haroldsnepsts

HUGE saves by Mrazek. Nice blocked shot earlier by Glendening too.

I didn't get a great look but didn't see him on the bench.

Wha? Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 7s8 seconds ago Mrazek in net for the Wings to start the second.

One less prospect to rank… Ansar Khan retweeted Pete Wallner ‏@petewallner 15m15 minutes ago Can also confirm through Red Wings that @griffinshockey D Mattias Backman has returned to Sweden.

You're probably not sure how to quantify it because it's an opinion. There is no way to quantify it. But you're stating it as if it were fact that the Wings are sacrificing a massive amount of offense to play this way. Clearly they're focusing on defense and that probably does cost some offensive opportunities. How much? Who knows. The charts in the article show that Detroit is slightly below middle of the pack in generating shots for. They generate almost as many shots as Pittsburgh. More than the Rangers and Columbus. By that evidence alone, they are nowhere near the worst offender of playing for the loser point. By the numbers that looks like it would be New Jersey. I'm being combative, I'm just pointing out that you took an article complimenting Babcock and turned it into proof he's playing for the loser point. Which the article doesn't support. And it doesn't even make a ton of sense given the Wings record in the shootout and how Babcock clearly feels about the event.

"Best team" says nothing specifically about offensive talent. And 5 or 6 years is going back a bit too far. It also completely ignores the defensive corps, which plays a huge role in generating offense. The Wings have more offensive talent up front than they'd had the last few seasons, but not so much on the blue line. They're not great at moving the puck out of their own end and absolutely terrible at getting any shots through from the point. When you misrepresent the article as saying "no shots against and no shots for," of course it sounds like a recipe for overtime.

So you take an article that credits Babcock's coaching with increasing the Wings chances to win, and spin it that he's the "worst culprit" of playing for the loser point? Honestly some of the statistical stuff is beyond me in that article, but it reaches an understandable conclusion. Babcock has required his forwards to be defensively responsible for a while now, and often errs on the side of that responsibility over offensive potential. This team no longer has the firepower to open things up offensively. And their blueline is pretty thin so it requires a total team effort to limit shots. Certainly more than we had last year, but where exactly is all this offensive potential that's not getting utilized?

Given what he says later in the article though it doesn't sound quite as bad. But I wholeheartedly agree about Holland needing to move Kindl. Until now I hadn't really consider that it might be stunting someone else's progress in addition to XO's.

we don't? Admittedly I can't see a scenario where the Wings could get Hall anytime soon, but I also can't imagine why the Wings wouldn't want him given the right deal. Yes he plays a little recklessly and isn't great defensively, but I can't hold too much against him for any of that given the disaster that is the Edmonton Oilers. He still has maturing to do, and it's not gonna happen in Edmonton under the conditions there for the last few years.

Agreed. While I agree with Babcock's sentiment, especially given how well Jimmy played during actual hockey, the reality is that the NHL does have the equivalent of a home run derby deciding games. The Wings have been terrible at it, and it's costing them points. Suck it up. As for the Wings being fairly decent at it in the past. They've lost a lot of the guys who could actually score, like Bertuzzi. Howard is a problem. But man o man they don't score much either. I've said this before but I'm a little surprised that the younger guys aren't better at it. Seems like by sheer percentages the Wings should have a few cocky euros who know all sorts of ridiculous shootout tricks they practiced growing up.

1st place in their division. 3rd in the conference. 6th in the league. PK is 2nd in the league. PP 8th. Goals For 6th. Goals Against 7th.

Especially given the tie-down rule. Years ago he'd be able to slip out of his jersey and start throwing haymakers. But if you've got it properly tied down, you're pretty stuck.

Seeing the fight I thought Smith actually did okay given his sweater was over his head the entire time. He could've just fallen down once that happened. I am a little surprised the linesman let it go that long considering Smith basically couldn't defend himself.

Honestly that's kind of what I was hoping for when I criticized him. But alas, it was not to be. He's apparently out sick. Hopefully not with mumps. Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 49m 49 minutes ago Ken Holland confirms Franzen out tonight because he's sick.

What have Datsyuk and Tatar done wrong to deserve Franzen on their line? Mule's gone on Christmas vacation early this year. Maybe playing less than 14 minutes last game and being demoted to the third line will get his attention.

Thank you. So Crosby is sitting there looking like that amidst a mumps epidemic in the NHL, and the medical staff thinks "yeah, he's good to go."

Obviously they called the goaltender interference penalty on Getzlaf for running into Fasth. But Fasth was pretty clearly skating wide to get in Getzlaf's way. I don't think goaltenders should be fair game out of the crease, but when they take advantage of their protected status to intentionally interfere with a player, I don't mind them getting knocked on their butt for it once in a while. He's an idiot if he actually thought he wouldn't get called for it, but I'm guessing Getzlaf is arguing that he held his line and Fasth skated wide to get in his way.

It was kind of a jerk move, but honestly Fasth skated out wide to clearly get in Getzlaf's way. I'm no Getzlaf fan, but I have zero problem with him knocking the goalie down in that situation. Goalie's shouldn't get run, but they also shouldn't exploit their status to interfere. Though the "what did I do?" move is pretty hilarious considering. And there definitely should've been several Oilers players going after him.

It truly is. I tried to post a pic someone tweeted where the side of his face is completely swollen as he's sitting there in the lockerroom talking to reporters, but it was the wrong media type or something and then I just gave up.

yup. http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/657486 Hard to believe a couple days ago they were claiming he wasn't. Pretty smart guys.

People might take you more seriously if you posted other than only appearing to comment on Jimmy's bad performances. As for the moderating team, we've been through this before. Feel free to contact Matt or post in the moderator thread in the water cooler. Do not continue to comment on the moderating here, even if it's to compliment me on the awesome job I'm doing, because your post will be deleted since it is off topic.

Remember Samuelsson? Bertuzzi? The terrible version of Weiss? Jordin "pressbox" Tootoo? Injuries and inexperience will be the big question marks for the Wings this season, but this is not the same team as last year.

Mule hasn't even registered a shot on goal in his last two games. Taking his Christmas vacation a bit early? EDIT: And I think that extends his goal drought to 12 games? (I'm not saying Franzen is the only problem. He is not. But he started so strong and Mule going silent doesn't help).

More talk about the game. Less talk about each other. Othewise warnings/suspensions, etc. Posts commenting on level of fandom and not the game will be promptly deleted.

It's funny that when I check the box score and Nyquist has scored, I immediately see this in my head.