dat's sick 1,002 Report post Posted March 9, 2009 Right now I'd rather face San Jose, Chicago or Calgary in the 1st round than Columbus. The Wings seem to only play their best against the big teams. Hopefully their motivation will be there against the "lesser" teams once it's in the playoffs though. I don't think they should worry too much about finishing 1st or 2nd. The most important thing is fixing their problems, and as long as they do that before the playoffs start they should be able to beat any team with or without home-ice advantage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted March 9, 2009 (edited) San Jose games remaining: Minnesota, St. Louis (road) LA, Anaheim (back to back) Phoenix Nashville Dallas, Colorado (back to back) Chicago, Nashville (road, back to back) Phoenix Calgary, Edmonton (road) Anaheim, Anaheim (back to back) Colorado Phoenix LA pretty much all of those teams besides Phoenix, LA, Calgary, and Chicago are fighting for a playoff spot, with Calgary and Chicago being pretty tough opponents as is. This is where those two extra games in hand might be a bit of a problem for San Jose. The way that the bubble teams are playing right now will give San Jose little time to relax between now and the post season. I'm looking at it as two extra days off for the Wings, but at the cost of being down to San Jose by potentially two games. Detroit games remaining: Phoenix Calgary St. Louis, Columbus (road, back to back) Philidelphia Atlanta, Calgary, Edmonton (road) NYI Nashville St. Louis Minnesota, Buffalo (back to back) Nashville Chicago, Chicago (back to back) Three of those games (Islanders, Phoenix, and Atlanta) are against teams pretty much too far out of a playoff spot to do much about it now. Everything else should be a good, tight, game with the possible exception of the home and home against Chicago, where better players from each team may be resting. You can analyze the schedules how you will, but looking at it, I think there is definitely a possibility the Wings can end up 1st in the league, if they can pull their heads out of their asses for long enough to finish the season. It all depends on how long San Jose want to keep their heads in their asses, too. Although its too early to tell, Vancouver is sitting comfortably in 5th place with four points and two games in hand over the rest of the competition. If they maintain the position and can take out the 4th place team in the first round (most likely Chicago, as they're somewhat comfortably ahead of Vancouver), the first place team would most likely be versing Vancouver, assuming none of the 6th 7th and 8th seeded teams win (which would be a definite possibility seeing as how we're expecting both us and San Jose to win for this assumption, otherwise either one of us is eliminated and speculation is moot). However if Calgary beats their opponent it would be 1st vs Vancouver, 2nd vs Calgary. It may very well come down to whether you prefer to play Vancouver or Calgary in the second round, assuming no upsets. I honestly think I would prefer Luongo's Vancouver, because although I'm certain the Wings are capable of outplaying both the Nucks and the Flames in a seven game series, I would not want to face the Sharks in the WCF after being grinded away against the Flames. Edited March 9, 2009 by Echolalia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjlegend 155 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 If Nabokov is hurt much longer, the Wings shouldn't have any trouble getting first place in the conference. The Flames haven't been doing all that hot in their last couple of games, so they don't scare me at all unless they go on a 15-0 tear. I hope the Flames play someone like Dallas in the first round and get knocked out because they overplayed Kiprusoff in the regular season. Where have we seen the Flames do that before? I respect San Jose and Calgary for the success they've had this season but I just think a fairly healthy Red Wings team beats them in a seven game series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dabura 12,232 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) I know first place doesn't really mean anything for regular season, but isn't it better to have your team go into playoffs fighting for something instead of being like "Okay well whatever. It doesn't matter. Let's just vacation" and then have to turn it on for the playoffs? Agreed. This team has been floating all season long -- and it still is. How do you snap a team out of that? Well, you certainly don't tell the players, "Hey, take it easy. Relax. These games are meaningless. We'll magically turn it on against a team that will have been playing playoff hockey for 1-2 months." Edited March 10, 2009 by Dabura Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wingsallwin 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 Basically, we always play better against strong teams but against easy teams, we are having a trouble. BJ is not a weak tema but you cannot call BJ super strong. I think we need a number one seed. It does not matter? I think it matters. You know this team's PK is awful on the road while home PK is good? I don't know that will be dealt in the playoff too but that is what I am worrying about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SouthernWingsFan 854 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 I'd like for Wings to get the #1 seed obviously for home-ice advantage, but I don't want them killing themselves or getting too many injuries doing it if possible. They are going to make the playoffs regardless of if it is #1/#2. Won't fret all that much if they don't finish first overall in conference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovin Jiri Fischer 147 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 All this talk about "getting injured while pursuing the #1 seed" is silly. These aren't sissy girls we are talking about. They are grown adult hockey players. Injuries happen regardless of what seed the team is pursuing. And I'm sure if there was an injury, Babcock will not be saying "The injury was all my fault. We should have never tried to win and then maybe this wouldn't have happened" in the post-game interview. And last time I checked, we have not mathematically clinched a playoff spot yet, so we kinda do still need to play to win. We can't just pick up and leave because we're scared of injuries anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sureWhyNot 19 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 These teams will be even up in games come the end of the month. With each team having 4 more sets of back to back games, where do you think they will finish? Who knows -- I would hope they spend the majority of their time hoping and praying that Osgood morphs into something half decent the night before the playoffs start. I know that has been the go to of so many around here, and hopefully, with a stroke of good luck, it pays off. But to work, I do think it will take as many people as possible, so if I were Holland I would enact a new and mandatory 15 minute "pray Ozzie magically becomes half decent overnight" session both before and after each practice and game. *God knows I am crossing my fingers and saying my prayers.* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dabura 12,232 Report post Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) All this talk about "getting injured while pursuing the #1 seed" is silly. These aren't sissy girls we are talking about. Moreover, the competition is going to lay it on them here in the final stretch -- that's an inevitability. The only question is, How will they respond? (Hopefully by rising to the challenge.) Edited March 10, 2009 by Dabura Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
