WCQF Game Four GDT : Predators 3 at Red Wings 1

[Firehawk 305]

Guys, you have to look at the bigger picture here.

It starts with Holland not adjusting this team for current playoff hockey. We have more skill than most teams yes, but we lack speed and size. In today's league in the playoffs if you don't have speed you get beat. Nashville is beating us with their size and their speed. They don't need a lot of talent to do what they're doing. They all bought into a system, and if you watch, they're knocking us off the puck (Happened to Zetts alot tonight) and they're faster.

We got beat by San Jose the last 2 years in much the same way, but they actually had more talent. Look at the trend. 2nd round, 2nd round, now probably 1st round.

What do we pay Howard per year? 2 mill or 3 mill? He's not making 7 mill like a top goalie in the league, so we have to keep that perspective. For the money, Howard is just fine back there. It's our lack of defense (becuase of speed) that cost us. We can't recover when we make mistakes because the other team is faster.

I hate to say it, but why pay Lidstrom 7 million next year even if he wants to come back? He doesn't kill penalties and his ice time is seriously reduced. Let the guys that have been here forever retire and take that cap money, go buy a couple of great defensemen, a scorer, and try to add some more size (replace hudler with someone that will do something more than look timid with the puck).

Tonight we cannot even blame referees. They gave us chance after chance, in fact I thought the Preds were getting the shaft in the 3rd.

[Liquidsnake 12]

Although we are down 3-1, it's been close. It could easily have ended in a sweep for the Preds after tonight, it could also easily be 2-2 after tonight.

Flip's been awful all series long, but I don't think we should be trading him. He broke out this season, and he's still got a massive upside. He can be a big player with us in the future.

Franzen on the other hand, although he was our top scorer this year, he plays when he feels like, and he hasn't done much this playoff either. I also don't like his lifetime contract. He's the one we should be trying to move.

I love Lidstrom, 2nd best defenceman of all time behind Orr, but it's time for him to hang it up. Last year I was praying he'd come back, this series he looks past it I'm afraid. Homer as well should call it, and we need to let Stuart walk.

That gives us plenty of cap room to go HARD after Ryan Suter. Obviously I'd love Parise as well, but Suter needs to be priority. I also think if we sign Suter, that gives us a serious leg up on the Weber sweepstakes next summer.

[ben_usmc 253]

We are down 3-1.. series isn't over yet. Maybe i'm too much of an optimistic sports fan but we aren't technically "done".

I don't think the Canucks and Penguins are washed up teams on the decline and they are in worse situations then we are right now. Fact is... it's the playoffs. One bounce off of Stuart's shin pad never happens and we could be in a 2-2 series right now. Every little bounce counts, and if you take into consideration how a lot of goals were scored throughout this series, it's hard to blame the team as a whole opposed to just bad luck and the puck bouncing the wrong way. Yeah we are down, I get that, but I don't think it's as catastrophic of a situation as a lot of people think it is.

sorry my friend, but I feel as if this way of thinking is exactly what put us in the position in the 1st place. They need to stop blaming things on bounces or injures and start looking the ability to win without having to rely on excuses, you know picking players to improve there time, like the other teams in there damn division decided to do.

[Firehawk 305]

I'll say it again and get another ten negs. Howard is average. That's all he'll ever be. So since we dumped all our eggs in the Howard basket we NEED a huge defensive overhaul or we're going to keep repeating the one and dones for a long time.

He's paid as an average goalie though. So what do you expect? Ozzie was a steal for the salary...

[RedWingsRox 614]

I'll say it again and get another ten negs. Howard is average. That's all he'll ever be. So since we dumped all our eggs in the Howard basket we NEED a huge defensive overhaul or we're going to keep repeating the one and dones for a long time.

I actually think Howard can play better but he's mediocre right now ... I'm suspecting some residual stuff from injury.

Well, when Vancouver gets knocked out, there will be a big name goalie available, Luongo or Schneider ... do you want one of them?

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

Although we are down 3-1, it's been close. It could easily have ended in a sweep for the Preds after tonight, it could also easily be 2-2 after tonight.

Flip's been awful all series long, but I don't think we should be trading him. He broke out this season, and he's still got a massive upside. He can be a big player with us in the future.

Franzen on the other hand, although he was our top scorer this year, he plays when he feels like, and he hasn't done much this playoff either. I also don't like his lifetime contract. He's the one we should be trying to move.

I love Lidstrom, 2nd best defenceman of all time behind Orr, but it's time for him to hang it up. Last year I was praying he'd come back, this series he looks past it I'm afraid. Homer as well should call it, and we need to let Stuart walk.

That gives us plenty of cap room to go HARD after Ryan Suter. Obviously I'd love Parise as well, but Suter needs to be priority. I also think if we sign Suter, that gives us a serious leg up on the Weber sweepstakes next summer.

That contract makes it difficult to move him, hopefully someone would bite.

[LeftWinger 4,953]

YY BETFANGUS....s*** HIT THE FUN.......I love it!

anyhow, I guess I should have saved all my Holland and Franzen bashing for now instead of at the trade deadline...but still doesn't matter, I was right then and now a ton of you are right now...

I stand by my words...Holland is NOT the best GM in the league...he proves it year after year. Hand down, Hossa should have been re-signed and Franzen let go.

[datterberg1340 626]

From seeing the product on the ice.

Besides, I never thought it was much of a secret that Bowman was a great motivator and manipulator of players who he didn't think were performing.

from everything I ever heard about Bowman he was great at playing head games and usually could get the best out of his players

Babcock is too much of an Xs and Os type guy who doesn't 'feel' the game and when it's time to make a change, it seems to me anyway

[redwashington2000 42]

The s*** definitely has hit the fun. Makes me wanna take a chance at winning the Lotto JUCK ******* POTT!

MEN TELL ME ABOUT IT I SLAPED MY CAT I SENT MY WIFE SHOPING I SCREEMED AT MY F.........TV I BROKE MY REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE SO I WILL ******* SEND THE BILL TO MR. BABCOCK LET HE PAY IT ASS H....................OLDING

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I feel so bad for Henrik Zetterberg. Z has played his heart out every shift and been the Red Wings best player by far.

Both him and Datsyuk have been major victims of inadequate top-six linemates. That's especially costly considering the Wings are getting nothing from the bottom-six. I think that's somewhat fixable going forward with Helm and Eaves around, but even still no fourth line center and very little size and physical presence to forecheck and wear on a team's defense.

Humbling series so far. I doubt the Red Wings quit on Friday, but they have to be deflated.

[Stinkyness 10]

Nice passing clinic tonight. Amazing what a shot on goal, as opposed to say purposely shooting at the effing BOARDS, will accomplish.

Disgusting game.

[esteef 2,679]

Keeping Nyquist on the 4th line was f***in stupid.

esteef

[gcom007 1,465]

For people comparing complaining Wings fans and complaining Canucks fans, you guys need to keep one thing in mind.

Just about every sensible fan of this team KNEW that we had holes, as well as opportunities and the money to address them. Holland chose not, instead simply relied on past success with the core players. In that, we all have a right to be angry, as Holland sitting on his hands, once again, has turned out to cost us big time.

Canucks on the other hand made it to game 7 of the stanley cup finals WITH THE SAME EXACT TEAM AS LEAST YEAR. They had every reason to believe they could do it again. However, surprises hit, and that would be the Kings. It's in no fault of the GM of the team, as he did what he was supposed to, and that was keeping a stanley cup team together. So those fans really have no right to actually "complain" as much as be frustrated with the outcome.

My two cents.

Screw Holland.

It's tough for me to blame Babcock when even he seemed pissed last summer about Holland's unwillingness to make certain moves. If it wasn't clear before, it's gotta be crystal at this point: it's time to shake things up.

Probably won't happen.

[Bully76 34]

Don't know if anybody said this already, but how could there be empty seats throughout the game? Have people gotten that complacent? I know the city has seen some tough times, but they can't fill the joe for the playoffs? People leaving early too. It's kind of pitiful. That place should be rockin' for the entire 60 minutes. This series is just becoming a bummer.

[Guest irishock]

Didn't Babs say the best players will play the most minutes? Quincey should be promoted to 2nd pairing over Stuart. His stick has been all over the ice this series.

[gcom007 1,465]

with his lucky ass goal? Mule should spend less time focusing on his ******* commericals and more time on actually playing hockey. Glad we kept him over a hard working two way player like Hossa, brilliant move Holland....

I will never forgive Holland for letting Hossa walk.

[metalkorn 45]

Do we really want to spend Luongo money on a goalie that has the playoff success of Luongo? If you spend more then 3 Mil on a goalie good luck trying to offload them if you sign to a long term contract.

[Liquidsnake 12]

That contract makes it difficult to move him, hopefully someone would bite.

Agreed. We'd probably have to take a hit in what we'd get back in return, but I'd accept that just to shed the contract.

He's the kind of player the leafs would go for actually. Whether they want that contract is another story.

[CrimsonFlame 424]

He's paid as an average goalie though. So what do you expect? Ozzie was a steal for the salary...

He may be paid on average, but our defense corps is currently built as if he were an elite goalie. What amazing defender do we have on the blue line again? Aging/injured Lidstrom? Stuart who is already half way to San Jose? As much as I really like Ericsson if say he's a good defender I'm sure I'll be -50 by midnight.

The point is our defense is too average at well defending. And since our defense is average, and our goalie is average, we're going to need to be scoring a lot or we're going to lose a lot. And that's what's happening right now. We're in a scoring funk. Not to mention we're facing one of the true elite goalies of the NHL.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

MEN TELL ME ABOUT IT I SLAPED MY CAT I SENT MY WIFE SHOPING I SCREEMED AT MY F.........TV I BROKE MY REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE SO I WILL ******* SEND THE BILL TO MR. BABCOCK LET HE PAY IT ASS H....................OLDING

Damn that cat and wife put up with a lot of s*** lol

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I'm trying to hold out hope that the Wings come back, but the Preds have the look of a team that just wants it more.

There's just this intangible thing in the playoffs where your team desperately needs a goal and someone steps up. Bounces seem to go your way.

Pecker is a very good goaltender, but he's also had his defense bail him out and sometimes just get plain lucky. It's like there's a force field over the goal line.

But usually those kinds of breaks go to the team that is competing with everything they've got every shift.

The Wings just don't look that way.

[MabusIncarnate 5,344]

sorry my friend, but I feel as if this way of thinking is exactly what put us in the position in the 1st place. They need to stop blaming things on bounces or injures and start looking the ability to win without having to rely on excuses, you know picking players to improve there time, like the other teams in there damn division decided to do.

From a team perspective I get that completely, and agree with you on some levels. As a fan though, that's just how i've seen this series go, and i'd much rather maintain a positive outlook opposed to having hockey be another thing in life that pisses me off.

With that said, this team is screaming for a player like Parise to sign on during the offseason. There's no excuse not to add a scoring winger this summer.

[joesuffP 1,746]

not showing up on the ice would be an improvement over ericsson. He was the worst thing about the night.

Ericsson was our best defenseman all series... I've been saying for years Kronwall and Stuart are terrible... Watch other teams games. Kronwall an Stuart play like a third line pairing on s***ty teams most nights

[ben_usmc 253]

I'll say it again and get another ten negs. Howard is average. That's all he'll ever be. So since we dumped all our eggs in the Howard basket we NEED a huge defensive overhaul or we're going to keep repeating the one and dones for a long time.

agreed, I think Howard is a good goalie, however not a GREAT goalie. He will maybe steal you one every once in a while, but for the most part is merely solid, and he is paid as such. But since he is paid so low, you are supposed to protect him by buying a great defense to build around him. Of course Holland is to focused on his golf game to give a s*** about actually improving this team.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Damn that cat and wife put up with a lot of s*** lol

Especially when it hits the fun.