232 replies to this topic

[Crymson]

Nothing, but they are coming fast as is Nashville...Detroit slumping at home, Datsyuk out, defensemen hurt, horrible road team, unmotivated forwards in the top 6. There is no doubt, St. Louis will pass us up.

And it's LeftWinger's annual deadline freakout. This has become something of a board tradition.

Edited by Crymson, 27 February 2012 - 10:03 PM.

[pondrocket]

I'm sure you could come up with reasons why every team will lose. It's far easier to predict that a team will lose in the playoffs. Come back when you can tell me which team will win.

Specifically Detroit will loose because they will play very hard during the regular season, with the regular season rules and be physically beat up to start them. When the playoffs begin the ref's will swallow the whistle (as they ALWAYS DO)Zetta will be cross checked into explaining that he played hurt most of the playoffs. Danny Cleary will give it all he has but will crack a rib falling off his chair trying to stand up to someone, Dats will be slashed & waked by a meaningless player & hurt his wrist (Any of this sound familiar? I believe Mule, Howard, Quincy, Lids and Stuart will have great 6 games, but they are done. It takes more out of them to take the pounding then the bigger clubs. I also be they kill themselves trying to secure home ice throughout, Sorry Vanc., Nashville, (SJ (built for play offs)will show them the way to their T time. Doesn't make me happy. I genuinely appreciate the team. My ***** is with Holland. That said I appreciate the team even Kenny. I am just appreciating the boy scout philosophy less & less each year.

Not trying to piss anyone off. Just venting and disappointed. Justified or not it feels like my hockey season is over. Part of what I enjoy is the strategy of building the teams.

I hope Kenny can relax tonight, crack open a Zima & watch the bachelor or whatever she likes.......

[MibJab]

Has anyone else noticed the extreme decline of Henrik Zetterberg since the cup run in 08'? Mentally I'm sure he's giving 110 percent, but it seems as though his body can only give about 60-70 percent. Holland was right by standing pat today. He was also right by ditching Commie and allowing Smith to get a taste. Its the next few years we should be looking into. Franzen is not cutting it. Fact. Our centers are in place, Datsyuk, Fillpula, Helm, Emmerton. Our defense, Kronwall, Quincey, Kindle, Smith with Stuart and Lidstrom a question mark for next year. Our wingers are the Wings biggest ailment. Bertuzzi, Abdelkader, Miller, Zetterberg are safe. That leaves Hudler, Franzen, Cleary, Eaves, Mursak and Holmstrom (whos most likely playing his last season) Its great to have depth...but depth means nothing when no one is producing...it means you have a surplus of underachievers. Out of those names, Hudler deserves credit on turning his game back around this season. I'm anxious to see how the lineup changes over the coarse of the next few seasons. IMO we need 2 top six wingers and a defenseman or two depending on Lidstrom and Stuart.

[GMRwings1983]

How come Holland was willing to overpay for that oaf Ericsson, but wasn't willing to overpay for someone at the deadline?

[MibJab]

How come Holland was willing to overpay for that oaf Ericsson, but wasn't willing to overpay for someone at the deadline?

Rag on big E all you want... but he's got a career high plus minus 17 this season. And please don't credit Kindle or Commodore for it either.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros]

How come Holland was willing to overpay for that oaf Ericsson, but wasn't willing to overpay for someone at the deadline?

Ken does everything to avoid acquiring John Erskine.

[VM1138]

So I've been away at work all day and the initial disappointment of expecting a signing and not getting one has worn off. Looking back I realize we hype up trade day for entertainment more than anything else. So on that front the deadline was yet another bust.

But honestly, it was such a low key day that nobody really got better. Nashville MIGHT have...but that's a BIG question mark. Everybody else is just as good as they were yesterday, but the Wings did improve on defense, and defense wins championships.

Obviously we still have a weak fourth line, but that can be rectified by calling up talent (hopefully) from GR. And out top 6 is still questionable...but they always turn it on come playoffs.

So I can see why Holland, not seeing a must-have deal, would want to roll with "luck." As long as the team stays healthy (which you can only do so much to protect against) this team can win the Cup.

So in short, while I'm disappointed we didn't address our forward needs, it wasn't a total loss, and it's further offset by no other team getting better, either.

And I refuse to buy the garbage that this team can't win the Cup because it's the same as last year. No one in their right mind would say the Wings really lost in '10. And last year they turned a series around and came a single goal short of winning the second round. And at the time all the talk was about how if the Wings made it past the Sharks they would go straight to the finals. So yeah, I think with a chip on their shoulder and more depth at D this team can win the Cup, because the last two years were strange flukes, especially 2010.

So the league I say: bring it.

Edited by VM1138, 27 February 2012 - 11:24 PM.

[Red Wings Addict]

Any chance the Wings will have a similar resurgence from GR like Darren Helm in '08?

Maybe Joakim Andersson provides unexpected solidification to the 4th line?

[redwingfan19]

Any chance the Wings will have a similar resurgence from GR like Darren Helm in '08?

Maybe Joakim Andersson provides unexpected solidification to the 4th line?

I actually would prefer Tatar, he is gritty enough to play on the 4th line and he has good upside.

[Crashnburnluder]

Our crop of forwards helped us win 23 straight home games, i don't see where there is a need there, you aren't factoring in that there is a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE amount of parity in the league. If you don't like it then ***** about the 3 pt system and the salary cap and not about Holland.

Hey that's what I did! Lol

[kipwinger]

Has anyone else noticed the extreme decline of Henrik Zetterberg since the cup run in 08'? Mentally I'm sure he's giving 110 percent, but it seems as though his body can only give about 60-70 percent. Holland was right by standing pat today. He was also right by ditching Commie and allowing Smith to get a taste. Its the next few years we should be looking into. Franzen is not cutting it. Fact. Our centers are in place, Datsyuk, Fillpula, Helm, Emmerton. Our defense, Kronwall, Quincey, Kindle, Smith with Stuart and Lidstrom a question mark for next year. Our wingers are the Wings biggest ailment. Bertuzzi, Abdelkader, Miller, Zetterberg are safe. That leaves Hudler, Franzen, Cleary, Eaves, Mursak and Holmstrom (whos most likely playing his last season) Its great to have depth...but depth means nothing when no one is producing...it means you have a surplus of underachievers. Out of those names, Hudler deserves credit on turning his game back around this season. I'm anxious to see how the lineup changes over the coarse of the next few seasons. IMO we need 2 top six wingers and a defenseman or two depending on Lidstrom and Stuart.

He had 80 pts. last year and was top 10 or 15 in the league in scoring...so no, I haven't noticed a steady decline since 2008. Strangely enough, I have noticed a proliferation of reactionary commentators on this thread since about 3:00 p.m. though.

Edited by kipwinger, 28 February 2012 - 09:50 AM.

[Xraymind7781]

I heard Holland on 97.1 the ticket about 40 minutes after the deadline. The overall tone of what he had to say was that of disappointment. He said things like, "i really wish i was sitting here talking about a couple guys we picked up, but it just didn't happen." I think Kenny himself expected more out of this deadline. Seeing a guy like pahlsson picked up for a couple 4th rounders, even something like that would have been a nice addition. It was nice picking up Quincey, but i am pretty disappointed that we didn't pick up a right handed winger, especially with the cap situation. I think we've got a good team but im not sure its geared for a playoff run. There are guys whom, over the last few years have shown inconsistencies when they playoffs roll around.

Edited by Xraymind7781, 28 February 2012 - 01:08 AM.

[Buppy]

Wah!

I'm starting to like when "bad" things happen to the Wings, just for the comically absurd over-reactions from some of the "fans".

The fan in me of course wants to see the Wings win it all to prove the pessimists wrong, I just hate that they'd get to enjoy the victory as well. A small part of me wants them to lose in the 1st round, but that would: (A) suck, and (B) prove them right. Though it is what the pessimists deserve. A smaller part of me hopes they make it to the finals, take a 3-0 lead in the series then blow it. Get everyone back on the bandwagon then crush all their dreams. That would just be too horrible for the rest of us though.

What I'd really like to see is some stakes. Those who refuse to put any faith in this team are just cowards. Too afraid to believe in our chances, because it'd be too much of a letdown if we don't win (and too be honest, there's a better chance that we'll lose, though I would also say that for every team). Get out some of the anger now, knowing there's still a chance they could be wrong and if they are, they get to celebrate. They can't take a risk. Can't ride the bandwagon because they're too afraid to get hurt if it crashes.

It takes a lot more spine to say that we are good enough, even if we admit that we're not as good as we hoped. We may not be the odds-on favorite, though you can't really say we aren't yet either. We are one of several teams that have a legitimate shot. Cowards just can't risk being disappointed and wrong, so they have to stomp down their expectations so they're either right or happy to be wrong. Gutless.

The stakes I'd like to see: If you don't think the Wings have what it takes, and we get past the 2nd round, you're not allowed to watch the remainder of the playoffs. (Not even other teams or highlights, or check any scores, news, etc...) Come back toward the end of June, and if we won the Cup, no celebrating. You have to spend the next season rooting for the Jackets or Islanders or some other crap team, and you must hold them to the same standard you hold the Wings (anything short of a Cup is a failure). A year of penance and and apology. Then we'll welcome you back.

[Crymson]

How come Holland was willing to overpay for that oaf Ericsson, but wasn't willing to overpay for someone at the deadline?

If this is a bonafide question, it's one of the least intelligent you've ever asked. I'll answer it regardless: paying Ericsson that salary did not necessitate giving up roster players, prospects or draft picks.

[MacAttack25]

While I wanted to see some improvement in our bottom six, other than the Pahlsson deal, the prices really did seem to be too high. I hope we'll give some of the younger guys like Tatar a chance to play, because our 4th line is dreadful as it is right now.

The hype around some of these lower level players this year was unreal. It always surprises me how these players get overrated by fans and GMs alike. I'm having flashbacks to Brendan Witt.

I don't think anyone made any big improvements. I'm not too impressed with the moves by San Jose or Chicago. Nashville made some good moves, but I don't think they were anything that put them over the top. I'm scratching my head a bit when it comes to the Hodgson deal by Vancouver. I don't know anything about the guy they got in return.

[RusDRW]

I would be ok with this deadline if we will try to somehow strengthen from within. The only thing I do not like about our team in the play-offs is our 4th line. Emmerton and Mursak are completely useless. Will Eaves be back soon? Accorrding to the recent reports this is not the case. Thus, I would call up Tatar and Nyquist and try to play them letting Emmerton and Mursak to sit. I would play them in first three lines making Miller-Helm-Abdelkader our fourth line....

I'm scratching my head a bit when it comes to the Hodgson deal by Vancouver. I don't know anything about the guy they got in return.

A big overhyped forward they drafted 13th overall. Nothing special.

[rage]

franzen gets hot in the playoffs like he did in '08 watch out. anything can happen in the playoffs. franzen is pretty much a ppg player in the playoffs, the 3rd line is great, flip is better. z may just get real hot at the right time. and don't forget how far kronwall has come as well as howard.

howard alone could swing a series our way. especially against the nucks. he doesn't like the nucks. and who is sj's goalie again? and then there is that choker in vancouver....roberto. so yeah. this could be a special year. you guys just have to have faith.

[Aussie_Wing]

I would be ok with this deadline if we will try to somehow strengthen from within. The only thing I do not like about our team in the play-offs is our 4th line. Emmerton and Mursak are completely useless. Will Eaves be back soon? Accorrding to the recent reports this is not the case. Thus, I would call up Tatar and Nyquist and try to play them letting Emmerton and Mursak to sit. I would play them in first three lines making Miller-Helm-Abdelkader our fourth line....



A big overhyped forward they drafted 13th overall. Nothing special.

Mursak > Emmerton > Holmstrom.

The 4th isn't great, but they've been defensively responsible, so that is one tick to them. I wish Holmstrom took less penalties, Emmerton touched the puck, and Mursak had more confidence, but other than that...

[SouthernWingsFan]

I know very little to nothing about running a business, but you don't make a deal just to make a deal for the sake of it or only to win everything NOW. If it were only about winning now with any financial considerations involved, deals could be made out the wazoo.

Some of you would put a sports organization out of business if all you wanted to do was get the flavor of the week or month. I get wanting to get better or getting a great player, but at what cost for the long term? Again I want to win every year, but there are financial considerations involved for the long term. Some of your reactions around this time of year are absolutely out of your minds and you completely forget that this team, while with its flaws (like every other team that will have weaknesses), is still one of the best in the league. You all know who you are. And for some, it's the same absurd overreactions every year just wanting this new flavor of the month mentality.

Now, I already know I will likely get a response back, snooty or civil in some form that'll go like, "Well you must like the Wings exiting in the 2nd round or early in the playoffs then." No, I don't. You can look at it the glass-half-empty way thinking that the Wings are f'ed and won't go far. If it were a few seasons ago where they almost had trouble making the playoffs all together, I might be with you, but that's not the case. They are all but in now and still have a good chance of being one of the top seeds.

I like looking at it half-full, not in a homerish nothing is wrong with the team way, but that they were just 1 win away from at the very worst going to the conference finals last year. If they would've advanced, then who knows. Given that, and that there is just so much parity in the league and the teams being so good where almost no matchup whether it is 1-8 or 4-5 is a slam dunk prediction saying one team will likely definitely win, I still like the Wings chances of making a deep run. The roster isn't that much different from last season's team and if they can avoid the injury bug and bring their hard hats to work and match the other teams intensity/desparation, they win more often than they lose.

Edited by SouthernWingsFan, 28 February 2012 - 06:49 AM.

[Jedi]

Please remember to keep this discussion on topic, everyone. For the record, criticizing each other's dedication as a fan, or their posting style would be considered "off topic".

Thanks.