Have you lost confidence in certain players?

[miller76 463]

Injuries piling up or not, this team has personnel that I have no confidence in any longer. My confidence in Osgood is completely gone. I sigh and mumble 'F' bombs when I see him in net prior to a game. When Leino is on the ice, I key in on him. He is a complete pylon! He just looks like another skater hanging around the play. He never is the play!

I have long been a supporter of each and every player in the Detroit locker room. But this team is no longer employing just one or two sand baggers in this line up. I am not just talking about the typical Lebda and Meech sucking. And I am not saying they need to start trading away the depth or trading away the core players. But changes need to be made.

So say a deal or an offer from the Wings would be in place for Kovalchuk. Atlanta isn't just going to take Leino, Lebda, and Meech! They are going to want picks, top prospects, and proven players like Helm, Filppula, and Kronwall. Would you support a deal like that?

[vOrophin 5]

Osgood. He is continuing to look mediocre like he did last year in the regular season. I would be fine with him as a backup, which seems like how the situation is developing with Howard playing as well as he is. Lidstrom, while not producing offensively, is still playing great defensively. Dats has been playing fairly well after he had a dry streak, helped by Bert heating up a bit (which goes to show that even great players need good people to play with). Leino has been slightly disappointing, but he is still a rookie. I would bet that once we get most of our core back he will start looking good again when he has better linemates to work with and not as much responsibility is on his shoulders.

[hooon 1,089]

Players certainly have disappointed this season, but when you look at the reasons behind this, its not terribly surprising.

Kovalchuk is a great player, and he'd be great as a win, but this has been discussed before, and to me the answer is still NO. No need to trade away our depth and our future for a 'quick fix' type of deal.

[kylee 727]

Leino. where did all of the hype originate from? a good first few games in the NHL? i honestly dont know..

[SweWings 45]

Leino. where did all of the hype originate from? a good first few games in the NHL? i honestly dont know..

He wasn't all that bad his first games last season...

[uk_redwing 495]

Leino is useless.

I was also disappointed that we didnt goon it up at the end of todays game. If we lose, might as well kick their little ***** asses in the process.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Leino is useless.

I was also disappointed that we didnt goon it up at the end of todays game. If we lose, might as well kick their little ***** asses in the process.

Dont even get me started on that. May, Newbury and Janik should all steal the Lady Byng from Datsyuk's trophy case, and worship it like a false idol.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Leino is useless.

I was also disappointed that we didnt goon it up at the end of todays game. If we lose, might as well kick their little ***** asses in the process.

You stole my idea from the GDT.

I outta sue you.

[ShanahanMan 473]

We need that natural goal scorer. Every team has one, we don't. Franzen is a beast, but he is NOT a natural goal scorer.

Please lord, give me Kovalchuk for Christmas. One of the most amazing players to watch on the ice.

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

Never had a lot of reason to have confidence in Leino, just hoped he would help pick up some of the slack.

Over the past 2 seasons Osgood has had bad games more often than he has had good ones despite his record. Last year we could just outscore all of our mistakes in the 3rd period and call it good. This year we can hardly score enough goals to win when we're playing stellar defense and getting great goaltending. Call it poor fundamentals, lapses in concentration, age, whatever you want, but Osgood's lack of consistency and his tendency to miss at least one easy save per game are really starting to cost the team.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

You stole my idea from the GDT.

I outta sue you.

Go for it.

Then I'll finally get to try my first case.

[Green Wing 26]

Injuries piling up or not, this team has personnel that I have no confidence in any longer. My confidence in Osgood is completely gone. I sigh and mumble 'F' bombs when I see him in net prior to a game. When Leino is on the ice, I key in on him. He is a complete pylon!

Osgood and Leino too.

With Osgood, we've taken the bad to get the good before, but there comes a time when it's just not good enough anymore. I agree with what you say above, my mood darkens when I see him starting a game. I honestly don't know how Babcock doesn't lose his s*** with him sometimes.

As for Leino, I was never as sure that he'd be a hit like some on here so he's not a huge disappointment, but boy has he been bad. I noticed him tonight skating over to defencemen along the boards, and letting up ALL THE TIME. I mean, I know he's not huge and a hit from him would be like a fly landing on them, but he's still gotta try! He also looks horribly slow, something I only noticed in the playoffs last year, not the regular season. His confidence is so low now that he looks like he's avoiding the play.

On the flipside, you could say Ozzie was rusty tonight because he's not had many games recently. And Leino may look better if we had most of our better players healthy.

So I'm not panicking yet - just dying to get some of our guys healthy.

How about we spend some dough on a goalie in the summer? That or someone like Frolov to play with Dats and Franzen. Kovalchuk would be great but I think he'll stay in Atlanta.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Osgood and Leino too.

With Osgood, we've taken the bad to get the good before, but there comes a time when it's just not good enough anymore. I agree with what you say above, my mood darkens when I see him starting a game. I honestly don't know how Babcock doesn't lose his s*** with him sometimes.

As for Leino, I was never as sure that he'd be a hit like some on here so he's not a huge disappointment, but boy has he been bad. I noticed him tonight skating over to defencemen along the boards, and letting up ALL THE TIME. I mean, I know he's not huge and a hit from him would be like a fly landing on them, but he's still gotta try! He also looks horribly slow, something I only noticed in the playoffs last year, not the regular season. His confidence is so low now that he looks like he's avoiding the play.

On the flipside, you could say Ozzie was rusty tonight because he's not had many games recently. And Leino may look better if we had most of our better players healthy.

So I'm not panicking yet - just dying to get some of our guys healthy.

How about we spend some dough on a goalie in the summer? That or someone like Frolov to play with Dats and Franzen. Kovalchuk would be great but I think he'll stay in Atlanta.

Do you remember the Vancouver game we came back to win earlier this season? Osgood let in 2 goals on 3 shots and then the camera panned in on Babcock. He was furious to say the least. He just motioned to Osgood like, "GET THE f*** OFF", and Howard came in, played well, and we ended up winning.

[Green Wing 26]

Do you remember the Vancouver game we came back to win earlier this season? Osgood let in 2 goals on 3 shots and then the camera panned in on Babcock. He was furious to say the least. He just motioned to Osgood like, "GET THE f*** OFF", and Howard came in, played well, and we ended up winning.

Lol, I was at that game. Couldn't believe when I looked over and seen Jimmy. Well I guess I could believe it, but still. I can't see Babcock taking another regular season of this kind of Ozzie.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I can't say I don't have confidence in Lidstrom, he's been excellent on defense and the PK, but he's been very disappointing for me this season. Perhaps there's something else going on or maybe the decline was really just this steep, but he's the main man on the power play, and he's done absolutely nothing there all season. The PP's been a huge weakness since Kronwall got hurt, and with all these injuries we need it to be an equalizer for us and it hasn't been.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

I am losing faith this year on this team, these injuries are killing us all around. Were losing many games and it seems the players don't even want to play. I hope I am wrong but I don't see this team right now going far into the playoffs.

[eva unit zero 271]

Osgood had some poor moments tonight. But he also made some brilliant saves, and stopped 32 of 35 shots while his offense only posted 20. Stopping 32 of 35 is a .914 save percentage; it's hard to argue a goalie played poorly when he posts that number despite allowing a bad goal or two. In fact, that would seem to suggest the opposite; especially considering how little Osgood has played recently.

Aside from the shots though, even more telling is that the Wings, who are typically one of the top five faceoff teams in the league, won only 16 of 45 draws.

Here's how the Wings' centers did tonight on faceoffs:

Datsyuk 6 for 16 (38%)

Helm 3 for 13 (23%)

Abdelkader 3 for 5 (60%)

Draper 3 for 3 (100%)

All wingers 1 for 8 (13%)

Overall 16 for 45 (36%)

Furthermore, let's take a look at offensive zone faceoffs:

Datsyuk 1 for 5 (20%)

Helm 0 for 2 (0%)

Abdelkader 2 for 2 (100%)

Draper 0 for 0 (N/A)

All wingers 0 for 3 (0%)

Overall 3 for 12 (25%)

Now compare that to defensive zone draws:

Datsyuk 4 for 6 (67%)

Helm 2 for 7 (0%)

Abdelkader 1 for 2 (50%)

Draper 3 for 3 (100%)

All wingers 0 for 1 (0%)

Overall 10 for 19 (53%)

Those numbers are completely unacceptable. Draper and Dats winning the defensive zone faceoffs are the only numbers acceptable from that list. Abby winning both in the offensive zone is good, but doesn't have a ton of effectiveness offensively given the purpose of his line.

If the Wings aren't winning draws and controlling the puck, getting shots on net and getting to the rebounds, then what do any of you expect? Osgood is a damn good goalie, but no goalie will win a game when his team is being outplayed to that degree at both ends and doesn't score a single goal.

[Broken 16 381]

I chose Leino because even though I had low expectations for his first jump into an 82 game NHL grind, he actually looks worse than I ever expected. He's either lazy and sucks, or he has no head for the game at the NHL level and appears that way. Long story short... I hate him on this roster.

A close second is Osgood and his bulls*** approach to the regular season.

Then Datsyuk. I just think Dats is going through some personal stuff. He'll get it sorted out sooner or later.

Lidstrom will never be a disappointment because I refuse to believe that he ever gives less than 100%.

I voted yes on the Kovalchuck trade for nothing but to give Datsyuk's wife someone to gossip with.

Edited December 21, 2009 by Broken 16

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

Lol, I was at that game. Couldn't believe when I looked over and seen Jimmy. Well I guess I could believe it, but still. I can't see Babcock taking another regular season of this kind of Ozzie.

Just bring up Larsson and put Ozzie down in GR for conditioning or something. Can't be any worse at this point. And who the hell is gonna claim Ozzie on waivers?

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I chose Leino because even though I had low expectations for his first jump into an 82 game NHL grind, he actually looks worse than I ever expected. He's either lazy and sucks, or he has no head for the game at the NHL level and appears that way. Long story short... I hate him on this roster.

I voted yes on the Kovalchuck trade for nothing but to give Datsyuk's wife someone to gossip with.

Why can't he be both of those things?

[SaCkaveli20 275]

I approve of the Kovalchuk trade. He would make a WORLD of difference. He's more talented than all but 2 of our forwards.

Keep Filppula, a draft pick and something else over Kovalchuk? I don't think so.

Filppula, Helm and the sort will never be as offensively gifted as Kovalchuk.

In saying that, i'm not worried at all this year. And I am a HUGE Val & Darren Danger Helm fan.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Not lost confidence. Teams go on hot and cold streaks all the time in an 80+ game season. Injuries also play a part. All a part of a lengthy season, I don't care what the team is. Got a long way to go before it's over and still plenty of time for them to make the playoffs.

[cjm502 165]

Kovalchuk will never be a Wing, or at least not soon. A ton of my Twitter sources have said Kovy is going to the Canucks.

[Broken 16 381]

Not lost confidence. Teams go on hot and cold streaks all the time in an 80+ game season. Injuries also play a part. All a part of a lengthy season, I don't care what the team is. Got a long way to go before it's over and still plenty of time for them to make the playoffs.

You haven't lost confidence in a single player on the roster? You're pretty easy to please.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

You haven't lost confidence in a single player on the roster? You're pretty easy to please.

It stinks that the Wings aren't playing and producing points like we are used to, but in a lengthy season, you're gonna stink up the joint sometimes and have losing streaks, whatever. That goes for every team. I'm not flipping out over a team that has made the palyoffs in over 15+ seasons and is far from out of the playoffs this year when there is still plenty of the season left to be played.