Rating the Defense through 6 games

[krsmith17 7,191]

Yeah, whatever happened to the stats on Howard anyway? LOL

1.77 GGA and 0.937 SV%, not too shabby through 5 games. Obviously those numbers won't stay like that all year, and when he does have an off game all the haters will be sure to show up again to point it out. But I expect his numbers to be much better than last season, somewhere around 2.50 GGA and 0.915 SV%.

As for the defense, Smith and DeKeyser have been great, as expected. Kronwall has made a few plays that make you shake your head, but that is mostly due to what we've grown to expect from him on a nightly basis. Ericsson has made a bunch of bone headed plays but I still think he's getting more heat than he deserves, but hey, I didn't expect any less from LGW. Quincey has picked up from where he left off after the second half of last season and is playing great defensively. None of our d are producing enough but a lot of them are still growing and I think we'll see a lot more from our younger guys very soon. Oh yeah, and Kindl, it's a great night when he goes unnoticed, which hasn't happened much this season. I still think he needs to be packaged in a trade...

[nawein 324]

Krsmith I usually agree with you, you make a lot of sense. But. Ericsson is not a good defenseman. He and Smith have the same problem in that their mental game simply isn't there. He makes WAY too many boneheaded plays for me to consider him solid. Smith has been better but his head still isn't all there and he's still not producing points. Defenseman I trust on this team are Dekeyser, Kronwall and Quincey. If we had a real solid defense Kronwall and Dekeyser would be the top pair and Ericsson would be our 5th defenseman. Which is what he is in my opinion. A decent 5th defenseman.

[martinezsvsu 240]

ericsson has played 6-7 games this season and now hes not a good defenseman. lol

[gcom007 1,465]

They have 3 2nd pair guys now, they need a top pair d or nothing.

Why? We don't need to have a world class defense if we're solid front to back. Howard and Mrazak are going to be good enough for some years to come to keep this team competitive in most games with a solid defense. I'm not saying I wouldn't love a top-pair guy, but it's a lot more reasonable to expect us to be able to pick up a solid 2nd pair guy and it wouldn't cost as much.

2 pages and no one has mentioned our best defender yet: Howard. He is back to his steady solid self. Being healthy helps a lot. DD continues to develop. he was already our best defensive Dman and you see the signs of development on O. Smith is also continuing to grow. These 2 should be paired together and by the end of the year they will be a legit top pair in the NHL. Cheap too!

I said we have nothing to complain about in goal or defense, thank you very much. Howard has been largely great and Gus was fantastic in his first outing.

[nawein 324]

ericsson has played 6-7 games this season and now hes not a good defenseman. lol

I've said before he's not a good defenseman. I said it in the offseason and I said it last season. He's overrated because he's big.

[rick zombo 3,739]

So all you Moneyballers out there can chew on these corsi numbers for a bit

http://www.thedetroitsportssite.com/2014/10/22/detroit-red-wings-analytics-jakub-kindl-and-kyle-quincey-lead-d-in-corsi/44278

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

I'm not brad pitt.

Err, billy bean.

But qiincey has been realgud since about halfway through the season last year.

And kindl has been surprisingly steady.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

Would you guys keep Quincey longer term considering his play?

I wouldn't - I see that he has been reliable defensively but has been non-existant offensively. We need players that can put it together at both ends of the ice. He also needs to make way for a RH shot.

[nawein 324]

I thought Ericsson looked great in the shortened 2012/2013 season - however his injury filled last season seems to have affected his overall ability, and confidence going into this season.

I thought Kindl looked great that year too.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I've said before he's not a good defenseman. I said it in the offseason and I said it last season. He's overrated because he's big.

It's not just because he's big. Kindl and Lashoff are almost as big as Ericsson but don't exactly get a lot of love here.

Ericsson is a good shut down defenseman. He'd probably be best suited for middle pairing minutes but given the current state of Detroit's defense it doesn't really shake out that way.

Do you remember how the PK suffered last season when he was out? He is big, I still don't think he's physical enough but he's the most physical defenseman on the team. He has a great first pass, and he's become less prone to brain farts and is generally poised under pressure.

He hasn't been as good so far this season but I have to wonder if the finger injury has set him back. He said himself it hindered his training, so he's probably not in as good of game shape and as strong. Not to mention getting your puck handling back.

Point being, of the defensive problems on this team, Ericsson is not high on the list. They need to cut dead weight in Kindl, and keep looking for a legit offensive threat from the blue line, preferably a right hander. Then there's the question of how long it will be before Quincey goes through one of his stretches where he forgets how to play hockey.

[matt198913 932]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2014/10/red_wings_search_for_solutions.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+detroit-redwings+%28Detroit+Red+Wings+-+MLive.com%29

Babcock does not like Smith

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2014/10/red_wings_search_for_solutions.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+detroit-redwings+%28Detroit+Red+Wings+-+MLive.com%29

Babcock does not like Smith

Did you quote the wrong article? No where in there does it say babs hates Smith

[krsmith17 7,191]

... And no where there did he say the word "hate". He said he doesn't like Smith, and I would tend to agree with him. For whatever reason Babcock continues to misuse certain players, and Smith is definitely one of them. No defenseman, not named Kronwall deserves more time on the man advantage than Brendan Smith, but yet through 46:01 of total power-play time, Smith has seen a whopping 1:03... If that's not bad enough, a rookie (Andrej f*cking Nestrasil) that was a complete unknown to 'everyone' in the hockey world up until late last season (with the exception of some of us die hard Wings fans) has seen 20:26 on the power-play...

Yes, I get that one is a defenseman and one is a forward, and the time for a defenseman is limited because of our 'need' to have four forwards out there and only one defenseman, because you know, that has been working so well... But Danny DeKeyser, who is far less offensively gifted than Smith, is the defenseman staple on our number two unit. Smith would absolutely flourish in that role. He can skate the puck better than any of our defenseman, and yes that is including Kronwall, he has a bomb of a shot, probably as good or better than anyone else on the team, and can pass the puck as good as anyone.

No, he may not be as positionally sound as Kronwall or DeKeyser, and that could be cause for concern with our diamond formation, but why not change it up a little? Keep your first unit the diamond formation with Kronwall at the point, Datsyuk in the middle, Zetterberg and Franzen on the half walls, and Abdelkader at the net front, then for your second unit, go with the standard formation with two defensemen, Smith and DeKeyser, with Nyquist and Tatar down low and Sheahan or Jurco at the net front. That way you have two different power-play looks and it will keep the opposition on their toes...

Anyway, Smith needs to get some PP time and Babs needs to f*** off misusing certain guys and start playing them to their strengths... Why he continues to keep Smith off the power-play and Nestrasil on it, when he probably shouldn't even be in the line-up and would probably be on Blashill's second unit down in Grand Rapids, is beyond any logical reasoning... And the fact that Weiss still isn't in the lineup and probably won't be for a while, is ridiculous, but I won't go there, try to keep this mostly about defensemen or a particular defenseman at the very least...

Smith gets a B+ in my books and would probably get an A if he could get an opportunity to help out on the power-play... But unfortunately, that isn't happening any time soon...

[VM1138 1,921]

Agreed. It's hard to say Smith's sometimes questionable positioning would hurt when the power play can't get any worse. Worst case scenario things stay the same. Best car, it works and Smith flourishes.

[kliq 3,755]

Agreed. It's hard to say Smith's sometimes questionable positioning would hurt when the power play can't get any worse. Worst case scenario things stay the same. Best car, it works and Smith flourishes.

I agree with your point, but worst case scenario would be we starting letting in shorthanded goals.

[matt198913 932]

I don't know if anyone remembers last year, when everyone was out and Smith finally got a sniff of PP time and they went 3-4 and then changed back suddenly. I didn't understand it then and I don't now. Why is this talented kid who seemingly has put his gaffes behind him and playing so well that Kindl is looking like an NHL defenseman, why is he not being utilized more?

[joesuffP 1,746]

I think Kindl is being shopped and getting looks through these first 20 or so games. Makes sense why Babs wouldn't want to discuss why Smith isn't getting any PP time. Also, Nestrasil is clearly being showcased for a trade or will be waived, but hey, "The best players will play."

[sjr2012 439]

I think Kindl is being shopped and getting looks through these first 20 or so games. Makes sense why Babs wouldn't want to discuss why Smith isn't getting any PP time. Also, Nestrasil is clearly being showcased for a trade or will be waived, but hey, "The best players will play."

I think Kindl is being shopped and getting looks through these first 20 or so games. Makes sense why Babs wouldn't want to discuss why Smith isn't getting any PP time. Also, Nestrasil is clearly being showcased for a trade or will be waived, but hey, "The best players will play."

I think Kindl is being shopped and getting looks through these first 20 or so games. Makes sense why Babs wouldn't want to discuss why Smith isn't getting any PP time. Also, Nestrasil is clearly being showcased for a trade or will be waived, but hey, "The best players will play."

I agree on nesty being shopped and as crazy as it sounds I think Weiss is being shopped too depending on who he would waive his NTC for

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Wrong thread.

But kindl has looked decent.

Edited October 26, 2014 by jimmyemeryhunter

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

I agree on nesty being shopped and as crazy as it sounds I think Weiss is being shopped too depending on who he would waive his NTC for

They aren't shopping Weiss, they aren't shopping Smith. They are shopping kindl. The reason Smith isn't getting pp time is because they want to trade kindl so they are giving him every opportunity to score. How would it make sense they aren't giving Smith pp time because they are shopping him? Wouldn't they want to increase his value not lower it? If he performs well on the pp it adds value. If they were shopping Weiss he would be playing in order to increase his value also.

[krsmith17 7,191]

I completely agree, however Kindl isn't getting any looks on the power-play either. If you can believe it, he is even getting less time on the man advantage than Smith...

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

I completely agree, however Kindl isn't getting any looks on the power-play either. If you can believe it, he is even getting less time on the man advantage than Smith...

Kindl has gotten pp time this year, he hasn't gotten any lately cause he stinks as the pp qb (quincey and dk aren't really any better) smith has gotten absolutely no pp time thiis year. why? who knows

[krsmith17 7,191]

Like I said Kindl has gotten less power-play time than Smith... Smith has seen a whopping 1:14 on the power-play total this year, while Kindl has gotten 2 seconds less at just 1:12 total time on the power-play.

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

Like I said Kindl has gotten less power-play time than Smith... Smith has seen a whopping 1:14 on the power-play total this year, while Kindl has gotten 2 seconds less at just 1:12 total time on the power-play.

I just went through all games, you're right. i thought he got a lot more than that, either way dk shouldn't be the pp qb

[DickieDunn 2,571]

... And no where there did he say the word "hate". He said he doesn't like Smith, and I would tend to agree with him. For whatever reason Babcock continues to misuse certain players, and Smith is definitely one of them. No defenseman, not named Kronwall deserves more time on the man advantage than Brendan Smith, but yet through 46:01 of total power-play time, Smith has seen a whopping 1:03... If that's not bad enough, a rookie (Andrej f*cking Nestrasil) that was a complete unknown to 'everyone' in the hockey world up until late last season (with the exception of some of us die hard Wings fans) has seen 20:26 on the power-play...

Yes, I get that one is a defenseman and one is a forward, and the time for a defenseman is limited because of our 'need' to have four forwards out there and only one defenseman, because you know, that has been working so well... But Danny DeKeyser, who is far less offensively gifted than Smith, is the defenseman staple on our number two unit. Smith would absolutely flourish in that role. He can skate the puck better than any of our defenseman, and yes that is including Kronwall, he has a bomb of a shot, probably as good or better than anyone else on the team, and can pass the puck as good as anyone.

No, he may not be as positionally sound as Kronwall or DeKeyser, and that could be cause for concern with our diamond formation, but why not change it up a little? Keep your first unit the diamond formation with Kronwall at the point, Datsyuk in the middle, Zetterberg and Franzen on the half walls, and Abdelkader at the net front, then for your second unit, go with the standard formation with two defensemen, Smith and DeKeyser, with Nyquist and Tatar down low and Sheahan or Jurco at the net front. That way you have two different power-play looks and it will keep the opposition on their toes...

Anyway, Smith needs to get some PP time and Babs needs to f*** off misusing certain guys and start playing them to their strengths... Why he continues to keep Smith off the power-play and Nestrasil on it, when he probably shouldn't even be in the line-up and would probably be on Blashill's second unit down in Grand Rapids, is beyond any logical reasoning... And the fact that Weiss still isn't in the lineup and probably won't be for a while, is ridiculous, but I won't go there, try to keep this mostly about defensemen or a particular defenseman at the very least...

Smith gets a B+ in my books and would probably get an A if he could get an opportunity to help out on the power-play... But unfortunately, that isn't happening any time soon...

Having different strategies for each unit would double the practice time they needed and make it harder for someone to switch units. Terrible idea. And Dekeyser isn't that bad, it's not like they have Bob Rouse out there on the PP.