Something this losing streak taught me

[Doggy 130]

Before he got injured I was pretty sure he was the league MVP now I am certain.

If there's one thing that this month and this losing streak has demonstrated, it is that Nicklas Lidstrom is the most valuable player to his team in the league. Sure, we had a lot of other players injured which hurt, but I am now convinced he is our most important offensive player as well as our most important defensive player.

The reason we've lost so many games (aside from being screwed) is our dismal offense 5 on 5. Lidstrom was our QB and the plays he made out of our zone gave our forwards the speed through the neutral zone and in turn dangerous entries and scoring chances . It seems that Lidstrom was the sole reason we were the best transition team in the league.

Luckily, our PP has been okay so our offensive output hasn't been a complete embarrassment.

Lids probably won't even get a nomination but seriously, with him we're setting records, without him we're an okay team. How is he not the best player in the world right now?

My question is - what the hell are we gonna do when he retires??

[Guest Canadian Wings]

Our team is ******* pathetic. Good teams win when there best player is down. We've won once in ******* 11 games. ******* PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im sick of watching game after game of the Wings sucking cock, and people making excuses. f***.

[55fan 5,133]

When Zata went down, we still managed to win. We had Cleary, Dats, and Lids and several of the other forwards picked up the slack.

Now no one is stepping forward (pardon the pun), so it does tell us how important the defense is to our team's system of play. We were in a losing streak when Lids went down. Losing him gave us a bit of fire to win that game.

I agree that what Lidstrom brings to the team cannot be replaced or even measured. The same could be said for Cleary, who is so clutch it's scary.

Is Lids the MVP of the team? I'd have to agree that he is. Hurry back soon, Captain; we need you.

[red and white forever 10]

Our team is ******* pathetic. Good teams win when there best player is down. We've won once in ******* 11 games. ******* PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im sick of watching game after game of the Wings sucking cock, and people making excuses. f***.

don't talk that kinda s*** around here, this TEAM is not pathetic, this losing streak goes to show you how much our defense means to the offense, i'm pissed too but i still have faith we will bounce outta this..........stay postive

[Nev 1,085]

Our team is ******* pathetic. Good teams win when there best player is down. We've won once in ******* 11 games. ******* PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im sick of watching game after game of the Wings sucking cock, and people making excuses. f***.

How do good teams fare when 6 of their best 10 players are down? Including their starting goaltender and their top 4 d-men?

Without Niedermeyer and Selanne Anaheim were out of the playoffs. How much worse would they be without Giguere, Schneider, Beauchemin and Pronger at the same time?

Good players make a good team. Without them teams aren't so good. Its prety obvious.

Combine that with a mid-season slump and some BRUTAL officiating against in some big games and we are where we are.

I expect us to go on a real tear once we're all back.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Nev

[sinbin 3]

....the NHL is the new WWF?....... This is all staged...they didn't want Detroit to a make mockery of the other teams...it's all about marketing the "new" NHL!

[RedArmy 4]

wings were already on a losing streak before LIds got hurt. THe only beat struggling avs the game LIds got hurt and then went back to their funk. As much as I love Lids, I think this was a downward spiral, but perhaps it could have been slowed down if he didn't get injured

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

....the NHL is the new WWF?....... This is all staged...they didn't want Detroit to a make mockery of the other teams...it's all about marketing the "new" NHL!

I think you're getting a little carried away here...

I think a big reason the team did well w/o Zetterberg tempoararily in the lineup is that he was the only one, or one of the very few, to miss playing time during his absence.

When your top 4-dman are out, that's just hard. It isn't a cop-out and I'm trying not to use it as an excuse, but it's just a hard fact/tough pill to swallow. Especially when 2 of those defenseman have been the best in the league this year, at least from the standpoint of generating offense/points.

I think this goes to show not just how important Lidstrom is to the team, but Rafalski as well.

[Yzermania19 1]

wings were already on a losing streak before LIds got hurt. THe only beat struggling avs the game LIds got hurt and then went back to their funk. As much as I love Lids, I think this was a downward spiral, but perhaps it could have been slowed down if he didn't get injured

The Wings always go into a mid-season slump around the same time every year. I think (no, actually I'm really quite certain) the reason it has gone on as long as it has is due to all the injuries. Normally the slump lasts 5, maybe 6 games, then everything's back to normal. But with your top 4 d, a top forward and #1 goalie out of the lineup, your team is going to suffer. No two ways around it.

I could see improvement already last night just by adding Kronwall and Dom, and Stuart throwing his weight around, showing off for his new teammates and fans. As Red Wings Hospital starts clearing out, I'm sure we will be fine. I will not, however, be surprised if Dallas doesn't take over the #1 seed in the West before that happens.

Two things I've learned from this slump/rash of injuries -

1. Offence does indeed start with your defence. I knew it before, but never has it been so well illustrated as it has over these last dozen games. When you've got a bunch of inexperienced kids on the blue line (some of whom may not have been NHL-ready, but had to be pressed into duty because of the injuries), it doesn't matter how good your offence is - your team is going to suffer.

2. Nick Lidstrom is the best player on the team. Steve Yzerman has said it for years, I've said it for years (in fact I have often said, "if we ever lose Nick, we're screwed," although I was referring to the playoffs, not the regular season), I think every Red Wing fan has said it for years. But just how important he is to the team has really become apparent in the last month. He is a steadying force on the blue line, a mentor to the younger d-men, and he just makes anyone he plays with better. He needs to go to the Chris Chelios School of NHL Longevity, because he just simply cannot retire any time in the next 10 years, or at least until he has trained the other young d-men to be as good as he is.

[Jamaica Jon 1]

I totally agree. Lidstrom is clearly the MVP of the league. Without him we are just in the hunt, not leading the pack.

Unfortunately, the only way for people to see this was for him to get hurt and our team go to hell without him.

But him being out for a chunk of the season PROBABLY takes him out of MVP contention.

Catch 22...

[Z and D for the C 712]

I never really thought Lidstrom was THAT THAT THAT important to the team. Some people think we're f***ed when he retires. I never though that, untill now. I never thought our D would be bad without him, and I'm right. Our defensive game isn't that bad given the injuries. But Lidstrom helps out so much with our offense it's incredible, and I neve realized that until now.

Play till you're 60 lids.

[Superman54 91]

Our team is ******* pathetic. Good teams win when there best player is down. We've won once in ******* 11 games. ******* PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im sick of watching game after game of the Wings sucking cock, and people making excuses. f***.

calm the f*** down!!!

serouisly your making this sound like its the end of the world

I really hope you do not call yourself a hardcore wings fan, because your attitude towards them is ******* pathetic

excuse my language

[Redwingsfan18 1]

Play till you're 60 lids.

Hey why the heck not?? He plays the kind of game that allows him to usually stay healthy and not take a beating. He could play well into his 40's for sure if he chooses.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Word

Edited March 1, 2008 by Z and D for the C

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I've been saying for years that if something were to happen to him, this team would be screwed. I guess I now know that was true.

[RedWingedKitten 9]

Hey why the heck not?? He plays the kind of game that allows him to usually stay healthy and not take a beating. He could play well into his 40's for sure if he chooses.

True that. He only puts himself in dangerous sitiations once every 10 years. Lids needs to teach Kronwall how to stay out of ugly situations.

[LidsFan 68]

The team is really missing their Captain and seem a little lost without him.Once we get Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Chelios back I think that everything will be fine and the team will get back on track. Watching Kronwall and Stuart play I realized that once everyone is healthy our team is going to be almost unstoppable. I can't wait for Dan Cleary to return , so that we can go into the playoffs strong with the confidence that we can beat any team we face.

I can't imagine Lidstrom ever retiring, and not being there leading the Defense, so I will just pretend that, that day will never come.