Could the injuries cause Detroit to miss the playoffs?

[VM1138 1,921]

See, I feel exactly the opposite. IF the Wings make playoffs, they can go deep. They have the experience and as we saw last year, they don't have to give 100% to make it to the Finals. THere are very few teams that pose legitimate threats.

The trouble is getting this team to play well enough to win games to make the playoffs. I still believe this team has the "on" switch once they reach the playoffs, though.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Could it: yes.

Will it : no.

[Carman 387]

There isn't a team in the league that is going to want to face a healthy Detroit Red Wing's team in the playoffs. Never count the Wings out of it, I certainly am not. Odds are if we can hold up a couple more weeks, we are just going to keep getting stronger down the stretch.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Could it: yes.

Will it : no.

this.

[55fan 5,133]

I don't think the current batch of injuries will cause them to miss, but who knows what the future will hold?

We're winning some games now, and we will win more. I believe we will win enough to make the playoffs with the team we have now. If more injuries occur, it could spell trouble.

I'm not worrying yet, but I do think we can't afford to lose any more of the good ones.

[VM1138 1,921]

We could get stronger down the stretch. Who knows, the Wings could be the team this year that gets really hot after a really poor first half and goes tearing into the playoffs.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Anything is possible. However I doubt this team will be this beat up after the New Year.

They just have to win as much as possible and not take a single game off.

[Guest Crymson]

[chrisdetroit 189]

Not to be a pessimist, but I don't think we're a lock for the playoffs this year. Injuries or not, it's been a lot of games now and nothing has changed. There's still no defense, only this year our offense isn't clicking as well as in the past, either. I don't think the Wings have won more than 3 in a row, adn we need to go on a few substantial winning streaks of more than 3 games to make up any ground before the race starts getting away from us.

I have faith we can do it, but it's not nearly as assured as people thought it would be. Every aspect of the Wings game is subpar.

I think the best thing we can say is that something is missing from the team. Not just injured players, but they're missing that intangible. Whether that can be fixed through trades or what, I don't know.

What the hell are you talking about?

Nothing has changed? The first 10 games we went 4-4-2. The last 10 games we were 7-2-1.

No defense? We have given up 20 goals in the last 10 games for a 2.0 GAA.

Make up ground? We are only 6 points behind Chicago with a game in hand. If we win tonight we are only 4 points behind for the division lead. We are 10 points behind the team with the best record but we have 4 frickin games in hand.

Every aspect is subpar? How 'bout our #5 in the league powerplay or our #6 in the league GFA?

This is just a stupid post.

[lookalive07 251]

When Franzen returns: +20 goals with respect to remaining games.

When Filppula returns: +20-30 goals with respect to remaining games

When Kronwall returns: +10-20 goals if he gets right back where he left off.

When Williams returns: +10-20 goals.

When we get rid of Lebda: PLAYOFFZ?!

[CMatt89 63]

the only way we miss the playoffs is when our full healthy roster comes back and we all see that there is no chemistry. Three Forwards coming back means our 4th line will not be on the Wings roster to finish the season and playoffs. Can we afford to lose a fighter, a rookie who's learning to throw the body around, and a guy who works hard and plays a moderately physical hard working grinding/defensive style...NO...because thats what a fourth line is supposed to be! Our 3rd and 4th lines at the moment have built strong chemistry...minus Maltby. Bab's can't break the Helm Draper Eaves line...he'd be silly to do that. And the 4th lines that's been running has been strong as far as 4th lines go. Bringing back Williams will have no positive effect on this team. Bringing back Filpulla and Franzen will only complicate and push some of the hard working role guys off the team, and possibly mess up all the chemistry the team has built in the last 3-4 weeks. When our three forwards come back...I can't see this team going far if Williams, Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Maltby, and Leino aren't the guys that must sit and rotate in occasionally.

Cleary - Zetterberg - Datsyuk (unstoppable)

Franzen - Fil - Holmstrom

Draper - Helm - Eaves

May - Abdelkader - Miller

With that lineup, the chemistry in the 3 lines will be there...and the second line can build once healthy. I think that is our toughest and most balanced lineup we can hope for in order to make a playoff run

There better be no Wings dressing up for the Olympics either.

Edited November 23, 2009 by CMatt89

[cupforwings 138]

See, I feel exactly the opposite. IF the Wings make playoffs, they can go deep. They have the experience and as we saw last year, they don't have to give 100% to make it to the Finals. THere are very few teams that pose legitimate threats.

The trouble is getting this team to play well enough to win games to make the playoffs. I still believe this team has the "on" switch once they reach the playoffs, though.

I agree 100%. People here are freaking out because we are not in first place like every other year. But if we make it to the playoffs with a healthy team, we will be very very feared. It would be like playing a 1 seed in the first round for whoever ends up playing the wings. And why is everybody saying they will not go deep in the playoffs? They would have the same chance of going deep in the playoffs as any other team, probably more of a chance with the talent and experience of a full roster.

the only way we miss the playoffs is when our full healthy roster comes back and we all see that there is no chemistry. Three Forwards coming back means our 4th line will not be on the Wings roster to finish the season and playoffs. Can we afford to lose a fighter, a rookie who's learning to throw the body around, and a guy who works hard and plays a moderately physical hard working grinding/defensive style...NO...because thats what a fourth line is supposed to be! Our 3rd and 4th lines at the moment have built strong chemistry...minus Maltby. Bab's can't break the Helm Draper Eaves line...he'd be silly to do that. And the 4th lines that's been running has been strong as far as 4th lines go. Bringing back Williams will have no positive effect on this team. Bringing back Filpulla and Franzen will only complicate and push some of the hard working role guys off the team, and possibly mess up all the chemistry the team has built in the last 3-4 weeks. When our three forwards come back...I can't see this team going far if Williams, Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Maltby, and Leino aren't the guys that must sit and rotate in occasionally.

Cleary - Zetterberg - Datsyuk (unstoppable)

Franzen - Fil - Holmstrom

Draper - Helm - Eaves

May - Abdelkader - Miller

With that lineup, the chemistry in the 3 lines will be there...and the second line can build once healthy. I think that is our toughest and most balanced lineup we can hope for in order to make a playoff run

There better be no Wings dressing up for the Olympics either.

With DHE as our 4th line, we are much better off. Those guys would be a dominate 4th line, much better and more effective than the current one.

And, bringing Franzen and Filpula back won't mess anything up at all. Franzen has more chemistry and skill with Zetterberg and Datsyuk than the current line do. And Filpula will be great for our third line center. Your lines are stupid and terrible and would never happen. Yeah, they are just going to bench their two free agent signings to put in Miller and Abdelkader (who are awesome i admit). They would be a solid third line and add to our depth. Not sure what you are thinking.

[CMatt89 63]

^ my lines are stupid and terrible? Well lets see, the first line was used through out the season and some of the playoffs last year and did fairly well. the third and fourth lines i had are what we currently see while watching Red Wings hockey. And the second line is a mash up. So I don't know what you are thinking. Its the most balanced forward lineup we can have. Bertuzzi, Williams, Leino..they're just not getting the job done. And now Williams took 4 steps back when injured. You can't expect a team that has been gelling to transition smoothly when 3 players come back after long stretches of being injured. It doesn't work that way. It will take time for them to find a rhythm.

1st two lines score

3rd line is energy

4th line grinds

you can't have 3 scoring lines, one energy line and no toughness.

know your hockey

Edited November 23, 2009 by CMatt89

[skyphoenix 153]

^ my lines are stupid and terrible? Well lets see, the first line was used through out the season and some of the playoffs last year and did fairly well. the third and fourth lines i had are what we currently see while watching Red Wings hockey. And the second line is a mash up. So I don't know what you are thinking. Its the most balanced forward lineup we can have. Bertuzzi, Williams, Leino..they're just not getting the job done. And now Williams took 4 steps back when injured.

Bertuzzi is not getting the job done, but Leino is. Just look at Zetterberg's point increase the minute Leino was put on his line. And besides that, you can't just throw away 3 players that have one-way contracts.

Franzen - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Leino - Zetterberg - Cleary

Bertuzzi - Filppula - Williams

Draper - Helm - Eaves (With Maltby and May rotating)

Abdelkader was never meant to be on the team this year, so once everyone is healthy he will be back in Grand Rapids. Miller was signed to give us extra depth while we have the injuries, once everyone is back he, too, will be in Grand Rapids.

You telling people to learn hockey, when you don't know too much is pretty funny. We can't have 15 forwards on our active roster, so I don't know what you were thinking with your lines.

Edited November 23, 2009 by skyphoenix

[CMatt89 63]

^ okay, Leino has been a good addition to that line...but, put Datsyuk on that line. Then you have Cleary going in the corners and screening the goalie while Datsyuk sets up Zetterberg for shots. It worked every time they used it last season. It will help Datsyuk out in the scoring department. You can't have Bertuzzi and Holmstrom together on a scoring line. Maybe Bertuzzi of a few years ago, but not now. And the point i was making with Abby and Miller was that they are hard working lower skilled role players. Give the younger legs a chance. At least they throw the body around. Having guys like Helm, Eaves, Draper, Miller, May and Abby on the roster does nothing in the scoring department. But, its the small things... Going into the corners, finishing checks after the opposing player gets rid of it, numbing some of the cheap shots and hacks, dump and chase to wear out the other teams 3rd and 4th lines, getting garbage goals. If you've played hockey at a high level, you know that when a team sits back and isnt on you, hitting you, the second you get the puck...you have time to make the play that you want to make and less chance of turning the puck over. When you take out those guys from a lineup, It makes you work much harder on defense thus, creating less offense.

Edited November 23, 2009 by CMatt89

[skyphoenix 153]

I agree with Abelkader and Miller being hard working, excellent additions to the team but with our depth the way it is when everyone is healthy, there is no need for them up here. Abdelkader needs to continue to develop at the AHL level and he will probably have a spot on our roster next season. Miller was signed just so we had another solid option with our Penalty Killing while all the injuries were piling up.

Helm, Draper, and Eaves will be an excellent fourth line.

[Guest Shoreline]

Wrong. Kronwall is 3rd on the team in goals.

I haven't been around on the forums much lately so maybe there's some inside joke about this that I'm missing.

[soultrain 43]

there was a topic that was started around game 4 or 5 of last years final. the topic was about the wings losing in game seven in detroit....i hate topics like these.

[cupforwings 138]

^ my lines are stupid and terrible? Well lets see, the first line was used through out the season and some of the playoffs last year and did fairly well. the third and fourth lines i had are what we currently see while watching Red Wings hockey. And the second line is a mash up. So I don't know what you are thinking. Its the most balanced forward lineup we can have. Bertuzzi, Williams, Leino..they're just not getting the job done. And now Williams took 4 steps back when injured. You can't expect a team that has been gelling to transition smoothly when 3 players come back after long stretches of being injured. It doesn't work that way. It will take time for them to find a rhythm.

1st two lines score

3rd line is energy

4th line grinds

you can't have 3 scoring lines, one energy line and no toughness.

know your hockey

First you say unstoppable then you say 'pretty good'. Datsyuk and Zetterberg will be split up because they are much more effective that way. They don't produce enough together to keep them together. When Franzen and Filpula are back, everything changes. The wings have succeeded with 2 primary scoring lines, 1 secondary scoring line and 1 grind line. May will be worked in the fourth line for the "toughness" you think we need so badly that you want to sacrifice an entire line of mediocre tough players. Wiliams and Bertuzzi are and will be more effective come playoff time than Abdelkader and miller.

^ okay, Leino has been a good addition to that line...but, put Datsyuk on that line. Then you have Cleary going in the corners and screening the goalie while Datsyuk sets up Zetterberg for shots. It worked every time they used it last season. It will help Datsyuk out in the scoring department. You can't have Bertuzzi and Holmstrom together on a scoring line. Maybe Bertuzzi of a few years ago, but not now. And the point i was making with Abby and Miller was that they are hard working lower skilled role players. Give the younger legs a chance. At least they throw the body around. Having guys like Helm, Eaves, Draper, Miller, May and Abby on the roster does nothing in the scoring department. But, its the small things... Going into the corners, finishing checks after the opposing player gets rid of it, numbing some of the cheap shots and hacks, dump and chase to wear out the other teams 3rd and 4th lines, getting garbage goals. If you've played hockey at a high level, you know that when a team sits back and isnt on you, hitting you, the second you get the puck...you have time to make the play that you want to make and less chance of turning the puck over. When you take out those guys from a lineup, It makes you work much harder on defense thus, creating less offense.

Franzen will help Datsyuk out in the scoring department. They won't have Bert on a line with Homer when Franzen gets back, but right right now thats the only option.

and your right, it is the small things... But having a lineup full of 4th line players won't get the job done. 2 fourth lines is not what this team needs, just one effective fourth line in Draper Helm Eaves. They need more scoring depth, and the only player that can effectively do that is Bertuzi and Williams, not Abdelkadar and Miller. And again, your lines were terrible... really, really terrible if you want any hope of this team going somewhere in the playoffs...

Know your hockey

Edited November 23, 2009 by cupforwings

[CMatt89 63]

terrible? hmm, well, Cleary scored what, 8 goals last year while Holmstrom d on was out and playethe Line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg while both of them were producing. DHE is a terrible line? and the 4th were running now is terrible? How are these lines terrible when, if you've watched any Wings hockey, you would have seen that 3/4 lines i suggested have all clicked. In past years that we've won the cup, we've had the ability to muck it out. I'm not saying Miller, and Abby will allow us to hoist the cup. I'm just saying, to have a balanced roster, you gotta have some lower tier role players. If every line is set out to score and make fancy plays, It's going to be easy for other teams to take liberties and dirty up the game land there will be counter attack. I've won 2 Jr A championships and I've never seen a team rack up more injuries than one thats built entirely around finesse.

[cupforwings 138]

terrible? hmm, well, Cleary scored what, 8 goals last year while Holmstrom d on was out and playethe Line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg while both of them were producing. DHE is a terrible line? and the 4th were running now is terrible? How are these lines terrible when, if you've watched any Wings hockey, you would have seen that 3/4 lines i suggested have all clicked. In past years that we've won the cup, we've had the ability to muck it out. I'm not saying Miller, and Abby will allow us to hoist the cup. I'm just saying, to have a balanced roster, you gotta have some lower tier role players. If every line is set out to score and make fancy plays, It's going to be easy for other teams to take liberties and dirty up the game land there will be counter attack. I've won 2 Jr A championships and I've never seen a team rack up more injuries than one thats built entirely around finesse.

Your right Cleary did have 8 goals, and I never said anything bad about him. Cleary is easily a top six forward on this team and has great chemistry with Zetterberg. I never said DHE was a terrible line, and agree that they have probably been the best line, consistently. But you suggested we bench Williams, Bertuzi, and Leino in place of May, Abdelkader, and Miller, which to me makes 0 sense cosidering WBL are all better than MAM (although I would like to see May to be rotated in on the 4th line). I understand what you are saying and I agree to a certain extent. But the 'chemistry' these lines have had include Leino with Zetterberg... Bertuzi, who has been somewhat effective... and williams is still a solid third line player... I am just saying that your suggestion of lines will never happen... the best players will play

[CMatt89 63]

i suppose which ever lineup we put out there, if Ken Holland and Babs approve, we'll always have a chance at a cup. IM more a fan of the bumb and grind first, finesse second. As long as we have speed, we can dominate.

[Eagle1Fox2 0]

The only way Detroit is not going to make the playoffs is if Lidstrom, Rafalski, Datsyuk, or Zetterberg gets added to the list of long term injuries...say Zetterberg gets injured tonight and will miss up to two months....then I will start to seriously worry.....as of now...im not worried...we have a solid enough team to get a spot in the top 8...and once our guys come back we will be great.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I'll predict a 45 win season... I mean they are 11-6-4 and improving, and if they are slumping down the stretch, we can only cross our fingers for Franzen's return. But meh, a playoff miss is a definite no... However, not winning the division title is very possible, but fine with me.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

At this point it has to be a possibility. Before the injuries, the Wings were already in tough against San Jose, Chicago, Calgary, and arguably the Canucks. After losing Franzen, Fillpula, Williams, and now Kronwall for extended periods of time, there are at least 7 teams with better top 6 forwards then Detroit.

With the Wings essentially missing 3 of their top 6 forwards, and Kronwall who IMO has been #2 to Lids this season, they are in real tough in the Western Conf. Just look at these last three games - few scoring chances, and no one can bury anything.

I am by no means jumping off the bandwagon, I would never do that - but this team is completely decimated, and Holland doesn't seem to be able to do anything to fix it. We will see where they are after Christmas when they start getting some guys back.

All Bertuzzi and Holmstrom have shown me is that they are completely unsuited to be on the top line with Dats. Its actually painful to watch. One guy who seems lost when the puck is one his stick, and another who can't even keep the puck on his stick, let alone skate well enough to keep up to the play (and thats when he's not on his ass).

These last four games have been very disheartening.