jason_0931

I think Mickey Redmond said it the other night that the first night a player is back from an extended injury they are playing on adrenaline and usually plays great! Given Jason Williams was back and this was his 2nd/3rd game, should he have been participating in the shootout versus the Penguins? I hate to question Babcock's decision, considering he has been a welcome surprise to me in Detriot, but I would not have used him. I would have gone with either Bertuzzi or Filpulla in stead and if it went multiple rounds then I might have used Williams. Thoughts?

Leino will sit out tonight game and Dereck Helm gets inserted. I think this is a necessary move considering Zetterberg is back in. I think all to often people on message boards forget that players have different roles on the team and you can't insert a Leino in for a guy like Kopecky or Maltby! Leino in not a 4th line grinder. If you want Leino to get NHL ice time you have to sit someone from the 3rd line. So that is Samuelsson, Fillpula or Cleary. In my mind its Samuelsson that needs to go bye bye!!! Thoughts/reactions? www.mlive.com

Clearly there is a problem with the wings. Hence the reason Babcock has mixed up the lines. However, I don't think we can point to one problem, but I think it is the team as a whole is not playing very well. I would like to see what the puck possession time of the 2008-2009 season compared to the same number of games last year. Also, I have always thought that shots on goal and goals against and save percentage should be based on quality chances. When I look at between period stats the quality chances we have in most cases seems to be about the same as the number of quality chances we give up. So the question is are we giving up more or less quality chances? If we are giving up more then the problem is team defense. If we are giving up the same, but our goalies are giving up more goals then it is a goalie problem. If both is happening, which is my theory, then the problem is the team is playing poorly and they need to get their heads out of their collective asses and start playing better hockey! Anyway you look at it the team needs to do something to get it going again. One last thing, you can't bring up Howard since we have cap issues as is. Unless Osgood or Conklin goes down with an injured oor one of them gets traded or put on waivers these are the goalies that will lead us in the playoffs. This team can and will win, I wasn't a Babcock fan when he was hired, but this is his time to shine as well!

1 - Marty Broduer (Best goalie ever IMHO) 2 - Roberto Luongo (love his tenacity) 3 - Joe Thorton (Big massive with great hands) 4 - Jerome Iginla (All around good guy) 5 - Martin St Louis (have got to give it to a little guy that plays big in the NHL)

I do agree the team looks soft. The definitely need to forecheck better and do a better job in front of their own net. I plan to keep an eye on tonights game to see if they continue to with north/south game I am referring to. Like I siad, it might just be me, but their puck possession style seems to have changed a little bit.

I must respectfully disagree with you that their transition game is the problem. I think their defense stems from their puck possession. When don't move the puck east/west and wait for their opportunities they force the puck north/south. This causes turn-overs in our own zone when the opposition is forechecking. Look at most of the goals the Penguins scores from those mistakes. If Detroit moved it east/west first they might have avoided these costly mistakes. I wish NHL.com had a database that fans could log into so we can run some simple statistics, like puck posession and goals against or % of time scores on a 5 on 3, etc. I really believe the Wings have gotten away from what makes them so good!

It just occured to me that the past few weeks the wings are not moving the puck back and forth between the defenseman. Typically the wings use this system to help create a better transition game by getting a forward open and get the opposition to back off or shift their coverage. I don't notice them doing that. They seem to be forcing the play forward too quickly. I wonder if their puck possession time is down so far this year? Is it just me or are others seeing the same thing? Anyone else see anything else the wings are doing that could explain the poor team defense?

I am tired of hearing people say this. Build a better product that retains as much resale value as a foreign car and I will buy American. There are too many problems with the way the big three have conducted themselves the last 10 years. I don't owe them anything, least of all my buisness.

The question ins't the calls the refs make as much as I am concerned the team is not playing well defensively. Obviously they have the offensive talent to stay with the teams in the NHL, but the past couple of years how many times have you seen this team with some many games were they win or lose when they score more than 3 goals. I mean the other team is putting the puck in the net way to often for me. I am not saying it is Ozzy or Conklins fault. On the contrary I think they have both played really well so far, with maybe a few lapses in judgement. However, the team giving up the chances they are and the odd man rushes and the give aways in their own zone, just seems unlike the wings the past few years. I remember hearing Scotty Bowman on the radio indicate that you can start to judge your team after the first 10 games or so and know where you are at. We are 10 games in and our record is good, but the scores are not. I would say we are on the brink of a major loosing streak that could last a long time. The question will be based on the wings first 10 games do they look like they can climb out of it quickly? I would say I have faith in Babcock and the coaching staff, but I would say this loosing streak could be a long one! Go wings!!!!!

I guess I am surprised that people say Quincey is not a good player, when in reality he is a good player. Every time he was called upon in the past two years to perform he has done a very good job. The problem with his development has been ice time in the NHL. So if we have 3-4 defensement ready to crack the line-up in the next couple of years what is the plan at that point? Whom do you remove from the team? If you say Chelios I would say that he does not play in every game during the regular season anyways and why would you bring up and Ericsson or a Kindl just to have them sit. I was thinking lets trade a lebda or lilja for a draft pick or two. Then insert Quincey into their spot and then next year offer Quincey up for a trade for more picks. Then insert a Ericsson and Kindl, etc. The point I was making was giving up something to get something in return. If next year Ericsson is ready, but we hold on to Chelios and Lidstrom whom do we give up then? Is it still Lebda or Lilja and if so why not do it the year before and have Quincey be the trade offer next year as an established NHL defenseman or at least gotten a 5 or 6 rounder for him.

I don't think it was a matter of he did not prove himself, but that there was no room. However, if we would have traded a player like Lebda or Lilja instead of Quincey maybe Quincey could have made a roster spot and we would have gotten something in return. I guess that is what gets me with the waiver wire, is that you could loose a player and get nothing in return. It could happen with Aaron Downey or D-Mac too.

Do you think it would have made more sense to trade a Lebda or a Lilja instead of Quincey? That is should we have offered up someone else that would have had value in the NHL compared with a prospect with little NHL value?

I know the guy who manages their customer satisfaction survey and he is a great analyst. The changes you are experiencing are directly related to the feedback we get from survey respondents. My friend mentioned that NHL.com is very receptive to the feedback and as you can see has adopted several of the recommendations we have provided. I also agree it looks and functions much better.

I could care less about that play. IMO the puck getting into the net was not solely on the shoulders of Kronwall. Besides it is not like Lidstrom or Chellios has never had the puck go off of themselves and into the net. It is called bounces not going your way. Having said that, I am NOT changing my mind about trading Kronwall. He has had one good year, he will get lots of trade value and we have other talent in the minors waiting for a chance, we could loose for nothing in return. Kronwall is not the end all be all, just another role player.

I still think we should trade him, now more then ever!!!!! I will only change my mind after 2 to 3 more seasons after he continues to put up points, dulls out big hits, stays healthy and doesn't get out of position too often. So far he has done that for 1 season and 1 season only. I would trade him when his value is high and get some solid draft picks for the future or maybe a young goalie for the future since Howard may never be ready.