Predictions: The Line

[SpikeDDS]

After our loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, we are officially teetering on the line. Philly has a game in hand and if they win in regulation or OT, we officially drop below the line. These last few games have brought the streak perilously close to an end. And last night's loss is very discouraging. We really have no excuse for playing the way we did. It's hard to believe that we don't have enough talent and development to stay above the line, but that very well may be the case.

 

I, unfortunately, see this as a personnel problem. The Franzen and Howard contracts simply make us less competitive to a point where we can't afford to obtain what is necessary to win. The parity in the league just magnifies that shortcoming. Together, they are finally coming back to bite us in the butt, and unfortunately, unless we are able to move Howard and his contract, they will continue to do so. (Red Wings note to self: Call Toronto and find out how they did it.)

 

Hence, we are without any significant net-front presence. Yes, Abby, resurrected briefly yesterday and scored a nice goal, but he has been hardly heard from since a few days into the season. We have nobody who gets the dirty goals except on the rare exception. Like it's a fluke. This is not a sustainable situation in the playoffs. Our inability to win against teams with shot blocking defensive systems make our Cup chances zero. We have no answer for this.

 

Though it is his first NHL coaching season, if we miss the playoffs, I'm not going to hang this on Jeff Blashill, except for one thing: the power play. Let's face it, it is atrocious. Other teams are taking penalties, and we don't know how to make them pay unless we either have a 2-man advantage or a 4-on-3. We need new leadership on the PP. perhaps a new assistant coach. The PK hasn't exactly been great either, but the PP is dismal. You know you're in trouble when you aren't even getting a shot against the Blue Jackets' PK unit, not to mention Chicago's or New York's.

 

If the streak ends, I say so be it. I was actually calling for the Wings to purposefully end it a couple of seasons ago in favor of developing youth talent. Now, we are going to do it because we are going to finally earn it. I'm predicting a below the line finish, and an end to the 25-year playoff streak. It was great while it lasted, but it was far greater while it was lasting AND we weren't mediocre, and it's been several years since one could say that was true. The two albatross contracts are finally going to take their toll. It was fun, but we can finally say that we are officially rebuilding.

 

What say ye?

 

P.S. I don't know how to create a poll, but I'd love to do it for this thread. HF, CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?

[BluPuk]

Well, @SpikeDDS, I don't know how to create a poll either, but I will say this: I think you are seeing the effects "parity" for sure. I hate "parity". What it really means is watered down. Period. And, its BORING.......

 

However, getting back to your question, I think you could put the names "Penguins", "Flyers", and "Red Wings" in a hat and draw one out. You would have as much of a chance of pulling the play-off team as the non-play-off team. Since there are 30 teams in the NHL now, I think I have seen a part of three Wings' games only. In two of them they looked great, in the other they looked like the Leafs....  Could be age I guess, but it's more likely apathy because they know what you posted is true..... they have no chance at the cup this year, and no help is coming any time soon.

 

Welcome to the parity league!!!! 

[WingNut722]

6 minutes ago, BluPuk said:

Well, @SpikeDDS, I don't know how to create a poll either, but I will say this: I think you are seeing the effects "parity" for sure. I hate "parity". What it really means is watered down. Period. And, its BORING.......

 

However, getting back to your question, I think you could put the names "Penguins", "Flyers", and "Red Wings" in a hat and draw one out. You would have as much of a chance of pulling the play-off team as the non-play-off team. Since there are 30 teams in the NHL now, I think I have seen a part of three Wings' games only. In two of them they looked great, in the other they looked like the Leafs....  Could be age I guess, but it's more likely apathy because they know what you posted is true..... they have no chance at the cup this year, and no help is coming any time soon.

 

Welcome to the parity league!!!! 

 

It's not really age all that much anymore.  With the new crop of youngsters, the average age for the team is down much lower than it was a few years ago.  Datsyuk is the dinosaur at 37, with Z at 35 and Kronwall is also 34/35 (check me on that).  But other than that guys are young besides Larkin and AA - Nyquist, Tatar, DeKeyeser, Abby, all in their 20s.  And @SpikeDDS I don't really think it's a question of net-front presence so much as it is a willingness to shoot the puck.  I've said this many times, the Wings don't shoot.  You can have anyone you want in front of the net.  Bring back Holmstrom in his prime.  He won't do squat except take penalties if the players in front of him won't shoot.  Nyquist and Tatar are the worst.  They want to wait for that perfect opening.  Sometimes it's there, but much more often than not, they get knocked off the puck or make a bad, desperate pass because they get boxed in, forcing a turnover.  

 

The Detroit Red Wings will not win any games with fewer than 30 shots on goal, and in order to get 30 shots on goal, they need at least 50-60 attempts.  Throw everything at the net.  I mean EVERYTHING.  No more waiting, no more dangling, no more slick stick tricks.  Operation Shock and Awe

[Old School Hockey]

I thought they would lose to Dallas and Chicago x2.  So this game puts them right where I felt they would be.  If they lose to Winnipeg it might be the downfall?

 

I cant see them beating the NYR after a loss to Winnipeg.

Maybe they beat Toronto?

Hard to call the game vs. Philly?  But they haven't done well vs them.

Have to beat CBJ.

Then Florida?  Then haven't been playing great of late.

Then TBL who are killing everyone right now.

 

So back to my statement of Winnipeg being a must win.

[WordsOfWisdom]

10 hours ago, SpikeDDS said:

After our loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, we are officially teetering on the line.

 

Seems like every year the Red Wings get closer and closer to ending the streak.   

[BluPuk]

Ahhh, sweet parity.......

[Old School Hockey]

2 hours ago, BluPuk said:

Ahhh, sweet parity.......

You left out one word!  "False"

[WingNut722]

17 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

Seems like every year the Red Wings get closer and closer to ending the streak.   

 

Put it this way, we fans are now looking at it one year at a time, instead of a foregone conclusion.  

[WordsOfWisdom]

13 minutes ago, WingNut722 said:

 

Put it this way, we fans are now looking at it one year at a time, instead of a foregone conclusion.  

 

Out of curiosity, do the Red Wings sell out their playoff games?  

 

I can remember (vaguely) that the Leafs playoff tickets were something like $1500 per game (or some outrageous number) and sold out in minutes back in 2013 when the Leafs last made the playoffs. I would think Detroit fans probably just accept that the playoffs are almost a forgone conclusion at this point.  

[Old School Hockey]

1 hour ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

Out of curiosity, do the Red Wings sell out their playoff games?

 

I can remember (vaguely) that the Leafs playoff tickets were something like $1500 per game (or some outrageous number) and sold out in minutes back in 2013 when the Leafs last made the playoffs. I would think Detroit fans probably just accept that the playoffs are almost a forgone conclusion at this point.  

The problem with Detroit is good part of the lower bowl is Corporate STH's.  So the everyday guy isn't buying too many playoff tickets.  I know people can get tickets but there not cheap.

[WordsOfWisdom]

1 hour ago, Old School Hockey said:

The problem with Detroit is good part of the lower bowl is Corporate STH's.  So the everyday guy isn't buying too many playoff tickets.  I know people can get tickets but there not cheap.

 

It seems that only doctors and lawyers can afford to go to Leafs games these days. (Maybe not so much at the moment with the team in 30th place, but you get the idea.)   

[WingNut722]

@WordsOfWisdom

@Old School Hockey

 

Back in 2008 I was able to get some lower bowl tickets for the second round of the playoffs for around $180 each through StubHub.  Seats were pretty good and the place was packed.  The fans in Detroit indeed think the playoffs are a given, but the seats still sell, even in the regular season.  To date, Joe Louis Arena boasts over 200 consecutive sell-outs for Red Wings Games.   

[SpikeDDS]

On March 10, 2016 at 5:08 PM, WingNut722 said:

@WordsOfWisdom

@Old School Hockey

 

Back in 2008 I was able to get some lower bowl tickets for the second round of the playoffs for around $180 each through StubHub.  Seats were pretty good and the place was packed.  The fans in Detroit indeed think the playoffs are a given, but the seats still sell, even in the regular season.  To date, Joe Louis Arena boasts over 200 consecutive sell-outs for Red Wings Games.   

Back around 1993, I was a dental student at University of Detroit, and would routinely head up to Joe Louis Arena after leaving school, walk to the window and buy fantastic tickets that were press seats that the press would not claim. Some were for games against very good teams. I did that all the time. Couldn't dream of doing that now, especially living in Atlanta! And certainly not for the playoffs.

 

But that was before Cups. It was after The Dead Things era, but before greatness returned to Detroit.

 

But that said, I am certain the demand for tickets is not as high as for the Leafs.

[hf101]

@SpikeDDS

 

Sorry I'm a little late to this thread.  I can make a poll for you but I'm not sure what was the question you wanted to ask?

 

You can also make a poll as a Supporting Member, however let me check why the optiion to create a poll isn't there.  weird.

[hf101]

@SpikeDDS

 

For some reason, the option to add a poll to an existing thread isn't available.  I'll have to look into that, seems like it is a bug.  I can't add it to an existing topic right now. 

 

For new topics, you will see two choices above the topic title space.  One says "Content"  the other says "Poll"  Fill in your topic content in "Content"  and Fill in your Poll content in "Poll" 

 

All supporting members should be able to create polls in a new topic.

[WingNut722]

@SpikeDDS

 

I had the same trouble a while back putting in a poll.  It's a little weird and @hf101 was able to help me out.  The poll doesn't show up in the preview pane when you create it, but when you actually submit the topic, the poll shows up.  Trust the Force, Luke....

[SpikeDDS]

I didn't think playing worse than the Wings did in the 1st period against Columbus was possible, but then they played Philly, and in the first period they proved me wrong. THAT was the Wings' worst period of the season! Dreadful!

 

Admirable that they made a game of it, trying to come back in the second and especially the lopsided third. But chasing hockey is losing hockey. Case in point. Really disappointing--and unfortunately not all that surprising--that the Wings would come out that flat.

 

I'm, unfortunately, still predicting a below-the-line finish, and this game tells you why. Part of me is also saying, "Aren't we better off staying out of the playoffs than sneaking in as WC2 and playing Washington in the first round?" Maybe giving Pav and Z an extra two months of rest would be good.

 

Having said that, there was one very positive thing I took from this game. I thought Anthony Mantha brought the game that this team has been missing for quite some time. Big boy in front of the net who can score and is opportunistic. Would have loved that shot that clanged off the post to have gone in for him! But no. Still, the combination of his body and skill set are something not seen in a winged wheel in quite some time. It bodes well for our future. It will not surprise me to see them start a new streak next season.

 

Prediction: Our PP percentage will rise as a result of Mantha's addition if we are smart enough to use him on the PP. Get that boy in front of the crease!