A Sobering Statistic On Defense

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

First off, WTF is it with us and our inability to finish games off, especially against Nashville. When they got their 2nd goal you could've predicted the friggin' outcome.

Anyway, to the point of this thread. The Red Wings currently have the 18th ranked defense in the league in regards to overall goals allowed.

In the past 15 years, the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, with the exception of only the Carolina Hurricanes, finished the regular season in the top 10 in overall goals against.

That's right, every single Cup winner except for Carolina has been in the top 10 the past 15 years.

Detroit 1st

Ducks 7th

Carolina 17th

Tampa 10th

NJ 1st

Detroit 3rd

Colorado 2nd

NJ 8th

Dallas 1st

Detroit 7th

Detroit 2nd

Colorado 7th

NJ 5th

Rangers 3rd

Montreal 7th

If the Wings go on to win the Cup they will be the lowest ranked defensive team in at least 16 years to do so.

I'm not going to get into what I really think about our defense and our chances this year because I have tons of faith and I don't feel like smashing the s*** out of my computer. So, please, everyone do as you wish with this information. Sulk about it. Brush it off as insignificant. I don't really care. I just found it to be an interesting and sobering statistic.

[Guest Shoreline]

I don't really care to muse on stats (ironically these you mentioned I pointed out in another topic a week or two or three ago just to mess with someone else's over-usage of them), but the one thing people can easily see is the defense needs work, especially in the clutch, and either they address it in the playoffs (which is 100% clutch time) or we're going to be reading off lots of Freep/Detnews/Mlive/Yahoo/ESPN/TSN articles that start fingerpointing, and it ain't gonna be pretty, I tell you.

I'm pulling for the guys to focus and do the little things (clear the puck out of the zone, box out to make visual space for Oz in front of the net, finishing checks, better defensive position/anticipation while opposing team is on the rush or cycling) that seem to be evading them. Just can't wait to see what happens in a week from now. The Wings faced adversity in a back to back over 10 years ago and can do it again if they can do the little things right and show intensity and hunger a team that desires the cup has.

[titanium2 867]

It's an interesting statistic. But I'm more interested as to how did those teams do defensively the year after they won the cup? Because I think that as far as being the defending champs and stanley cup hangover and whatever that the numbers the year after is a more valid comparison and assessment.

[Kronthewall55 14]

I could be wrong but wasn't it the wings defense coach from last year that went to san jose this season?? if it is... then why is this not brought up in discussion?? our defense has pretty much the same parts... just different results... wouldn't the coaching change have something to do with it?

[Guest Shoreline]

The Wings (former) assistant coach McLellan is the Sharks coach now and there's been plenty of "fire McCrimmon" posts too. At the end of the season, if the Wings defense causes the team to lose out, I'm sure this discussion will be revived along with proposed fire sales of people named "Osgood" or "Cleary" or "Filppula".

[stormboy 47]

well, i'm sober now. i just got out of work, so i think i'm going to go to the bar.

:chug:

look, it's a forum, and you can post whatever the hell you want, but this stat/ideas approximating this stat have been talked about to death here. there was a very similar one about how no team has had a goalie with a regular season as bad as ozzie's and won the cup.

and you know what? we probably won't win the cup. there are plenty of really good teams who really, really want it. no one can possibly want the cup more than san jose this year, after all their disappointments, and they have the talent to go along with it. but until our worst-ever goaltending and swiss-cheese defense lose us the cup, then i will have faith in them.

[CenterIce 83]

I could be wrong but wasn't it the wings defense coach from last year that went to san jose this season?? if it is... then why is this not brought up in discussion?? our defense has pretty much the same parts... just different results... wouldn't the coaching change have something to do with it?

McLennan, the current Sharks head coach, handled the forwards. McLean handled the D. This year McLean handles forwards and McCrimmon the D.

Edited April 10, 2009 by CenterIce

[stormboy 47]

McLennan, the current Sharks head coach, handled the forwards. McLean handled the D. This year McLean handles forwards and McCrimmon the D.

too many f'kin mc's in my opinion. we need to hire some "smiths." either that or mike should change his name to mcbabcock.