Players That Are Wasting Space

[Guest mindfly]

I just watched the game and it was embarassing to watch osgood let that puck in in OT... what a rediculous regular season goalie he is... ABYSMAL.

What happend to the Phoenix-wings GDT?

Edited October 23, 2009 by mindfly

[lfd250 1]

Maltby 6games 2g 2a 4p +3

homer 8 games 5g 1a 6p +0

burt 8games 1g 2a 3p -4

might want to think wasted space

[Guest blueadams]

i agree that homer should be relegated to 4th line/pp duty. he is just worthless in 5 on 5 play.

roll...

1) datsyuk-zetterberg-cleary...clearly, the best 5 on 5 line that we have to offer. get these guys out there together and we will see mass production.

2) leino-filppula-williams...they've had the best chemistry of any three skaters this season, roll with it.

3) abdelkader-helm-bertuzzi...this could be a very exciting third line, couldn't it? bang, speed, little scoring.

4) may/maltby-draper-holmstrom...minimal ice time for these guys, but whatever, gotta have a place for the specialists.

1) lidstrom-rafalski

2) kronwall-stuart

3) ericsson-kindl...enough already with lebda and meech. give the kid a shot. at the very least, he'll apply some pressure to these guys.

osgood

TRADE...ozzie has lost his focus, again. bring in a guy that can seriously compete for that starting spot to get him going again. absolutely MUST trade for a competent 2nd goalie. no problem giving up howard here with mccollum/larsson on board. throw in eaves? meech? who knows. something!

[kook_10 1,705]

roll...

1) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

3) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

4) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

who says we have to roll 4 lines for 60 minutes any more? it's a myth that the Wings have any more depth than other teams these days.

Edited October 23, 2009 by kook_10

[b.shanafan14 733]

Blaming Osgood is getting old. The GWG was uber weak, but like others have said, it should have never gotten that far.

The Wings used to be built around defense with great offensive upside, that was 2008 when they won the Cup

After bringing on Hossa, and everyone hitting stride in the scoring department, the Wings seemed to abandon defensive responsibility, opting to win games 5-4 instead of 2-1. Almost taking a 80s Oilers-esque strategy. Same defensive and checking personnel as the year before, vastly different result.

And now here we are, eventhough we have roughly the same defense and checking personnel that we won the cup with, minus Sammy, we can't score more than 2 goals a game and we lack the defensive responsibility we used to have to make up for it. I'm sorry, but if you're going to let the Coyotes outshoot you, you better not blame a loss on your $1.6mil goaltender.

[Stiffy 0]

Just a question - but does anyone think that the loss in Game 7 last year is still playing on the minds and bodies of the players during this current season? We went all the way like Pittsburgh, but came out empty handed. Also less rest time than the other teams in the league. I'm not trying to use it as an excuse, just that it must be such a blow to the players to go all that way, and end up losing.

Plus the fact that we let so many players go this off season, including a very capable backup (Conks). I'm not sure what the answer to all this is - so I'm not going to even try to come up with one (and get ripped! ). I just wanted to see what other people's opinions were.

I don't know how much, but I think it is a factor. I think the answer is a change in coaching. In the past the Wings were treated like big boys who knew what to do and how to play. I think a little more hard ass approach is worth a shot.

[LeftWinger 5,152]

This is all Lilja's fault! He's just sitting there doing nothing! Also Datsyuk and Zetterberg suffering from Holmstromitis, they can't carry the load by themselves pplz! This season's gonna suck I give up on this team we're obviously gonna finish 3-82-2.

Out.

...and who leads the team in goals? Exactly, Holmstrom....

No doubt, the WIngs need a shake up, but everyone else is playing too good throughout the league to wan to give up any bodies. Fire McCrimmon, Give Howard his shot, a REAL shot, give him about 10 starts in a row and if screws up, make a deal for a goaler...

The good news is, well, none, but hey, if the Wings couyld hold a third period lead the'd be 7-1! They had leads is every game except Buffalo.....

Falls directly on the defensive side of the puck. Fire McCrimmon.

[Johnny Law 15]

The problem with last night's lines is that it leaves the team without a viable offensive minded third line center.

ZDH looked good as did flip's line but the Draper-Bert-Cleary line didn't do a whole lot and certainly didn't play the puck possession game the wings need right now. The HAM line isn't supposed to do alot of scoring but outside of Abdelkader's two shots they didn't even make goal scoring look like a possibility.

The defense is the popular thing to blame right now and there are certainly problems there but last night they needed that third goal badly.

[Dano33 41]

Maltby is ok on the PK and is an agitator and thats about all he brings. It's nice to have but there are other guys who can handle those duties. As for those of us bring up his point total, think about the law of averages. If anyone thinks he will score more than 5-7 goals this year you are crazy. It just won't happen. If we're leaning on Malts to score 20 then we're in big trouble.

[Dimaline312000 51]

I guess I would pick Lebda to go as well. I don't understand why we sign a player like Eaves only to scratch him for every game. I'm not saying the Wings absolutley need a trade right now but we need to give some other players a chance to play and see what they can do.

[Holmstrom96 347]

Holmstrom is horrible; we should get rid of him.

Oh wait... he's our leading scorer.

[ben_usmc 253]

Blaming Osgood is getting old. The GWG was uber weak, but like others have said, it should have never gotten that far.

The Wings used to be built around defense with great offensive upside, that was 2008 when they won the Cup

After bringing on Hossa, and everyone hitting stride in the scoring department, the Wings seemed to abandon defensive responsibility, opting to win games 5-4 instead of 2-1. Almost taking a 80s Oilers-esque strategy. Same defensive and checking personnel as the year before, vastly different result.

And now here we are, eventhough we have roughly the same defense and checking personnel that we won the cup with, minus Sammy, we can't score more than 2 goals a game and we lack the defensive responsibility we used to have to make up for it. I'm sorry, but if you're going to let the Coyotes outshoot you, you better not blame a loss on your $1.6mil goaltender.

yes god forbid we actually expect our goaltender to actually stop a goal, crazy us. I don't give a s*** how cheap Ozzy is, with Lebda not doing his job people scream trade, with Maltby even doing his job people scream trade, but with Ozzy playing like s*** he still gets a pass. Watching the Av's makes me wish we had a goalie in the last 2 years (regular season) that could keep a team in games, and not have to win inspite of.

[ashenhigh 9]

Osgood is not a #1 NHL goalie. Either is Howard. They both suck. The Red Wings easily have the worst goaltending duo in the league... easily.

Osgood needs to be regulated to backup. Also, LEDBA IS TERRIBLE. Get rid of him! Ledba makes bad passes, sucks at defense, and always has this urge to rush into the offensive play. He skates like a box too. The guy really needs to relax his shoulders when he skates.

Edited October 23, 2009 by ashenhigh

[Guest Lidstromboli]

if the wings lose another game most of the posters here will probably drown in their own tears

lebda and meech are the only ones that need to go

[j.hoop 64]

maltby was one of the better players last night, i was at the game and he worked hard almost every shift. what happened on the last goal? it was the end opposite me so i couldnt tell. it looked like a weak shot that deflected in off ozzie, but im not for sure. another 50 minute effort.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

The Wings seem to get caught out of position a lot. They seem to get caught on line changes way more than they used to.

[OsGOD 3]

so we lost in OT... that means we get another point!!! who the f*** cares what happens as long as we get a point a two out of some games this first season.... Ozzie always steps it up in the playoffs when he knows it really matters. This s*** right now is just tedious childs play. I betcha if howard had been in we wouldn't have even got a point. so lets just take our point and move on. 82pts is pretty damn good and most likely would put us in the the top 8

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Brett Lebda.

Fluke goal on a great play by Datsyuk last night, but otherwise he was the worst player on the ice. Why exactly would Babcock put Lebda out there with a one goal lead and three minutes to play? Shorten the bench at that point and roll with your top two pairings.

I don't understand people saying Maltby. Really? Malts hasn't looked this good in years. I won't even get into Ozzie -- he was terrific last night until that turnover by Lebda resulting in a "goal".

Edited October 23, 2009 by GoWings1905

[Doc Holiday 0]

yes god forbid we actually expect our goaltender to actually stop a goal, crazy us. I don't give a s*** how cheap Ozzy is, with Lebda not doing his job people scream trade, with Maltby even doing his job people scream trade, but with Ozzy playing like s*** he still gets a pass. Watching the Av's makes me wish we had a goalie in the last 2 years (regular season) that could keep a team in games, and not have to win inspite of.

Last time I checked Osgood did that for the last two. Before letting in some stinkers.

You can't rely on a goalie being paid 1.6 mil to continuously bail out a defensive team that is being paid as much as they are. That is inexcusable.

Also Lebda isn't just a bottom six defender. He is an ABYSMAL bottom six defender, and he has been causing way too much time in the Wings zone. At least Osgood has been making some key saves while his defense has been sleeping.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Last time I checked Osgood did that for the last two. Before letting in some stinkers.

You can't rely on a goalie being paid 1.6 mil to continuously bail out a defensive team that is being paid as much as they are. That is inexcusable.

Also Lebda isn't just a bottom six defender. He is an ABYSMAL bottom six defender, and he has been causing way too much time in the Wings zone. At least Osgood has been making some key saves while his defense has been sleeping.

Exactly. If the Red Wings philosophy (not arguing against the concept) is to invest a ton of money into the defense, they sure as hell need to play better than they have through eight games so far and all of last regular season too.

[NGKEIB 32]

Brett Lebda.

Fluke goal on a great play by Datsyuk last night, but otherwise he was the worst player on the ice. Why exactly would Babcock put Lebda out there with a one goal lead and three minutes to play? Shorten the bench at that point and roll with your top two pairings.

I don't understand people saying Maltby. Really? Malts hasn't looked this good in years. I won't even get into Ozzie -- he was terrific last night until that turnover by Lebda resulting in a "goal".

(for both the post and your avatar).

[3chrisosgood0 7]

osgood cant be blamed for last night ive seen a couple of posts suggesting he should

the OT goal was bad but we would have zero points for last night if it werent for him he made a number of big saves and was clearly inerfered with on the last goal and as a goalie i know that a play like that is hard to defend when u got 8 guys within 5 inches of ur crease pushing u in the net

that goal should have been waved off the second it went in and we should have had 2 points with all the weak calls holmstrom gets i dont see how the yotes 2nd goal wasnt interference

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

The beginning of the season has been frustrating because four of the five games they lost, they did it by blowing a lead. There's various reasons for that, but in all four of those games there was a critical moment where if they had just scored a goal they would have put the other team away.

With that said, it's doubly frustrating because the Wings played well enough to win the last two games. Ozzie let the guys down versus the Avs and, as Mike advised, the referee didn't do his ******* job last night when he at the very least must have lost sight of the puck; there should have been a whistle. But sometimes you don't get the breaks and then something terrible like the OT goal happens.

Thinking back to all the times in recent years the Wings have been gypped out of a late goal or have a stupid fluky goal scored on them in the last minute that ends with their losing in overtime, I'm convinced that the Wings are the best team in the league with absolutely no luck.

It would be a godsend for Lilja to come back and replace that hack Lebda, but as that seems unlikely you've just gotta keep on keeping on. This team is good enough to win, they just need to get a big goal here and there and catch a f***in' break for a change.

[Theophany 110]

http://www.sportsargumentwiki.com/index.php?title=Red_Wings

Of particular note to this thread:

Red Wings Neurosis

Because of the Red Wings all-or-nothing playoff history, Detroit fans have become extremely neurotic and bi-polar about the team. Symptoms include:

Drastic Mood Swings

Suicidal Thoughts (in the case of a loss)

Increasing Nausea during Overtime

Extreme Arrogance (in the case of a win)

I can't believe people suggested Homer, who has been our biggest goal scorer thus far in the season (by uh, 3 goals?), or Maltby, who hasn't looked like this in years. YEARS.

Both look to be in fantastic condition, and are playing much better than I would expect.

The players I have a problem with are mainly the Lebda/Ericsson pair. I know people around here have a Big E fetish, but seriously, it's his first full season in a Wings sweater; it's to be expected that he's still adjusting. Lebda though, has been playing for a while now, and he still sucks. He never makes amazing defensive plays (solid at best), and he coughs up some ridiculous turnovers and lets odd-man rushes back for tasty shots on Ozzie.

Other than that pair, I'm fairly happy with how the Wings play when they show up. Last night wasn't bad until the last 10 minutes of the third. We just need to get the team that started that game on the ice for a full 60 minutes.

Babcock also needs to change his saying from "do your ******* job" to something that makes the Wings want to kill people, because we can't have May fighting every single game to get some killer instinct going. We sat back after we got up 2-1, and that's not something that we can do.

Coaching and attitude are more issues at this point than the players are.

[ben_usmc 253]

Last time I checked Osgood did that for the last two. Before letting in some stinkers.

You can't rely on a goalie being paid 1.6 mil to continuously bail out a defensive team that is being paid as much as they are. That is inexcusable.

Also Lebda isn't just a bottom six defender. He is an ABYSMAL bottom six defender, and he has been causing way too much time in the Wings zone. At least Osgood has been making some key saves while his defense has been sleeping.

really when? He's had about 1 good game so far. Besides I know he's' been much better in the playoffs but how the f*** are we going to make the playoffs if Ozzy plays like absolute s***, and we aren't even willing to try a back up.