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Ken Holland on WDFM: Next seasons expectations

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Sounds good to me.

The 2008-2009 Red Wings were the best scorers in the league but were in the bottom half of the league defensively. They made it to game 7 of the Finals.

The 2007-2008 Red Wings were among the best scorers, but not the top team, and were among the best defensive teams as well. They won the Stanley Cup in game 6 of the Finals.

What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

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Awesome interview. Thanks.

I like his point of view that without the crutch (Hossa), this team will have no choice but to get back to the great defensive hockey we know they can play. Not to mention that a season of solid defensive play would seem to lessen overall wear and tear.

Sounds like a plan. :)

Edited by Broken 16

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Sounds good to me.

The 2008-2009 Red Wings were the best scorers in the league but were in the bottom half of the league defensively. They made it to game 7 of the Finals.

The 2007-2008 Red Wings were among the best scorers, but not the top team, and were among the best defensive teams as well. They won the Stanley Cup in game 6 of the Finals.

What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

Way to go Drake! There goes all the Hudler-maniacs arguemtn about replacing his 23 goals with a defensive FA who can only score 10! Now what are they use against me? :lol:

Seriously, unlike a lot of users here, I don't think we are going to suffer much by losing Hossa/Sammy and possibly Hudler. SUre that is 80 or so goals, but if you get more defensive minded forwards than Hudler is, you can easily shave off 40 or more goals against this season, and you know that with Helm playing all year he is gonna put some in the net, as well as whoever they sign or bring up. If we lose Hudler, it won't be the end of the world, everyone should just calm down...

Leino is should get 15-20, Helm should get 10-15, Joe UFA should get you 10. On the low end thats 35 goals if you have more defensinve minded forwards, you will esily make up the difference...

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Way to go Drake! There goes all the Hudler-maniacs arguemtn about replacing his 23 goals with a defensive FA who can only score 10! Now what are they use against me? :lol:

Seriously, unlike a lot of users here, I don't think we are going to suffer much by losing Hossa/Sammy and possibly Hudler. SUre that is 80 or so goals, but if you get more defensive minded forwards than Hudler is, you can easily shave off 40 or more goals against this season, and you know that with Helm playing all year he is gonna put some in the net, as well as whoever they sign or bring up. If we lose Hudler, it won't be the end of the world, everyone should just calm down...

Leino is should get 15-20, Helm should get 10-15, Joe UFA should get you 10. On the low end thats 35 goals if you have more defensinve minded forwards, you will esily make up the difference...

Ya I think I have to agree with you. Even without Hudler I think we are just as deep as Calgary (actually quite deeper on offense) and I think they could be a legitimate contender if Kiprusoff returns to old form. Obviously our top six must pick up some of the slack, but I believe if we can sure up our defense we will be fine. (Osgood/Howard must be strong too)

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We have some of the best defensive forwards in the game. They will create opportunities from their play. I don't care if we win 2-0, 2-1, 3-2, as long as we win. I believe we will see a much tighter checked game in our own zone, taking care not to be out of position.

We have the best defensive player to ever lace up the skates and young, tough hitters to fill out our D corp.

I want to see an improved PK. That seemed to be our Achilles heel.

Go Wings!

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We have some of the best defensive forwards in the game. They will create opportunities from their play. I don't care if we win 2-0, 2-1, 3-2, as long as we win. I believe we will see a much tighter checked game in our own zone, taking care not to be out of position.

We have the best defensive player to ever lace up the skates and young, tough hitters to fill out our D corp.

I want to see an improved PK. That seemed to be our Achilles heel.

Go Wings!

Exactly! But, in Brad McCrimmon up to the task? I say hire Chelios or try to intice Jaques LEmaire to come here to be the Defense coach...

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Exactly! But, in Brad McCrimmon up to the task? I say hire Chelios or try to intice Jaques LEmaire to come here to be the Defense coach...

Now that is an idea. . . Let Lemaire focus on the D and PK. . . doubt it would ever happen but I like it

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It's maybe putting a little bit of faith into a guy like Leino, but I figure that between him and Flip and hopefully Hudler they'll be able to recoup the 60 goals lost from Hossa and Sammy, or close to it. If Hank gets back into gear and has another 40 goal campaign or Franzen can stay healthy, who knows.

For sure, though, they've got to be better on defense. Ozzie will be better, couldn't be much worse than last year but I think he's going to be good, so I anticipate the season will be a little more enjoyable this year. Which doesn't say anything about the playoffs, but that's a long ways from now.

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Sounds good to me.

The 2008-2009 Red Wings were the best scorers in the league but were in the bottom half of the league defensively. They made it to game 7 of the Finals.

The 2007-2008 Red Wings were among the best scorers, but not the top team, and were among the best defensive teams as well. They won the Stanley Cup in game 6 of the Finals.

What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

Spot on.

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Sounds good to me.

The 2008-2009 Red Wings were the best scorers in the league but were in the bottom half of the league defensively. They made it to game 7 of the Finals.

The 2007-2008 Red Wings were among the best scorers, but not the top team, and were among the best defensive teams as well. They won the Stanley Cup in game 6 of the Finals.

What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

Although we did have the 2nd best GAA in the playoffs, even better then Pittsburgh. Our PK was still horrible tho.

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Guest E_S_A_D

Holland really knows how to get fans pumped for the regular season! lol...

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Sounds good to me.

The 2008-2009 Red Wings were the best scorers in the league but were in the bottom half of the league defensively. They made it to game 7 of the Finals.

The 2007-2008 Red Wings were among the best scorers, but not the top team, and were among the best defensive teams as well. They won the Stanley Cup in game 6 of the Finals.

What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

S'what I've been saying for the past week since people started crying that Hossa left. We had better defensive numbers and won a Cup without him. With him, we had about 30 more GF, but lost. Back to my old mantra: "Offense gets you to the playoffs, but defense wins Cups."

~ Z

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Although we did have the 2nd best GAA in the playoffs, even better then Pittsburgh. Our PK was still horrible tho.

That just tells you that 5 on 5 we were virtually unbeatable, if we take care of the PK, we're golden! or should I say Silver! ;)

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Makes sense, Detroit's not going to score as many goals without Hossa (and probably Hudler too) so they're going to have to give up less goals too. No surprise here.

Does this mean we're getting rid of Brad McCrimmon?!

LOL

Edited by Scotty

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Holland really knows how to get fans pumped for the regular season! lol...

Was that what he was trying to do?

Seems like he would have said something like "You ready for some hardcore puck possession action? Well in the 2009-2010 season you are going to get that AND MOREEEE! FEWER GOALS! LESS AND LESS GOALS!! LESS FIGHTS!!! MORE HOLDING THE PUCK!!! MORE DEFENSIVE PLAY!! AND YOU GUESSED IT....BETTER TEAM DISCIPLINE!! I'M READY, ARE YOU!?"

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Does this mean we're getting rid of Brad McCrimmon?!

Seriously, how else would the Wings suddenly become better on defense? Last year was atrocious. But now they are supposed to be back to playing top-notch defense after losing key players? I don't get it...

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I would buy all the arguments about the difference between the winning '08 team and the losing '09 team if half our team including top core guys weren't injured throughout the playoffs and we hadn't made it to GAME 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals despite it. You guys are making a lot of convenient arguments about the defense especially considering in the playoffs we were pretty solid. Reality is, we still just lost a lot of goals and I don't buy the whole "we'll be better defensively without the Hossa crutch." I think that's silly especially if you consider the nature of our defensive issues. I'm not saying we'll be horrible. That remains to be seen. But I am saying that the majority of the statements that have been made about the team last season compared to the season before and the defensive aspects are fuzzy at best.

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Seriously, how else would the Wings suddenly become better on defense? Last year was atrocious. But now they are supposed to be back to playing top-notch defense after losing key players? I don't get it...

Did Mcrimmon design for the dmen to be more offensive minded instead of defensive minded?

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What was the difference between the winning Wings and losing Wings? Defense. We don't need to be the top team in the league in scoring, we need to have the lowest GAA and the best PK.

I wholeheartedly agree... but how has our D improved this offseason thusfar? I also doubt having Howard as a fulltime backup will help.

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Seriously, how else would the Wings suddenly become better on defense? Last year was atrocious. But now they are supposed to be back to playing top-notch defense after losing key players? I don't get it...

How did they somehow become WORSE on defense last year when they lost Drake, and gained Hossa?

I thought Hossa was a pretty damn good defensive player.

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