Coach Babcock and Holland

[mwagner468 12]

The first season Babcock was here he had to play the hand he was dealt and we lose to Edmonton in the first round. The next year we start to become a heck of a lot harder to play against and I still think we were a better team than that Anaheim team of 07. Next year cup and this year I hope we repeat. It is obivious to me that Babcock has been in the ear of Holland telling him what type of players that we need to win. Having said that I feel we have enough scoring to win in comming years so I ask what role players could be replaced so we could be that much tougher? Maltby, draper,homer kopescky or do you think just one or two of them. If babcock has his way and didnt have to deal with the loyalty factor what upgrades would he make?

[#18 the _Hoss_ 2]

Babs + Kenny = WIN !

[TheOwl 77]

Maltby, draper,homer kopescky or do you think just one or two of them. If babcock has his way and didnt have to deal with the loyalty factor what upgrades would he make?

I don't think Bab's would want a "tougher" team. Skill > Toughness any day. However someone like Getzlaf which are few and far between would make great Red Wing. I hope that Maltby and Draper do choose to retire, not because their useless, but because we need to get the younger talent on the right track. Homer though is still a very effective player, and hopefully will be re-signed when his contract expires.

Edited June 7, 2009 by TheOwl

[Jake Ryan 1]

I don't think Bab's would want a "tougher" team. Skill > Toughness any day. However someone like Getzlaf which are few and far between would make great Red Wing. I hope that Maltby and Draper do choose to retire, not because their useless, but because we need to get the younger talent on the right track. Homer though is still a very effective player, and hopefully will be re-signed when his contract expires.

Ha ha ha ha ha. That's good. I think we should match him to Lidstrom's salary, too. He's just a phenominal force out there. Did you watch last night? Go back and watch the start of the game. It's blatantly obvious that when Holmstrom is on the ice, the Wings scramble. No matter who his linemates are. WATCH THE GAMES, PLEASE. His first shift into the game, he got on the ice with Samuelsson and they spent 30-45 agonizing seconds chasing the Penguins in the Red Wings' zone. Looked like a goal could happen at any time. Thankfully, it didn't, and they got Holmstrom off the ice. The guy is a HUGE LIABILITY 5 on 5, and next year needs to be his FINAL year with the Wings. He should be dropped after this year, but out of loyalty, next year needs to be his FINAL year. The Holmstrom Hard-On is a tough thing to get rid of, but I know you can do it.

[Broken 16 381]

I don't think Bab's would want a "tougher" team. Skill > Toughness any day. However someone like Getzlaf which are few and far between would make great Red Wing. I hope that Maltby and Draper do choose to retire, not because their useless, but because we need to get the younger talent on the right track. Homer though is still a very effective player, and hopefully will be re-signed when his contract expires.

I'm not so sure about Homer. I think he is mentally and physically done.

[Jake Ryan 1]

I'm not so sure about Homer. I think he is mentally and physically done.

Are you kidding me? The guy is the next Ovechkin. And he's only 36 years old. If the Wings don't sign him to 5 years/30 million, I will be very upset. Homer is a sure fire hall of famer.

That's what people actually think here! The HHO is a weird thing that can't be explained scientifically.

"But he gets his ass beat out there. What other player is willing to get his ass beat like that?"

Uhhhhhh, so you're saying that it's hard to fill the spot of "horrible skater who gets his ass beat out there"? One Word = NO.

[RusDRW 155]

No offense, but to be honest I feel sick when somebody jokes about Thomas Holmstrom. Especially, using such a crappy style. He was an integral piece of each and every Red Wings team starting from 1997. He is still an asset. He is still best at what he is doing. I know he started to fade last year. But there is a reason we are winning and players believe in our organization, e.g. like Hossa. And I think the reason behind is that we do not treat older players like a crap. We do not kick them off when they are starting to be less useless than usual (see Draper, Maltby, Homer). Players simply feel secure, feel like at home and this attracts a lot of free agents. Example? Brad Stuart. Do you think this is easy to move from SoCal to Detroit area? He would have gotten an excellent offer at the open market, perhaps, from San Jose (they were looking for defs) and still decided to sign with us...

[Fingercots 6]

I agree that we can't just dump Homer because he's getting older. Holmstrom is still valuable on the PP (he pretty much revolutionized the way people screen on the PP) and even if they just decide to cut his ice time and reserve him for the PP, he's still worth having on the team.

[TheUkrainian 49]

Ha ha ha ha ha. That's good. I think we should match him to Lidstrom's salary, too. He's just a phenominal force out there. Did you watch last night? Go back and watch the start of the game. It's blatantly obvious that when Holmstrom is on the ice, the Wings scramble. No matter who his linemates are. WATCH THE GAMES, PLEASE. His first shift into the game, he got on the ice with Samuelsson and they spent 30-45 agonizing seconds chasing the Penguins in the Red Wings' zone. Looked like a goal could happen at any time. Thankfully, it didn't, and they got Holmstrom off the ice. The guy is a HUGE LIABILITY 5 on 5, and next year needs to be his FINAL year with the Wings. He should be dropped after this year, but out of loyalty, next year needs to be his FINAL year. The Holmstrom Hard-On is a tough thing to get rid of, but I know you can do it.

Have you ever posted anything that didn't involve your hate towards Homer?

I've seen the Wings scramble plenty of times when Homer wasn't on the ice.

[BlakChamber 8]

I don't think Bab's would want a "tougher" team. Skill > Toughness any day. However someone like Getzlaf which are few and far between would make great Red Wing. I hope that Maltby and Draper do choose to retire, not because their useless, but because we need to get the younger talent on the right track. Homer though is still a very effective player, and hopefully will be re-signed when his contract expires.

Toughness doesn't have to mean a bunch of goons on skates. If you think Babcock doesn't like tough players, I believe you are sorely mistaken.

Toughness means going into the corners to battle for the pucks, finishing your checks, and holding your ground in front of the net. Which is exactly what has happened under Babcock and what was missing under Lewis.

[T.OWingsFan 7]

Babs said he learned alot from that Oilers series and wanted his skilled team to play a similar defensive game.

Ironically that series was probably the best thing to happen to this franchise in the 4 years after they won in 2002.

And remember how BLEAK it looked? Shanny gone. Yzerman gone. No Feds. No goaltending.

Wow the more things change the more they stay the same.

Edited June 7, 2009 by T.OWingsFan

[Guest Shoreline]

Toughness doesn't have to mean a bunch of goons on skates. If you think Babcock doesn't like tough players, I believe you are sorely mistaken.

Toughness means going into the corners to battle for the pucks, finishing your checks, and holding your ground in front of the net. Which is exactly what has happened under Babcock and what was missing under Lewis.

What's funny is these Wings are tough in the very sense you mentioned. Earlier in the season I got on their asses because they weren't finishing checks. Later in the season and especially throughout the postseason, just like last year, they've done a magnificent job of doing just that. Including Homer. Toughness and fighting aren't one and the same. Our guys are tough, just not into the goonery s***, and for the better.

That being said, Babs is an excellent coach and this team has bought into his system, along with success coming from those two things, which denotes an excellent team. Not exactly a brilliant piece of thinking there but sometimes it just needs to be said in a simple fashion.

Edited June 7, 2009 by Shoreline

[Jake Ryan 1]

Have you ever posted anything that didn't involve your hate towards Homer?

I've seen the Wings scramble plenty of times when Homer wasn't on the ice.

He's a minus 2 this series. He's a minus 1 for the playoffs. Maltby is a minus 1 for the playoffs. Chelios is even in plus minus for the playoffs. Are you getting the picture? Some of these guys aren't aging like Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Osgood. Some of them are OVER THE HILL. I'm not saying that the Wings should treat them like dirt. I'm just saying it's time for Holmstrom, Maltby, and Chelios to work in the front office or manage restaurants. That's all.

[R.Rabbit 0]

What's funny is these Wings are tough in the very sense you mentioned. Earlier in the season I got on their asses because they weren't finishing checks. Later in the season and especially throughout the postseason, just like last year, they've done a magnificent job of doing just that. Including Homer. Toughness and fighting aren't one and the same. Our guys are tough, just not into the goonery s***, and for the better.

That being said, Babs is an excellent coach and this team has bought into his system, along with success coming from those two things, which denotes an excellent team. Not exactly a brilliant piece of thinking there but sometimes it just needs to be said in a simple fashion.

QTF

Anybody else see the interview with Babcock where he talked about this very thing? He talks about ramping up the play, finishing checks & more physical play about halfway through the season getting ready for the playoffs...