Heaton

The Wings beat the Hawks last year on April 6th.

Shots have been up across the league due to the new faceoff in the penalty killing zone. Not to mention the old defensive coach is still on the staff. MacLean did the defense last year. Don't you think Babcock, Holland, Mr. Ilitch would say something if they thought a simple switch or consultation would've changed anything? Hell, why wouldn't the players say something if this new coaching style wasn't conducive to their playing style? The coaching staff has done everything this year to try and right the ship. They sent Osgood home to clear his head. Changed lines in almost every way imaginable. Changed defensive pairings. Changed PK pairings. Worked them even harder in practice. Emphasized greatly on the PK in practice. This is a veteran group, it's not like the entire system is different, the players just aren't preforming.

This isn't McCrimmons system. Assistant coaches don't implement systems they 'handle' the defense. If we're breaking it down in %, I'd imagine the head coach does 80% of the offense and defense where the assistant coaches do their individual 10%. It's why there was no fight to keep McLellan last year.

Because it's easier? Look, the coaching staff always gets the blame and it's deserved but nothing has changed in the coaching philosophy. This is Babcock's team, McCrimmon brings his tools but he teaches Babcock's system. The players effort hasn't been there all season. You wanna fire Babcock and find someone better because they're not responding as well? Go ahead. Yes, I realize you didn't say that. Coaches don't get the Stanley Cup hangover, the players do.

1:08 [Comment From RamblinScotzman] Is Brad McCrimmon taking any heat for the poor play of the team right now? Is he even in charge of the D or Special Teams? 1:09 AKhan: I wouldn't blame an assistant coach for the team's defensive problems. That's all on the players. This is a veteran group, it's not like they suddenly lost their way. They should be performing better regardless of who is coaching them. No kidding. Sorry sports fans, but even a horrible defensive coach can't take a bunch of seasoned veterans and completely strip them of their ability to play defense. This is all on the players, 100%.

Really? Fire on Ice sent chills down your spine? They're all lame, at least this one is comical.

You don't need one according to my avatar.

And then Kesler on the 4th line? Sweet. That really makes zero sense. It's not logical at all. Kopecky on the 2nd line, as a center? Kindl would improve the defense? Nope, I'm done.

Art Ross Trophy - Sidney Crosby Lester B. Pearson Award - Alex Ovechkin Hart Trophy - Zach Parise Vezina Trophy - Tim Thomas Norris Trophy - Nicklas Lidstrom Calder Trophy - Steve Mason Lady Byng Trophy - Martin St. Louis Frank Selke Trophy - Pavel Datsyuk Jack Adams - Mike Babcock Maurice "Rocket" Richard - Alex Ovechkin

The instigator has been in the game for what almost 20 years now? It has nothign to do with ridding the game of fighting. Even if you disagree with the instigator this was a perfect example of how it should be called. If the goal of the person who stands up for their teammate is to say don't do that again and they got their wish, there would be no physical play in the game at all.

Considering if we're going to keep Hossa and Franzen it'll take way more than losing Filppula and considering Lehtonen is going to make at least 4m/yr I'd rather keep Filppula. Holland says there's a possibility to keep both big guys because he has to say it. Realisitically, there's no way to do it considering what it would take and how this club operates. Holland has always said if he's going to spend big money on a goalie it's going to be on a top 5 guy. Harding and Lehtonen are far from that and 4m/yr for either guy on this team would be a big mistake.

That's a silly way of managing after winning a cup. Just trade off key cogs because you think the rest of the team would lack motivation? I can't see how Ericsson up full time and trading Filppula prior to the season would fix any problems. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it's rarely constructive.

There isn't one.

Not if the other defensemen and players don't find that determination again. I also shudder to think what Bouwmeester might sign for after watching Brian Campbell get 8m/yr. Harding or Lehtonen are hard to gauge too, big question marks.

If we knew Osgood was going to be so atrocious and the defense would be so inconsistent, sure it would've made a lot more sense.

Yep. Although it might be easier if Kenny proposed a new plan to start playing with medicine balls. A little bit bigger tha beach balls and much heavier so it'll be easier to have a better reaction time.

Yep, gonna agree with these but I think Leino would be swapped out with Maltby or Kopecky based on matchups.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/03/wi...n_downey_d.html

I love this time of the year.

The problem with Roberts is that he makes almost double what Kris Draper makes.

I'm assuming it's short term. Once the cap has settled and the rosters expand we'll see Helm and Leino right back up.

For you perhaps, but the majority of Wings fans at games still think Kirk Maltby will fight so they are still expecting it to happen.

Have you been to many games this year? Just recently, the Anaheim crowd was great. The SJ crowd was great. Crowds get up for big games, you think Nashville is that jacked for St. Louis?

I'm not really interested in getting into the entertainment debate here but what Cherry said about the attendance issues in comparison to the other sports in Michigan are just outright lies. He's ignorant and ill-informed. I'm sure it's been said before.

And play him where?