Tired of All the Excuses

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I'm tired of people talking about how injuries are the reason we're struggling right now. While injuries are a big factor, none of our injured players are coming back anytime soon, so don't expect anything to change there. I'm more willing to point the finger at the underachievers right now. Here's a list of all the guys who are currently underperforming in my opinion even though they're healthy and in the lineup.

Lidstrom

Datsyuk

Bertuzzi

Holmstrom

Cleary

Zetterberg

Rafalski

Leino

That's a lot of talented players on that list, yet they're all struggling terribly. We should be able to win games just from that list alone, even without the injured players. So we need to stop blaming it entirely on bad luck and injuries, and instead blame the guys on that list.

These players have no current excuse for their struggles.

[Miller Brew 0]

Cool story, bro.

[Carman 387]

[Feldmarschall 9]

Zetterberg and Cleary are not underachieving. Are they slumping? Sure, statistically. But if those goals hadn't been waived off last night we'd be extolling their virtues til the cows came home.

Also, dammit, THIS IS NOT 4CHAN.

Edited November 28, 2009 by Feldmarschall

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Hey, I get it.

Some of you guys are trying to be funny.

[CenterIce 83]

Here's a list of all the guys who are currently underperforming in my opinion even though they're healthy and in the lineup.

There is no guarantee either way that the people you listed are healthy themselves. Who knows if some have a nagging injury that they normally might sit a little, but with everyone else hurt, they need them in the lineup.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Cool story, bro.

Nice reply, sis.

[Carman 387]

Hey, I get it.

Some of you guys are trying to be funny.

Not much to discuss. Pretty much the same premise as the 10 other threads on the front page. I get it, the team isn't playing well.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Zetterberg and Cleary are not underachieving. Are they slumping? Sure, statistically. But if those goals hadn't been waived off last night we'd be extolling their virtues til the cows came home.

Also, dammit, THIS IS NOT 4CHAN.

Cleary has had no offensive whatsoever this season. He was one of guys that was supposed to step up with the offseason departures. He's had the ice time, but has no scoring touch. He needs to step up.

There is no guarantee either way that the people you listed are healthy themselves. Who knows if some have a nagging injury that they normally might sit a little, but with everyone else hurt, they need them in the lineup.

They may be hurt, but they're not injured, otherwise they wouldn't be playing. Playing hurt is part of the deal. Anyhow, I doubt all those players I mentioned are battling some injuries which are preventing them from playing well. Some maybe, but not all.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Not much to discuss. Pretty much the same premise as the 10 other threads on the front page. I get it, the team isn't playing well.

I just feel like many people are blaming this entirely on injuries, as if that's going to fix itself. Fact is, it's not going to fix itself. Our injured players won't be back in December and maybe not in January either. That's a hell of a long time with the condensded schedule.

Instead of having a thread for each player that stinks right now, I think it's most fair to throw them all into the same thread. After all, what's the use of blaming Leino or Homer when guys like Lidstrom and Datsyuk aren't scoring either?

[Feldmarschall 9]

Cleary has had no offensive whatsoever this season. He was one of guys that was supposed to step up with the offseason departures. He's had the ice time, but has no scoring touch. He needs to step up.

Cleary started off slow, absolutely. But he's got 8 points in the last 10 games and would've had two more last night. He's doing fine now.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Cleary started off slow, absolutely. But he's got 8 points in the last 10 games and would've had two more last night. He's doing fine now.

I'm guessing most of those points came in the Columbus game, because we haven't scored s*** the last 3 or 4 games as a team.

[Feldmarschall 9]

He had points in the Nashville and Montreal games before the shutout streak started, and he was the guy that "broke" the streak twice but got denied last night.

Other than Danno and Z though, I do fully agree with you. There are healthy guys in this lineup that are NOT pulling their weight and really haven't all season. Cleary just isn't one of them, he's showing up and doing his job, even if the results get called off thanks to BS reffing. There are a lot of guys that just haven't been consistently good enough.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

I completely agree. I was having this conversation with my mom last night who said "Well we have all these injuries and bla bla bla." Injuries are huge but they aren't the only thing bringing us down. Injuries aren't making Osgood give up a goal within the first minute of two different periods. I love the Wings with all my heart, but sometimes loving them means expecting the best out of them. We know Datsyuk is capable of being one of the best forwards in the league. So why isn't he scoring in these games? Zetterberg is supposed to be our next captain. What better way to lead the team than on the scoreboard? Osgood is a brick wall when it comes to playoffs. I am so sick and tired of him giving up weak goals early into a game when we all know what he's really capable off. It seems like everyone is taking this season off. I'm not expecting Meech and Lebda to be superstars or anything but they have been in the NHL long enough where they should know how to not do stupid things with the puck. They look like high school players out there.

The excuse that I'm sick of the most is "Well the Wings are coming off two very long playoff runs and they are tired." Well so are the Pens. Their playoff runs were just as long as ours the last two years and look at them. And it's not like they didn't have most of June, all of July, and some of August to rest up. These men are PROFESSIONAL hockey players. It's their job to show up and play.

I feel a little better now after that.

[thedisappearer 291]

Everybody settle down, GMR is super cereal.

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Keep in mind that with the injuries, things get tossed around a bit. I'm not one to spout of a lot of statistics, it's just not my thing. My point is that with those players leaving the team, lines get changed, chemistry gets out of whack. Yes, it's all part of the game, but so are slumps and losing streaks.

[Firehawk 305]

I actually think the injury excuse applies pretty well here. Next thing you're going to tell me is that we should have won the cup with 70% of the team injured in the finals last year because, well, nobody else remaining on the team stepped up. And not just mildly injured, BADLY injured. Right.

Sooner or later if you keep acquiring injuries to your key offensive players, the puck is going to stop going in. We have not seen this kind of play from the redwings in like 15+ yerars so I would think people would realize that yes, injuries are a completely valid excuse.

No, you'll never hear a team say that, but that doesn't mean the excuse doesn't apply either. Sorry, I just do not agree with the original poster. Too many key players are out for this team not to look jumbled like it has.

[Mors 201]

Zetterberg and Cleary are not underachieving. Are they slumping? Sure, statistically. But if those goals hadn't been waived off last night we'd be extolling their virtues til the cows came home.

Also, dammit, THIS IS NOT 4CHAN.

Cleary -6 in his last 5 games, this needs to stop.

[Carman 387]

Cleary -6 in his last 5 games, this needs to stop.

What who cares about Cleary's -6 when Bertuzzi is -5!!!!!!! OMG BERTUZZI SUCKS AHHHHHH END OF THE WORLD SCREW HOLLAND BERTUZZI IS THE REASON WE AREN'T SCORING ITS KARMA etc...

Cleary has not played well lately, neither has anyone else but he is usually very consistent at least defensively.

[stuck in socal 56]

Well all the line combos are all thrown off because of all the injuries. There is no chemistry right now on this team.I have never seen Datsyuk play so sub-par in such a long time. It is not him, it is his cruddy linemates. (Homer and Bertuzzi can not sadly play on the first line). Last year Pavel had Hossa and we all know how that went. (At least in the regular season). WE were told to lower our expectations and blended in with the injuries you get this years Wings team. WE don't have a goalie who can steal game after game for us. Let alone one game... Last year we were a well rounded machine on offense. Our defense was just like it was last year. So really, the bad year is not surprising to me.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I actually think the injury excuse applies pretty well here. Next thing you're going to tell me is that we should have won the cup with 70% of the team injured in the finals last year because, well, nobody else remaining on the team stepped up. And not just mildly injured, BADLY injured. Right.

Sooner or later if you keep acquiring injuries to your key offensive players, the puck is going to stop going in. We have not seen this kind of play from the redwings in like 15+ yerars so I would think people would realize that yes, injuries are a completely valid excuse.

No, you'll never hear a team say that, but that doesn't mean the excuse doesn't apply either. Sorry, I just do not agree with the original poster. Too many key players are out for this team not to look jumbled like it has.

But our top 3 players are not injured. They've got to step it up and play better than what they have been doing.

I realize the line combos are different, but Pavel and Hank shouldn't have to depend on others to score their points for them. Superstar players should carry the other players, not the other way around.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Cleary -6 in his last 5 games, this needs to stop.

Which is probably just a function of the team not ever scoring in that time period, which maybe you're referring to, because I don't recall any glaring defensive errors on his part in that time frame.

In fact, apart from a few brain farts now and again the defense seems to be doing a reasonably good job in the late going (with the notable exception of the PK, which is as bad as ever). They've got 15 goals against in the last 6 games; you should be able to get some points holding opponents to 2-3 goals per game on a consistent basis.

[hillbillywingsfan 794]

[stuck in socal 56]

Which is probably just a function of the team not ever scoring in that time period, which maybe you're referring to, because I don't recall any glaring defensive errors on his part in that time frame.

In fact, apart from a few brain farts now and again the defense seems to be doing a reasonably good job in the late going (with the notable exception of the PK, which is as bad as ever). They've got 15 goals against in the last 6 games; you should be able to get some points holding opponents to 2-3 goals per game on a consistent basis.

We can not win unless we score so it is a moot point. Once again, last year our offense was stacked so we were scoring and our sub-par defense/ goal tending did not really hurt us much. This year we are clearly seeing the problems.

[NGKEIB 32]

But our top 3 players are not injured. They've got to step it up and play better than what they have been doing.

Nonsense! Lilja has been out for ages!