10 replies to this topic

[FunkedUp]

Holmstrom scores more goals then Zetterberg
We have no 30 goal scorers
Pavel has more goals than Hank, and Hank has more helpers than Pavel
Howard would have a stellar year
Ozzie won't start the playoffs
Lilja would return

share some of your UN-expectations this season.

[WhiteLightning91]

Brian "LGW whipping boy cuz of his turnovers" Rafalski finishing with a higher +/- than Nick.

[Shoreline]

I didn't think the Wings would struggle this bad through the first half of the season up til the olympics break. Still, they caught their legs and I imagined if they even made the playoffs they'd likely get no better than 7th or 8th. Didn't expect this turn-around to 5th.

Didn't expect Ozzie to be benched most of the season. Turns out it was a good move as far as the season goes.

[clutchngrab]

If we are talking unexpected then there is the major positive which is, of course, JH. On the dark side, I expected more from Leino and to a lesser extent - Erikkson. Besides the injuries, nothing else surprised me - especially as the season unfolded. Lots of guys had forgettable first halfs. I was hoping for a bit more out of Abby, but that was offset by Bert. Williams has turned out to be exactly the same player that was shipped out the first time. Helmer is progrressing nicely. Eaves and Miller - nice surprises to offset the aging Maltby and Draper. I suppose another surprise is Homer - but that's been mentioned. Osgood played to my expectations. lol.

Edited by clutchngrab, 12 April 2010 - 03:21 AM.

[FinWing]

Bertuzzi plays all 82 games.

[stormboy]

Bertuzzi plays all 82 games.

haha...yeah. only lids and stu were also able to accomplish that this season IIRC.

anyone know what the final count of man-games lost to injury this season was? that's one thing that *i* would not have expected.

would not have expected hank and pavs to have such low point totals, either. but, they're playing well now and that's all that matters (since we're in!).

also, two months ago, i would not have expected us to be in fifth...much less in the playoffs. mmm...crow tastes wonderful.

[edicius]

I genuinely wasn't expecting us to make the playoffs after all the injuries. Those guys surprised the hell out of me, especially Howard.

[StevieY9802]

I genuinely wasn't expecting us to make the playoffs after all the injuries. Those guys surprised the hell out of me, especially Howard.

This ^ I thought they would be too far out when everyone got back in February and even when they came back and they were only in 10th, I didn't think they could put a run together that would move them up. Calgary was playing well right around the break and so were LA, Colorado and Phoenix so I didn't think they would do it. Mike Babcock said he was more impressed with December than he was with March and April because of all the injuries and I kinda am too. The western trip to start the new year was probably biggest thing to me. 3-1 on that trip against the Coyotes, Ducks (loss), Kings and Sharks.

Ozzie was a surprise too. Had they not had so many injuries and wouldn't have been fighting for their playoff lives I think they would have worked him in more and try to help him find his game but you couldn't risk it. Congrats to Jimmy. Now I hope he doesn't pull a Manny Legace and have a good regular season and then a below average playoff.

[Wings4Life19]

Williams makes the lineup over abby

the wings would be horrible in shootouts

Z had no problems with his back(that we know of )

Drew Miller

The wings would finish with more points than Pittsburgh

[Cicada]

Williams makes the lineup over abby

that was more of a cap situation though after we claimed Miller and Lilja came back

[Nightfall]

Here were my expectations:
The Wings would make the playoffs
The Wings would be a competitive team
Various LGW members were quick to shove this team under the bus and declare them dead when they were out of the playoff picture at the Olympic break like the fairweather fans they were.

Here were my unexpecatations
Jimmy Howard taking over as #1. After seeing him play in Grand Rapids last season, I thought he played average. I didn't expect him to catch fire and play like he has.
Bert having a pretty successful year. Playing in all 82 games and notching 44 points is nothing to scoff at for a player his age (35)
Osgood struggling badly. I know he picked it up for playoffs last year, but it seems like the team just gave up on him whenever he played this year.