I love how other fans refer to us as D only

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

So, i've been forum hopping to other teams message boards, and i just love how they all say the wings are a team who only wins because of their defense. While i will agree that we are a defensive minded team, and that defense is what keeps us in games...its NOT POSSIBLE to win without scoring lol. I think the thing is that our Defence is such a force that other fans fail to see what an offensive powerhouse we are as well. I'm not even talking about our core scorers like hank, dats, homer , draper...etc . I mean we have four full lines of forwards who never seize to amaze me. I remember one such article during the WCF this year saying we needed to find secondary scoring. The first goal of the very next game...who scores? None other than kris draper........he puts one past turco and his CHIN gets the assist lol. So, yeah we have a few guys we look to as our main scorers but our secondary scorers come from out of nowhere when its least expected and most needed.

We are a defensive powerhouse yes, but without playing the D we do, you can't generate the offense we do either. My cousin lives in dallas and is a stars fan through and through and while talking to him about the WCF during game 5 i think, he says to me...detroit scares us bad. He said ANY time dats or z touch the puck their whole arena stands on edge thinking that the worst is about to happen. Then he finishes it with...hell anytime ANY of your forwards touches the puck we cringe because, while some of them aren't big number scorers ...EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has the ability to simply amaze you. When i asked him 3 forwards (not including dats or z) who he found as the biggest threat, i was actually surprised by his answer. He said that filpulla, hudler, and sammy scared alot of stars fans.

So, when will other teams fans realize that we DO have offensive game, and realize that while we are a defensive minded team...our d players can play great offense, and our offensive players can play great D. We're probably the best 2 way team in the league, and we dont EVER go all out on offense. We worry about taking the offensive scoring chances we get and then rely on the defensive part of our game to keep us in. We don't get greedy and try to score 6 goals a game, we take the lead and hold it to win...enough said lol anyone else agree?

Edited July 6, 2008 by XxGoWingsxX

[Cicada 4]

a lot of teams have great offensive games though. Just look at Pittsburgh, San Jose, Washington, Montreal.

What seperates us is not just out defense, but our defensive game. The way ALL our fowards backcheck so agressively, the way we can transform from a puck possession team to a dump and chase team to a trapping team to a forechecking team in a heatbeat.

The amazing adaptability of our teams defensive game is what won us the cup.

[Superman54 91]

Let them think what they want, as long as we are bringing home the cups. People who say that, A. don't know much Hockey, and B. are trying to convince themselves that the Wings have a flaw. Either way, they are wrong, and we are Champions....again.

[Brew McCrew 0]

I think the thing is that our Defence is such a force that other fans fail to see what an offensive powerhouse we are as well. I'm not even talking about our core scorers like hank, dats, homer , draper...etc .

I don't consider Draper a powerhouse in any sense of the word, especially in the present.

I think opposing fans tend to think of our defense as just our defensemen which isn't the case. All 6 guys on our side of the ice are defensemen. That's how the "puck posession" game works and it works quite well.

Before March '08 you could make the case that the Wings were weak offensively. Flip, Sammy, Hudler, Franzen, and Cleary (post jaw breaking) were inconsistent and suspect. Then Franzen exploded and propelled us to the Conference finals. Those other 4 players picked it up at that point in time IMO once Franzen went down and that's why we won. I would imagine Filp and Franzen can keep it up and Cleary might find his form again. With the addition of Hossa we are almost friggin invincible.

Edited July 6, 2008 by Brew McCrew

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I don't consider Draper a powerhouse in any sense of the word, especially in the present.

I think opposing fans tend to think of our defense as just our defensemen which isn't the case. All 6 guys on our side of the ice are defensemen. That's how the "puck posession" game works and it works quite well.

Before March '08 you could make the case that the Wings were weak offensively. Flip, Sammy, Hudler, Franzen, and Cleary (post jaw breaking) were inconsistent and suspect. Then Franzen exploded and propelled us to the Conference finals. Those other 4 players picked it up at that point in time IMO once Franzen went down and that's why we won. I would imagine Filp and Franzen can keep it up and Cleary might find his form again. With the addition of Hossa we are almost friggin invincible.

Cleary had his best regular season ever in terms of offensive statistics. And that was on a season shortened by 19 games.

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

I don't see this as an issue. I think what people see is that the Red Wings have excellent O, but other teams like Pittsburgh have good offense, but the thing that makes the wings great is that they get shutdown play from all 4 lines night in and night out

[puertoricanWingsfan 5]

D only... O only... who cares? I just refer to us as Stanley Cup champions

[Brew McCrew 0]

Cleary had his best regular season ever in terms of offensive statistics. And that was on a season shortened by 19 games.

For sure but as I said, post jaw breaking, he wasn't the same player at all. He had 3 points in 22 playoff games this past post-season. Not 2.8 mill a year numbers if you ask me.

Granted, he lost a lot of weight because of his jaw being wired shut and that can mess up your game but you need to bounce back at some point. For his sake, he better join Cheli on those intense summer work outs again.

[betterREDthandead 58]

So, when will other teams fans realize that we DO have offensive game, and realize that while we are a defensive minded team...our d players can play great offense, and our offensive players can play great D. We're probably the best 2 way team in the league, and we dont EVER go all out on offense. We worry about taking the offensive scoring chances we get and then rely on the defensive part of our game to keep us in. We don't get greedy and try to score 6 goals a game, we take the lead and hold it to win...enough said lol anyone else agree?

Honestly.....who cares? So we win because of defense. Most teams lose because of their defense, so we should consider ourselves lucky.

[Rivalred 630]

Honestly.....who cares? So we win because of defense. Most teams lose because of their defense, so we should consider ourselves lucky.

Agreed....

Our D puts up a lot of points - What is not to like about a defensive minded team that can put up great number - 2 way players get it done...

The great D creates turnovers and odd man rushes that lead to scoring chances which leads to goal scoring... Not to mention those beautiful out of the zone passes...

Edited July 6, 2008 by Rivalred

[octopusonice 0]

I love how other fans refer to us as D only...

Unfortunately, we won a Cup as a result.

The team is a good example of success in so many ways, it's not funny.

They are a good example to youngsters of how to play as a team.

For those who want to see how you run a team in a salary cap environment, KH's work is something all GMs could learn from.

Owners could learn a thing or two from the Ilitches.

It's also a good lesson in philosophy: Being the most popular or most flashy does not usually mean being the most successful.

Edit: grammar

Edited July 6, 2008 by octopusonice

[Opie 308]

I love how other fans refer to us as D only...

Unfortunately, we won a Cup as a result.

The team is a good example of success in so many ways, it's not funny.

They are a good example to youngsters of how to play as a team.

For those who want to see how you run a team in a salary cap environment, KH's work is something all GMs could learn from.

Owners could learn a thing or two from the Ilitches.

It's also a good lesson in philosophy: Being the most popular or most flashy does not usually mean being the most successful.

Edit: grammar

RE Bolded part:

Considering how this team was dismantled after the first Dynasty I think it is really important to note the Illitches ability to build a winner and a team that players want to be a part of. Big big part of players feeling comfortable in Detroit!

[JayUp88 1]

Dear XxGoWingsxX

Please stop using my avatar, sorry not being mean but i made it so i could use it myself.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Honestly.....who cares? So we win because of defense. Most teams lose because of their defense, so we should consider ourselves lucky.

QFT

However, on top of that it's not as if the Wings are seriously not known as a team that can put the puck in the net. There was a lot of question marks on offense heading into 06/07 without Stevie and Shanny and 07/08 without Lang, but all it did was hold guys like Franzen, Cleary, Hudler and Filppula more responsible for burying the puck.....which they did.

These Red Wings aren't going to be known as more offense than defense, but anyone that pays even slight attention knows the Wings can score plenty.

[Opie 308]

I love how no matter what happens or is said, or not said, about the Wings some how this place finds a way to post 3-4 threads daily about how the league, Bettman, the BOG, Burke, Lowe, Captain America, Stewie from the Family guy, Maury Povich, Mike Wallace, The Kid from those stupid Gieco Go-cart racing commercials, The Gieco Caveman, my Aunt, Bea Arthur, and Marvin the Martian are hating on the Wings and no one respects the Detroit Red Wings!!!!

[gowingsgo 3]

Offense wins games, defense wins championships. These knuckleheads were saying?

[Guest Shoreline]

They were incapable of looking at the top 20 in points, where more than one and two Wings are, top in +/-. Failed to look at the Wings were amongst the top scoring teams in the league (Top 3 IIRC). This I know simply because I followed my team, unlike some other people whose opinions really means nothing.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Shoreline

[Flip-check 6]

These Red Wings aren't going to be known as more offense than defense, but anyone that pays even slight attention knows the Wings can score plenty.

No s***. Look, the Wings were THIRD IN THE LEAGUE OFFENSIVELY WITH 252 GOALS.

Are you kidding me? They don't see 3 goals a game out of that? Hossa's acquisition will make people pay more attention to the scoresheet though.

[octopusonice 0]

I love how no matter what happens or is said, or not said, about the Wings some how this place finds a way to post 3-4 threads daily about how the league, Bettman, the BOG, Burke, Lowe, Captain America, Stewie from the Family guy, Maury Povich, Mike Wallace, The Kid from those stupid Gieco Go-cart racing commercials, The Gieco Caveman, my Aunt, Bea Arthur, and Marvin the Martian are hating on the Wings and no one respects the Detroit Red Wings!!!!

I can understand Marvin the Martian hating on the Wings, he's a Senators' fan.