25 replies to this topic

[frankgrimes]

Very, very little.  I don't think they'd be doing much better with everyone healthy...that's normally how things work out.  When injuries occur, other players step up.

 

Agreed this team is not missing their superstars - well only 2 of them reamining... - the Wings are missing depth guys so not over the top roster players. Injuries can't be an excuse here, the Senators without Michalek, Spezza and Karlsson did beat the Rangers so injuries can't be used as an excuse here a team like the Wings has to be able to beat the Blue Jackets simple as that.

[Red Crazy]

Injuries have little to do with this teams problems. Getting Mule and Helm back would help but not very much. This team needs a big shake up and when I say that I don't mean a rebuild I mean roster players changes. Jimmy,Z and Pavel are the only players safe to me.

[GoWings1905]

I would say the injuries have been impactful, but by no means completely to blame. I thought going into the season this was maybe a 6-8 seed team if things went right. Needless to say, almost nothing outside of a couple players has gone well and now it appears just getting in at all will be quite challenging.

I think the biggest problem in relation to the injuries is the sheer number of them. A couple at a time you can maybe survive, but 7-9 guys out on average is unbelievable and would be tough to overcome for even more talented teams. For the Red Wings, it has completely put players in positions and roles where they don't belong.

Helm, Franzen and Smith are major losses IMO. With even just those three playing, I think it puts the Red Wings closer to in the playoffs than out. One of Bertuzzi or Samuelsson being healthy would be nice too since Babcock won't use Tatar in the top-six and either of those two is better than Cleary and Abdelkader. Granted, that's why you don't rely on multi-year contracts to spare part veterans to fill important roles.

Overall, I don't see the Red Wings making the playoffs without some good fortune in the health department very soon. Even if that's the case, I doubt they get out of the first round anyways. Being a borderline mediocre playoff team is the worst spot to be in the parity driven NHL. The Red Wings have a lot of work to do this summer/years ahead attempting to infuse some new talent onto the roster and creating an identity going forward.

Edited by GoWings1905, 22 February 2013 - 08:11 AM.

[StormJH1]

This is an interesting topic, and I actually agree with much of GoWings1905's take on it.  My first impulse is not to blame the injuries for how we are playing.  There are several reasons for this:

• Everybody knew injuries were going to happen in the shortened season/no real preseason
• The injuries, by and large, have not been happening to key players like #13, #40, #55, and #35
• While the Wings lead in "man games lost", that statistic is a little deceiving when much of it is a backup goaltender and other bit players who are frequently injured
• This team had anticipated shortcomings on the blueline even if we didn't have a single injury

A few people up above said "Helm was the biggest injury" and then got jumped on.  I actually agree with that.  I'm not saying we have a significantly better record with him in the lineup, necessarily, but you can't name a single other guy whose prolonged absence has had more of an effect on this team.  Our penalty kill has been terrible, and until recently, any line that didn't have Datsyuk or Zetterberg on it couldn't create anything.

 

Still, even if I'm not stunned at where we are now, I WILL be stunned and devastated if this team does not make the Playoffs.  It's one thing for spoiled Wings fans to expect Kenny to deliver them a Cup every year - but it's a whole other thing to ask if a team with this level of talent should be among the 16 best teams in a 30-team league.  The answer is yes.  Datsyuk and Zetterberg are aging, but they are not playing "old".  You could argue they're both as good as they've ever been.  The difference is the number of games we're dropping to teams like Columbus and Calgary that we used to win 80% of the time.

[Z Winged Dangler]

 

Helm wouldn't fix this powerplay.  
 
He's important to this team, but there's no reason a 3rd liner getting hurt should be the biggest loss your team takes.  

The thing Helm would help with though is momentum and holding leads, which are 2 things the Wings lose more than anything else.

[Phil Lesh]

Agreed this team is not missing their superstars - well only 2 of them reamining... - the Wings are missing depth guys so not over the top roster players. Injuries can't be an excuse here, the Senators without Michalek, Spezza and Karlsson did beat the Rangers so injuries can't be used as an excuse here a team like the Wings has to be able to beat the Blue Jackets simple as that.

 

Have the Sens been without 6+ guys per game, every game so far this season? FWIW, the Rangers aren't that great this year either.