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ash11

Injury Updates

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I called it. That at least one of our top three would go down for most of the rest of the regular season. So now our top four is Kronwall, DeKeyser, Quincey (who cost us another goal tonight with another stupid penalty), and Smith or Kindl.

I've asked it before and I'll ask it again: How does Holland, as a self-respecting GM, go into the season with our blue line, especially knowing full well that there will be key injuries at the worst times? And how does he not trade for a single defenseman when it's made clear on a nightly basis that our blue line sucks?

So in other words you don't want young players to be given a chance. Or is it just no young D? Or do you just want to play captain hindsight and pick and choose who was OK to let take a bigger role later in the season?

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So in other words you don't want young players to be given a chance. Or is it just no young D? Or do you just want to play captain hindsight and pick and choose who was OK to let take a bigger role later in the season?

Right, because I said I don't want young players to be given a chance. That is exactly what I was getting at. No kids on the blue line. Ever.

I think we've got some really promising kids in Grand Rapids. And I think it's going to be several years before any one of them is a key piece on our blue line. There seems to be this general impression around here that Sproul and Ouellet and maybe Marchenko are just about ready to be really good NHL defenseman, so we just have to wait a season or two and BAM! Incredible Blue Line. And that this is such a sure thing that signing a legitimate top-four NHL defenseman for more than one season may somehow wreck everything, because...THE KIDS!!!!!!!!!!

I wouldn't mind seeing Marchenko on the roster next season. But I'm not expecting elite NHL defensemen to come popping out of Grand Rapids in a year or two. Which is an issue, because we need to add an elite NHL defenseman ASAP.

(And, for the record, I wasn't happy with the D corps before this season started.)

Edited by Dabura

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So in other words you don't want young players to be given a chance. Or is it just no young D? Or do you just want to play captain hindsight and pick and choose who was OK to let take a bigger role later in the season?

See, I guess this is where this team is "funny" to me. From the outset of the season, it seemed as if they were fine with a youth movement on the back-end - letting guys like Smith and Dekeyser find their spot and hopefully jump into top 4 roles, and Lashoff run as the 6th/7th defender.

On the flip side, they didn't seem willing to trust young forwards like Nyquist, Tatar, etc. to take on bigger roles. It feels like any young forward they've called up or allowed to play heavier minutes has flourished. If they did need a vet player, it would have been on the blueline. Defenders typically flourish later than forwards... so yes hindsight is 20/20, but I'm scratching my head on this one as well.

I'm not overly annoyed with Holland about this specifically, but I just wonder about how he evaluates this team sometimes. He couldn't have accounted for over half the bodies on this team going down, but going in with three younger defenders and a question mark (Kindl, who could have gone either way after doing well last year) makes me feel like he should have had an insurance policy from the beginning.

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At this point we as fans should be allowed the Red Wing injury experience vs the normal NHL fan experience of the fan skating with the team or visiting locker room.

Here is how I see it playing out

The Wings injuries are put into a hat the lucky fan draws the associated injury knee, laceration, concussion the list goes on and on.....

At this point you have the option to pay a bit more and actually experience the injury! Then be treated by the Red Wings staff as if you are a player. Plus you can join the player with the same injury as you do therapy together. Or take the non dedicated fan route and and simply accompany the player to therapy.

So you get back you go with Zetterberg to therapy!! Or get your knee drained with Danny C!

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See, I guess this is where this team is "funny" to me. From the outset of the season, it seemed as if they were fine with a youth movement on the back-end - letting guys like Smith and Dekeyser find their spot and hopefully jump into top 4 roles, and Lashoff run as the 6th/7th defender.

On the flip side, they didn't seem willing to trust young forwards like Nyquist, Tatar, etc. to take on bigger roles. It feels like any young forward they've called up or allowed to play heavier minutes has flourished. If they did need a vet player, it would have been on the blueline. Defenders typically flourish later than forwards... so yes hindsight is 20/20, but I'm scratching my head on this one as well.

I'm not overly annoyed with Holland about this specifically, but I just wonder about how he evaluates this team sometimes. He couldn't have accounted for over half the bodies on this team going down, but going in with three younger defenders and a question mark (Kindl, who could have gone either way after doing well last year) makes me feel like he should have had an insurance policy from the beginning.

I can kind of understand going into the season with what we had last season, on the back end I mean. Last season was a half season and we overachieved in some areas. So, before making a big change, give the group at least 20 games to see where we're really at. Thing is, it's been pretty clear for most of the season that our D corps - even when fully healthy - is not where it needs to be and is in fact a pretty serious weakness.

Edited by Dabura

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About to buy a chicken and start making a sacrifice to the hockey gods

They demand human blood, sacrifice Kindl

it appears we're going the human sacrafice route... but instead of one whole person, it's just injuries to the whole roster. totally adds up to a deep playoff run from the hockey gods after we sqeak into playoffs.

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Sorry, I'm getting snippy. This is one issue that does genuinely bother me, in real life. When I watch our D, I get this sicky feeling that we're watching a team that was set up to fail. Sort of like, I dunno, a puppy trying to claw its way through a brick wall. I love the Red Wings, and I love good defensive hockey. So it makes me sad.

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yes this sucks. But the Pens have been even worse than us. They are over 100 man games lost ahead of us! Not to mention the 20 or so points.....

Yeah, but going into the year the Pens were a better team. Plus Fleury has stepped up and Howard hasn't.

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yes this sucks. But the Pens have been even worse than us. They are over 100 man games lost ahead of us! Not to mention the 20 or so points.....

Most of their injuries have been on the blue line. Their best forwards have been healthy for the most part, and their D has been suspect even when healthy. They can get away with beating teams 6-5 in the regular season. If they lost the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Sutter, Neal and Kunitz all at once, it would be a different story.

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So in other words you don't want young players to be given a chance. Or is it just no young D? Or do you just want to play captain hindsight and pick and choose who was OK to let take a bigger role later in the season?

Right, because I said I don't want young players to be given a chance. That is exactly what I was getting at. No kids on the blue line. Ever.

I think we've got some really promising kids in Grand Rapids. And I think it's going to be several years before any one of them is a key piece on our blue line. There seems to be this general impression around here that Sproul and Ouellet and maybe Marchenko are just about ready to be really good NHL defenseman, so we just have to wait a season or two and BAM! Incredible Blue Line. And that this is such a sure thing that signing a legitimate top-four NHL defenseman for more than one season may somehow wreck everything, because...THE KIDS!!!!!!!!!!

I wouldn't mind seeing Marchenko on the roster next season. But I'm not expecting elite NHL defensemen to come popping out of Grand Rapids in a year or two. Which is an issue, because we need to add an elite NHL defenseman ASAP.

(And, for the record, I wasn't happy with the D corps before this season started.)

Kindl and Smith were both projected to be top 4 guys. They were given the chance to do that instead of signing a stop gap. You either want kids to have opportunity or you don't, simple as that.

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The Pens have had a fantastic season. It pisses me off.

Yet, there's a huge thread on hfboards asking if Bylsma could be worst coach in nhl. Pages of pen fans trashing he and Shero. Fwiw.

Edited by T.Low

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And then you realize 68 of those are the backup goalie.

was just going to say this.

dupuis and bennett have also been out since november-ish..

they could be solid but it's not like they've been without their top offensive weapons.

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