65 replies to this topic

[Dabura]

How quickly people forget these "pretty boys" won the Cup in 2008 and was only 1 win away from repeating in 2009.

The year is 2012.

The Wings: trailing Nashville 3-1 in the first round.

2008 and 2009: irrelevant.

[irishock]

We had McCarty, Drake and Maltby on the '08 team. We need guys like those.

[GMRwings1983]

We had McCarty, Drake and Maltby on the '08 team. We need guys like those.

And Downey toughened up our soft euros during the regular season, to ready them in time for the playoffs.

[anthonyn66]

I think the problem is that the team lacks heart. You could see on the last few minutes of the game when we were down, Nashville worked a hell of a lot harder than Detroit did, and it all culminated to the Legwand goal on the forecheck. We lack urgency, we don't show signs of desperation. Babcock probably has the "stay calm" mentality in them, but I think that message wears out very quickly and can become ineffective, especially with players that have already won the cup. I that's the biggest problem, the younger players that have won a cup are all happy with that and don't seem to have the motivation to work their asses off for another post season. They aren't coming to the end of their careers, so they assume they can make a run the next year. This is true for players like Hudler, Filppula, Franzen. The players that don't have a cup are playing their best but simply aren't big enough or gritty enough to make a huge impact. These are the Nyquists, Emmertons, Mursaks, Millers, etc. I feel getting some grittier players who are hungry, for both top 6 and bottom 6 would help this team a lot.

[AtomicPunk]

Too many floaters on this team right now. Also too many people resting on their past success. If we want to get real, there are a lot of players that need to get turned over. Cleary, Holmstrom, Flip, Hudler, even Franzen and Bertuzzi. We need youth, grit, speed and hunger. Don't want to turn into the Pistons that "kept the band together too long".

[pondrocket]

How quickly people forget these "pretty boys" won the Cup in 2008 and was only 1 win away from repeating in 2009.

There's 26 teams full of "pretty boys" who've never won a thing!

That was a long time ago. It's a different league now.

[Hiei]

Taken from my post last night in the holland's offseason plan topic:


It is glaringly obvious to me, several others on this forum, and should be to YOU READING THIS NOW, that we need to have a 3rd line or 4th line that needs WRECKERS. Not goons, not speed guys, we need a 3rd line of guys who can:

1. Play the body and win in a collision
2. Shore up team grit
3. Stand up for Howard and stop the snow showering/running bs, because Howard is the only enforcer of the crease we seem to have.
4. Have enough puck handling ability to scoop the biscuit away from a hit player and transition down the ice.

Start naming players and send it off to Holland and Illitch's offices.

[pucktividi]

A team that lacks heart wouldn't outhit the Preds 62-48 in last 2 games

[esteef]

Yes, other teams fear Hudler and Filpula's deadly body checks.

esteef

[Dabura]

Something in my veins, bloodier than blood

[newfy]

We had McCarty, Drake and Maltby on the '08 team. We need guys like those.

Its hilarious when people say that the wings won in 2008 with a soft, pretty boy team. That team was by far the wings toughest since the lockout and for over 70 games in the regular season had a guy dressed strictly as a fighter. They also had a good middle weight with Dallas Drake and Lilja who until his injury was pretty damn tough. Those are just scrappers though.

That teams third line was Cleary Draper Drake. Not even an ounce of skill on that third line, just guys who would bust their bags with hard work and werent scared of s***. Theyw ould crash the net constantly, throw big hits and wear down the other team. Drake was the only really "tough" one but they all played a gritty game.

The fourth line center was Helm before he had any responsibilities. All he would do was run around, throw hits and crash the net. No defensive responsibility hardly, and was just sent off his leash for 8 minutes a game. Mccarty flanked him and he was scared of no one. He didnt pretend to be some skill guy hanging around the perimeter, he was in everyones face, crashing the net etc. If Mac wasnt on that line then Maltby was, who was still stirring s*** up and playing physical hockey. When we won in 2008, Hudler was relegated to the fourth line because he couldnt play playoff hockey, now hes on the teams top line. Homer was also still more capable to be a crash and bang type in the top 6.

So yes people continue to try to tell yourselves that this team can win with a soft line up and a bunch of pretty boys if it will help you sleep at night, be that blind fan boy that thinks the team is always built perfectly but looking at history, the wings have never won with a team like this. The 2009 team couldnt close it out even and they were much more skilled. The 2006 team that killed it was out first round.

But yeah you guys are right, the wings have won before with a soft line up

Edited by newfy, 19 April 2012 - 12:18 PM.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros]

Its hilarious when people say that the wings won in 2008 with a soft, pretty boy team. That team was by far the wings toughest since the lockout and for over 70 games in the regular season had a guy dressed strictly as a fighter. They also had a good middle weight with Dallas Drake and Lilja who until his injury was pretty damn tough. Those are just scrappers though.

That teams third line was Cleary Draper Drake. Not even an ounce of skill on that third line, just guys who would bust their bags with hard work and werent scared of s***. Theyw ould crash the net constantly, throw big hits and wear down the other team. Drake was the only really "tough" one but they all played a gritty game.

The fourth line center was Helm before he had any responsibilities. All he would do was run around, throw hits and crash the net. No defensive responsibility hardly, and was just sent off his leash for 8 minutes a game. Mccarty flanked him and he was scared of no one. He didnt pretend to be some skill guy hanging around the perimeter, he was in everyones face, crashing the net etc. If Mac wasnt on that line then Maltby was, who was still stirring s*** up and playing physical hockey. When we won in 2008, Hudler was relegated to the fourth line because he couldnt play playoff hockey, now hes on the teams top line. Homer was also still more capable to be a crash and bang type in the top 6.

So yes people continue to try to tell yourselves that this team can win with a soft line up and a bunch of pretty boys if it will help you sleep at night, be that blind fan boy that thinks the team is always built perfectly but looking at history, the wings have never won with a team like this. The 2009 team couldnt close it out even and they were much more skilled. The 2006 team that killed it was out first round.

But yeah you guys are right, the wings have won before with a soft line up

I agree with what you're saying in the majority of this post, but there was some puck skill on that third line. Cleary was capable of putting the puck in the net, and Draper was a faceoff specialist. But I know what you're saying

Cleary has played a fairly physical style of game since the playoffs began, but he has continued to make bad decisions with the puck. I'm kind of on the fence about him right now.

[newfy]

I agree with what you're saying in the majority of this post, but there was some puck skill on that third line. Cleary was capable of putting the puck in the net, and Draper was a faceoff specialist. But I know what you're saying

Cleary has played a fairly physical style of game since the playoffs began, but he has continued to make bad decisions with the puck. I'm kind of on the fence about him right now.

I meant skill as in guys carrying the puck, making the prett ylittle passes etc. Cleary could put the puck in the net cause he put his head down and crashed it. That line crashed the net hard, hell drapes even put one in off his face remember lol?

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros]

I meant skill as in guys carrying the puck, making the prett ylittle passes etc. Cleary could put the puck in the net cause he put his head down and crashed it. That line crashed the net hard, hell drapes even put one in off his face remember lol?

Yeah against Dallas lol.

There will be plenty of cheap players available in the summer. No excuses for Ken.

[Hiei]

If Holland doesn't do justice and pick up some POWER FORWARDS, WRECKERS, OR PHYSICALITY, we've got a big problem...and Illitch needs not waste his time in Firing Holland. The same man who told us all "I'll retire when Lidstrom retires" had better have his money where his mouth is. WE AS A FANBASE SHOULD NOT PUT UP WITH SUB-PAR MANAGEMENT, AND I EXPECT MR AND MRS ILLITCH TO DO THE SAME.

[lookalive07]

If Holland doesn't do justice and pick up some POWER FORWARDS, WRECKERS, OR PHYSICALITY, we've got a big problem...and Illitch needs not waste his time in Firing Holland. The same man who told us all "I'll retire when Lidstrom retires" had better have his money where his mouth is. WE AS A FANBASE SHOULD NOT PUT UP WITH SUB-PAR MANAGEMENT, AND I EXPECT MR AND MRS ILLITCH TO DO THE SAME.

Please. I agree as much as the next guy that there needs to be some changes, but this kind of post is the exact reason why fans of other teams have a strong dislike towards our fans. It's this sense of entitlement that we seem to have that allows us to puff our chests out and walk around like we're expected to win it every year.

I for one am grateful I've been able to see 4 Stanley Cups raised by this team in my lifetime, which is more than most fans of most teams will be able to say in their lifetimes, and I was 20 years old when they lifted it last. That's 4 Cups in a QUARTER of my life.

I don't want to see this team slip into the dark ages again, and there's a damn good chance that won't happen again for a very long time, if ever, but we need to stop acting like we are the only team in the world that gets to makes decisions to get players. We must remember that realistically, there will be 29 other teams looking for at least one of the players we're looking for as well, and we can't sign them all.

All that said, I would really like to see Holland make a big push to get Parise and Suter because I think they are necessary to make a serious effort at extending our playoff streak and to possibly push for another Cup. But I am a realist when it comes down to it and I know that there's probably a high probability that we're going to be SOL.

[T.Low]

All I can say for sure is that we are too busy s***tin the bed to take advantage of Chicago, Vancouver, and San Jose all getting knocked out. And probably Pittsburgh.

If the other three series all hold the course, it could be St Louis/L.A., and Detroit/Pheonix...but I'm not holding my breath.

[AlexCa]

So, you guys want a team of grinders? Why not join fans of Boston or Nashville then - I personally enjoy watching pretty goals scored once in a while and SKILL has been the signature of the Wings since early 90s. BTW that weakling Semin scored NICE winner today, and when great tough Abdelcader scored last time? If we get Semin, at least Datsyuk won't be bored dead playing with you know whom (Parize does sound better choice to me then Semin, but a lot of teams want him). Finally, Bert, Mule, and Holmstrom can all be considered grinders - unite them in a Red Bombers line and give the assignement to hit rather then score.

[newfy]

So, you guys want a team of grinders? Why not join fans of Boston or Nashville then - I personally enjoy watching pretty goals scored once in a while and SKILL has been the signature of the Wings since early 90s. BTW that weakling Semin scored NICE winner today, and when great tough Abdelcader scored last time? If we get Semin, at least Datsyuk won't be bored dead playing with you know whom (Parize does sound better choice to me then Semin, but a lot of teams want him). Finally, Bert, Mule, and Holmstrom can all be considered grinders - unite them in a Red Bombers line and give the assignement to hit rather then score.

You use the defending cup champs and the team that currently looks like theyre going to knock detroit out as your examples of teams that you dont want Detroit to look like?

[wingslogo19]

You use the defending cup champs and the team that currently looks like theyre going to knock detroit out as your examples of teams that you dont want Detroit to look like?

I'm not sure where there logic is coming from