. In terms of the goaltending, the defense was just as bad if not worse last year and Howard played great despite it, so this year when he struggles, it's really tough to just sit around and blame the defense. He was making all the big saves last year, and he wasn't making them this year. His issues became more glaring and his tendencies more exposed, allowing guys to better figure out how to beat him. So I'm with you there. But the other reality of the matter is that our defense underachieves big time as well. Sure, other teams have their fair share of defensive issues, but they also don't have near as strong of a group of guys as we do. There's no excuse for how poorly they've played since we last won the Cup because nearly the same group proved game in and game out for a couple years that they were about the best defensive group in the league. They should just be improving as the younger guys mature. Hell, we didn't even have to deal with Lebda this year! Plain and simple, the defense has been mediocre through 3 regular seasons now. Howard played great to battle through it last year. This year, Howard hasn't played as great so he couldn't battle through it in such a strong manner. This is simple. Why anyone continues to try and blame either the goalies or the defense more than the other this year is way beyond me.

Are you kidding me? Who wasn't giving Howard credit last year? I don't recall anyone who said much of anything other than he was just about the only reason we even made the playoffs. At most, there were people critiquing certain elements of his game that were problematic. Rebound control has always been an issue that gets attention and he had a tendency of having rather glaring bad games every 5-6 starts, though the other starts tended to be a good to great efforts. but that was about the extent of it. I really don't think anyone knocked Howard's play last year during the regular season and he didn't get the Calder nomination by accident. That said, once the playoffs kicked in, he took a lot of flack, but that's to be expected when you set such a high standard for your play during the regular season and then you don't even come close to playing at that level in the playoffs when you're really supposed to be elevating your game. And aside from just a generally lackluster performance, he gave up too many soft goals at inopportune times and too many fast back to back goals early on in games. The same type of play got Hasek pulled in 2008. So of course the fans are going to be upset and doubtful over the summer. Playoffs are everything. If you don't have it in the playoffs, it doesn't matter what you can do in the regular season. That's why this year is so important for him. And then when you look at this year, there's little you can say to really dispute people who are skeptical. I'm honestly optimistic right now given the last few weeks as I outlined before, and I really would like to see the guy have a successful outing this year, but realistically, I can't make an objective argument to suggest that people are wrong to have concerns heading into the playoffs. He had a rough year any way you shake it, a rough first playoff experience, and it's far too easy (and historically you're far more likely...) to join the rookie year wonder club for goalies. And again, let's not forget that it took him longer to get here at all because he was slow to develop and only got a shot because Detroit was out of minor league options for him. So again, you can't really sit here and say that no one gave him any credit last year because that is so far from the truth, and you can't completely blame those who are skeptical of him given the way things have progressed over time. At this point, I'm with you in thinking that there's a fair amount to be excited about and I really do like his chances of excelling in this post-season. I think he's bring his game up at the right time and so long as he keeps improving, he's going to be in a real good spot for game 1 of round 1. If he can battle through the pressure and elevate his game, he'll be successful when it counts, and trust me, you won't be needing to defend him for awhile. In the meantime, I wouldn't pay too much mind to those doubting; they've got objective reasons to be concerned. Just give it time. We'll know a lot by game 4. And by game 5, I think he'll either be in and playing well, or on the bench and on his way to being traded. I don't see a lot of in-between. If he blows it, I don't see the Wings wasting time hoping he'll get it right the 3rd time. He's got a contract that'll be really easy to slide into a deal for a new goalie. But he's also got the potential to be great, and I think and hope he will be. Either way, there's little we really know until we get there.

And by saying that Howard's playing "well" lately, I don't mean "great," though he's had a lot more great moments than he did earlier in the season. I'm not just trying to be blindly supportive of the guy, but the reality of the matter is that he is playing fairly well recently and giving this team more than a fair chance to win games. There is a big difference between his recent play and his play through February. And let's face it, when the rest of this team is doing their job, we don't need the goalie to be great every night. If Howard can keep playing well enough to give the guys a more than fair chance at winning, and he can do it in the playoffs, he'll have a long career here in Detroit, hopefully with reasonable cap hits the whole way through, and I'll be more than fine with that. I'd much rather have a more balanced team than a goalie with an $8 million cap hit.

Howard's been playing well lately sans one game. He's getting his game back together at the right time. It could all fall apart in the playoffs under the pressure, sure, but it's a total unknown right now. Based on how he's playing lately, we've got reason to be confident in him. He was lackluster in the post-season last year but it was his first outing. This will be another chance and you have to believe he's learned a lot about adversity this season as he blatantly struggled quite a bit down the stretch. I feel about as good as you can with any second year goalie heading into the playoffs. It'll be a make it or break it experience for him most likely. If he struggles as he did in last years playoffs or even worse, as he did earlier in the season, he'll be a backup at best the next two years. But it's more likely that he'll be trade fodder as we don't have anyone else that's really ready to step in. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Right now, he's playing well. He's going in this year with a bit of a better idea as to what the pressure is like. While I can't say that I have supreme confidence in him, I'm not doubting him right now either. I really believe that the only reasonable position right now is "wait and see." Time will tell, but in the meantime, no reason not to be supportive and at least somewhat optimistic about his potential.

There's these people called doctors that have been signing off on this too. You really think a professional hockey team is just going to be going on the word from the player? Don't be silly. And even so, I doubt it was a matter of Osgood being expected to be ready so much as a lack of guys available that were worth moving on. Edit: Oh yeah, the same "team player" probably suffered a worse injury playing through the pain earlier in the season when Howard was playing like garbage. He put his own health on the line to try and help the team, knowing full well that these sorts of injuries are harder to come back from at his age. It's fine to be upset that he's not healthy and all; it's disappointing. But don't question the guy's character over it. That's just absurd. The guy loves this team as much anyone who's ever worn the jersey.

Wow save, wow...

MO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 goal away!!!

Big power play...

That was one of those nice little breaks we really needed if we're going to have a chance to come back. Still quite a bit of time to score a couple goals.

That was painful...really, really painful...I think I was 9 when that happened and I just remember crying like crazy as it happened and as the time ran down. Still stings!!! BUT GOAL!!!

He might have been able to lock down the starting spot if he continued to play well and Howard continued to struggle, but I still think either way Howard was/is likely to start, but he'll be on a short leash. After last years playoffs and this years spotty play, so long as Osgood isn't on IR, he'll get a shot if Howard struggles. But I'm still thinking Howard is upping his game at the right time, and unless he follows this up with more poor play, he's heading into the playoffs on the right note, and that's a good thing. Sometimes struggling and recovering does more for you when the pressure's coming down hardest than good regular season play without much struggle. You've got to learn to roll with the punches and keep fighting to succeed in the playoffs, and you have to believe that in that sense this season has been character building for Howard.

Yeah, you're right. Last season it's because he played great despite crap defense. This season it's because he's got a great offense. He has not played great most of this year and absolutely benefitted from the offense being so strong this year. Again, he deserves all the credit for last seasons record, but this year, no, not at all.

Howard's been playing well lately aside from this game. Unless he follows this up with another lackluster effort, I'm willing to still believe that he's on the up after a rough go of it for most of the season. If he gets lit up on Wednesday, then I'll be legitimately worried considering his norm this season has indeed been lackluster. But right now, I'm not worried.

So much good stuff in here... Flip's a good player, but he's streaky. Always has been, probably always will be. If people would get over the idea of him being more than a descent 40 point scorer (and if he made less money...), there'd be no point in calling him out at all. He's a great defensive forward and I'd be fine with keeping him in the fold when this contract is complete for around $2 million. But, again, he's streaky. This is absolutely nothing new. He had a hot streak. Now he's on one of his patented cold streaks. It's the same thing every year. Just like his fan club trying to suggest that there's more evidence to support the idea of him being a 70 point 1st liner than there is of him being a streaky, 40 point 2nd-3rd liner...

I've gotta say I'm happy to see Jimmy on the up again. He looked real good last night and it was a shame to lose it the way he did. It's a very good time to start ascending and once Osgood's back hopefully he can get a few more breaks so he's not too burnt out by the middle of April.

Good deal. Not being too overpaid even if the consistency issues remain. 2 years is a real good length after this season. Gives Howard more time to prove himself and the Wings flexibility if things don't go so well. I would've liked to have seen it done for a little less the way the playoffs and this regular season have gone, but this is a pretty reasonable deal all things considered. No one should be too unhappy with this. The defense has been a mess since we last won the Cup. He dealt with the exact same problems last year but played far better to fight through them. He hasn't been as terrible as some suggest and the defense certainly doesn't help him most nights, but it would be absurd to suggest that he's played even remotely as well this season as he did last season, and the same could be said about his playoff performance last year. He's proven that he has the skills to be a shut down goalie, but he absolutely has not extended that play into the post-season or his 2nd NHL season. And that's exactly why he didn't get a longer contract worth more money per year. As I've always said, I've got faith in him and I'm happy to have him signed, but we can't blame his issues on the defense when the defensive issues are nothing new at all.

They deleted my Twitter thread. Maybe this will clarify things for those confused..,

First game in awhile that I've had time to sit down and really focus on and watch and of course it's another crappy start.

Really happy for Bert today! 1000th game and getting that goal at the end to win it with his family there. Really cool moment for him. Here's hoping he has another big moment in June!