Ducks

[Guest octopusdank]

anyone worried?? 8-1-1 or something after niedermayers return

[Rice 42]

I'm not really worried about the Ducks, but they're going to be a really tough opponent if the Wings meet them in the playoffs. I think if Selanne does end up coming back, it will force Holland's hand to make an impact move by the deadline.

Think about it this way...the Wings nearly beat them (and were the better team, IMO) last year without Schneider and Kronwall. Lebda was hurt, too. This year the Wings are even hungrier and got a lot of valuable experience in their run last year. Kronwall is rounding into form (knock on wood) and it's very likely Holland will add some pieces before the deadline.

[Echolalia 2,961]

We don't need to be worried.

[edicius 3,269]

Nah, not worried.

I chalk it up to that similar jump a team gets after a coaching change. With the exception of a couple of games, they're still having problems scoring. I recall seeing a bunch of one-goal games going to them, at least a few of them being 2-1 scores. A few of them in OT, to boot. Now, if they get Selanne back, it MAY help that...but there's always the risk of messing with established chemistry (which is what worries me about what may or may not happen with the Wings at the deadline).

But I ain't worried. We have a better team than we did last season. The Ducks, on the other hand, don't.

[imisssergei 0]

I think this can only spell good things for the Wings. I feel it will force Kenny to be more aggressive at the deadline, and the Wings are already a pretty solid team.

Here is to Kenny filling the few holes this team has!

[Lady in REd 0]

Not really, though the thought of seeing them in the play offs is nerve racking in some sense.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I'm not really worried about the Ducks, but they're going to be a really tough opponent if the Wings meet them in the playoffs. I think if Selanne does end up coming back, it will force Holland's hand to make an impact move by the deadline.

Think about it this way...the Wings nearly beat them (and were the better team, IMO) last year without Schneider and Kronwall. Lebda was hurt, too. This year the Wings are even hungrier and got a lot of valuable experience in their run last year. Kronwall is rounding into form (knock on wood) and it's very likely Holland will add some pieces before the deadline.

QFT......In all facets.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

We can beat them, but to do that we have to be healthy. Plus we need to add pieces at the deadline no doubt about it. We dominant teams, but if we got bigger and meaner, then no one could stop us.

[Reds4Life 51]

Ducks will be tough opponent in playoffs, especially because of their great defense (probably best in the NHL) and Giguere always seem to play his best in playoffs. We have better offense though. I am not worried as long as we do not loose any key player and Dom/Ozzie plays good.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

f*** those ducks

[Reds4Life 51]

f*** those ducks

yea..I like them too

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Could care less about the Ducks, or any other teams doing so well (or terrible right now). I don't dispise or hate any of the teams at all by not caring about them, that's not what I'm saying.

All teams have stretches where they just can't seem to lose, or they just flat out struggle losing 5 or 6 straight games. It happens to everybody. There's no point in worrying about it because it changes nothing.

[VM1138 1,921]

I'm a little nervous about facing them, just because no matter how bad they are they always seem to give the Wings a hard time. Not to mention that they're defending champs, beat us last time (and thus have the psychological edge).

Despite being the extraordinarly better team, I think Detroit is at the disadvantage until they steal a game in the playoffs. The onus is on the Wings.

That being said, I think this has the opportunity to develop into a really good rivalry if we keep facing them in the playoffs and it stays as contentious as it's been. All it takes is one incident now to elevate it to a full rivalry.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Nah, not worried.

I chalk it up to that similar jump a team gets after a coaching change. With the exception of a couple of games, they're still having problems scoring. I recall seeing a bunch of one-goal games going to them, at least a few of them being 2-1 scores. A few of them in OT, to boot. Now, if they get Selanne back, it MAY help that...but there's always the risk of messing with established chemistry (which is what worries me about what may or may not happen with the Wings at the deadline).

But I ain't worried. We have a better team than we did last season. The Ducks, on the other hand, don't.

Why I'm NOT worried:

#1 in the entire league in Penalties - yes, the most penalized team

#18 in the league in PK - Put these two together and obviously there is a problem

#10 in the league in goal differential - They have only scored 5 goals more than they have given up

#24 in the league in GFA

#17 in the league in SOG differential

So let's summerize. They are the take more penalties than any other team and don't have a decent PK. They also are near the bottom of the league in scoring and in fact give up almost the same number of goals that they score. Also, they are mediocre in SOG meaning that they don't have the puck much.

In summary, this is not a good team, let alone a Stanley Cup contender. This is not the same team as last year.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Ducks will be tough opponent in playoffs, especially because of their great defense (probably best in the NHL) and Giguere always seem to play his best in playoffs. We have better offense though. I am not worried as long as we do not loose any key player and Dom/Ozzie plays good.

(probably best in the NHL) How did you come to that conclusion? The effectiveness of a team's defense is measure in these numbers"

GAA - Aneheim is #5, Detroit is #1

SOGA - Aneheim is #15, Detroit is #1

PK - Aneheim is #18, Detroit #9

So what exactly are you basing this on?

[e_mcgrath88 0]

(probably best in the NHL) How did you come to that conclusion? The effectiveness of a team's defense is measure in these numbers"

GAA - Aneheim is #5, Detroit is #1

SOGA - Aneheim is #15, Detroit is #1

PK - Aneheim is #18, Detroit #9

So what exactly are you basing this on?

i believe he is refering to the defensive core Pronger, Schneider, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, Huskins, O'Donell who are on paper, "probably the best in the NHL" come playoff time stats mean nothing... Anaheim will be one of the toughest teams to score on..

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Why I'm NOT worried:

#1 in the entire league in Penalties - yes, the most penalized team

#18 in the league in PK - Put these two together and obviously there is a problem

#10 in the league in goal differential - They have only scored 5 goals more than they have given up

#24 in the league in GFA

#17 in the league in SOG differential

So let's summerize. They are the take more penalties than any other team and don't have a decent PK. They also are near the bottom of the league in scoring and in fact give up almost the same number of goals that they score. Also, they are mediocre in SOG meaning that they don't have the puck much.

In summary, this is not a good team, let alone a Stanley Cup contender. This is not the same team as last year.

Thats a skewed stat though as like last year, they lead the league in fighting majors.

[eva unit zero 271]

i believe he is refering to the defensive core Pronger, Schneider, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, Huskins, O'Donell who are on paper, "probably the best in the NHL" come playoff time stats mean nothing... Anaheim will be one of the toughest teams to score on..

Anaheim only has three good defensive defensemen...Pronger, Niedermayer, and O'Donnell. Schneider we all know is mediocre defensively, Huskins is a B version of Lilja, and Beauchemin is horribly overrated in his own end. And even O'Donnell is only 'above average' defensively. Compare that with the Wings' group of Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, and Chelios who have played damn well defensively this season and it's not hard to see which team will be harder to score on.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Anaheim only has three good defensive defensemen...Pronger, Niedermayer, and O'Donnell. Schneider we all know is mediocre defensively, Huskins is a B version of Lilja, and Beauchemin is horribly overrated in his own end. And even O'Donnell is only 'above average' defensively. Compare that with the Wings' group of Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, and Chelios who have played damn well defensively this season and it's not hard to see which team will be harder to score on.

The Wings forwards play well defensively in their system...thats the reason they give up less. Theres no question Anaheim has the better defensemen.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

We should be worried. They've got the best defense in the league, they're bigger and more physical than the Wings, and Giguere has given us fits before. I don't think we'll have to worry about playing them in the 1st round, though, because it looks like they'll finish higher than 8th.

[Reds4Life 51]

We should be worried. They've got the best defense in the league, they're bigger and more physical than the Wings, and Giguere has given us fits before. I don't think we'll have to worry about playing them in the 1st round, though, because it looks like they'll finish higher than 8th.

We have smarter players. And Pain Train

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

We have smarter players. And Pain Train

"PAIN TRAIN" is a great fighter, but it was his smarts in game 5 last year that turned around that series.

[eva unit zero 271]

The Wings forwards play well defensively in their system...thats the reason they give up less. Theres no question Anaheim has the better defensemen.

The Wings' top three is better than the Ducks' top three...and the same is true of the bottom three. Anaheim has better names but that's about all they have; Schneider and Beauchemin have been largely disappointing offensively this season and neither is better than average defensively. Even Pronger hasn't played to his abilities defensively, while the Wings have been getting a breakout year from Kronwall and solid defensive play from guys like Chelios and Rafalski.

[Grittzkey 1]

Wings Ducks, Semi Finals.

mark my wods.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

The Wings' top three is better than the Ducks' top three...and the same is true of the bottom three. Anaheim has better names but that's about all they have; Schneider and Beauchemin have been largely disappointing offensively this season and neither is better than average defensively. Even Pronger hasn't played to his abilities defensively, while the Wings have been getting a breakout year from Kronwall and solid defensive play from guys like Chelios and Rafalski.

The Ducks defense is better suited to handle a 7 game series than the Wings defense, because of their physicality. It's going to be tough for the Wings to handle that top line down low when they start cycling. That's why we need another physical D-man.