The problem... Shoot the DAMN PUCK!

[Whatahoot 0]

We are all bleeding Red and White watching the slow decline of our Red Wings, and engaging in the talk about what (or who) is wrong with the Wings or critiquing this years draft...

Maybe I missed it, but what I don't hear talked about enough is decline of good shooters fighting to get into good shooting position and Shooting the DAMN PUCK!  Look at the list of players who come in with "The Nack" and natural Sniper skills to get into the slot between the circles and shoot the puck and by year two or three chose now to pass the puck instead putting it on net.  Especially on the Power Play.  I don't know the answer, but for as long as I have played youth and amateur hockey (25 years) and watched the game (over 50 years) the Wings are making way too many passes from inside high percentage shooting spots to poor percentage spots.  Good natural shooters like Nyquist, Larkin, Helm and even Sheehan have had down years after lighting the lamp with success in previous years.  I have been watching for it and it keeps repeating itself.   Driving me crazy!  It will be interesting to see Mantha and AA perform next year to see if the pattern continues with sophomore and junior year scoring slumps.  We'll see, certainly the Griffins team doesn't seem to have an issue...?   I can't help but wonder if it's coaching?  Or at least the staff isn't doing enough to set the expectations clearly enough.

There, I feel better :-)

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I think a lot of it is over coaching and a piss poor system

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[Dabura 12,207]

 

[LeftWinger 4,951]

So let's pass on the best shooter in the draft...the decline is Holland's fault and he should've been dealt with years ago. He's proven over and over that he cannot function in a cap world. Back when we had superstars on this team players were lining up to take discounts to play on this original 6 team. 

Remember when pretty much everyone here made fun of Wiz when he came out and called out Holland for lowballing players and not paying them what they're worth? Well look where we are now, Holland now pays his players more than they're worth, but nobody really wants to come play here still because of Holland's past practices. Add that to now overpaying mediocre players and making stupid decisions. Helm, Abby, DD, Howard, Ericsson, Nyquist....the list goes on. I like Abby and DD, but he still overpaid them. Add that to the other wasted contracts and that's why we were the top paid team last season and missed the playoffs. When you're paying bottom 6 players and mediocre defensemen as much as we are, you have no room to improve your team. When your drafting projects instead of best player available, you belong in the Looney bin. This team will not compete for a Cup until 5-6 years after Holland's garbage contracts are gone and his junk players are dealt or cut.

[kliq 3,755]

6 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

Remember when pretty much everyone here made fun of Wiz when he came out and called out Holland for lowballing players and not paying them what they're worth? Well look where we are now, Holland now pays his players more than they're worth,

So are you criticizing him for overpaying or underpaying players? Sounds like you are doing both.

[LeftWinger 4,951]

1 hour ago, kliq said:

So are you criticizing him for overpaying or underpaying players? Sounds like you are doing both.

He overpays his own players that don't deserve it, but when it comes to trying to get free agents to come, they have to take a discount because Lidstrom did or Zetterberg did and, hey, it's Detroit. History man, history!

[Richdg 267]

11 hours ago, Whatahoot said:

We are all bleeding Red and White watching the slow decline of our Red Wings, and engaging in the talk about what (or who) is wrong with the Wings or critiquing this years draft...

Maybe I missed it, but what I don't hear talked about enough is decline of good shooters fighting to get into good shooting position and Shooting the DAMN PUCK!  Look at the list of players who come in with "The Nack" and natural Sniper skills to get into the slot between the circles and shoot the puck and by year two or three chose now to pass the puck instead putting it on net.  Especially on the Power Play.  I don't know the answer, but for as long as I have played youth and amateur hockey (25 years) and watched the game (over 50 years) the Wings are making way too many passes from inside high percentage shooting spots to poor percentage spots.  Good natural shooters like Nyquist, Larkin, Helm and even Sheehan have had down years after lighting the lamp with success in previous years.  I have been watching for it and it keeps repeating itself.   Driving me crazy!  It will be interesting to see Mantha and AA perform next year to see if the pattern continues with sophomore and junior year scoring slumps.  We'll see, certainly the Griffins team doesn't seem to have an issue...?   I can't help but wonder if it's coaching?  Or at least the staff isn't doing enough to set the expectations clearly enough.

There, I feel better :-)

You are correct in saying we don't shoot enough, we don't. But the guys you listed and I bolded are not natural goal scorers. Nyquist has always been a better play maker than shooter, Sheehan has always been a good defensive C not a goal scorer, and Helm couldn't score in a womens prison with  a handful of pardons!

But its not just the number of shots, its the quality of shots and front of net guys to band home the rebounds. Most of our shots are from 25 feet away, not in the hot scoring areas on the ice. We have lacked any true front of net guy since Homer retired.

The only true snipers on our team are Mantha and Tatar. That is it. AA scores on breakaways, Z and Nyquist are play makers, same with Neilsson. Abby gives everything he has but is a very average offensive player.

But players have to be able to skate. Look at Frk. Guy has a great shot. Yet both the RW's and the Canes have let him go. Why? He can't skate. Same for Pulk when we had him.

[kliq 3,755]

6 minutes ago, LeftWinger said:

He overpays his own players that don't deserve it, but when it comes to trying to get free agents to come, they have to take a discount because Lidstrom did or Zetterberg did and, hey, it's Detroit. History man, history!

So you think that the UFA's we have acquired over the years have taken discounts? Green, Nielsen, Weiss, Alfie etc?

[LeftWinger 4,951]

5 minutes ago, kliq said:

So you think that the UFA's we have acquired over the years have taken discounts? Green, Nielsen, Weiss, Alfie etc?

Not exactly, but is a known lowballer. Maybe he's coming around from that, but IMO, it's too late. Damage done. We'll see what happens this summer...god I'm so tired of saying that. I like that he tries by signing players, but the problem is with the players you already have.

[Barrie 900]

On 6/30/2017 at 0:03 PM, LeftWinger said:

So let's pass on the best shooter in the draft..

Not to sound sarcastic or start an argument, but who was the best shooter in the draft? Tippett?

[ChristopherReevesLegs 7,022]

Tippett aint gonna score much in against Detroit with a 6'6" nasty Rasmussen guarding him

[Barrie 900]

On 7/4/2017 at 6:52 PM, F.Michael said:

I've read a few scouting reports that suggested Tippett was the most 'natural goal scorer'.

Now does that mean he's willing to play 200 foot game? Is he a good locker room guy?

Sounds like we got a guy who has decent skill, but also has a solid work ethic, and is a good guy to have in a locker room...In that regard I like Rasmussen.

I haven't looked into Tippett, so I can't comment on him, but I like Rasmussen too. One thing that stood out to me was he was 3rd in the fitness tests. I think that's a big deal, it means Rasmussen works hard.

[_SP_ 129]

On 6/30/2017 at 8:46 PM, Richdg said:

couldn't score in a womens prison with  a handful of pardons!

 

[ChristopherReevesLegs 7,022]

Shooting is stupid. This team needs to hit and play more physical.

If anyone is hockey deprived here's a compilation of the biggest hits from the 1990-91 season to the 2013-14 season.

 

 

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Gotta defend.  Defending is good for da process.  Gotta respeck da process.  Defense is better than offense.  A good defense is the best offense.  Reel gud coaches know it's better to defend 75% of the game, just let the other team shoot all night long and try to win 2-1.