Fixing this mess....

[NerveDamage 4,176]

NHL Point Projections as of today

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Bad defensive coverage and blown assignments by the forwards kills the defense. Bad breakout passes and an inability to get pucks on net and keep them in the zone by the defense kills the offense. This isn't football or basketball where you're either playing defense or offense, everyone on the ice is responsible on both ends. You can't say the D corps is better because the GAA is better than the goals for.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

wrong thread

Edited March 30, 2016 by dirtydangles

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

Trade Howard buy out Ericsson let all ufas walk and pursue new ufas or promote kids

[KingBobCat 19]

We've had a great team to watch for a LOT of years and now we see it slipping away. It's kind of like losing an old friend. So, I understand why people are off the charts frustrated with this team and with their flaky consistency. Our D is pretty bad and we don't score enough goals. And, a lot of times it looks like mental errors that lead to screw-ups, not just lack of talent. That makes you question the coaching. How can things be much worse?

All my friends (here in GR) agree that this has been one of the toughest seasons to watch in many, many years. Hard see much of an up-side to it all unless some really major changes occur in the off season.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Trade Howard

Because Mrazek has been so stellar down the stretch?

[LeftWinger 4,961]

Holland will not fix this mess....thread over.

[VM1138 1,921]

Because Mrazek has been so stellar down the stretch?

Because we can't afford both. And we know Howard will return to giving up one or two bad goals a game. Mrazek is all potential and he's demonstrated it. Blashill just has to have confidence in him and let him steer out of his slump.

We simply can't keep both unless we don't land any big UFAs. And you don't trade your future franchise goalie for an aging vet with consistency problems, mental weakness and who has never won or proven anything.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Holland will not fix this mess....thread over.

Then someone else will. it doesn't matter who the GM is someone has to fix it. If I'm the owner I'd be looking hard at Ray Shero this off season.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Ugh Went to the bell center to watch the game , really can't believe we lost this f***en game , soon as Luke put it over the glass I had a bad feeling

This team needs to address the defense in the off season , trade one or 2 of tatar and nyquist and promote mantha and athanasiou to top 6

Draft some dmen and look into maybe getting a NCAA defensemen that's deciding to go the ufa route and hope we get lucky like dekeyser and Russo

I'd look into trading with the ducks and/or the flyers as both are ridiculously stacked with defensemen prospects

[sjr2012 439]

i just believe this team has no desire this year to keep it going maybe its a being done on purpose because they are disgusted with holland not trying to make a move

[whitewolf406 3]

"If I'm Holland". Sorry kids, he's not going to fix this mess he made it. We've lost to much talent in the the front office, not just on the ice.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Edited March 30, 2016 by whitewolf406

[xtrememachine1 795]

Then someone else will. it doesn't matter who the GM is someone has to fix it. If I'm the owner I'd be looking hard at Ray Shero this off season.

LOL no. No, no, no, no no. Just no. While he will definitely make changes, if what he did with the Pens is any indication of what he'll do, things will go from bad to worse. He drafted Jordan Staal over Jonathan Toews and Phil Kessel. Traded away tons of draft picks and prospects for rentals and have been feeling the effects of it the past couple seasons. He's a "gamblin man" which is fun at the time, but when things don't work out and he loses those bets, you'll be wishing you still had "kickin tires Kenny".

[xtrememachine1 795]

Because Mrazek has been so stellar down the stretch?

I'm all for trading Howard simple because of the cap space. He's not playing like a $5 mil goalie. We could get a $1 mil goalie to play just as well. On that subject, in 2007 we made it to the conference finals with an aging Hasek making less than a mil and then back to back trips to the finals with Osgood making a little over $1 mil. Many teams over the past 10 years have made it to the Finals with goalies that didn't make a lot of money. If saving that money helps us boost the defense, I'm all for it. Sign Al Montoya in the off season or see how cheap Cam Ward could be. Then go after Luke Schenn and/or Alex Goligoski or Keith Yandle.

[whitewolf406 3]

I'm all for trading Howard simple because of the cap space. He's not playing like a $5 mil goalie. We could get a $1 mil goalie to play just as well. On that subject, in 2007 we made it to the conference finals with an aging Hasek making less than a mil and then back to back trips to the finals with Osgood making a little over $1 mil. Many teams over the past 10 years have made it to the Finals with goalies that didn't make a lot of money. If saving that money helps us boost the defense, I'm all for it. Sign Al Montoya in the off season or see how cheap Cam Ward could be. Then go after Luke Schenn and/or Alex Goligoski or Keith Yandle.

Agreed, look at the defense that were in front of those goalies. This years defense would have chased Carey Price.

[Richdg 267]

Back at the begining of the year when the goalie discussion started some of us mentioned that mrazek may not be ready to be the starter and that if we want to move Howard we all better hope he plays really well. How many GM's are going to trade for a G that lost his starting job, is over 30 and has 3 seasons at 5 million +? Quick answer...... None. The only way we are going to move Howard anytime soon is for either we eat 50% of his salary and he plays well. To trade him and only free up 2.5 million which then has to be spent on signing a new backup for 1-1.5 million only gains us maybe 1 million in cap space. In that case keep him and hope he plays better oveer next season and drives up his value.

[VM1138 1,921]

We'd be better off with a veteran backup to push Mrazek who comes much cheaper than Howard.

And on a side note, I just looked at our stats for the first time in a while. We could finish the season with only two players above 20 goals, and both of them will be just barely over 20. Yikes. And Zetterberg's stats have to be the worst of his career since he became an established player.

[Richdg 267]

As for Ericsson, as much as we may want to get rid of him we can't afford to buy him out atm. We need 1 more year then the big D contracts can be moved or start to expire. Kronwall can be traded next summer 2017, green is gone summer of 2018. Then we can afford to buy out Ericsson as well.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Because we can't afford both. And we know Howard will return to giving up one or two bad goals a game. Mrazek is all potential and he's demonstrated it. Blashill just has to have confidence in him and let him steer out of his slump.

We simply can't keep both unless we don't land any big UFAs. And you don't trade your future franchise goalie for an aging vet with consistency problems, mental weakness and who has never won or proven anything.

Got that right. Until he proves he can play well for an entire season and the playoffs, you need a solid backup. Unless they can replace Howard with one, you keep him. Right now Mrazek isn't going to get big money, so you can afford Howard.

[DRW Dominance 255]

to anyone who says or thinks Kronwall is going to be traded....ain't gonna happen...never....ever

since when are the Wings not the most loyal (to a fault) franchise?

[VM1138 1,921]

Got that right. Until he proves he can play well for an entire season and the playoffs, you need a solid backup. Unless they can replace Howard with one, you keep him. Right now Mrazek isn't going to get big money, so you can afford Howard.

Howard isn't any better than your average backup. He just costs way more. He needs to be moved.

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

Signing Yandle in the off-season would be a big help on the back end. And Holland has been trying to get him for a few years

[VM1138 1,921]

Holland usually lands his targets (eventually). I have no doubt Yandle will one day be a Red Wing. It just might not be until he's 36 and broken.

[gcom007 1,465]

Holland usually lands his targets (eventually). I have no doubt Yandle will one day be a Red Wing. It just might not be until he's 36 and broken.

What's sad is how many times I've seriously considered how true that statement is.

to anyone who says or thinks Kronwall is going to be traded....ain't gonna happen...never....ever

since when are the Wings not the most loyal (to a fault) franchise?

People actually think that? All of the lolz abound. Like the guy or not, that's the silliest thought ever in the context of the Detroit Red Wings.

[Jesusberg 1,256]

I think I'll just conserve my energy for next season. I'm less than thrilled with the team, but there's no quick fix to the situation. The only real changes I see next year are letting Quincey (Ouellet on roster) and Richards go (UFA or someone from within for the fourth line - Nosek, possibly?). Depending on where the salary cap is, I could see them bringing Helm back into the fold. He's likely to be overpaid for his role on the team, though.

Outside of that, most of the changes need to come from within. Blame Holland, Blashill, Ferschweiler, whoever you want - it doesn't really make a difference, but it probably feels good to do it. I'd wager that at the end of the day, they're going to attribute missing the playoffs to the league being really tight, and the poor power play numbers. I don't think missing the playoffs is going to be the wake-up call some fans believe it could be. Am I upset? Yeah. Do I have ideas about what I'd prefer to see over what's going on now? Absolutely. Neither of those have any impact on what's going to happen with this team, and to be honest, I think we're in for some frustration for the next 2-3 seasons.