What needs to be improved after 2 games?

[Stiffy 0]

Team defense

Hustle

Energy/Motivation

Penalty Kill

Chemistry

Acceptability! (remember when the Wings could play whatever type of game was needed that night?)

This. Can't say more. Oh wait, how about a goalie with a future.

[Nev 1,085]

I voted "Goaltending" because that was the biggest factor in letting in 8 goals in 2 games.

BUT

The reason we got outplayed for most of those 2 games was because we got outworked and more importantly outmuscled behind our net. We really could've done with Lilja this weekend, but even so, I think I would have mixed up the D pairings so that our biggest, strongest player wasn't on the 3rd unit.

[redwingfan19 293]

wings are simply getting out muscled and trying to be too cute with their passes, goaltending has not been sharp either. Babcock and CO has a lot of work to do this season. Scoring will not be a problem this year by the looks of it. Lots of shots on goal and good chances. D needs to be a lot better, I really don't know whats going on with it but kronner and big e have been our best D men so far, everyone else needs to step it up and lebda must go, i'd rather see janik or even delmore besides him.

It starts with the D, once that issue is fixed the goalies should be better cause they wont be getting hung out to dry all the time and it will definitely help the PK. Fire McCrimmon? trade someone for a shutdown guy? I don't know but this team needs a new look on the defensive end.

[FedorovMan91 1]

I do not know this is goaltending issue or defense issue. What I have also seen is Datsyuk is not working well with Franzen and Holmstrom. Be honest, as far as I love Holmstrom throughtout his career, he has to move out from top 6 forwards. I do not know why Babcock keep separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg. I believe Franzen and Filppula can work out well each other too.

Besides, I don't think our defenses were terrible as last season but Stuart showed no improvement and Lebda was god awful as usual. It is only two games but the goaltending does not look strong to me.

The biggest problem is horrible PK. When we were called as playoff choke team few years ago, our special team was still strong and 07-08 season, I thought we would kill most of penalties against even strong teams. Now, if I see the PK time comes up, I am just too nervous.

Hope the problems can be fixed in a short time

[deetroit dario 27]

i have to agree with most of the points everyone has made, but above all i think the secret lies in Finnishwing's answer....we need to play a solid 60 mins. we can't be the wings for the first 25-30 mins, then become the yotes for the rest of the game.

an observation...the fans are urgent and intense, and the wings are playing (too) patiently. if we could flip that somehow...

[C-TownWing 0]

I do not know this is goaltending issue or defense issue. What I have also seen is Datsyuk is not working well with Franzen and Holmstrom. Be honest, as far as I love Holmstrom throughtout his career, he has to move out from top 6 forwards. I do not know why Babcock keep separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg. I believe Franzen and Filppula can work out well each other too.

I agree on both points. Homer just doesn't have enough anymore to skate with the top 6. Keep him on the PP, because he's still great at planting himself in front of the crease, but 5-on-5 he doesn't have much, if any, value.

Putting Z and D back together and getting Flip on the 2nd line might not be a bad idea. I favor the idea of balancing your lines as much as possible, but there's no denying that they're better together than separately.

[esteef 2,679]

Our trainer sucks.

esteef

[dropkickshanahans 463]

1a) Goaltending

1b) Penalty Killing

[waitahochiminute 2]

Lets make a trade

Whats up with Osgood

Why didn't the swedish players play well

Whats wrong with the defense

How bad is Zetterberg hurt

TRADE for an enforcer

blaaaa blaaaaaa blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

What is the deal with not having faith in this team? Were they not the biggest under dog last year and still made it to the finals? Are the expectations a bit high for this current team? The main goal is to enter the playoffs, losing 2 games out of 82 doesn't tell you anything and definetly isn't a sign that you have to trade people, change the goalie or hire new staff members

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

I smell a merge coming!

Edit: For the record, I said that before the merge!

Edited October 4, 2009 by Hack & Whack Rule!

[gcom007 1,465]

Stop with the goalie bulls***.

Seriously people.

2 games.

In Sweden.

2 games!!!

Osgood didn't play much in the pre-season and it's Howard's first real season in the NHL.

Just stop. For once in your lives, just chill and let things be for awhile.

Just relax, for once...

That's all.

[Shaman 713]

Stop with the goalie bulls***.

Seriously people.

2 games.

In Sweden.

2 games!!!

Osgood didn't play much in the pre-season and it's Howard's first real season in the NHL.

Just stop. For once in your lives, just chill and let things be for awhile.

Just relax, for once...

That's all.

Too much Deja vu for some peoples taste I guess, Ozzy will bounce back, and for the record, it was one game in Sweden for Ozzy.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I thought there was going to be a link in here saying that his play was just that stellar in the playoffs last year.

[MadMan Mark 0]

Is it just me or does this team still have the problems of last year? PK is atrocious and the D looks really bad. Weren't these the 2 issues that were to be addressed the most? Goaltending is weak right now.

Where was the intensity we kept hearing coming from camp?

I laughed at some predictions that had the Wings 6th or 7th in the West. After watching these 2 games, they'll be lucky to make the post-season. How do you dump twice to a team you beat 5 of 6 last year?

Tkachuk, in a limited role, owned the Wings.

Start asserting your presence, Wings. Every one will push you around all year if you don't.

I am very disgusted with the weak effort once we had the lead. . . AGAIN!

[Broken 16 381]

Everything needs improvement. The season is only two games in...

The penalty kill boggles my mind.

[gcom007 1,465]

Too much Deja vu for some peoples taste I guess, Ozzy will bounce back, and for the record, it was one game in Sweden for Ozzy.

Oh fun, I was merged with "What needs to be improved..." Now I'm paired with an original post that's fairly contradictory to the essence of my point.....

Anyways, I was just covering both goalies on that one. We played two games in Sweden. They mean less to me than exhibition games. I'm not surprised we lost because St. Louis has a lot more to play for and prove right now. They're younger and they're hungry and they're bound to start out harder, plus they got Kariya back who's gotta be even more hungry after missing most of last season.

So the last thing I'm going to worry about is the first two games of the season played in Sweden no less after we made it to game 7 of the Finals last year.

I'm not sold on Howard but it's WAY TOO EARLY to throw in the towel. We can start talking about it in December MAYBE if it's really dreadful at that point.

And Osgood?

If you're really about to start ripping on this guy, you might as well follow it up by declaring that you're also an idiot. For example: "Hey guys, we need to get rid of Osgood fast or we're not going to make the playoffs. Let's trade Franzen or Rafalski for Giguere! By the way, did you know that I happen to be a colossal idiot? Let me know what you think..."

And if not for Jedi holding things down pretty tight, I would then reply, "Well, your first statement does substantiate that you are indeed an idiot..."

It's just ridiculous. You'd think after last year people would finally give the goalie thing a rest but NO! All it takes is the first damn game and people are calling for heads to roll. It's nothing short of pathetic.

[gcom007 1,465]

And to touch on everything else...

Besides the fact that it's been two damn games taking place on the other side of the world in a totally different timezone..............

We haven't had a lot of time to gel as these are really the first games being played with the full team.

On top of that, we've got a lot of new guys coming into the system who will take a good 10-20 games to really get comfortable and find their place.

Z's been injured and doesn't have his legs.

Lilja is still out and he's immensely important to our defense.

Helm's out and I think we all got a nice little taste of what he can do on the PK.

Like I said before, Osgood hasn't played a lot yet and this is Howard's first real spin with the NHL.

I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting, but the bottom line is that getting too worked up about anything right now is not worth the time. It's one thing to speculate. I'm all for that and I do plenty of that in other places, but this isn't about speculation anymore. This just boils down to knee-jerk reactions at this point that don't mean a thing in the context of a season. We have nothing of substance to really go on at this point and we won't for a good while.

We can start making reasonable cases for some of this stuff in December MAYBE, but right now, this team's still missing some key guys and learning to gel with some new skaters. Getting too worked up over anything is just a waste of time. It's fine to discuss the games, but you've got to discuss it in the context of a long season and pay mind to things we've learned in the past and things we generally (should...) know about hockey and the Detroit Red Wings.

And many people just need to relax in general and find some solid ground to stand on. What does it say about a person when one is so quick to let knee-jerk reactions dominate one's thought process? Relax. Slow down. Think. It helps. You might even come up with something constructive to add for a change as well which I can assure you many of us will appreciate far more than yet another "PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!" thread...

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Oh, and for the record-- Lebda was on the ice for every single even strength goal against scored so far this season. Yes-- all 5 goals scored in ES on the Wings were with Lebda out there.

[FedorovMan91 1]

Is it just me or does this team still have the problems of last year? PK is atrocious and the D looks really bad. Weren't these the 2 issues that were to be addressed the most? Goaltending is weak right now.

This^^

I mean, the defensive issue still there, goaltending issue, the PK issue. The Wings will make the playoff but this is extremely disappointing performance compared to our expectation even though I believed the Wings would not be as good as few seasons ago for this season. Gotta be interesting. If the Wings D and goalies play terrible again this year while our offeses look weaker than last year, this will be a painful season.

[FedorovMan91 1]

Oh, and for the record-- Lebda was on the ice for every single even strength goal against scored so far this season. Yes-- all 5 goals scored in ES on the Wings were with Lebda out there.

I did not know that. If what you said is right, I strongly miss Lilja. In two games, the Wings just lost momentum after being tied. Almost reminds me the game 3 against the Preds 2 years ago. The one positive thing I can see is Kronwall and Rafalski played far better than a last year.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

It's surreal how bad the PK is, like it's almost like Detroit expects the puck to just go in. They dont attack the points hard enough, and we never clear the crease. EVER.

Goaltending will come hopefully, I'd just like to see some defensive improvements, and a little physial play. This isnt figure skating.

[Guest E_S_A_D]

none of the above

[LeftWinger 5,141]

Well, just noting that Travis Moen has 2 goals and Jason Williams has none.... We could hav been improved by siging Moen to $1.5M instead of Williams. Oh yeah, Moen aslso has 12 penalty minutes, 10 of which are for fighting...

I am still hoping Williams works out, but I sure would have liked to have Moen instead.... (oh yeah Malhotra instead of Eaves too, but we'll see what Eaves does when he gets in.)

Also, fire McCrimmon.... Chelios needs a job....

[Doc Holiday 0]

none of the above

Hurry! Get Mayweather signed so he can save this team!

It's the only way!

[ltgator333 3]

Totally figures that most on here feel it's goaltending that's the problem. A good % of you would cry about a brick wall between the pipes.

After 2 games usually a lot of little things need to be improved!

We'll talk again about this in mid/late October... (when we've got something to talk about!)

Edited October 5, 2009 by ltgator333