Joe S

I have played some pickup hockey and even coached for a year, but I am no self proclaimed expert on the game. Therefore, I would like someone who actually knows about the game to tell me if there is anything good about this team. The way I see it, they have some potentially good players. I say potentially good because for some of them, there was a time when they actually did play good hockey. Right now, they are the laughing stock of the game of hockey, not just the NHL. They play like ice-mites, they whack the puck when they get it with no concern what so ever as to where it goes. They dump and do not chase. They cannot complete a pass( and if they do, its only one pass, never two in a row). They never drive to the net, the best they can do is skate in that general direction once in a while before they dump the puck in the corner and head for the bench. The concept of puck control is completely absent from this team. I know that they have more talent than that, so the question has to be asked, why do they consistently play that way? I can only conclude that that is the way the coaching staff wants them to play, which is the great mystery to me, because I KNOW that Steve Y knows better than that, so why does he put up with it? It also appears to me that they do not have the conditioning to play hard the entire game, but they must have conditioning standards that are at least roughly the same as other teams. I would like to blame it all on Blashill, but they have Bylsma on the team and he did win the Cup with Pittsburg, so must have at least one coach who knows up from down. When Blashil was hired he was touted as a "players coach" who was well liked by all the players. I am not aware that he has benched anyone to send a message. I suspect that the problem is a little more complex than just that he is too much of a nice guy and doesn't demand more of the players, which is what it looks like to me. Cant wait for the season to end. I cant find another team to root for and hate watching any game because I hate it when they show the score of the Wings' game , or even worse, the "highlights". Joe S

I do not claim to be a hockey expert, so I would invite those that know more about it than me to correct me if I am wrong. Here are my impressions of the Red Wings: 1) It should come as no surprise that the Wings can't score. When they get the puck, if they manage to clear the D zone, they do NOT drive to the net or take a shot, they dump the puck to the corner and surrender possession about 75% of the time. They went from the best puck possession team to the worst puck possession team. I have to believe they are coached to do so, because that is what they consistently do. 2) They have NO passing game whatsoever. Cannot make two clean passes in a row, most possessions are short lived and end up with a botched pass and possession to the opponent. A lot of blind passes to no one in particular which end up on the opponent's stick, often in front of our goalie. 3) No speed or quickness. A few years ago the team did not have speed. Now they have some players with real speed but they don't play with speed. When we get the puck we are immediately pressured by the opponent with no room to maneuver. When the opponent gets the puck they sail into our end unimpeded. 4) Cannot win puck battles on the boards. 5) The Wings give the opponents more space than any other team, letting them maneuver or pass at will. 6) Consistently melt down late in the game. This is a carryover from the last few years under Babcock. Cannot put an opponent away in a close game. 7) We probably have the two best goalies in the game, who are getting no support whatsoever from the defense or offense. 8) The power play is inept, to the point the wings should decline any penalty if that were possible and forget the power play. It only results in embarrassing short-handed chances for the other team. I can accept the fact that due to making the playoffs for 25 years in a row we are not getting the upper level draft picks, but I no not think the player talent is as bad as their performance indicates. (However, I do believe you are only as good as you play) Either the team is grossly underperforming or they have the most mediocre talent or lack of talent in the league. I believe the team is grossly underperforming and the blame has to fall on the coaching staff. It is possible that they will gradually get their act together and have a strong finish.(Pittsburg started out pretty bad last year if I remember right), but now I am starting to think that is just wishful thinking. Let me know what you think. Joe S

I didnt see or hear what Cherry said, but the Wings need to play with more grit. When the Wings have the puck near the boards, they get smashed. When the other team has the puck near the boards, the Wings merely try to poke the puck with the stick. Before you all jump in with "what about Kronwall's hit on so and so" let me state that the Wings are capable of playing with more grit, they just dont do it consistently.I prefer the finess that the Wings bring to the game, but a talented physical team will beat an equally talented finess team four games out of seven. Just my opinion, fwiw. Joe S

Whatever the reason, they are not a playoff team this year. All this talk about the top teams in the conference not wanting to play them is BS. Who wouldnt want to play them? To advance in the playoffs you have to win four out of seven games. The playoffs were on the line tonight against a team with a worse record than the Wings, and the Wings dropped the ball. I hope I am wrong but its over for this year. Its tough enough to win when you are playing well most of the time. It seems like they are just going through the motions half the time. Maybe they simply are not that good. They are all a year older than they were last year, and they do not have a sniper like Hossa. Samuelson is gone, (I think he got a goal tonight), along with the others who left in free agency. It could be that they are not playing up to their potential, which I would like to think is true, or they dont have the potential that we (including Ken Holland) think they have. Whether they dont make the playoffs or make the playoffs and exit early , whats the difference? I guess I would like to see them make the playoffs just to keep the consecutive playoff appearances going, but they are not a Stanly Cup contender at this point. As I said before, I hope I am wrong.Joe S

Brendan Smith is a good player but definately not in the same class as Chelios. I hope the Wings encourage him to play another year at Wisconsin. The Badgers need him more than the Wings, he will be a much better player with one more year of college hockey under his belt. He is not good enough to make an immediate impact in Detroit. Joe S

I dont study the ins and outs of this like most of you do, so I will admit I dont know as much about the subject matter as you do. But the way I see it, the Wings need a sniper. A player who can be counted on to get a goal in a shootout or breakaway. If the Wings are already at the salary cap I dont see how they can trade for a sniper without trading four or five players for one sniper. Thats not likely to happen unless the sniper and his team dont like each other and both want to make a change. Guys like Hossa, Ovechkin, Heatly, etc dont get traded that often and I dont think we have anybody that any team would want for a good sniper, at least not the way we are playing this year. Joe S

Here is my two cents: 1) we have two of the three things needed to win: a good coach and good players. The third is good luck. we have had lots of bad luck, so maybe it will even out towards the end of the season. I hope so. Bad luck accounts for the injuries and quite a few games where the Wings played well and still lost. 2) The Wings dont always show up and dont always play for 60 minutes. Cant expect to win if you dont play hard for 60 min, at least not with the talen they have this year. 3) Not physical enough. The Wings will always get hit while or right after handling the puck, the opponents seldom do. A physical team will beat a non-physical team four out of seven games, all other things being equal. 4) Not enough drive to the net. They tend to drive to the corner and often have no one driving to the net to pass to. Not enough offensive presence around the net. 5) Too much presence around their own net on defense. Too willing to let the other team pass and shoot at will while they surround their own net. This is especially true late in the game with the score close. No play at center ice or in the opponents end. 6) No snipers. A bad thing in a shootout and it shows in their shootout record. 7) I think they won a lot of games in the last few years with the talent that they had and some bad habits, which they cant get away with at the talent level they have this year. the loss of Hossa, et al to free agency has had an adverse impact this year. Hopefully they will make the playoffs and go far, I believe they can still do it, but they just dont seem to play with the level of intensity that we expect. Keep the Faith! Joe S.

Nothing I have ever heard a hockey announcer say is half as bad as the drivel that comes from the mouths of the NFL announcers. Maybe its because there is so much time between plays in which they think they have to fill every second with thier nonsense. The one I hate the most is "He lost contain" as if "contain" were a noun. Joe S

The Wings have defeated Chicago, Washington and LA, and Pittsburg (pre-season). There is a lot of hockey to be played. We have two of the three things needed to win the Cup: Good coach and good players. All we need now is a little good luck with injuries and the bounce of the puck. If the good luck all comes at the end of the year , that works for me. Joe S

Well, for what its worth, here are my observations on the last two games: The Wings simply havent played good enough to win. Not aggressive enough on the PK giving the Pens way too much time to move the puck around. Turnovers and mistakes in key situations with highly skilled players on the other side: We took advantage of our opponenst mistakes in the Chi series, and got away with a few against lesser talent, but when you give up breakaways with Pittsburg's sharpshooters , they are going to get some goals, and one or two can make a difference in the game. At times, they played with passion and assertiveness, and at other times,(way too often) it looked like they were going through the motions. They arent throwing enought QUALITY shots at Fluery. A lot of bad angle shots and a lot of long shots but not a lot of shots close in. The Wings have scored on some bad angle shots and some long shots, so it looks like they have the idea that they can score all the time with poor percentage shots. They seem to be content with it. The Wings seem to want to hold the puck until Fluery can find it and move over. Not enough one-timers. Not physical enough--When the Wings get the puck they get hit immediately, from the front, side and back (whatever happened to checking from behind?) When the Pens have the puck we let them do what they want with it most of the time. If the Wings show up Sat and play solid for 60 minutes with the edge that they are capable of playing, it will the 3-2 Wings after Sat. If not, it could go either way. Joe S

Its a fact that the NHL is not in the same class as the NFL or NBA, or MLB. ESPN let Versus have the TV contract because they knew they could make more money showing the NBA. Most potential NHL fans think the NHL is all about the fights. This morning I saw a 20 or 30 second ad on ESPN for the Stanly Cup Playoffs on Versus and it was nothing but fight clips. That is the image the NHL is promoting and that is why the only network that is willing to carry the NHL is Versus, which is into things like kickboxing, cage figting, All-Star wretsling etc. As long as "sending a message" and fighting are considered part of the game by the NHL management, the NHL will be a second class and second rate professional sport. Joe S

The reason nobody watches NHL hockey is because the mainstream sports fan isnt interested in roller derby or all-star wrestling on ice. The average potential hockey fan believes, with a lot of justification, that its all about the fights. The management of the NHL is still stuck on the idea that fighting and "sending a message " is a legitimate part of the game. ESPN got outbid because they knew they could make more money broadcasting something else. The NHL will never achieve the market share that the NFL or NBA have until they clean up their act. Last night's fight at the end of the game, when a five minute major,even if called, would not have impacted the game, is a good example. Niedermayer and the others should get some suspensions, but nothing will happen. They get to use the skill players as punching bags after the game with not even a two minute penalty. What a joke! Its no wonder that the major sports networks arent interested. If you check into it, you will find that Versus is real big on cage fighting, kickboxing, all-star wrestling and all that crap, so I am not suprised that they got the NHL contract , but I am suprised they dont show all the Ducks games. Joe S

Why should any of us be sorry? The Wings are the ones who ought to be sorry for not showing up for the first two periods of two games that they lost, and now find themselves in a best of three situation instead of going home up 3-1. Last night was the first game in this series where the Wings werent constantly falling down, were getting to the loose puck, were making sharp passes , getting traffic and shots close to the net, etc, etc, etc. When they show up ready to play they are clearly the better team. Joe S

They are goons. They keep is clean for a while, but when the chips are down and they are behind, they pull a stunt like smashing Holmstrom's face into the boards. Unfortunately, the NHL still tolerates goon hockey, so we are stuck with them for a while. I bought a Ducks sweatshirt once because I liked the logo, but I will not wear it again as long as Pronger is on the team. Joe S

Its nice to know the Red Wings arent worried. My daughter bought two tickets to Sunday's game in Chicago for me and my wife, paid over $100 each for them. We drove three hours to Chicago, sat surrounded by 22,000 Blackhawks fans( who were well behaved), had wonderfull seats, only problem was the Red Wings didnt show. The longest three hours of my life, besides the three hour ride home. The Wings should not forget that the fans ultimately pay their salaries, we did NOT get our money's worth this weekend. Joe S