65 replies to this topic

[Phazon]

How can a team regress so quickly after 2 consecutive SC finals? Yes i know injuries is a valid excuse, but were getting guys back now. Is babcock being outcoached? Yes it could be some of the problem.

[sherwood40]

Everyone is turning the puck over WAY too much, Dats needs to shoot more, everyone knows he will pass 99% of the time. We don't have anyone on our team that can actually shoot the puck real good. I would love to see Larry Murphy become the defensive coach for detroit.

Edited by sherwood40, 31 January 2010 - 03:21 PM.

[GMRwings1983]

Seems like every important guy on the team is having a career worst season, except for Howard.

They just look too scared out there and don't seem to have confidence anymore offensively.

Defensively, they're just getting out of the way and trying to see how good Howard is. There's no other explanation for this defense.

[lilja4mvp]

they suck

[FirstSamuel1745]

This one's easy.  One pace for 55 fewer goals this year, combined with a slightly more porous defense, and a hospital ward full of injuries.  Hard to blame anyone for this, though you might wish the healthy players showed a bit more heart.

[dat's sick]

Lack of puck possession. It's mainly the passing game I feel that is bad.. too many giveaways, too many passes behind players or bouncing passes that can't be controlled.

[Rice]

This one's easy. One pace for 55 fewer goals this year, combined with a slightly more porous defense, and a hospital ward full of injuries. Hard to blame anyone for this, though you might wish the healthy players showed a bit more heart.

Actually the defense is better this year. They're allowing 2.69 goals per game as opposed to 2.97 last year. Just shows you how good last year's offense was.

I still think they'll be able to get rolling once they get healthy. Pittsburgh was something like 5 points out of a playoff spot at this time last year.

[GMRwings1983]

Can we all just blame this on Kirk Maltby?

It's been forever since he put the puck in the net.

I blame it all on him.

[Doc Holliday]

Seems like every important guy on the team is having a career worst season, except for Howard.

They just look too scared out there and don't seem to have confidence anymore offensively.

Defensively, they're just getting out of the way and trying to see how good Howard is. There's no other explanation for this defense.

Technically it is Howard's career worst season since it is his first full season in the NHL.

[Phazon]

Actually the defense is better this year. They're allowing 2.69 goals per game as opposed to 2.97 last year. Just shows you how good last year's offense was.

I still think they'll be able to get rolling once they get healthy. Pittsburgh was something like 5 points out of a playoff spot at this time last year.

that's the thing though. It's not much time left.

[Carman]

Can we all just blame this on Kirk Maltby?

It's been forever since he put the puck in the net.

I blame it all on him.

I blame it on Brad May. Wing's have never had a good team with him in the organization.

[Crashnburnluder]

Seems like every important guy on the team is having a career worst season, except for Howard.

Im going to be honest... I hope this is his career worst season too... IF so we have a really briight future ahead of us haha....

[Rice]

that's the thing though. It's not much time left.

Once Franzen and Holmstrom come back, they have about a month to get in a groove before the playoffs.

[evil204]

Everyone is turning the puck over WAY too much, Dats needs to shoot more, everyone knows he will pass 99% of the time. We don't have anyone on our team that can actually shoot the puck real good. I would love to see Larry Murphy become the defensive coach for detroit.

I don't think it has anything to do with a lack of shooters. Our Stanley Cup team didn't have any shooters either. I think the problem is that we're never quick enough to get to loose pucks, always a step behind. It looks like they're coasting all the time, and there's no sense of urgency in their game.

[VM1138]

I don't know how everyone can have bad seasons in the same year. Just doesn't make sense to me. What I do see is sloppy passes, they almost pass too much. I see two players six feet apart passing to each other with an opposing player bearing down on them, so they inevitably lose it instead of passing to the wide open player on the other side of the ice.

I see a lot of dump and chase, which they swore never to do a couple years ago when they won the Cup and last season.

And worst of all, I see a lot of players standing five feet away from the puck and they stand there to wait for the opposing player to pick it up and then just pick up the man and follow them around. I saw that a lot today and it infuriated me. I don't know who to cite an example, but at center ice the puck had was moving slowly and the Detroit player could have easily picked it up without exposing himself or putting himeslf out of position. He would be guaranteed to get the puck. Instead, he came to a complete stop and waited for Pittsburgh to grab it and carry it down ice.

If you want to chase the puck, actually CHASE it down.

[Nev]

An aging core

300+ games the last 3 seasons, and the wear and tear those 3 deep playoffs induce

Winning so much they've become complacent

Losing Hossa/Hudler/Samuelsson to free agency

Horrific injury list

Loss of their "aura". Opponents know they are vulnerable. 2 years ago a team down by 2 against us with 10 mins to go would throw in the towel, not now. They go for the jugular.

[ShanahanMan]

Do you guys really think two players are gonna make that much difference? Babcock said it all in that recent interview. We're playing worse with more healthy players than we did when half our team was injured. That tells you a lot right there.

[SDavis35]

I don't think it has anything to do with a lack of shooters. Our Stanley Cup team didn't have any shooters either. I think the problem is that we're never quick enough to get to loose pucks, always a step behind. It looks like they're coasting all the time, and there's no sense of urgency in their game.

This seems to be the biggest problem, look what happened after we scored. We nearly took the game over then and there. It's just simply a team that needs to find their drive again. Passion is there, but not quite the drive, there's something missing about it, maybe it's the "x-factor" that we need to pick up.

[TheOwl]

Two major things I've noticed over the last few games, one positive, one negative. The D needs to step into the play more, like Lidstrom has been doing. He looks lethal when he shoots from the center of the circles. Let's face it, Rafalski and Lidstrom are pretty bad at shooting from the point. They've gotten a lot worse over time. They should pinch in and shoot, or just pass it.

I also think they need to use Datysuk better on the PP. A lot of the time I've noticed him roaming around the front of the net. They need to let him and Zetterberg shoot, maybe rotate them with the D at the point, and shoot from the top of the circle.

[GMRwings1983]

Two major things I've noticed over the last few games, one positive, one negative. The D needs to step into the play more, like Lidstrom has been doing. He looks lethal when he shoots from the center of the circles. Let's face it, Rafalski and Lidstrom are pretty bad at shooting from the point. They've gotten a lot worse over time. They should pinch in and shoot, or just pass it.

I also think they need to use Datysuk better on the PP. A lot of the time I've noticed him roaming around the front of the net. They need to let him and Zetterberg shoot, maybe rotate them with the D at the point, and shoot from the top of the circle.

So wait, what was the positive?