Hey, newsflash panic-maniacs

[stevkrause 1,247]

we're decimated by injuries - we're missing 3 of our best 7 players (some could argue 3 of our 6), not to mention additional role players

STOP FISHING FOR THINGS TO WHINE ABOUT

if we can just stay .500 until they all (or even some of them) return... that's a HUGE victory.

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

we're decimated by injuries - we're missing 3 of our best 7 players (some could argue 3 of our 6), not to mention additional role players

STOP FISHING FOR THINGS TO WHINE ABOUT

if we can just stay .500 until they all (or even some of them) return... that's a HUGE victory.

if the Wings are .500 until those players come back, they'll probably miss the playoffs.

[stevkrause 1,247]

if the Wings are .500 until those players come back, they'll probably miss the playoffs.

they won't be a high seed, but they'll still make the playoffs, especially considering there will still be at least 20 games once most of them are back...

[Jake Ryan 1]

The Wings are NOT .500, haven't been for a good stretch now, and won't be for the rest of the season. After another 20-30 games, expect them to be where they usually are during the regular season = 60% wins, 30% losses, 10% one pointers.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

lets whine about whining

[stevkrause 1,247]

The Wings are NOT .500, haven't been for a good stretch now, and won't be for the rest of the season. After another 20-30 games, expect them to be where they usually are during the regular season = 60% wins, 30% losses, 10% one pointers.

my point was - even if they were .500 during that stretch, that's enough... let alone the fact that they're playing above that...

[Opie 308]

The problem with threads like these (I have made them too, how else would I know what I am about to say) is that you never get the satisfaction you are looking for. The Wings are winning/playing well right now. The lunatic fringe is nowhere to be found, only logical sensible posters are around. Until the next blowout or losing streak the people you want to read this probably won't and even if they do they will never post in it.

You are right though, the team is building an identity and playing better. Getting big contributions from unexpected places. Where would they be without Howard, Abbie, Miller, Eaves, May, Ericsson, Stuart and the likes.

Last year when the D struggled the superlative laden offense stepped up. This year team D and goaltending will be huge, the O needs to step up a little more but I can easily see this team making the post season. With the work effort they are learning early on, which hopefully continues, and the skill that will come back this team could be a potent foe in the post season.

It is all about getting healthy and hot at the right time, I would like to see the Wings go into a post season working for it instead of coasting into it. I think the former is a much better mode to be in for the last couple of weeks. Coasting leads to bad habits.

[stevkrause 1,247]

lets whine about whining

it gets old when 90% of threads on here are just people bitching, most of the time about stuff they have no clue about...

[stevkrause 1,247]

The problem with threads like these (I have made them too, how else would I know what I am about to say) is that you never get the satisfaction you are looking for. The Wings are winning/playing well right now. The lunatic fringe is nowhere to be found, only logical sensible posters are around. Until the next blowout or losing streak the people you want to read this probably won't and even if they do they will never post in it.

You are right though, the team is building an identity and playing better. Getting big contributions from unexpected places. Where would they be without Howard, Abbie, Miller, Eaves, May, Ericsson, Stuart and the likes.

Last year when the D struggled the superlative laden offense stepped up. This year team D and goaltending will be huge, the O needs to step up a little more but I can easily see this team making the post season. With the work effort they are learning early on, which hopefully continues, and the skill that will come back this team could be a potent foe in the post season.

It is all about getting healthy and hot at the right time, I would like to see the Wings go into a post season working for it instead of coasting into it. I think the former is a much better mode to be in for the last couple of weeks. Coasting leads to bad habits.

couldn't agree more

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

my point was - even if they were .500 during that stretch, that's enough... let alone the fact that they're playing above that...

the longer they go playing like that, the worse it gets. fast.

this is from someone else at Abel to Yzerman:

Since the Lockout, here are the point totals of the 8th seeded playoff team in each conference:

.

.

.

...............East........West

2009.......93.............91

2008.......94.............91

2007.......92.............96

2006.......92.............95

Average..93.............94 rounded up the next whole point.

That is an average of 1.134 points-per-game (ppg) in the East and 1.146 ppg in the West. Through 27 games, the Wings have averaged 1.111 ppg.

There are 34 games before the Olympic break. The Wings need to average 1.176ppg over that stretch (40 points in 34 games) to be at the average ppg for 8th place in the West. And the 8th place average does not guarantee a playoff spot.

The average ppg for the 4th place team in the West since the lockout is 1.293ppg (106 points); average for 5th place was 1.220 (100 points).

To hit the 5th place average ppg by the Olympic break requires the Wings to play at 1.324ppg (that equals 108 points in a season). To hit the 5th place average ppg by the end of the season, the Wings need to play at 1.273ppg (that equals 104 points per season).

What does this mean without all the numbers? In order to safely be in the playoffs at a 4th or 5th seed by season’s end, the Wings need to play and accumulate points like a 2-3 seed team from this point forward. If they put off turning around their season much longer, the Wings would have to accumulate points at the same rate as a President’s Trophy winning team.

[Jake Ryan 1]

my point was - even if they were .500 during that stretch, that's enough... let alone the fact that they're playing above that...

I'm siding WITH you. My response was to the other poster who commented on .500 not being good enough. Assuming we go 3-1-1 over the next stretch of games (which isn't far fetched), the Wings will have a 17-11-6 record. If you asked ANYBODY on here at the start of the season if that record would be unacceptable, I think you'd find very few who would say "yes". Most would probably say that it would be a decent start, but that a strong finish would be nice to improve playoff seeding. And that's what's going to happen.

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

and don't forget, with the Olympics affecting this season, the Wings cannot afford to play the "catch up later" game. with how many of the Wings will be expending physical and mental effort playing in the Olympics, the travel, potential injuries, and the compressed schedule afterward, they need to make up some considerable ground NOW.

if they have to bust their humps just to make the playoffs, it makes a long playoff run that much more difficult due to fatigue and injuries.

is it time to panic? no. but it is definitely time to be concerned.

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

I'm siding WITH you. My response was to the other poster who commented on .500 not being good enough. Assuming we go 3-1-1 over the next stretch of games (which isn't far fetched), the Wings will have a 17-11-6 record. If you asked ANYBODY on here at the start of the season if that record would be unacceptable, I think you'd find very few who would say "yes". Most would probably say that it would be a decent start, but that a strong finish would be nice to improve playoff seeding. And that's what's going to happen.

that's a 1.176 points-per-game average. based on what I just posted, that's barely 8th-seed performance. so at that point they won't be in a playoff spot, most likely...so it won't be about IMPROVING their seed...it'll be about EARNING one.

[Jake Ryan 1]

and don't forget, with the Olympics affecting this season, the Wings cannot afford to play the "catch up later" game. with how many of the Wings will be expending physical and mental effort playing in the Olympics, the travel, potential injuries, and the compressed schedule afterward, they need to make up some considerable ground NOW.

if they have to bust their humps just to make the playoffs, it makes a long playoff run that much more difficult due to fatigue and injuries.

is it time to panic? no. but it is definitely time to be concerned.

I'm not concerned at all. I'm just going to watch the Wings get better and like it.

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

I'm siding WITH you. My response was to the other poster who commented on .500 not being good enough. Assuming we go 3-1-1 over the next stretch of games (which isn't far fetched), the Wings will have a 17-11-6 record. If you asked ANYBODY on here at the start of the season if that record would be unacceptable, I think you'd find very few who would say "yes". Most would probably say that it would be a decent start, but that a strong finish would be nice to improve playoff seeding. And that's what's going to happen.

that's a 1.176 points-per-game average. based on what I just posted, that's barely 8th-seed performance. so at that point they won't be in a playoff spot, most likely...so it won't be about IMPROVING their seed...it'll be about EARNING one.

[Jake Ryan 1]

and don't forget, with the Olympics affecting this season, the Wings cannot afford to play the "catch up later" game. with how many of the Wings will be expending physical and mental effort playing in the Olympics, the travel, potential injuries, and the compressed schedule afterward, they need to make up some considerable ground NOW.

if they have to bust their humps just to make the playoffs, it makes a long playoff run that much more difficult due to fatigue and injuries.

is it time to panic? no. but it is definitely time to be concerned.

I'm not concerned at all. I'm just going to watch the Wings get better and like it.

[stevkrause 1,247]

that's a 1.176 points-per-game average. based on what I just posted, that's barely 8th-seed performance. so at that point they won't be in a playoff spot, most likely...so it won't be about IMPROVING their seed...it'll be about EARNING one.

8th seed is still playoffs... I'd rather go in as an 8th with everyone heating up and healthy, than a 1st with new injuries and a team on the downslide...

[Jake Ryan 1]

Anyone who thinks the Wings are going to finish in 8th has to WAKE UP.

[PaulinMiamiBeach 0]

Anyone who thinks the Wings are going to finish in 8th has to WAKE UP.

they are teetering on the edge of not making the playoffs, and it seems a lot of people don't want to admit it to themselves.

[hooon 1,089]

it gets old when 90% of threads on here are just people bitching, most of the time about stuff they have no clue about...

It gets old when the other 10% are people wasting the time to make threads like this; bitching about people bitching.

I don't think people are whining nearly as much as you think they are, you are generalizing the comments of a few posters who have expressed their discontent, why does it bother you so?

I haven't been one to complain much this season, the Wings are about where most people thought they'd be, especially considering the injuries.

BTW the Wings have a ONE game winning streak. It is hardly time to make a thread like this bashing all the people who have shown some concern (especially when there are like 3 or 4 of these threads every week).

[stevkrause 1,247]

It gets old when the other 10% are people wasting the time to make threads like this; bitching about people bitching.

I don't think people are whining nearly as much as you think they are, you are generalizing the comments of a few posters who have expressed their discontent, why does it bother you so?

I haven't been one to complain much this season, the Wings are about where most people thought they'd be, especially considering the injuries.

BTW the Wings have a ONE game winning streak. It is hardly time to make a thread like this bashing all the people who have shown some concern (especially when there are like 3 or 4 of these threads every week).

wrong.

[Z and D for the C 712]

The Wings are NOT .500, haven't been for a good stretch now, and won't be for the rest of the season. After another 20-30 games, expect them to be where they usually are during the regular season = 60% wins, 30% losses, 10% one pointers.

Not winning at least half of games played = below 500

Wings = not winning at least half of games played

Do a little algebra:

Wings = below .500

So instead of false optimism and the happy-happy-joy-joy routine, what's worth noting is that despite having a pretty bad season, we're only 6 points away from leading the division, albeit with the Blackhawks having a game in hand. Being the #3 seed is about just as likely as being the #8.

Edited December 7, 2009 by Z and D for the C

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

they are teetering on the edge of not making the playoffs, and it seems a lot of people don't want to admit it to themselves.

They certainly are right now, but I think their objective is pretty clear: keep their heads above water until they can get a few guys back. Hovering around 10th place or whatever is not ideal or where we'd like them to be, but considering the circumstances, that they are still well-within striking distance of the rest of the conference is a plus.

[Shady Ultima 40]

Not to mention there is a HUGE possibility several other teams will collapse, such as PHX and Col

[Broken 16 381]

lets whine about whining

Don't force me to whine about people who whine about people whining about whiners...