Do We Underestimate the Wings Brass?

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I think it was about 2 years ago, the Wings were heavily rumored to be interested in landing Nik Antropov. At the time, Antropov was pretty young, but I remember EVERYONE, including myslef, thinking WTF do they want with another underachieving Russian. Well, now Antropov has 6 goals, 11 points and is far and away leading the league in +/- with a +10.

All this got me to wondering...it seems we really underestimate the Wings Brass in how much they really do know. At the end of the day, its easy to be a critic when value isnt apparent, but those guys really know times over what any of us know, and are some of the best in the league.

Just thought Id show a little appreciation..

[Heaton 1]

I think it was about 2 years ago, the Wings were heavily rumored to be interested in landing Nik Antropov. At the time, Antropov was pretty young, but I remember EVERYONE, including myslef, thinking WTF do they want with another underachieving Russian. Well, now Antropov has 6 goals, 11 points and is far and away leading the league in +/- with a +10.

All this got me to wondering...it seems we really underestimate the Wings Brass in how much they really do know. At the end of the day, its easy to be a critic when value isnt apparent, but those guys really know times over what any of us know, and are some of the best in the league.

Just thought Id show a little appreciation..

Underestimating isn't a strong enough word, DRASTICALLY unerstimate is getting there.

[yankeebaddabing 0]

I agree, our front office is top notch especially the scouts, we are in good hands, Great job Ilitch.

I think our fan base is spoiled really, I mean we can't win the cup every year, so support the team we have on ice and stop whinning about we don't have this and we don't have that!!

P.S Imagine being a blues fan all these years, so yeah it could be worse boys

My 2 cents

[OsGOD 3]

Looks good now... but give little nicky some time... the year is still young and he isn't hurt "yet"

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Looks good now... but give little nicky some time... the year is still young and he isn't hurt "yet"

Yeah this is true, but the Wings werent going to bet the farm on this guy. Its just interesting that they were on to him when nobody else thought anything of him. I dont expect him to be at the top of the scoring race, but a 25g, 50pt season could be expected, and he has elevated his physicality as well.

Either way, its really just one example.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

The Wings brass knows how to put a winning team together, but we've had our own hiccups in the past. Even this year we put so much stock in Hudler and Fillpulla stepping up on the 2nd line, and so far it hasn't looked good. I don't remember the Antropov rumors, but I can't believe that Holland was ever serious about landing that bum.

[theman19 47]

Any leafs fan will tell you, the minute wellwood comes back antropov's numbers are going to drop off. Remember that john sim routinly scored 14 goals or so,..all in october.

[Guest jaytan]

I actually think we overestimate them. If the Wings were in a more competitive division, they would probably have missed the playoffs by now.

[BlueMonk 102]

Most people here underestimate them. They get blasted for trades that don't get made at the deadline, etc. To maintain a team as successful as the Wings takes a very, very good team of upper level management. The scouting staff is second to none. I wouldn't trade scouting staffs with any team in the league.

That being said, I think they were lacking before Babcock became coach. Ken Holland's one weakness seems to me to be a tendency towards building an excessively one dimensional roster. As successful as the Red Wings' puck possession system is - and make no mistake, it's not only wildly successful, but also a beautiful thing to watch - teams need a bit more diversity in their personnel to make a deep playoff run. I felt that last season, Babcock's input made a big impact on how the team was built. As a result, I saw a team that had a little more balance and looked well equipped to make a playoff run. Turns out, they did just that. I believe it's no coincidence, but others may find their mileage varies.

Anyway, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better front office in NHL hockey, but that doesn't mean there aren't weaknesses. I feel this is the best management team they've had since Bowman was coaching the team.

[Wildwings44 5]

Looks good now... but give little nicky some time... the year is still young and he isn't hurt "yet"

I like Kronwall and am a fan of his, but have been slightly disappointed with his play. That being said, he has only played 69 games in the NHL. Time will tell.

[good morning 10]

I actually think we overestimate them. If the Wings were in a more competitive division, they would probably have missed the playoffs by now.

Can this myth be put to rest yet?

Just for the record:

Detroit went 15-3-5 vs Columbus/Chicago/St. Louis. 35 points in 24 games.

San Jose went 12-4-0 vs LA/Phoenix...gaining 24 points in 16 games against the two worst teams in the conference.

Detroit went 7-1 vs LA/Phoenix, for 14 points in 8 games vs the two worst.

San Jose went 10-2-0 vs Columbus/Chicago/St. Louis to get 20 points in 12 games.

So against five of the six worst teams in the Conference, Detroit went 22-4-5 for 49 points in 31 games, while San Jose went 22-6-0 for 44 points in 28 games.

That means, excluding head-to-head games, Detroit went 27-12-8 for 62 points in 47 games against Playoff clubs, Edmonton, Colorado, and the East, while San Jose went 26-19-5 for 57 points in 50 games against those same opponents.

So in other words...Detroit gained more points and more wins in fewer games against better teams, while San Jose gained points at the same rate against weak teams.

Please never try the 'weak division' argument when it's so easily refuted.

[Guest jaytan]

Yeah, that's from one season. I'm talking about over a 10-year span or so.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

Can this myth be put to rest yet?

i don't think anybody would disagree that the wings have played in the weakest division in the western conference the last few years. and it has definitely inflated our record a bit. i wouldn't go so far as to say we wouldn't have made the playoffs in a different division, but our record wouldn't have been as good.

[toby91_ca 620]

I like Kronwall and am a fan of his, but have been slightly disappointed with his play. That being said, he has only played 69 games in the NHL. Time will tell.

I think you have confused the topic.

[daniel1 32]

More often than not our management team has made the right call on players. If we include the scouts in this discussion then I believe we have the best management team in the NHL. Anybody could have had Federov, Lidstrom, Konstantinov, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Samuelsson, Franzen or Fillpula but it was our team that picked them. Given where the Wings have finished in the standings for the past 10 years or so, we should be "rebuilding" due to our perennially low draft picks and penchant for trading even our low first rounders for help at the deadline. However, rebuilding hasn't had to occur due to the superb scouting and personnel moves our top Brass has made over the last 10 years or so.

There are very few moves Holland and company have made that I would like to have back, sure i wish we had shipped someone else other than Avery off for Schneider and i would like to have Knuble back too, but given the sheer number of personnel moves this team has had to make over the last two years I would say that they make the right move over 75% of the time. That's a pretty good average in the my books.

Hmm... I wonder which moves would be seen as best/worst over the last 10 years?

[toby91_ca 620]

Can this myth be put to rest yet?

Depends on what myth you are talking about. If you are arguing against people saying Detroit's record is inflated because of their devision, I can't support you.

There is absolutely no question that if Detroit was in a more competitive division, there regular season records wouldn't have been as good, but by no means would they be nearing missing the playoffs. I can't help but wonder if they would be more prepared for the playoffs if their division was better (maybe it is this year).

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

Depends on what myth you are talking about. If you are arguing against people saying Detroit's record is inflated because of their devision, I can't support you.

There is absolutely no question that if Detroit was in a more competitive division, there regular season records wouldn't have been as good, but by no means would they be nearing missing the playoffs. I can't help but wonder if they would be more prepared for the playoffs if their division was better (maybe it is this year).

i agree that detroit might be better prepared in a tougher division. although we'd probably be more banged up at the same time. babcock did an excellent job last year, imo, getting them ready for playoffs even though we played such a weak division. and you're right, the central doesn't look like as much of a breeze as it has been so far.

Edited October 19, 2007 by datsyukismyfriend