gcom007

Yes indeed!

I think he's tired and I wouldn't be shocked if he wasn't 100% when he came back. He hasn't been mind-blowing this year, but he's been mostly solid. We don't need "great" goaltending with this team. That said, I still would like to see Osgood challenge Howard and I'd like to see Oagood at a level where he can start in the playoffs. I still want to see Howard watch a proven guy do it when it counts most (much like Osgood watching Vernon) before I'm truly and fully comfortable with Howard as the next Wings #1. I like Howard and I think he has what it takes to be a good goalie on this team for awhile, but he still has things to learn, especially about playoff hockey. But to be clear, this is a rough patch. He's been better most of the season thus far than he has lately. This is his worst stretch at this point though in his short career, so it'll be interesting to see how he handles it. Year 2's a heavy year, but I think he'll be okay.

Well that's good at least for Howard. I still think they need to give him a break for Joey seeing as Osgood still isn't back. Howards a good goalie but not many can play top notch hockey game after game without break. Even last year he had his off games after 5-6 starts in a row. I get that it's tougher with Osgood out but for the love, a game with Joey will not screw our playoff chances...

I missed the first. Not trying to start a goalie thing, but does this have much to do with Howard? I'm still wondering if he's not or wasn't hurting when he came back and then to have to go through this month without a break...recipe for struggle after awhile, and it's been awhile now and a few games in a row where he's not having the most outstanding performances. Still don't get why Joey couldn't get a start to give Howard a break. I can't help but think that this stretch is hurting more than usual coming off an injury. I've got more faith in Osgood than most, but he's no spring chicken and even if he can win when he plays, injuries have the potential to take longer to recover from. In any event, Howard deserves some rest. He's played really well all things considered if you ask me, but I'd prefer not to see a nagging injury issue creep up due to overuse.

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Again, with Osgoods injury, Howards bound to end up having a game or two like this, especially coming off an injury himself. He didn't play well; didn't look sharp, but he hasn't had a break all month. The same thing happened last year after he started 4-5 in a row. Not every goalie can play at a top notch level for countless games without a break. It is what it is, and it's not the end of the world. Again, it'll be good to get Osgood back and get some balance again. Tough to fault Howard too much in the meantime.

Howard was coming off an injury when he returned to play this stretch of games. While not the busiest schedule, he likely could've used a bit more rest than he's been able to take lately. Games like this happen. It'll be good to get Osgood back to give Jimmy a quick break and balance things out again. I'm not going to hold this game against him in the meantime.

I always liked Bert as a Wing. I was happy when we signed him again because I had a real good feeling that on his end, he signed because he knew leaving was a mistake. Translation: he wouldn't be taking this for granted. He proved it last year and he's proving it even more this year. No better place than Detroit to find redemption and I hope he wins a Cup here. You can tell he's playing for that Cup, maybe this year even more than last. I love the effort he's made and I couldn't be happier to have him as a Wing.

BOOM! Find. A. Way. To. Win. I'll rake it.

I agree. I've never suggested that He's not a real solid player and a great, potentially Selke-level defensive forward. I've just never seen him becoming the offensive powerhouse some suggest he will be. And the only reason I've suggested trading him is even a compliment to him in some ways. I think he's worth far more to most other teams than Detroit as we are already so deep when it comes to two way centers so i think we could get the best return without giving away an elite guy like D or Z. It's not that i don't like the guy or think he's a bad hockey player at all. Oh, and of course i give him more grief mostly because buddy Z D C is incessantly overzealous in his defense. Its just too easy.

I know you're not Z, D and C or whatever his name is, but what's Flip's point/goal pace looking like right now?

2 good defensive plays by Flip and Salei after stupid offensive plays. At least some things are working or this could be getting uglier fast,

Fans complain about the Wings. Crimson complains about fans complaining. Fans complain about Crymson's complaining about the fan's complaints. ... Typical GDT on a less than stellar weekday game night...

Not blaming Howard at all. I'm not a hater. But last minute luck is hardly on his side either...

I think we need to take the rotation to the next level once Osgoods back. Let Howard start the periods, put Osgood in for the last few minutes. These last minute goal numbers are ridiculous...

Yeah, I'm a bit confused as to why Osgood had anything to do with the point being kept wide open on that last goal, and furthermore, given all the room in the world to skate in, unchallenged. He did eventually find himself out of position, but it's mostly because he was the only Wing to challenge on the play, and he may've even been tripped up a bit by a Preds skate in the process. Last game Ozzie blew it the first. I've got no beef with him in this game.

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Love my boy Eaves!!!!!!

I wouldnt do anything yet really. I was trying more to stir the pot with an old friend. The reason I didn't bother moving Franzen was because i think he's the one guy on this team right now who's going to make plays and score goals no matter what line he's on. I don't differentiate really between the first and second line either when Z and D are split. 1a/1b.

Just because I know it'll irritate you... Hudler Datsyuk Holmstrom Franzen Zetterberg Bertuzzi Filppula Modano Cleary Miller Helm Eaves Started as a joke but I'd actually be interested in how it'd play out. Hudler's capable of putting up a lot of points so give him an opportunity with Datsyuk. Force Datsyuk to simplify his game and not make the extra move so often as he's done this year as he'd have to be heavy on the 2-way game with Huds and Homer. See if Z can't get going with Franzen. 3rd line desperately needs help in our end and Flip's more than capable of playing a 2-way game that could go a long way in helping this line turn around the decline into the negative +/- zone.

A rare occasion where I'm going to jump on board with you in this one... It seems that no matter how much of a reasonable chance, or should I say utter and complete lack of a reasonable chance, our goalies have to make the save, nice you hit 3-4 GA, the goalie automatically is the problem. It's idiotic. Nothing a goalie can do but hope the puck hits him when your defense sabotages you on plays like the ones we've observed too often with this team. I don't care what you say about this though: our defense for the third straight season is profoundly inconsistent. This team will struggle unnecessarily until they get the defense playing somewhat close to the level they are more than capable of playing at. These issues with sloppy coverage all boil down to nothing more than mental laziness. McCrimmon very well may not be the reason for this problem, but he certainly hasn't been able to offer any semblance of a solution.

Ugh, stupid, weird play...

About time Z!

Fundamentals...cover your man. Nothing Howard or any goalie can do in a situation like that.

Hey! Let's blame Howard! Sloppy coverage? What's that?