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Guest blueadams

Thoughts on tonight's game/Season outlook

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Guest blueadams

#1) LACK OF DESIRE/EFFORT.

...I don't know what it is with these guys. A second round hangover? They're playing like they still think it's 2007/2008. Like they just won the stanley cup last year. Like there aren't at least a half-dozen other teams in the league with MORE TALENT. Skill alone isn't going to do it for us anymore boys. Skill alone HASN'T been getting it done for us. I don't know if anyone realizes this, but we haven't made it out of the second round in two years. We need to get back to doing all of the small things better than anyone else. Giving 100% for sixty minutes every night.

...I don't think it's a coaching problem. I don't think Babcock's telling the guys to take it easy until the playoffs (though he isn't sending a good signal by continuing to play Bertuzzi). I don't think it's a conditioning issue. We've been running a pretty good program here for a pretty long time, haven't we? I don't think it's a fatigue issue. We've had two very long off-seasons in a row. I don't think it's an age issue. We've only got three players over 33, and two of them are playing well. I think it's a leadership issue. Datsyuk. Zetterberg. Franzen. Cleary. (It's not the 41 year old Nick Lidstrom's job to set the tone effort-wise).

...These four team leaders certainly haven't been the laziest players on the team thus far (though Mule's right in the running). But they certainly haven't been giving the kind of effort that we've come to expect either...have they?? These guys need to step it up and start leading by example again; (most of) the rest will follow. Hopefully this losing streak entering the realm of seriousness will wake them up. Babs can't bench Pav, Hank, or Mule, but he can start punishing and rewarding some of the others.

(+) Holmstrom. He's 38 years old and he's been leaving more on the ice than anyone on the team. Recognize it. Reward it. Send a message. Put him back on the first line.

(+) Abdelkader. Next to Homer, no one's working harder than Abby right now. Put him in the top six. He's severely undervalued by Babcock for some reason? He's big. He's strong. He's fast. He's physical. He gives 100%. He hits. He plays great defense. He plays smart. He's decent with the puck. He makes good passes. He takes good shots. He charges the net. He's good in front of the net. I mean, you tell me. What's Babcock's problem with this guy? Why isn't he playing in the top six?

(+) Miller. Doesn't have top six potential, but this guy should never be scratched.

(-) Bertuzzi. This guy NEEDS TO BE A SCRATCH EVERY NIGHT. You scratched MIKE MODANO Babcock!? You can't scratch TODD BERTUZZI!? What does he bring to the team that merits a uniform? What does he bring to the team that merits a top six role!? Let's see...he's big and strong, but he's probably the softest player on the team next to Hudler. He doesn't fight. He doesn't check. He doesn't intimidate. He's slow. He's a horrible liability defensively. He can't carry the puck. He can't accept a pass. He makes stupid passes. He gives up the puck often. He has horrible awareness, in both zones. He leaves people wide open in the slot. He ruins the offensive flow. He's constantly going offsides and killing attacks. Oh, and he takes stupid penalties too.

(-) Hudler. I'm done with him. Very skilled. We all know that. But apparently being small, slow and lazy DOES trump that. Call up Nyquist and let him watch the games with Bertuzzi until he gets it. If you don't want to call up Nyquist, stick him on the fourth line until he gets it, or until Mursak's ready to play. If you can get anything that helps our future whatsoever, trade him.

(-) Cleary. I know he was a high draft pick...but ever since we've had him...he's never been a SKILL player. He still isn't. He's starting to act like he is for some reason now. His speeds gone. His effort shouldn't be. Stick him on the fourth line until he gets it. Unlike Hudler, he will get it, and should end up at least back on the third line.

Everyone else is somewhere in the middle of the effort spectrum. And I'm not mentioning any defensive players (throughout the post) because I think the defensive play has actually been relatively solid.

#2) LACK OF OFFENSIVE FLOW:

...Better effort's going to solve a lot of our problems, but Bab's line decisions need to improve as well. PUT FILPPULA WITH DATSYUK. Those two have the best chemistry on the team. Filppula should not be wasted playing in between grinders. Stop being such a stubborn fool. That's really all I have to say there. The rest I've already spelled out. Because I can't help myself...lines below.

Filppula-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Franzen-Zetterberg-Abdelkader

Nyquist-Helm-Miller

Cleary-Emmerton-Eaves

*Hudler

*Bertuzzi

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I agree. Here's what I'd do.

Franzen - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Hudler - Zetterberg - Filppula

Abdelkader - Helm - Cleary

Worrell - Emmerton - Bertuzzi

Lidstrom - White

Kronwall - Stuart

Ericsson - Commodore

Edited by GMRwings1983

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Guest blueadams

I agree. Here's what I'd do.

Franzen - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Hudler - Zetterberg - Filppula

Abdelkader - Helm - Cleary

Worrell - Emmerton - Bertuzzi

Lidstrom - White

Kronwall - Stuart

Ericsson - Commodore

1) what impressed you about commie tonight? he's a great shot-blocker, but man...i don't know if a reclamation's going to be possible. he's just too, too slow. if it came to it, i'd personally feel better with janik out there.

2) i guess there were some things you didn't agree with too. no pav with val. huds on the 2nd line. bert dressing. abby not being recognized.

3) i wouldn't mind a guy like worrell.

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1) what impressed you about commie tonight? he's a great shot-blocker, but man...i don't know if a reclamation's going to be possible. he's just too, too slow. if it came to it, i'd personally feel better with janik out there.

2) i guess there were some things you didn't agree with too. no pav with val. huds on the 2nd line. bert dressing. abby not being recognized.

3) i wouldn't mind a guy like worrell.

I wonder how you play hockey video games?

Do you pause the game every other shift to change lines?

And Commodore looked better than Kronwall and Stuart tonight. Also, line combos don't matter if half the team has no desire and is full of lazy floaters. There won't be any sudden magic and spark.

Edited by GMRwings1983

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The last time the Wings lost six games in a row was the year they won the Stanley Cup.

82 games equals a long season, which is exactly what teams need to work through funks that inevitably happen to everyone.

With a depleated line up. This team is far from Championship calibre.

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With a depleated line up. This team is far from Championship calibre.

You are absoultly right!

It's just what the fans tell each other to feel better about where the Wings are. BLINDERS!!!

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The last time the Wings lost six games in a row was the year they won the Stanley Cup.

82 games equals a long season, which is exactly what teams need to work through funks that inevitably happen to everyone.

It's one thing to have a good start then have a funk in the middle of the season. It's another to have a funk so early in the season that it puts pressure on your team to perform down the road. Too much energy wasted playing catchup.

Hell right now Canucks, Avs, and Wings are not even in the top 8 in the conference. It's gonna be a hell of a fight to get in and stay in the top 8.

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I attended the game tonight, 2nd regular season game after our 2-0 SHUTOUT of the CANUCKS.

Horrible effort by everybody on the ice (except #5). Franzen needs to be in the press box way before Bertuzzi. Hudler is soft and I am starting to serve my own crow for his performance.

It seems like the team is trying to play really fancy with no grit at all. They are not lacking work ethic, they are lacking toughness and grit.

I am going to start blaming the ass. coaches, the PP looks incredibly tic-tac-no, and absolutely nothing is working 5-on-5. Everyone is trying fancy dangles and then back passes to defense that get picked off and start odd man rushes. I think the other team knows that the gameplan against Detroit is to purposely leave the D open, and then collapse, block the shot, and break-out while Kronwall/Stuart/White are still recovering from their offensive effort. Good gameplan if you ask me.

And that first goal Howard let in tonight certainly doesn't help a 5 game losing streak. However, he has been solid for the most part this season.

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Guest Heaten

They'll be fine. Probably won't win President's trophy, but who cares? They'll work it out and it'll make them a better team because of it.

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On ESPN power rankings, we dropped 15 spots and went from 2 to 17 in one week. I think next week, you might see the winged wheel at 29th or 30th. That should summarize how this season is heading.

ESPN NHL Power Rankings - Oct 31

The ESPN Power Rankings are also done by two different guys who trade off from week to week. Obviously, it's early in the season - but they've been really hyperbolic to this point.

I attended the game tonight, 2nd regular season game after our 2-0 SHUTOUT of the CANUCKS.

Horrible effort by everybody on the ice (except #5). Franzen needs to be in the press box way before Bertuzzi. Hudler is soft and I am starting to serve my own crow for his performance.

It seems like the team is trying to play really fancy with no grit at all. They are not lacking work ethic, they are lacking toughness and grit.

I am going to start blaming the ass. coaches, the PP looks incredibly tic-tac-no, and absolutely nothing is working 5-on-5. Everyone is trying fancy dangles and then back passes to defense that get picked off and start odd man rushes. I think the other team knows that the gameplan against Detroit is to purposely leave the D open, and then collapse, block the shot, and break-out while Kronwall/Stuart/White are still recovering from their offensive effort. Good gameplan if you ask me.

And that first goal Howard let in tonight certainly doesn't help a 5 game losing streak. However, he has been solid for the most part this season.

I can only imagine how frustrating of a game it must have been to be at in person. The PP was erratic at best, and mid-way through the second they looked absolutely frantic just trying to enter the zone. I agree they lacked grit, too. Granted, the Flames have always been grittier than the Wings - but it seemed like they had some of it at the start of the season.

Franzen is bit right now. If it weren't for bad luck, the guy would have none at all. Even Redmond said at one point, that if he were Franzen he'd be so frustrated that his "stick would be in a hundred pieces right now."

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Guest ToMaToToWnWinGsFaN_24

i know everyone keeps saying "oh but its early in the season..nothing to worry aboot". but quite frankly...you want to start the season well so the manager doesnt have to even think aboot trading/sending down players. however that is not the case right now. this team was just so out of sync last night, it really blew me away. i felt like i was watching a peewee game. sloppy passing, lazy penalties, and the turnovers. myyy goddddddddddd

clearlys goal wasnt even pretty. just..something gotta give. they got the Duckies tomorrow night at The Joe. they too are struggling right now so lets hope the wings can bounce back and actually coordinate and function as a team and dont committ so many turnovers, and dont take lazy god awful penalties.

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I'm surprised the Wings have slumped this much, but I always thought this year was going to be a possible transition year for the Wings. Of the 'core' team, Hudler, Homer, Bert, and Stuart are UFA's after this year, and this year is the time for all of them (except Homer- I think/thought he is likely to retire) to show if they will stay on the team. Further, Abby and Helm are RFA's, but I expect them to be re-signed. We could see three new players top-9 players next year, which would be a large change for the Wings.

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The last time the Wings lost six games in a row was the year they won the Stanley Cup.

82 games equals a long season, which is exactly what teams need to work through funks that inevitably happen to everyone.

Back then we had Hasek and Osgood.

Now we have Howard "The Duck" and Ty Conklin.

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I wonder how you play hockey video games?

Do you pause the game every other shift to change lines?

You don't have to pause to change lines, you can roll them with the touch of a button. But that was still funny...

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The last time the Wings lost six games in a row was the year they won the Stanley Cup.

82 games equals a long season, which is exactly what teams need to work through funks that inevitably happen to everyone.

Luckily it is a long season and there's plenty of games left. It is a little scary because the playoff race is so tight, thanks in part to the loser point. Last season Vancouver was well out front with 117 points (enjoy that Presidents trophy guys! hee hee), but the 2nd place team and the 10th place team were only separated by 11 points. Even worse, the 4th place team and the 9th place team were only separated by 4 points.

Lose a couple games and you can go from 4th place in the Western Conference to missing the playoffs.

And I'm pretty sure that losing streak from the Cup year was when a significant number of players were injured. Lidstrom, Kronwall, Cleary.

Like I said, there's a lot of games left to play, but it's not just the losing, it's that they've looked so bad so much of the time.

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Obviously people (fans) are frustrated but I don't really understand the outcry for trades. I think teams that ride these sorts of funks and come out of them as a unit build character and drive throughout the course of the season. Of course there are teams who get in these funks and seemingly don't get out of them over the course of the season but to me there is just way too much talent on this team for things to continue this way.

I would much rather see the Wings make a deal from a position of strength than from a position of weakness which is where they currently are.

These are the lines I would prefer to see next game:

Franzen - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Hudler - Zetterberg - Filppula

Cleary - Helm - Bertuzzi

Miller - Abdelkader/Emmerton - Eaves/Abdelkader

Franzen is snake bitten but a guy like him needs to keep shooting until the puck goes in. Putting Datsyuk with him should give him more shooting opportunities. I think Holmstrom has been unfairly judged as having played poorly this year (at times) and would create havoc in front of the net that may help Franzen even more.

Hudler has also not played nearly as badly as some have suggested. Both Filppula and Hudler are reluctant shooters at times but have always worked well together.

Cleary has been playing injured and putting this line together with a focus on grinding and getting pucks to the net probably fits his, and Bertuzzi's, needs more appropriately at the moment.

Miller is underrated on these boards. My first choice would be to see Miller - Abdelkader - Eaves but if Eaves is unavailable I'd go Miller - Emmerton - ABdelkader. Abs is far more useful on the wing and would work well with Miller and Emmerton. Abdelkader isn't at a point yet where he produces nearly enough to play third line minutes (in my mind anyway) so I think he fits in better on the fourth with occassion spot duty on the third line as needed.

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You are absoultly right!

It's just what the fans tell each other to feel better about where the Wings are. BLINDERS!!!

You're right. Everyone, burn your Red Wings s***, this team is done. Positivity will get us no where, it's all over.

What would you have these people do? Nothing we do as fans is going to do anything to the team, so your opinion is just as useless as mine, but can we just not tear each other down for having an opinion?

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