The Wings need to get blown out.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Enough of this crap. We've watched it literally since the first game of the schedule. Call it a cup hang over. Call it laziness. Call it a lack of motivation. Call it Bob Dole. I don't care- just effing end it.

The Wings have won far too many close games they didn't deserve to. They've avoided too many blow outs simply by the power of their offense.

This does not look like a playoff team. And I'm not comfortable assuming everything will just jump back into place in the playoffs.

Cruising to a win based on talent alone is what killed this franchise before Babcock came here.

The team play. The commitment to team defense and making the correct, simple play. The aggressive forechecking and flawless puck-possession. All of that is gone. Where is the team we saw last season? The team that molested the strongest teams in the league all year long (except for February)?

If you think this is whining, stupidity, sky-is-falling... etc, don't reply. Just move along.

I never panic on here- I don't cry that the sky is falling. We're 50 games in and the team looks as bad as they did in October. This is the time to do something. I just want to know that someone in the Wings managment is worried and plans to do something! Bench a star player and bring up two grand rapids kids to play 20 mins a night- I don't fricking care what, just stop folding your hands for fear of messing with a winning formula! Tinker or something but do it before we're giving up 6 goals in the playoffs and feeling like fools.

*sigh* Let the flaming begin.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

The sky is falling!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I'd rather not get blown out and just get our heads out of our ass and start playing Red Wings hockey.

[weGotTheCup89 41]

If anything, I say we judge the team at the end of the year, but based on the above listed observations, I say we need to wait until the end of the year to sign anyone else to a contract.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Simple solution ... make Conklin the starter.

[Louisville 112]

I thought this topic was going to be about something else and now I'm pretty disappointed...

[Mike 0]

Babcock needs to pull a Herb Brooks.

[Guest Shoreline]

Well, this team has injuries. This team has not had solid goaltending and especially not the typical Red Wings solid defense that one expects from cup champs. It may very well be a disappointing postseason if corrections aren't made in a hurry. It's too late in the season now to be making excuses.

[wingfanatic4alltime 32]

I thought this topic was going to be about something else and now I'm pretty disappointed...

That makes two of us

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

This team is making the playoffs despite this snafu. Everybody has snafus during the regular season. I'll worry if they look bad in the playoffs.

[#18 the _Hoss_ 2]

Last time somebody said this (blowout) we beat the s*** out of sharks and lived from that energy a number of games.....

[C-Dub 0]

We'll go 16-0 in the playoffs. You heard it here first.

[Guest mindfly]

I think the wings are too good to be totally blown out, at worst maybe they would go 5-1 or something

You cannot look away from the fact that we had a brilliant assistant coach last year in Mclellan, he's now the head coach of the best team in the NHL... the replacement, McCrimmon, who is a "defense specialist", well the stats speak for themselves, he + no movtivation = epic fail

Edited January 30, 2009 by mindfly

[Wombat 26]

I don't think this team needs a blowout. The team already has had some big losses so I don't see a blowout having any affect. It's a long season and there will be ups and downs. Right now they are down, but I'm confident they will be playing better soon enough.

There are certain guys that are carrying their weight and others that simply need to bring more to the table. It happens and I don't agree that the Wings need to "Bench a star player and bring up two grand rapids kids to play 20 mins a night" The Wings stars for the most part are excelling... it's the bottom half of the roster that needs to pick up some play.

[JayUp88 1]

Call it Bob Dole.

haha love it

[SDavis35 140]

If you want to get blown out, Saturday is the most prime team to do so.

I'm not sure if it'll take a blowout, but maybe a looong slump like a certain month last season will do it. We're already 4 games into one! That was my favourite part of the season looking back, cause we went from "talent driven" wins to "hard work" wins. Everything really solidified after that.

[syntax 359]

The 'play like crap and still win' bubble has burst.

My thoughts are:

1. Fix the PK. It's terrible and EMBARRASSING.

2. Fix/Bench Osgood. Either send him to the minors (not joking, he'll clear wavers) and bring up one of GRs goalies, or just play him every 5 games to give Conklin a rest. It's not like he is absolutely terrible, but he's not making HUGE saves (he is making BIG saves, and yes there is a difference), and that's one of the reason we are losing games. I just feel that he is not playing confidently, and that's carrying over to our defense.

3. Accountability for lack of team play. Unfortunately I think that this is hampered by our salary cap problems. We can't bench *Maltby/Draper/Kopecky*(anyone with a crappy +/-) and bring up guys from GR because we don't have cap space. Perhaps we should dump salary before the trade deadline.

[egroen 384]

The 4th line just has to go.

We have an "energy" line that is lazy and doesn't hit. Sweet!

You're right, I think this team is getting to the point where it was following the 2002 team -- too many veterans.

Too many guys who think they can coast by on talent alone and simply flip a switch in the playoffs.

I love Maltby and Draper, always will... but they are not putting up a consistent effort out there to shut another line down, let alone even energize the team. I find myself wishing they would retire an awful lot, then I feel guilty, then I remember no matter what, we are stuck with Draper, because of probably the worst contract Holland has signed in the salary cap era (which says a lot for Holland - but that Draper contract is a piece of turd).

Edited January 30, 2009 by egroen

[YoungGuns1340 1]

At this point, a blow out isn't going to fix this team. Poor goaltending, no fourth line, no one willing to drop the gloves if only to stick up for teammates, no physical competition, and too many skilled player that are coasting by on their secondary assist counts or the silver platter dishes they're getting from Hank, Hossa, and Datsyuk. This team needs change to the roster, and nothing else is going to fix it. This team looks more like the 05-06 team than the 07-08 team.

Edited January 30, 2009 by YoungGuns1340

[Wombat 26]

At this point, a blow out isn't going to fix this team. Poor goaltending, no fourth line, no one willing to drop the gloves if only to stick up for teammates, no physical competition, and too many skilled player that are coasting by on their secondary assist counts or the silver platter dishes they're getting from Hank, Hossa, and Datsyuk. This team needs change to the roster, and nothing else is going to fix it. This team looks more like the 05-06 team than the 07-08 team.

This is essentially the same team that just won the Cup! There does not need to be a huge amount of change. Every year there should be some turnover to keep it fresh and to keep improving. If this is what you meant, then I do agree with you. There are definite points of improvement this team needs but I think they are in general small fixes.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

This is essentially the same team that just won the Cup! There does not need to be a huge amount of change. Every year there should be some turnover to keep it fresh and to keep improving. If this is what you meant, then I do agree with you. There are definite points of improvement this team needs but I think they are in general small fixes.

First of all, this isn't the same team that just won the cup. The names on the back of the jersey may be the same, but the performance on the ice is worlds away from what it was last year. And as we've seen year after year after year, you can't just "make it all better" in the playoffs.

And yes, what I meant is that there should be some turnover. I don't think we need to blow up this team, but there are a few changes that, IMO, need to be made if the Wings want to have a legitimate chance at repeating.

[ManLuv4Clears 7]

This is essentially the same team that just won the Cup! There does not need to be a huge amount of change. Every year there should be some turnover to keep it fresh and to keep improving. If this is what you meant, then I do agree with you. There are definite points of improvement this team needs but I think they are in general small fixes.

Call me crazy, but the Wings are missing a Dallas Drake type player this year. A hungry vet that will do anything including sacrifice his body for the team and a win.

[egroen 384]

Call me crazy, but the Wings are missing a Dallas Drake type player this year. A hungry vet that will do anything including sacrifice his body for the team and a win.

They keep hoping Kopecky will fill that role (minus the hungry vet). He hasn't.

I hope they try and trade for Neil at the deadline.

I hope Abdelkader can become that type of player.

[Wombat 26]

First of all, this isn't the same team that just won the cup. The names on the back of the jersey may be the same, but the performance on the ice is worlds away from what it was last year. And as we've seen year after year after year, you can't just "make it all better" in the playoffs.

And yes, what I meant is that there should be some turnover. I don't think we need to blow up this team, but there are a few changes that, IMO, need to be made if the Wings want to have a legitimate chance at repeating.

Then we are basically on the same page. There are some tweaks needed unless some players snap back into past form (and I agree with you, just saying it will be all better by the time the playoffs starts is NOT the answer).

Call me crazy, but the Wings are missing a Dallas Drake type player this year. A hungry vet that will do anything including sacrifice his body for the team and a win.

I couldn't agree with you more. It is essentially the same team but for a few changes. While I wasn't posting here before recently, in talking with my friends I was worried about the Hossa for Drake "trade". Hossa is clearly the better player but Drake brought something to the team that no one else did. Hossa, while great, does what Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Franzen do... but no one has stepped up to take Drakes small, but important role.

[stactum 4]

Call me crazy, but the Wings are missing a Dallas Drake type player this year. A hungry vet that will do anything including sacrifice his body for the team and a win.

I totally agree and I've been saying that before that without that kind of player Wings will be out of the Cup contention pretty soon. I do not believe that it's magically will all change during playoffs; team can inherit bad habits during season and carry it over to the playoffs and be out pretty soon.

Now, since Dallas is progressing and Wings are playing the way they are we'll have a chance to meet them in the first round (it's still a long shot, but who knows) and that the last thing I want to see happen.

Edited January 30, 2009 by stactum

[Dominator2005 558]

I'm SICK and TIRED of Osgood's play...