GDT 3/15 GDT : Red Wings at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 ET

[xtrememachine1 795]

Yet another tough loss. The silver lining is they didn't give up and played hard in the last two periods, but really the burning question is "what happened in the first period???" I'm serious, what was that? We were outshot 23-3?? I'm sorry, but the only time you ever see that at the professional level is when you see international competition where its like Team Canada vs Team Japan. This is the same team, the same players, that was in sole possession of 2nd place in the division at the All Star break.

People are quick to blame Holland, but its not the players talent level. People want to blame the defensemen, but no way do you get outshot THAT badly because just the defensemen are playing poorly. People want to blame the coaching, but if that was the case, we'd be well out of the playoff picture by now. There is something going on in the locker room. Morale, conflict, dissension, etc. The Flyers are NOT that good to outshoot us 23-3. The BJs, Jets, Leafs are all games this team is good enough to win and we're either losing or playing really poorly. It doesn't make sense. If they were really this bad, they wouldn't have been that good in the first 5 months of the season. Blashill needs to figure out what's going on in his players heads because THAT is what's beating them right now and if he doesn't fix it, we will definitely miss the playoffs. We're playing the dregs of the league and losing. Right now, I think the Wings would struggle and possibly lose against the Griffins.

[DRW Dominance 255]

so what are the ******* players using as excuses today? what did they say in the post game?

need to start on time....blah blah, need a better pp, blah blah

[frankgrimes 1,836]

the only front office person I ewould feel bad for is Blashill. Holland hasn't given him a team that can compete over a long period of time, Z, Pasha and Kronner are on their last legs and in case of Pasha gone in 1 year. Next year the league will catch up to a lot of young players including Larkin, Mrazek. Tatar, Goose are solid fine player who need someone with size on their line, so they can have the required space to do their thing.

I thought making Kronner a number 1 at first was a joke but sadly it wasn't and being such a good soldier he played over his capabilities but now that is catching up to him, sadly. Guy was one of the few entertaining players left when he kronwalled people left and right.

It's funny, how quickly people are forgetting the simple fact that end of the season games will always be tight and played much harder because the playoffs are getting closer and closer.

Making the playoffs or not, Holland or at least Mr. I has to see that this current Wings team has a lot of holes and they are nowhere near being close to become a juggernaut again soon. Maybe there are locker room problems maybe not, that's Blashill"s and Holland's job to figure it out and if needed get rid of some guys, period. Or maybe the team is just stale because some of them have been together for such a long period of time?

Anyhow, I really can't remember the last time the Wings had such a boring to watch team, they are even worse than last year's one and that team was extremely boring too. Personally I'd rather miss the stupid playoffs , get a better pick and have the young players starting without the pressure of hanging on to a "streak" instead of a clean slate and letting them grow together.

Philly won't make it far either

[VM1138 1,921]

I'm not sure why the "pressure to keep the streak alive" would affect them. Their goal should always be to make playoffs. To win. You keep the streak alive by winning, which they should be trying to do anyway.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I'm not sure why the "pressure to keep the streak alive" would affect them. Their goal should always be to make playoffs. To win. You keep the streak alive by winning, which they should be trying to do anyway.

Because everyone would be thinking we don't want to be the edition which is responsible for ending the streak, that's pressure. Sure, it's the NHL there is always going to be stress, pressure and other things going on so young guns don't need more of that.

I mean, if the streak is getting above rational thinking that's just bad. But playoffs or not changes will be needed in the off season which will be difficult because no number 1 defenseman is available.

think about it again, this team got owned by a guy nobody has even heard of and yet Quincy looked like a ***** against him, Mrazek bad on his second goal that's not wings style! I don't know what the answer is but this current edition with no defensive help in the AHL isn't. not now and especially not going forward so someone needs to figure out how to right this sinking ship.

If I'm Mr. I everyone would be on evaluation till the end of the season, especially the guy who has 1 solid signing since, Danny D. since Lidas retired...Ken Holland.

[Jacksoni 418]

That first period. <takes off glasses>

If they play like that this loss is not something we should be too concerned with. It goes to team chemistry and lack of strong leadership. If that's the case we'll be hanging out with Columbus and the Leafs at the bottom of the league for several years to come.

[VM1138 1,921]

I do look forward to the housecleaning this offseason, though.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I do look forward to the housecleaning this offseason, though.

There won't be one. That's every fanboy's fantasy (mine included). We never houseclean, despite being mediocre for several seasons now. If you think missing the playoffs will prompt Ilitch to fire people or for Holland to change his ways, then we'll have to disagree.

Absolute heart broken tonight with this loss, stings like a mother------. I feel this is by far the best team (especially at forward) that we have had in a long time and yet we could (or will) miss the playoffs. Our defense is atrocious. Mrazek doesn't seem consistent (yet again) and as soon as he's been given that #1 role has not played as confident.

LOL. Say what?

We have no talent on defense and have guys playing on the top two lines who are bottom tier forwards.

Edited March 16, 2016 by GMRwings1983

[joesuffP 1,746]

I find it funny people refuse to accept coaching may be an issue here. This team has been an unorganized mess since the start of the season and everybody is well below their offensive projections. Special teams are in the toilet, shots per game and pretty much every offensive category has nosedived. Wings were always a below average defensive team, the whole NHL knew it, but now theyre awful offensively. Blashill hasn't implemented anything positive on this team. What changes has he made to benefit the team in anyway? Anybody without their preconceived notions would agree he's done a terrible job this year. Anybody who think we have gotten good coaching this year is objectively wrong

Edited March 16, 2016 by joesuffP

[joesuffP 1,746]

There won't be one. That's every fanboy's fantasy (mine included). We never houseclean, despite being mediocre for several seasons now. If you think missing the playoffs will prompt Ilitch to fire people or for Holland to change his ways, then we'll have to disagree.

LOL. Say what?

We have no talent on defense and have guys playing on the top two lines who are bottom tier forwards.

The defense is awful but this forward group can score and is better than last year. We added a 20 goal scorer out of thin air and the offensive numbers are still in the toilet

[kickazz 5,459]

The defense is awful but this forward group can score and is better than last year. We added a 20 goal scorer out of thin air and the offensive numbers are still in the toilet

That would be because Z and D, especially Z have declined a lot and Tatar and Nyquist , especially Nyquist suck more than usual this year.

Thats 4 top scorers declining with one added 20 goal scorer. Doesnt help. What's the cause of this effect? Age, terrible PP are two good reasons probably.

[joesuffP 1,746]

That would be because Z and D, especially Z have declined a lot and Tatar and Nyquist , especially Nyquist suck more than usual this year.

Thats 4 top scorers declining with one added 20 goal scorer. Doesnt help. What's the cause of this effect? Age, terrible PP are two good reasons probably.

Coaching?

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Coaching?

I wouldn't put all the blame on him but man when they show him behind the net. He has by far the dumbest looks on his face like he has no idea what the hell he is doing.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Would Holland have the nerve to fire Blashill yet retain his own job?

[13dangledangle 965]

In my opinion this problem starts with the coaching and goes straight to the upper brass. Decision making for this organization has been wishy washy at best. We have a roster loaded with talent but for some reason we havent been able to get this team gelling. They need to decide who the f*ck this team is and move on then work with what you have, dont have 5 people coming in and out of the line up while all four lines get grenades tossed on them every other shift. There seems to be no direct plan from the GM or coaching staff so how the hell are the players supposed to figure it out.

Tatar Datsyuk Mantha

Pulks Zetterberg Larkin

Nyquist Anthanasiou Jurco

Abdelkader Helm Sheahan/Richards

This is what I would ice-3 fast scoring lines and a tough line 4-to hell with glendening and richards, lets put our kids that have this "potential" in a position that will allow that to happen,

[WingsallTheway 383]

For those saying we don't have good forwards on the roster, you are flat out wrong.

When you look at our forwards you have to think that we would be scoring alot of goals. Something is going wrong this year because we have the same team but hypothetically much better with additions. Hard not to blame coaching. Can't score? Glendenning gets more time on ice than Datsyuk, Larkin, AA, tatar, Nyquist some nights. Down by 1 goal last game with a minute left? Glendenning is on the ice.

Nyquist played one of his hardest games of the season the other night in Toronto, babs is still getting him to play hard and he lives 6 hours away.

Blashill has inherited the win by 1 goal philosophy from Babs, but is nowhere near as good at executing it. The D gets 20 turnovers a game and our PP is the worst I've ever seen. We have 1 defenceman who can make a stretch pass and we try it every time we have the puck. Icing or turnover. We finally get a cycle going in the offensive zone and dekeyser quincey or ericsson lob it on net the second they touch the puck and ruin momentum. All things I notice as a man who doesn't play hockey.

All of our forwards are 70% focused on playing defence. We have the wrong philosophy for our team, we need to open it up more and take chances; we have one of the fastest teams in the NH and arugably the most athletic goaltender.

Edited March 16, 2016 by WingsallTheway

[Aethernum 276]

I find it funny people refuse to accept coaching may be an issue here. This team has been an unorganized mess since the start of the season and everybody is well below their offensive projections. Special teams are in the toilet, shots per game and pretty much every offensive category has nosedived. Wings were always a below average defensive team, the whole NHL knew it, but now theyre awful offensively. Blashill hasn't implemented anything positive on this team. What changes has he made to benefit the team in anyway? Anybody without their preconceived notions would agree he's done a terrible job this year. Anybody who think we have gotten good coaching this year is objectively wrong

I don't think anybody is denying Blashill is a step down from Babcock...the point is, so what? Babcock may well be the best coach in the NHL. Look at what he is managing to do with an AHL team in Toronto. Did anybody expect Blashill to come in and immediately do him one better?

The point isn't that the coaching isn't as good as last year, the point is that there is no reasonable fix beyond simply giving Blashill more time to adjust to the NHL level. Even if we miss the playoffs, you cannot after one season fire the guy who has been groomed for this head coaching job for years. That sort of show-me-now mentality is antithetical to everything that the Wings organization does and has done for decades, and avoiding that short-sightedness is what gave us our playoff streak in the first place.

[kickazz 5,459]

Coaching?

Partially. But Zetterbergs slow ass aint doing Blashill any favors either. Neither is Nyquist.

Edited March 16, 2016 by kickazz

[vladdy16 2,154]

Apparently we're done discussing the game.