uncle ovipositor

I would love to see a first round series against Chicago. Not sure the Wings would win, but it would be great fun to watch and a good way to end an era.

 

From a coachig perspective, the regular season's all about your team and the system, the playoffs are about the other team. And Babcock's a good series coach.

 

Chicago's deep, confident, strong, and on their game, but their D and goalie aren't great and can be exploited. I'd like to see what Babcock comes up with. Doesn't mean I think they'd win, but if they make it in I'm not going to write them off just yet.

 

I hope it happens.

I'm feelin pretty justified in my Preds choice in the poll tonight.

They've only ever managed to win one round in the playoffs, and that was last year, when they beat a mediocre Ducks team. I don't think they line up any better against playoff contenders this year. Series play is very different from regular season play, and unless a team has a lot of looks and an ability to adapt they just don't do well. Unfortunately, these shoestring teams that get by on a defensive style because they can't dependably mount creative offense usually can't adapt to the quick adjustments that define the playoffs. They've gotten where they are by doing one thing well. The same is true for the Yotes - they'll win in the regular season, by playing the same low-risk style game after game, but they'll lose in the playoffs because that's all they've got.

The Wings on the other hand are extremely flexible in how they play, and stand a lot better chance. It's not just that they're well coached, it's that the players are smart enough to be able to play more than one strategy. A genius behind the bench is meaningless if the players can't follow. The same is true of the Pens, the Nucks, and sometimes the Sharks (assuming they make it in this year) - all of them are good at analyzing their opponent and adjusting.

I might get killed now. But what about trading Zetterberg? He is decline every year and has a long contract. He still has HUGE value around the league. We would definitely got a good player/players in return.

I agree with this, but it will never happen. Lots of teams would kill for him, and he'd do a lot of good for some of them. And the Wings could get a serious return, which they're going to need to fill some holes over the next couple of seasons.

Were I the general manager this team would be terrible, I wouldn't want to hold on to him for another year. True, he could have a major rebound next season. But I'd be wanting someone else to take that gamble.

Zetterberg for Nash and Carter.

But I will never let anyone convince me that the Wings lost that '10 series because they were the inferior team or because they choked.

I won't try then, even though I disagree with your premise that the refs cost them that series. They certainly didn't choke and I don't think they were definitively inferior, but they did lose the series.

Last year, the stats were so even in all of the games that either team could have won. If teams are evenly matched, either team can win a series. Even if they're unevenly matched, the lesser team often wins - a team that's 60% better is still going to lose 40% of the time, and a 7 game series actually makes those losses more probable.

As far as the season to date goes, this is what change looks like. Babcock is trying to do things differently with the same players. Usually that's not a good formula, but this is a very teachable team so it can work. But there are some significant structural changes, and those don't just magically come together right away. Maybe they won't be at the top of the central, but they'll still make the playoffs, and we'll see if they've got it sorted out by then.

Cleary hasn't been up to his new job, but I can see why he's getting a chance. If he can get it together he's fast and reasonably big and would help that line a lot. Ian White probably shouldn't be on the PP, but he's generally dependable. Put him with Stuart and let Stuart pinch and play more aggressively.

It'll come together.

The central division was one goal away from having 3 teams in the WCS. Pretty sure that means we had the strongest division.

The Pacific was one game away from having all 5 in the playoffs. Instead it was merely 4. And I think this says absolutely nothing about anything.

I'm going to guess that the Wings lose this one. 9 days off is a long, long time, and I'm sorry but no amount of practice can put you on form with that kind of break. But after that? Anybody's series. Both teams match up well, both teams want it. Even though I think the Wings are going to spot the Sharks a game I still think they have just as much chance to take the series.

Kovalchuk's deal is obscene in a lot of ways.... but his cap hit is really pretty manageable.  He's 24th in the league in Cap hit, behind inferior players like Vanek, Eric Staal, Nash, Lecavalier, Gomez, Drury, Bouwmeester, etc...  It's not Kovalchuk's deal that is the ridiculous one when it comes to cap management and fielding a team.  

Lou threw out no trade/movement clauses like candy at Halloween to players who didn't warrant them...  and now he's stuck with overpaying guys like Rolston (5 million cap hit for 2 games so far, and 37 points last year...), Zubrus, Langenbrunner, and Elias.

And the Defense Lou put together is composed of players who have never put points on the board:  Volchenkov, Tallinder, Colin White, etc...    Imagine Datsyuk and Zetterberg trying to put up points without guys like Raf, Lidstrom, and Kronwall moving the puck.  Think they'd stay at a PPG?   The blame doesn't rest on Kovalchuk's shoulders...  His cap hit isn't bad, and he didn't put a gun to anyone's head to make Devils management sign him and sign all those other bad contracts.

I pretty much agree with you, but one minor aside: At that price I would take Nash, Staal, or Lecavalier in a heart beat over Kovalchuk.

Give me a break. The fact that it was your team that benefited from the horrendous officiating in this series makes all of the above really easy for you to say. Were the opposite to have happened, you'd be crying bloody murder.

The Sharks have been on the other end of that quite a bit, and I don't cry bloody murder over it. I accept it as part of the game. You don't know me, and probably won't take me at my word, but it is what it is. I have seen the Wings win games where the officiating was worse and favored them substantially, but I don't complain about it. I've seen games where the Sharks were on the wrong end of every call and bounce. And at the end of the day, it was a loss.

We disagree that this whole series was handed to the Wings by the refs. I think there were a lot of bad calls, but that it went both ways. You don't.

Oh, and nice job writing up this post after making a totally obnoxious one in the game 2 video thread. Did you not like the fact that the mods deleted that post?

That was a jerky post, and I came back to delete it myself, but the mods had already taken care of it. They did the right thing. However, my other comment in that thread still stands: pick a game and I'll put together a video that makes the Wings look like the worst cheaters ever to play. Not because they are (they're about the same as any other team), but because it's very easy to do. Yer vid is 2 minutes long, and half of it is reaction shots. You don't think I can find 2 minutes of bad hockey in a 2.5 hour game?

Pick your game. I'll get to it after the SCF is over and post it here. The difference is, I won't maintain that it proves anything, other than the fact that I can edit video.

Pick any game from any series and I can put together a much better 2-minute clip of Wings diving and crying like babies. Not because the Wings are crooked or babies but because I am good at editing clips together.

I'm sorry that you feel like the series was stolen from you buy the refs, but I disagree. Your evidence doesn't dissuade me, and it is entirely one-sided.

An excellent post from a classy fan.  I have to admire your balls though.  I just cannot bring myself to go into another teams forum and discuss a hotly contested game like this.

Other teams have forums, but there aren't other forums like this. You have your share of idiots, of course, but they don't tend to stick around very long and they are well outnumbered by people who are extremely knowledgeable about hockey. It's not just about going on the other team's boards (why bother in the series with the Avs), it's about coming here.

Every year as the season goes on, I find myself spending more time lurking (and occasionally posting) here because it's a lot more rewarding. Plus it's rare that people on this board whip out the ol' If you're a Sharks fan, what the hell are you doing here?!? Go back to your own damn board! line.

Besides, I like hockey first and foremost, and the Wings deliver good hockey dependably. Anybody who appreciates the sport has to like the Wings, even if you want them to lose.

This is correct. Some Sharks fans are defending the terrible no call but just wait until something like that happens against their team. They'll be complaining about it just as much, if not more.

I do enjoy some of the Sharks fans on this board. Some of them are very respectful and intelligent and reasonable and I hope they stick around for these GDT threads.

The trolling ones can just get the f*** out. Haha

I think most Sharks fans appreciate good hockey, and the Wings are the model franchise. I don't think there's a better club year in and year out, with as much dedication and intelligence.

I still want the Sharks to win, but any fan of the Sharks has to appreciate the Wings. Not just because of the similar styles of play or the coaching connection, but because more than any other team the Wings have schooled the Sharks. When the Wings win against the Sharks, it's usually with a simple game played perfectly. It's usually clear and undeniable, with only a few exceptions where one could whine if so inclined. And the Sharks are smart enough to go back to the drawing board and get ready to try again.

It's pretty clear that if the Sharks want to be the best, they have to beat Detroit. Getting lucky isn't going to be enough, and a hot goalie won't pull them through a mediocre game, they all need to rise up and play their best game in order to have a 50/50 chance.

That's pretty cool.

I'm sure I don't speak for all Sharks fans - there are plenty of people who just want the cup, no questions asked - but to the ones I know, the Wings are the best team in the league.

Those last two were embellishments, but they were embellishments on flagrant penalties.

Setoguchi got hit in the face before he went down. Point being?

Sorry, but have you watched the Wings for more than the last couple games? Dominik Hasek put together his reel for Hollywood in your nets.

Like any team in the NHL, players embellish penalties because they are worried the ref will miss them. I'm going to guess there are a dozen embellishments either way in this series, and if stop being such homers you'll see that for what it is. There are also going to be pick plays and interference (a line both teams push very well, with the Wings having the edge) and all kinds of clutching and grabbing. Holmer will be in the blue paint more than once and get away with it as often as not. It's all part of the game.