No Doubt: It's a Cup Hangover

[Matt 1,049]

You could say I was one of those people that attributed the bumps to start the season as just a "hiccup" -- something that occurs during the initial dog days of the season and are ironed out. That feeling has persisted until we've now hit the one month mark. While it's certainly no panic -- it is November, after all -- there's absolutely no doubt what we're seeing:

A Stanley Cup hangover.

A 9-2-3 record you say? That's great, but that doesn't mean there isn't a hangover with this club. This team has done nothing but (no pun intented) skate by on sheer offensive talent to help them win games. The effort is clearly not there so far this season. It's not just so obviously visible in the atrocious defensive statistics -- where the team was 19th BEFORE tonight's calamity -- it's mired by the woeful penalty kill and the regular habit of surrendering bushels of third period goals.

The team is simply being outworked. I damn near made myself hoarse at the game yelling at this guys to win the little battles, finish your checks, etc., as the third period progressed because they simply STOPPED doing that after building that 5-2 lead. Stuart wasn't finishing checks any more, Filppula passed up opportunities to finish his, Sameulsson, etc... The list goes on.

The Wings built that lead on solid play though the first half of the game just sat back. Can we honestly say we've seen a full 60-minute effort from this club yet this season? They're also showing a regular penchant for getting themselves outshot when that would be something unheard of last season.

I want to end with this, however: I'm not doubting this team's ability to repeat. Absolutely not. I believe we're definitely seeing a Stanley Cup hangover and that if the same tendencies had affected any other NHL team that doesn't boast the Red Wings' ridiculous skill and depth they wouldn't have been able to mask it with a 9-2-3 record.

This club is NOT playing like a 9-2-3 team and needs a chip-on-their-shoulder attitude that pushed the the 2007-08 club to grind you into submission for 60 minutes.

I'd rather not have the team feel they can just switch that on by the time March rolls around. Bad habits need to get broken.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Agreed if I may add also I'm assuming there over confident

[egroen 384]

*Sigh* I suppose you can't properly address the problem until you have admitted there is a problem.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Now this is something I can definitely agree with. Straight to the point and no bashing like the way it should be.

The defense has been the main problem since the beginning of the season. Something needs to change there and I'm sure it'll get sorted out sooner rather than later. Maybe tonight's game was the wake up call our boys needed.

[MacK_Attack 108]

Something needs to change there and I'm sure it'll get sorted out sooner rather than later. Maybe tonight's game was the wake up call our boys needed.

A humiliating loss usually does the trick.

[PuckFace 1]

It's true. We have yet to see the Wings at their finest. I am still waiting to see a full 60min Red Wings hockey game. That being said, I still have faith in our team and believe that we will break this cycle soon. Tonight's loss was a hard one, not only for the fans but for the players themselves. They know they had that game won and they know why they lost. I doubt that there are any players in that locker room that thought "it wasn't my fault". They could all see things that they could have done better and helped change the outcome of the game. We need to get back to the little things in hockey. We can't just lose battles on the boards because we are up a goal or two. We have to finish the our checks too. I think that this might be the game to break us out of the funk we are in right now. Here's to looking forward to seeing the Wings play a FULL 60mins of Red Wings Hockey.

[Yak19 303]

Well said, i concur.

GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Matt 1,049]

*Sigh* I suppose you can't properly address the problem until you have admitted there is a problem.

QFT. If that record was closer to 6-6-2 (and we've been there with that 5-5-2 start a few season's back) I think you'd see more of a sense of urgency.

The 9-2-3 record just masks the lack of any form of consistent effort and commitment to go 60 minutes.

The "you got pushed around by Anaheim" line was shoved down their throats most of last season and they turned into a team that could spin you into the ground with their dazzling moves or punish you with a grinding effort. They looked at opponents and wanted you to pick your poison, because no form of attack worked.

This year's team, through one month?

All they've heard all summer is how great they are, while what they've shown on the ice is that they don't want to work hard enough to earn it.

They know they can out-skill 29 other NHL clubs on any night and they're using it as a crutch.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

A humiliating loss usually does the trick.

Exactly why I said it's a wake up call.

[miller76 463]

I can't say I disagree with you Matt. I definetly believe this season is still early enough to where there can be a wake up call, a chip placed on this teams shoulder, and to move on from this first months type of playing. This team is so damn lucky to have the 9-2-3 record. And your right, this team hasn't played a complete 60 minutes yet this season. I thought after watching the first period of tonights game, was going to end any speculation of this team sitting back and winning on a couple neat goals every night. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

I frequently ponder the thought as of lately this season already. When the team is playing poorly, Babcock is playing the part of Herb Brooks in 1980. Making this team skating line to line, over and over again. And Babcock saying "again!" until the lights go off!

This team needs some kind of a spark and a reason to fight for all 60 minutes!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

QFT. If that record was closer to 6-6-2 (and we've been there with that 5-5-2 start a few season's back) I think you'd see more of a sense of urgency.

The 9-2-3 record just masks the lack of any form of consistent effort and commitment to go 60 minutes.

The "you got pushed around by Anaheim" line was shoved down their throats most of last season and they turned into a team that could spin you into the ground with their dazzling moves or punish you with a grinding effort. They looked at opponents and wanted you to pick your poison, because no form of attack worked.

This year's team, through one month?

All they've heard all summer is how great they are, while what they've shown on the ice is that they don't want to work hard enough to earn it.

They know they can out-skill 29 other NHL clubs on any night and they're using it as a crutch.

That's probably the best explanation to it I've heard so far. Your right on all points, this team needs to work for wins, and stop thinking there head and shoulders better then the other teams, and that when you get a lead, you can float and just keep it. Not the case, as we've seen many times ALREADY in this season. I want to say it'll get better, but it's the product on the ice that determines that, not the predictions and the team on paper. We lost Drake, Downey and Chelios from last years team, that's a ton of fire, and energy, and leadership from the bench, room and the ice. The current Wings need some emotion, start showing you want it, they need some fire. I just dont know who can bring that fire, I'm sure we'll figure out soon.

[Casey 145]

I can't say I disagree with you Matt. I definetly believe this season is still early enough to where there can be a wake up call, a chip placed on this teams shoulder, and to move on from this first months type of playing. This team is so damn lucky to have the 9-2-3 record. And your right, this team hasn't played a complete 60 minutes yet this season. I thought after watching the first period of tonights game, was going to end any speculation of this team sitting back and winning on a couple neat goals every night. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

I frequently ponder the thought as of lately this season already. When the team is playing poorly, Babcock is playing the part of Herb Brooks in 1980. Making this team skating line to line, over and over again. And Babcock saying "again!" until the lights go off!

This team needs some kind of a spark and a reason to fight for all 60 minutes!

Considering what Herb Brooks was able to do, if it works...

Someone has it in their sig, the question of who's more important- the name on the back, or the logo on the front? It's going to be a long and uncomfortable ride for a few days, sweating out the poisons, but they'll be stronger for it. Guarantee it.

I liken the Cup hangover to the first few weeks of medical school. You had an awesome 4 years, got that coveted thick envelope, and are on top of the world. That first exam, though, never fails to kick you in the jewels. They intentionally make it the hardest, just for that. It's a painful knockdown, but you come back and are better for it.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I agree with you Matt and what’s more I honestly believe this will be the turning point. The defending Stanley Cup Champions and a team as proud as the Detroit Red Wings don’t go throwing away such big leads and concede 7 goals at home. I really think this will be the wake-up they needed.

I’ve seen it happen so often in sports where the defending champs coast by in the early going expecting it to just click again. More often than not it doesn’t happen that easily and they fall flat on the floor before picking themselves up. What usually happens is one bad or humiliating loss, as this was, will be the wake-up they needed.

[stlwing14 0]

I agree, but we are, also, the best team to combat the hangover and we have the right coach to bring about reality. Adversity is a good thing. We must constantly innovate, improve, and adapt. We've been doing for the better part of two decades to get where we are.

Maybe this is the game to snap back into some hard working, 60 min, grind 'em out hockey. Maybe it will take a ten game slump. Either way, Babcock will drill them out of it.

To whom much is given, much is expected. People have constructed the best team in hockey from the coaches to the GM to the scouts. It's time the players earn such hard work on their behalf.

[pjgj13 30]

I agree the Wings have not played their best hockey yet this season. Imagine where they would be at if they have been playing their best. Also, how many bad bounce goals have they had this year already? I have counted (from memory) AT LEAST 8 or 9. It is either a bad bounce off the boards or a deflection of a defenseman's skate.

[ShanahanMan 473]

When the players start giving a s***, thats when things will turn around. At this point, with that fresh championship still lingering in their heads, they simply don't care.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

This club is NOT playing like a 9-2-3 team and needs a chip-on-their-shoulder attitude that pushed the the 2007-08 club to grind you into submission for 60 minutes.

On that point I think we can all agree. That's what Babcock refers to as wanting it more than the other guy. And his emphasis on that point makes this situation all the more perplexing... how is a Babcock team having this happen to them?

This season is the real test of the new pieces of this team. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall- this is your time to prove that you're the next Stevie, Feds and Lidstrom- that you can lead this team to a repeat championship. Winning in 98 was so much more of an achievement than 97... 2009 will prove far more challenging than 2008.

God I wish we still had Bowman right now... he's the last guy to repeat and he did it with a quarter of this fricking roster.

Again- it's less than 20% of the way into the season, but the fact remains that the Wings apparently haven't turned the corner like we thought they did vs. the Devils.

[akustyk 84]

honestly.... I don't think so. I can recall maybe 4-5 games each of last 2 seasons under Babcock when the Wings were playing

more than 40 minutes. all of them on very special occasions we were playing a quality team from the West the team wanted to

measure itself. on many nights they even limited themselves to one single period of play - typically a third when they come out

and try to get back some goals and possibly even win.

with Scotty Bowman it was more about letting up games rather than periods. so you typically saw 2-3 wins followed by a miserable

loss to a team like Chicago, Columbus or Edmonton where the Wings barely put any effort into skating.

this is typical Wings and I don't blame them for not playing 100% through all 82 regular season games. that just isn't worth this.

what I want is to see this team being able to win games against powerful foes with sufficient effort starting with April. that's it.

the other Wings regularity: wave of "concussions" and "lower/upper body injuries" startin in first half of December and ending up

at the All-Star Break. usually including one or two of our star players who get some rest. I mean this annual "let's get some good

guys from the AHL and see if they're ready to substitute our regular guys" and also "let's see who can step up his game and fill

the Hank/Pavel/Nick/...* void" action

I'd say this is very normal for the Wings and if it happens as early into the season I see no reason to be concerned. at all

[auxlepli 17]

Detroit's defense has been MIA the entire season thus far, and certainly not up to last season's standard. A 5-2 lead early in the third that evaporated is unacceptable for a team looking to repeat as Cup champions no matter if it's early November or late March.

[Doggy 130]

The experienced, seasoned Red Wings have been distracted, impulsive kids all season, or so it would seem. Now is the time guys like Yzerman, Shanahan and Chelios would come in handy.

I'm still a little annoyed we didn't get smashed by the Sharks by 4 or 5 goals. We need a wake-up call as has been stated, however I'm skeptical that this loss will deliver it. This is the fourth time this season I've thought, "This ought to send them a message." Will there be a fifth?

I'm hopeful this will serve as a wake-up call but I'm not holding my breathe. I look forward to seeing which players emerge as the leaders of this team.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Doggy

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Meh, the season is over 80 games, they got over 60 to go? Plenty of time to fix defensive hiccups and get these players in line mentally before the playoffs start.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I agree there's a Cup hangover, but I believe it will pass. I think we're seeing teams give a better effort against the Wings than they did last October and November, because we have the Cup now. By January that'll stop as the grind of the season wears on teams. Patience. Babcock will have this under control.

Oh, and we're 9-2-3 with a figurative smashing headache, slight nausea, and blurry eyes. 9-2-3. Just wait til we get those raw eggs down.

[DaKineMaui 8]

[b.shanafan14 733]

The third period last night was the most frustrating hockey I've seen in a while. The defense wasn't active at all, and every goal scored all the Wings were just standing around in a huddle around Ozzy, there was no surprise when the puck ended up in the net, it was chaos in front of the crease and our once elite defensemen were just adding to it. Countless times the Wings had a chance to clear the puck and opted a softy up the boards that made it barely to the faceoff circle before a Penguin gathered it up.

There was no urgency, and they've relied solely on offense almost as an excuse not to play defense. When it was 5-4 and we scored to make it 6-4 I said to myself "great, you can score at will, now stop them from doing the same".

[Guest Shoreline]

Before we hit the panic button, remember that in order to see adversity you must first encounter it, and to overcome it you must see it. Maybe several embarrassing losses will light a spark under their collective asses and they'll see the fact that they've encountered some early season adversity which can have a rather large play down the road, or worse, if they keep it up.

There's no doubt there were effects of a hangover several games into the season. The Wings just need to figure out how seriously they take this year winning the cup. If we get to December or January and the Wings look like s*** and can't seem to keep a third period lead, especially with time winding down in the 3rd, might want to start considering trading away those who are too comfortably smug and underachieving (or showing little effort or burnout) before the deadline for someone who badly wants to win.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Shoreline