Will You Be Surprised if the Wings dont make the Playoffs?

[FedorovMan91 1]

Again, let me state one thing. It is only two games into the season and we still need to watch at least 8 more games to find out where this team is. However, it can be considered as only two games in one way but it can be considered as this trend will continue until the end of a season. What I have seen from last season and what I have seen from this season's two games are no different.

To be a successful team in the season, the team needs to know how to keep the lead. To achieve that, it is unavoidble that either your defenses or goalie should be on fire. At this point till, the Wings have neither. Goalies suck and Stuart, Lebda are just big holes. Besides, that awful PK has not been fixed yet. Now, our star players do not work well either. Also, PP looks inaccurate.

When the season started last year, even though the defenses were just terrible, we still believed the Wings would get back its own form because we still had a long way to go. Now what? 1 year? I mean, no one in this board is in panic except for bandwagons. However, seriously, how long does this team need more to fix defensive issues and goalie issues?

Besides, one comment OP made is also correct. I am not saying in a negative way but some people are too optimistic about this team. Since this team has been the most successful team in all professional sports leagues for around last 15 years, some people are still in feeling that the Wings will do good whatever happens. In fact, this season looks far tougher than the 06-07 season, which many people doubt the success of the Wings.

Anyway, let's see what happens for next 8 games

[henrik40 76]

As an outsider (a Hawk fan who visits from time to time as i do many other teams boards) I would be surprised if they miss the playoffs but won't be surprised at what i see as a fairly steady and far falling decline over the next few years.

For this season the Wings have essentially lost a player off each line (Hossa, Samuelsson, Hudler, Kopecky) and are trying to replace them with castoffs and players from lower lines moving up. One of the reasons the Wings were good was they had that depth but now ...

Lose a 1st liner and a 2nd liner bumps up.

Also lose a 2nd liner and you are bumping up 2 3rd liners.

Also lose a 3rd liner and your whole 4th line is the 3rd line.

It didn't happen exactly that way but the signings the Wings are trying to plug in the holes are not good enough and it is time for some of you to be honest ... There is very little on the way.

The Wings were built in origin on the backs of great drafts from the mid 80's into the early 90's. From that point until recently with a deep pocketed owner money was freely spent to fill and holes as needed. Back in the big spender days moving picks to find those players was no problem, just sell more Pizzas and buy the players you need.

Now that is not an opotion and (IMO) it will hit the Red Wings harder and deeper than many other teams. Fact is they have nothing on the way that most would consider top flight prospects. This because of both winning and trading. Somethign like 92% of all NHL players come from the 1st 4 rounds and while you can all wave Zetterberg and Datsyuk in peoples faces that is over a lot of drafts and includes a lot of higher round failures.

2003 = no 1st, no 3rd, Howard and Quincey

2004 = no 1st, no 2nd, Franzen, McGrath

2005 = Possible 2nd pair D and 2 bottom 6 wingers.

Too early for the rest but you only had 2 1sts in those 3 years and because you were good none is higher than 27th. And only 2 2nd round picks over that period along with 4 3rds and a 4th.

The teams decline will be it's lack of depth, mostly caused by moving picks for players in the glory years. What do you really have to show (draft wise) for the 11 year period from 1994 to 2004? (Franzen, Filppula, Kronwall, Zetts and Dats and Holmstrom) Combine that with the above and the ages of your current stars and I don't think it is going to be pretty.

They will make the playoffs and actually depending on how Chicago and St. Louis mature they could even win ONE MORE division. However you can't consider them a cup threat and this will be the last year at or near the top of the mountain.

All of that of course is just my opinion, I could be wrong.

it's called the salary cap bud. you'll get your lesson come next year. as for our farm system, we still have solid prospects on their way .

[Doc Holiday 0]

Fedorov, you also need to look at the other side of that coin. The majority of the fans who are playing doom and gloom are so complacent with the success the Wings have had that now that the Wings look more normal than usual (and for two games in a row), the Wings are now in big trouble.

Detroit has been in worse situations than this (take a look at the February slump in 2008) and has done better off with less talent. Give Detroit some time to play in North America and get their act together before assuming the team will struggle.

This is the Detroit Red Wings. They are considered one of the best for a reason.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

oh. now that the thread title has changed, let me jump in on this not-at-all-whiny topic.

Yes.

[Winged_Wheeler 3]

Wow the Wings lose 2 games and already a thread like this pops up. Not surprising in these forums, but our team is going to be fine. Trust me, if the team gets pissed they'll give a better effort. The Blues are a hungrier team, they want to win

[Buppy 1,720]

... The majority of us felt that the Wings lack defense. Let's face it, you guys didn't improve over the summer in defense and you have basically the same defense that let in an average 3 goals a game from last year....

We also have basically the same defense that won a Jenning's trophy two years ago. Osgood proved in the playoffs that his skills haven't left him, as did the defense. Some intensity and a full 60 minute effort and this is still one of top defenses in the league.

[FedorovMan91 1]

Fedorov, you also need to look at the other side of that coin. The majority of the fans who are playing doom and gloom are so complacent with the success the Wings have had that now that the Wings look more normal than usual (and for two games in a row), the Wings are now in big trouble.

Detroit has been in worse situations than this (take a look at the February slump in 2008) and has done better off with less talent. Give Detroit some time to play in North America and get their act together before assuming the team will struggle.

This is the Detroit Red Wings. They are considered one of the best for a reason.

I am not being paniced or being shocked. What I am saying is either defense or goalie should be good to win the game. It has been more than a year the Wings D and goalie show a terrible performance together.

[Buppy 1,720]

As an outsider (a Hawk fan who visits from time to time as i do many other teams boards) I would be surprised if they miss the playoffs but won't be surprised at what i see as a fairly steady and far falling decline over the next few years.

...

The Wings were built in origin on the backs of great drafts from the mid 80's into the early 90's. From that point until recently with a deep pocketed owner money was freely spent to fill and holes as needed. Back in the big spender days moving picks to find those players was no problem, just sell more Pizzas and buy the players you need.

Now that is not an opotion and (IMO) it will hit the Red Wings harder and deeper than many other teams. Fact is they have nothing on the way that most would consider top flight prospects. This because of both winning and trading. Somethign like 92% of all NHL players come from the 1st 4 rounds and while you can all wave Zetterberg and Datsyuk in peoples faces that is over a lot of drafts and includes a lot of higher round failures.

2003 = no 1st, no 3rd, Howard and Quincey

2004 = no 1st, no 2nd, Franzen, McGrath

2005 = Possible 2nd pair D and 2 bottom 6 wingers.

Too early for the rest but you only had 2 1sts in those 3 years and because you were good none is higher than 27th. And only 2 2nd round picks over that period along with 4 3rds and a 4th.

The teams decline will be it's lack of depth, mostly caused by moving picks for players in the glory years. What do you really have to show (draft wise) for the 11 year period from 1994 to 2004? (Franzen, Filppula, Kronwall, Zetts and Dats and Holmstrom) Combine that with the above and the ages of your current stars and I don't think it is going to be pretty.

...

People have been predicting a 'steady decline' for the past 10 years. Eventually you'll be right, I suppose. No doubt the cap will make it more difficult to rebuild on the fly, but we've done well so far, and we've also found some significant talent with our drafts and cheap signings. Franzen, Flip, Ericcson, Helm, Leino, Abdelkader, Cleary...Hudler could come back as well. Pav, Hank, and Franzen have quite a few years left, and free agency is still an option.

This team has been to the 3rd round the last three years, finals the last two, won one Cup, and has not changed all that much. Most of our core players are still in either the 'prime' or 'still improving' portions of their careers. One of our 'old' guys is still arguably the best defenseman in the game. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that we will not be a serious Cup contender this year, and quite likely next year as well.

The Central is certainly a tough division, and I expect Chicago to be a serious Cup contender as well, who could very well win the division. That does not mean the Wing's status as contenders is over. You'll forgive us our optimism. Player of the Decade, Coach of the Decade, GM of the Decade, Team of the Decade...The decade ain't quite over yet.

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Ok, so Jedi fixed the name of this thread. That tells me that it shouldn't have started, or should have been removed quite quickly.

Since that didn't happen, I'll join in.

Yes, I would be surprised. People will move around, lines will change and everybody will panic over that. When all is said and done, the Red and White will still be playing come April, and May, and June. Bringing home the Cup may not happen, but I don't believe playoff contention is even a question.

ps: I hope this qualifies as a contribution.

[Buppy 1,720]

I am not being paniced or being shocked. What I am saying is either defense or goalie should be good to win the game. It has been more than a year the Wings D and goalie show a terrible performance together.

Forgetting the playoffs?

Healthy worry is fine, but our last playoff is ample proof that this team has the ability to be very good defensively. We just need the boys to realize we might not be able to outscore a lack of defensive effort like we did last year.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Umm.. yeah, it's a longggg season.

[C-TownWing 0]

People have been predicting a 'steady decline' for the past 10 years. Eventually you'll be right, I suppose. No doubt the cap will make it more difficult to rebuild on the fly, but we've done well so far, and we've also found some significant talent with our drafts and cheap signings. Franzen, Flip, Ericcson, Helm, Leino, Abdelkader, Cleary...Hudler could come back as well. Pav, Hank, and Franzen have quite a few years left, and free agency is still an option.

This team has been to the 3rd round the last three years, finals the last two, won one Cup, and has not changed all that much. Most of our core players are still in either the 'prime' or 'still improving' portions of their careers. One of our 'old' guys is still arguably the best defenseman in the game. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that we will not be a serious Cup contender this year, and quite likely next year as well.

The Central is certainly a tough division, and I expect Chicago to be a serious Cup contender as well, who could very well win the division. That does not mean the Wing's status as contenders is over. You'll forgive us our optimism. Player of the Decade, Coach of the Decade, GM of the Decade, Team of the Decade...The decade ain't quite over yet.

Great post...my thoughts as well. It'll be awfully tough to win this division, so if we have to settle for a 4/5 seed, I can see that, but missing the playoffs isn't even a possibility in my mind. We do have to get better than what we showed this weekend, but we will. Chicago and Washington next week won't make it easy to do quickly though

And for those of you freaking out about the goaltending, two words: Brodeur, Luongo.

[hokike 1]

I wouldn not be surprised of anything.

very comfortable prediction

Contributed.

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

Oi...two games in and people jumping ship...so easy to cheer for a team when they're winning, I suppose.

Keep the faith and hold the line, we will be rewarded!!

[kylee 727]

Remember in 08 when the Wings lost like 8 straight games? Just done.

yeah exactly!

look at how bad things ended that year..

[mackel 681]

Oi...two games in and people jumping ship...so easy to cheer for a team when they're winning, I suppose.

Keep the faith and hold the line, we will be rewarded!!

We will make the playoffs, as the #6 seed in the west, #3 in the central division... thats my prediction... I also predict that at some point this season Larsson will be this teams starter, Ozzie injured, Howard sucking being the reason. Those are my predictions, am I right likely not but its fun to try and guess.

[_Gassoff 0]

I would be very surprised if the Wings do not make the Playoffs.

It would make them harder to hate.

[SoDakWing 8]

REALLLY???? two games in and already starting up this bulls***... LET THE SEASON PLAY OUT... atleast to 60 games then we can talk playoffs. we still have 80 games left until the playoffs start so lets let them play hockey.

[Snazzy 0]

Wings played only six 20-minute periods in the best of 82 games, and we are already deeming them to miss the playoffs. Nice.

I blame Granholm for cutting the funds for Michigan education.

[Guest Shoreline]

Will you be surprised if there are Wings fans who jump off the deep end after a loss or two and prematurely declare a season over before it ends?

No.

Agreed!

[FinWing 26]

Hahaha fail. Two out of 82 games down and talk about not making the playoffs comes up. About time I guess...

[Aussie_Wing 354]

This will go down as one of the most ridiculous threads in history. Can't wait for the Wings to finish top or close to it at the end of the regular season and for this thread to make the initial poster feel like a fool.

80 games remaining and yet we're in danger of missing the playoffs? Gosh.

[Dynheart 42]

The Wings will make the playoffs. You just don't go from the top of the mountain to bottom of the barrel in the west over 1 season. As for goaltending...We'll be fine. Ozzie proves he has what it takes...he'll have a bounce back year. Besides, we are prolly the most judgemental fanbase in the NHL to their team. Ozzie stoned Columbus (they were out playing the wings first couple of games), these forums praised him. It's pretty well accepted that he is the reason we even got past the 2nd round...as for the third, we dominated. This entire time, these forums called for conn smythe! He lets in one iffy, not really bad, but iffy goal...all the sudden he sucks, trade him, he's no good. PUT IN CONKLIN! Need I bring up '08? Put Luongo in net, he'll get the same treatment. Stones the opposition, he's conn smythe material. Lets in a goal, trade him!

My point is that the Wings will be fine, defense will get tweaked and Ozzie will perform. 1 bad game from both goalies, at the begining of the year no less, doesn't = suck. I agree with the majority of the thread. Wait 20 games.

PS: To the people who said conklin is better...just to show you what good and bad defense can do...The wing walked over the Blues defense the first...almost 3 goal in like 7 shots? Against Conklin! The Blues played shutdown hockey after the first. all the sudden the wing could only take bad angle shots, easy saves for Conklin. Conks did make a few good saves, but he was far from great.

[I Red Wings I 40]

I'd be surprised, that's just me though

[e_prime 1,936]

FACT: The last time the Detroit Red Wings did not qualify for the playoffs was the 1989-90 season.

Would I be surprised to see the Red Wings not make the playoffs this year? Absof***inglutely.

Do I think there's a snowball's chance in hell that we're not going to go to the playoffs? Simply. NO.