Are We Not Good Enough to Win the Cup?

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

the team was essentially healthy during their playoff run and thats what matters. Didn't do too much dominating then did they? Thats not to say they didn't have flashes of brilliance here and there, but it definitely was good enough to get close to the cup.

Jimmy is primarily the guy that has got to get better and could be a bigger difference maker if he does, but overall they were okay in the playoffs. A bounce here or there (or 5-on-3, or broken stick...) and things might be different. That's how it goes; win some, lose some. There's no need to blow up the team just because they couldn't manage to reach the Cup Finals for a third consecutive year. Those are unrealistic expectations no matter how you look at it.

[savaking72 0]

There have been so many threads about trying to sign one player or trading for another. Do you guys think we are not good enough to win the cup or something? Personally I think we are loaded and ready to make a run...that's just me though.

I think the Wings are the best team in Hockey right now. Look at our record over the last 20 something seasons. We are the force to be reckoned with. We proved in 2008 that we have the stuff to win with this player core. We are the stick that all the other teams are measured.

[Broken 16 381]

Can't help but laugh at all the people saying Huds and Abs WILL be the difference next year that brings us the cup. Sorry to burst your bubble, but those players aren't season-changing players you think they are.

We have to accept the fact that this is essentially the 09/10 team, just a bit older. We also have to be ready to accept Lidstrom's drop in play and points (its simply inevitable at 40. He's not immortal) as well as possible injuries with players that are prone to it (Zetterberg's back issues have me increasingly worried every season).

Everyone is getting better while we stay the same.

I can't help but laugh at the people that completely disregard the fact that we were at least top 3 in man games lost to injury, injuries to key players for huge chunks at a time, that the return of Hudler will greatly improve our powerplay and we've effectively dumped Lebda and Williams. AND we still have wiggle room for a decent upgrade somewhere.

And what does a year older have to do with anything? Stupidest argument ever. How many players are going to decline over the course of one year on this roster? Two? Maybe Three? How many are going to improve from that year? Six? Eight? Maybe more?

Seriously, the 'one year older' argument is the weakest s*** ever.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Broken 16

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Can't help but laugh at all the people saying Huds and Abs WILL be the difference next year that brings us the cup. Sorry to burst your bubble, but those players aren't season-changing players you think they are.

We have to accept the fact that this is essentially the 09/10 team, just a bit older. We also have to be ready to accept Lidstrom's drop in play and points (its simply inevitable at 40. He's not immortal) as well as possible injuries with players that are prone to it (Zetterberg's back issues have me increasingly worried every season).

Everyone is getting better while we stay the same.

Every team has players that get older every year. That's part of life.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

With parity in the NHL, I always think there is between 6-10 teams that have a realistic chance to win the cup, and then always a few sleepers. We are easily in the first group.

[hooon 1,089]

Last year when our team was finally healthy after the Olympic break, the Wings were the best team in the league.

[SDavis35 140]

In my view, we were good enough to win last year (09/10) but we didn't get the breaks like we have the past few years. We have room to improve, certainly, but in the cap world there are always a handful of teams that will win with the right breaks, we were in that group last year, just couldn't get things to go our way.

[chrisdetroit 189]

The odds of ANY team winning the Cup are at best 4-1 or 5-1, That's only a 20-25% chance so to say that any 1 team is going to win the Cup is silly.

I especially love it when people come on here and say we AREN't going to win the Cup just so they can say I told you so. It's easy to say who won't win the Cup.

That said, all of our big rivals got weaker.

Pittsburgh most likely loses Gonchar. This is a huge loss. Everytime he misses a few games they tank.

Chicago loses almost their entire supporting cast.

San Jose loses Nabokov and Rob Blake

Aneheim loses Neidemier and probably Selanne.

So the best teams in the West are Detroit and....Chicago? Vancouver can't get Luongo over the hump and really who else is their? LA maybe.

In the East there's Washington who hasn't yet learned to play plyoff hockey and Philly who has no goalie.

I like our chances.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

As it has been said, 3 years in a row to a Cup final? Raising the bar a bit high there fellas. I realize this is Hockeytown and its Cups or bust. But we have a very solid foundation in place and I think Jimmy will just get better and more regular season tested as we go this year. We were playing big games all year and every night get the team on the other side's best playing against the winged wheel. No real predictions but I can definitely see a good end to this year. We are a top 3 team and that is still without the addition of this unnamed player or players.

Edited June 29, 2010 by HankthaTank

[Hockeytown_Ryan 119]

You are paranoid. The only one here who is being an idiot is you.

You attacked me.. Im not paranoid of you or anyone else here get over yourself.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Every team has players that get older every year. That's part of life.

Glass half empty for you huh? Sure everybody gets older but at the same time the rookies are getting better. Don't you think that Howard's playoff experience will help? Don't you think that Abby will get better? Or Ericsson?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Glass half empty for you huh? Sure everybody gets older but at the same time the rookies are getting better. Don't you think that Howard's playoff experience will help? Don't you think that Abby will get better? Or Ericsson?

I was responding to the guy predicting bad stuff saying that the Wings are in deep doo-doo because they get older. I was trying to explain to him that everybody gets older everywhere and it's a silly excuse to say a team won't be as good. Everybody gets older. Getting old is a natural part of life.

Edited June 29, 2010 by SouthernWingsFan

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

The odds of ANY team winning the Cup are at best 4-1 or 5-1, That's only a 20-25% chance so to say that any 1 team is going to win the Cup is silly.

I especially love it when people come on here and say we AREN't going to win the Cup just so they can say I told you so. It's easy to say who won't win the Cup.

That said, all of our big rivals got weaker.

Pittsburgh most likely loses Gonchar. This is a huge loss. Everytime he misses a few games they tank.

Chicago loses almost their entire supporting cast.

San Jose loses Nabokov and Rob Blake

Aneheim loses Neidemier and probably Selanne.

So the best teams in the West are Detroit and....Chicago? Vancouver can't get Luongo over the hump and really who else is their? LA maybe.

In the East there's Washington who hasn't yet learned to play plyoff hockey and Philly who has no goalie.

I like our chances.

If the King's manage to get Kovalchuck, they will take a lot of people by suprise. I'm expecting Doughty and Kopitar to have career seasons.

[NBCnothingbutcrosby 159]

So many things wrong with this.

1. That is a good thing for many of the youngsters we have on our team.

2. How do you have ANY idea what our 3rd line will be next year? You don't.

3. Same thing with our 4th. Holland has said he's still trying to sign someone... so you have no idea what the 4th line brings.

4. Howard was our best player last year... but oook.

5. Wanna make a bet about Cleary being out 70 games?

6. Dumbest part of this post. Yeah I'm SURE the first thing Hudler does when he gets back is "rub 10 million dollars in Lidstrom's face". This is one of the more ignorant assumptions I've ever read on lgw.

7. I doubt Maltby OR Meech is signed, and Draper will probably not crack the roster most nights. Does this REALLY concern you?

8. Wouldn't mind a solid 6th, alright, I'm with you here.

9. Injuries and slumps.... happen to every team in every sport. If you can magically find a way to solve this, please, by all means post another list!

1. Ok you're right about youngsters but being how most of our lineup is 30 years or older..

2. Looking at the roster all they will add is a 4th line grinder, presumably it will be eaves - hudler or flip - abdelkaeder or cleary ... definitely doesn't rival the penguins or blackhawks 3rd

3. 4th line is undersized and unless a bigger tougher acquisition is made, this holds true.

4. Howard would let in 7 goals one night in the playoffs and have a shut out the next night he is INCONSISTENT.. Regular season doesn't matter as much as playoffs we all know that

5. HAHAHAHAHAAH cleary sucks. 30% or more of LGW agrees... his own fanbase hates his overpaid A$$

6. You don't think the other guys don't know where hudler went? and are not gonna be pissed he left them for money and s*** all over them?

7. Reports of a Maltby deal have already been put in the Freep and Mlive.... Meech will be trade bait or cut, malts will likely be resigned, pains me to say it.

8. moot

9. I wasn't saying we would avoid those my point was THEY WILL HAPPEN and when they do, IT WILL TAKE PTS away in the regular season

Edited June 29, 2010 by NBCnothingbutcrosby

[Zeowingsfan 16]

1. Ok you're right about youngsters but being how most of our lineup is 30 years or older..

2. Looking at the roster all they will add is a 4th line grinder, presumably it will be eaves - hudler or flip - abdelkaeder or cleary ... definitely doesn't rival the penguins or blackhawks 3rd

3. 4th line is undersized and unless a bigger tougher acquisition is made, this holds true.

4. Howard would let in 7 goals one night in the playoffs and have a shut out the next night he is INCONSISTENT.. Regular season doesn't matter as much as playoffs we all know that

5. HAHAHAHAHAAH cleary sucks. 30% or more of LGW agrees... his own fanbase hates his overpaid A$$

6. You don't think the other guys don't know where hudler went? and are not gonna be pissed he left them for money and s*** all over them?

7. Reports of a Maltby deal have already been put in the Freep and Mlive.... Meech will be trade bait or cut, malts will likely be resigned, pains me to say it.

8. moot

9. I wasn't saying we would avoid those my point was THEY WILL HAPPEN and when they do, IT WILL TAKE PTS away in the regular season

1: Our team is still younger than you want to admit.

2: Why do we need our 4th line to equal the 3rd lines of other teams?

3: Holland is looking for a 4th liner

4: He has never let in more than 4 goals in any playoff game and would usually bounce back after a loss with a great next game.

5: Cleary was injured all year, when will that get through your thick skull.

6: He chose to go to the KHL instead of playing on a different NHL team. Detroit is the only NHL team he wants to play with. So if someone offered you twice the amount you are making you would not go for it. I'm pretty sure they are professionals and that they want Hudler back otherwise they would have said something to Holland and Babcock.

7: Holland said he was only thinking of re-signing him, not that he was going to. This is either hyping Maltby so another team that needs a Vet will sign him or he will tell him he will have to be in GR for the year if he does re-sign.

8: Solid 6th defenceman would be nice.

9: This will happen to every team, no sense worrying about it until the time comes.

Edited July 2, 2010 by Zeowingsfan