Does Holland have the courage to tank this team?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

You've got me.

Apparently, Fil has been bad because he was hurt and doesn't rack up 3 assists a game like Joe Thornton.

[Stiffy 0]

I agree with the OP, but sentimental pep talk stuff aside, of course management isn't going this route in the near future. However, this season and next is a test of Wings management. Can they pick up the pieces of this season and come back stronger next season? Can they be as clever and resourceful within the constraints of the NHL? On paper, you would think they definitely can. No fire sale is required, but there will have to be some heavy pruning.

[Broken 16 381]

Nevermind

Edited February 8, 2010 by Broken 16

[TheOwl 77]

The Wings players are playing bad. It has nothing to do with management (could be coaching). They need to play better. We don't need to tank like those other teams did. The Wings have everything they need to win a Cup THIS YEAR. Maybe the Wings did blow a lot of their draft picks in the last 5 years through trades. But the simple fact is, a team with Datysuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom should not be fighting for a play-off spot, I don't care who's injured. These guys are supposed to be super-stars. Datysuk was nominated for the damn Hart last year.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Apparently, Fil has been bad because he was hurt and doesn't rack up 3 assists a game like Joe Thornton.

Silly, eh?

[Drake_Marcus 890]

The Wings players are playing bad. It has nothing to do with management (could be coaching). They need to play better. We don't need to tank like those other teams did. The Wings have everything they need to win a Cup THIS YEAR. Maybe the Wings did blow a lot of their draft picks in the last 5 years through trades. But the simple fact is, a team with Datysuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom should not be fighting for a play-off spot, I don't care who's injured. These guys are supposed to be super-stars. Datysuk was nominated for the damn Hart last year.

Sad but very true.

[cboth686 0]

I have to agree, this season can be chalked up to injuries and under achieving. Datsyuk and Z have been subpar for the "2 best all-around forwards" in the league. It's not all their fault, but they are a part of the team and that makes them accountable. Especially given their salary.

Iginla is basically having a new arse hole torn after this slide in Calgary. As much as I love Iggy, he is the captain and he is supposed to be their number one player. So yes, it is okay to hold stars accountable. Something I'm not sure Babcock or Holland have stressed enough.

[MuleRyder 0]

I have to agree, this season can be chalked up to injuries and under achieving. Datsyuk and Z have been subpar for the "2 best all-around forwards" in the league. It's not all their fault, but they are a part of the team and that makes them accountable. Especially given their salary.

Iginla is basically having a new arse hole torn after this slide in Calgary. As much as I love Iggy, he is the captain and he is supposed to be their number one player. So yes, it is okay to hold stars accountable. Something I'm not sure Babcock or Holland have stressed enough.

You can hold stars accountable as long as their names aren't Nicklas or Lidstrom. LGW fact of the day.

40 games without a goal.. BUT HES GOT A HIGH +/- !!!!

Not a factor at all apparently.

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

z is not as intense as he was a couple years ago, he does not take defenders on anymore, he needs to be fancy and agressive

datsyuk is just confused he has no idea what the team is doing

howard is brilliant and the best player we have made since zetterberg

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

You can hold stars accountable as long as their names aren't Nicklas or Lidstrom. LGW fact of the day.

40 games without a goal.. BUT HES GOT A HIGH +/- !!!!

Not a factor at all apparently.

LGW was particularly hard on Nick this season before his goal scoring picked up. Certainly not a whipping boy, but admitting that maybe his time was finally arriving.

[The Secret 304]

Nice, This is why I like to read Drake's posts! As usual I agree with your thoughts and I respect the Illitch family for bringing the Red Wings back to life and making Detroit the model franchise.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Nice, This is why I like to read Drake's posts! As usual I agree with your thoughts and I respect the Illitch family for bringing the Red Wings back to life and making Detroit the model franchise.

Thanks man

[Guest Lidstromboli]

i like how Drapez disappears and MuleRyder randomly pops up

[cupforwings 138]

i like how Drapez disappears and MuleRyder randomly pops up

hmmm... interesting, very ineresting

[Guest DatsyukianDeke13]

After the loss today I got thinking... we've been a lucky bunch for 20 years or so. We've scarcely had to watch failure (during the regular season at least!). So it got me to thinking... what if we don't have the next Lidstrom, Yzerman, Datsyuk, Zetterberg or even Hudler/Filppula/Franzen in the system right now? What if the Wings really need an injection of cheap but star quality talent.

Now I've carefully observed how most GMs deal with this: they burn the house down and hope a big fat insurance cheque comes in the mail. Sure the family (fans) have to sleep in a motel for a while, but sometimes the new house is ever better! Look at what happened in Washington, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Their GM's were pretty sad sacks. Emotionally distraught, unloved, those teams got thrown over the barrel every trade deadline and taken for all they were worth. Hell, they got passed around like a beautiful but emotionally needy college girl at an all male dorm during freshmen week.

The Caps, Pens and Hawks bravely said "here are my good players take what you want and throw me your draft picks!" for a decade or more. And for the most part they cashed in. The Captials drafted an offensive god named Ovechkin. The Penguins drafted Malkin who won them a Cup on the back of his Conn Smythe ( ) and the Hawks have already been awarded the Hockey Writers Association Memorial Sure-To-Win-The-Cup Award (stolen from the previous media darlings in San Jose).

Even the Lightning have gotten back into the act after their brief flirtation with extended greatness. Stamkos and Hedmen are both studs (even if Hedmen's season is terrible, you expect that from a rookie D-man) and I have a hard time counting LeCalvary out at his age.

Sure, the Maple Leafs have shown GM's how to piss away draft picks but they were stupid enough to float on the line of mediocrity for 40+ years instead of boldly daring to suck balls and tank for a decade like the Penguins and Hawks did.

What do Wings fans have to show for it? 4 measly cups and the longest postseason streak in modern sports. But where is the super young, dynamic talent that gets hockey forums hot under the hood?

Does Ken Holland have the courage to take his hands off the wheel and close his eyes when his card drifts towards the ditch? Hopefully everyone inside will be ok and maybe there's a new mustang on sale on Kijiji for an outrageously low price! I mean he knows a guy who had that same thing happen to him! Surely it can happen again?

Does Ken Holland have the balls to dump gasoline in the back office and leave a lit cigarette on his desk? If he walks out and a fire starts he can build a new, better factory that's not struggling financially this month.

________________________________________________________________________________

_________________

No.

Many people are starting to invoke the hated "Dead Things" name this proud franchise wore in the 70's and 80's.

Shame on you.

Do you know what the difference is between the Dead Things and Red Wings is? Excellence, class and Little Ceasers Pizza. Mike and Marian Ilitch bought the Wings from Lidstrom's ***** (Mr. Norris) in '82. They took season tickets owners to dinner personally to convince them to stick around. They remodeled the entire front office and taught the franchise and fans to be proud again.

Tanking this team for draft picks spits in the face of what Mr. and Mrs Ilitch did in Detroit.

This team should not and will not spit in the faces of their fans by burning the team down and pissing on the ashes so they can have a shot at a lottery pick.

If we go down we go down fighting. Mr. Ilitch was a US Marine for 4 years so I have a hard time imagining him bending over for Mr. Bettman like weaker owners have. He won't burn this franchise down and start over so we can giggle about a "youth movement" and dream of rainbows and puppies. The Wings will build on success while striving to deliver the best product on the ice every year. They won't just say that like every other GM does they'll do it like only a handful of GMs do.

I'm all for youth but I don't want to watch my beloved Red Wings get slapped around like a rented Mule (sorry Johan) for a decade just for the privilege of getting a chance to draft an 18 year old impact player.

Funniest thing I have ever read on this board

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

May be a little late, but the suckiness that the Penguins and Blackhawks enjoyed for so long were not by design!! One team was going bankrupt while the other had an owner who could care less about winning.

This is not the NBA where you draft one or two good players and become contenders over night. This is a team sport. Speaking of which didn't the Bulls do something like this after they won their final championship in 1998? The old guard left town and they have never been the same since.

In the end, going that route requires a good bit of luck in pulling out of the vicious cycle that is losing. I understand the sentiment of this post as I have felt the same after frustrating Redwings losses.

This year reminds me a lot of 1999.

[clutchngrab 12]

Burning the house down is not an option for Holland. He has too many long term and NTCs he will have an impossible time getting out from under. Personally, I think Zetterberg blows this year. I would trade him now while his perceived value is high. In a year or two it will be very difficult to unload his contract.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Burning the house down is not an option for Holland. He has too many long term and NTCs he will have an impossible time getting out from under. Personally, I think Zetterberg blows this year. I would trade him now while his perceived value is high. In a year or two it will be very difficult to unload his contract.

this is why I absolutely hate locking up players for absurdly long contracts. They can really come back to bite you in the ass. Just because a player is amazing one or two years doesn't mean he'll be just as good 3 years later. 4 years should be the limit for any contract.

[Electrophile 3,554]

If Holland tanks this team and pulls a firesale, I'll lose all respect for him I ever had.

[Grateful Gadsby 10]

If Holland tanks this team and pulls a firesale, I'll lose all respect for him I ever had.

A plausible (as others have started to mention), albeit extraordinarily unlikely scenario: the Wings keep sliding, end up sellers at the deadline, and shop ... Nick Lidstrom. Yep, Lidstrom. Ken tells Nick that the best way he could help the team's future would be to agree to a trade to a contender for a blue-chip prospect and/or pick or three, and then the two of them will talk again in July.

Wildly improbable, I know. Still, it's an interesting scenario to ponder.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

A plausible (as others have started to mention), albeit extraordinarily unlikely scenario: the Wings keep sliding, end up sellers at the deadline, and shop ... Nick Lidstrom. Yep, Lidstrom. Ken tells Nick that the best way he could help the team's future would be to agree to a trade to a contender for a blue-chip prospect and/or pick or three, and then the two of them will talk again in July.

Wildly improbable, I know. Still, it's an interesting scenario to ponder.

Never.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

A plausible (as others have started to mention), albeit extraordinarily unlikely scenario: the Wings keep sliding, end up sellers at the deadline, and shop ... Nick Lidstrom. Yep, Lidstrom. Ken tells Nick that the best way he could help the team's future would be to agree to a trade to a contender for a blue-chip prospect and/or pick or three, and then the two of them will talk again in July.

Wildly improbable, I know. Still, it's an interesting scenario to ponder.

The banner with #5 on it has probably already been ordered. He'll retire a Wing whenever he wants. We owe him that much.

[Guest mindfly]

There is no crosby/ovechkin/malkin/nash/thornton/kovalchuk type out there so to totally tank a team and get the 1st overall pick is no point this bad draftyear... Taylor hall is great but he won't be among them players...

[Electrophile 3,554]

A plausible (as others have started to mention), albeit extraordinarily unlikely scenario: the Wings keep sliding, end up sellers at the deadline, and shop ... Nick Lidstrom. Yep, Lidstrom. Ken tells Nick that the best way he could help the team's future would be to agree to a trade to a contender for a blue-chip prospect and/or pick or three, and then the two of them will talk again in July.

Wildly improbable, I know. Still, it's an interesting scenario to ponder.

If they trade Nick Lidstrom, I'll stop watching this team.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

If they trade Nick Lidstrom, I'll stop watching this team.

That's what I said when my boy Maxim Kuznetsov was traded, but I'm still here.