The Mystery of Detroit

[Rufio 29]

A funny one about the Wings. I don't quite agree with it all, but it raises some good points. The Wings did look pretty listless for most of the game, and when they wanted to, they outplayed the Blues.

The Mystery of Detroit

If last night's shootout loss to St. Louis demonstrated anything to the hockey world, it's that the Red Wings clearly do not understand the urgency of the situation they are in. Right now they sit ninth in the Western Conference amidst a ferocious fight between seven teams for two playoff births. Apparently this information was not relayed to Detroit, who played a lethargic and apathetic game for the better part of fifty, of what at times seemed to be, endless minutes.

Then, inexplicably, the Wings wanted to play.

Attempting to gain a firm, or for that matter, tenuous comprehension of this enigmatic squad would most likely prove to be a frivolous task. An empathetic person could certainly see why the Wings of past years have displayed occasional diffidence when a playoff spot is all but locked up in December. It's a long season and most of the time, the playoffs are just too far away. These days however, the eternal wait for the playoffs could use a slight extension.

With each suffered loss, the importance of each game increases. This truth, undeniable, despite the contradictory words spoken by Detroit's on-ice actions. Perhaps force of habit is behind their listless efforts, perhaps it's fatigue, or maybe after a Cup and a heart-breaking Cup Final-loss, it's a loss of passion, but confidence should not be the cause of their ailing ways.

Being down 3-1 and facing another disappointment with six minutes to play, Detroit dominated until the score was tied. The goals scored weren't particularly demonstrative of the usual Red Wing-style, and some might say luck got them to overtime with some fortunate bounces. But the fact is, for the first time in that game, Detroit put sustained pressure on the St. Louis defense and for all intents and purposes, willed the puck over the line. Twice.

It's amazing what talent like that can do in five minutes when they slip out of first-gear. To the average spectator, it would seem theoretically logical and reasonable, to suggest that if coach Mike Babcock could negotiate even forty minutes of urgent intensity from his players, wins would instantaneously become less elusive. Apparently, the mysterious throttle on this juggernaught is not as easy to operate as it once was.

Maybe we're all being fooled and Detroit will end up with the fourth seed through some sudden spring to action. This is still actually a plausible scenario given the flashes of excellence we have seen from time to time. But unless those flashes become a steady stream, it won't happen.

Even then, nothing can be certain. Talent is great, but talent alone is not the reason they became the Stanley Cup Champions in 2008. The hardest working team in the National Hockey League, was the Detroit Red Wings. The hunger and the work-ethic of that time barely even felt like a memory but more a dream about a past incarnation when you watched them play last night.

Upon the return of Holmstrom and Kronwall, they will be devoid of excuses. It has been a tough year for the mighty Wings, one that no-one would envy. The good news for the Detroit faithful is, they do have the power. They control their destiny and what's more, they can win games when they really want to.

So. Do they really want to?

http://puckbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/02/m...of-detroit.html

[SDavis35 140]

Has a point... there was that one point in the third where I felt like I was watching a completely different team, the one I have grown to love. Scary stuff if they find a way to pull that for an entire game. I'm hoping that was really the point where they finally wake up, cause all those locker room talks haven't sustained much pressure on the playoff-bound teams.

I don't agree in saying they don't care, but there IS another level these guys can play, they just have to play it.

[Doggy 130]

The hardest working team in the National Hockey League, was the Detroit Red Wings.

Sigh. How I miss them.

That's actually a really well-written piece for a blog I gotta say.

[skyphoenix 153]

Makes sense but god was that a pain to read. It's like the writer was using a thesaurus for the entire article.

[Trapt1307 81]

The Wings have been pretty awful this year, but if they can get 100% healthy and go on a little streak, this is definitely not a team SJ or CHI wants to see in the first round. Kind of reminds me of Anaheim last year. And I really think that if the Ducks would have beat the Wings, they would have won the whole thing.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Trapt1307

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Yeah, it definitely feels like this team has left a lot on the ice.

Everyone talks about how this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but on paper this is one of the best teams in the NHL. I mean, how is it a rebuilding year when we have just as much talent as we did in 2006 or 2007? Those years we had pretty good records.

There is really no excuse for this team to miss the playoffs. We've had no more than 2 or 3 guys injured the last month or so. That's about the same as what every other team in the NHL has right now. Nobody is completely healthy.

I compare this team to those Rangers squads early in the last decade, which had great talent, but never made the playoffs and looked to have no chemistry together.

Don't know why all of a sudden the swagger and confidence these players have built up over the years from playing together has disappeared? They all play like strangers out there who've never been together on the ice.

[wingsfaninMA 3]

Makes sense but god was that a pain to read. It's like the writer was using a thesaurus for the entire article.

lol a pain?

i thought it was what ive been thinking for a while. just like gmr said, its like theyre lost together or something

[MCleveland89 122]

It's true. When the Wings want it, they get it. It's one of the many reasons why they're so good in the playoffs. They know every game is so incredibility crucial, they work their asses off. But they need to realize they need to do that now. I don't want to see an 18 year record broken this year.