(Quate)

It seems that every fan or analyst watching the Wings play this year is at a loss for words when it comes to our scoring and power play - not that these thing's don't need to improve - but continue to describe those two areas of our team as our Achilles heal. Let me me point out that our depth at forward is NOT the issue with this team.


We have two of the best two way forwards in the world, centering our first two lines. We have them paired with capable, at the very least, players in Franzen, Filpulla, and Brunner. Throw in Bertuzzi, Tatar or Sammy as Datsyuk's other winger and you have one of the better top 6's in the league. Helm as a third line center, with Abby in a role he thrives in (not on Pavs wing as a scorer) and again, a very solid third line. I know injuries have been a big part of the problem this year, but people are forgetting who we have in the lineup when it comes to trade talk.


Our offence has struggled because of our DEFENCE. When you roster such a young, but immobile defense core - your offence struggles the most. With experience comes poise, and with poise comes a better first pass, a smoother transition and a smarter chip to exit the zone. I don't care if you have Datsyuk and Z playing together, if they start every shift in there own zone and spend 15-20 seconds trying to breakout, even there offence is going to struggle.


In our top 6 -

Kronwall - Ericsson

Quincey - Smith
Kindl - Lashoff


You have by all intensive purposes, 3 rookies that seem to play a very similar, conservative game, a player in Quincey who has played 2 full seasons in the NHL, with limited offensive ability, Ericsson who has never cracked the top 4 in his career before doing so by default this year, and the furthest thing from offensively minded, and then Kronwall. I love Kronner but the guy has only been better than +5 once in his career. He only hits in the playoffs, and is actually a better skater than passer (doing little for our forwards).


I have been most disappointed with Smith, hes getting top 4 minutes, had a ton of hype coming into the season about his offensive instincts (which I believe show potential) but has 1 ASSIST this season.


All in all, we need to focus on guys like Bouwmeester, Dekeyser, Streit, Yandle, Gardiner, etc. before even considering adding a guy like Corey Perry at $8.5 mill per. One of those players would help our cause more than I think Perry would, just based on getting out of our zone alone. In all of the games I've watched this year, one thing stands out - the lack of odd man rushes we have produced resulting from a good outlet/stretch pass. The only breakaway I can even remember was Franzen's goal on a pass from Brunner.


Looking back at our last Stanley Cup run in 2008, out of 12 forwards we had in the lineup - 7 are on the team right now. And instead of Hudler, Draper, and Holmstrom - we have Tootoo, Brunner, and Bertuzzi. Helm and Abdelkader are much better players than they were then, so I can really only point to the difference on D as to why that team was a dominant cup winner, and this team is far from guaranteed a playoff birth. Oh ya, and our goaltending that season was a split between Hasek and Osgood. (Ozzie replaced Hasek in the first round). I would take Howard and how hes playing this season over those two.
- Muskoka88

Well put. Smith has been disappointing, but has certainly shown flashes of what he can do so I'm not too worried about him going forward. I really thino bouwmeester would be abgreat fit for this team. Hartley has let him actually play his style this year instead of having him forvced into some shutdown role and hes looked great.

(Quate)

It seems that every fan or analyst watching the Wings play this year is at a loss for words when it comes to our scoring and power play - not that these thing's don't need to improve - but continue to describe those two areas of our team as our Achilles heal. Let me me point out that our depth at forward is NOT the issue with this team.


We have two of the best two way forwards in the world, centering our first two lines. We have them paired with capable, at the very least, players in Franzen, Filpulla, and Brunner. Throw in Bertuzzi, Tatar or Sammy as Datsyuk's other winger and you have one of the better top 6's in the league. Helm as a third line center, with Abby in a role he thrives in (not on Pavs wing as a scorer) and again, a very solid third line. I know injuries have been a big part of the problem this year, but people are forgetting who we have in the lineup when it comes to trade talk.


Our offence has struggled because of our DEFENCE. When you roster such a young, but immobile defense core - your offence struggles the most. With experience comes poise, and with poise comes a better first pass, a smoother transition and a smarter chip to exit the zone. I don't care if you have Datsyuk and Z playing together, if they start every shift in there own zone and spend 15-20 seconds trying to breakout, even there offence is going to struggle.


In our top 6 -

Kronwall - Ericsson

Quincey - Smith
Kindl - Lashoff


You have by all intensive purposes, 3 rookies that seem to play a very similar, conservative game, a player in Quincey who has played 2 full seasons in the NHL, with limited offensive ability, Ericsson who has never cracked the top 4 in his career before doing so by default this year, and the furthest thing from offensively minded, and then Kronwall. I love Kronner but the guy has only been better than +5 once in his career. He only hits in the playoffs, and is actually a better skater than passer (doing little for our forwards).


I have been most disappointed with Smith, hes getting top 4 minutes, had a ton of hype coming into the season about his offensive instincts (which I believe show potential) but has 1 ASSIST this season.


All in all, we need to focus on guys like Bouwmeester, Dekeyser, Streit, Yandle, Gardiner, etc. before even considering adding a guy like Corey Perry at $8.5 mill per. One of those players would help our cause more than I think Perry would, just based on getting out of our zone alone. In all of the games I've watched this year, one thing stands out - the lack of odd man rushes we have produced resulting from a good outlet/stretch pass. The only breakaway I can even remember was Franzen's goal on a pass from Brunner.


Looking back at our last Stanley Cup run in 2008, out of 12 forwards we had in the lineup - 7 are on the team right now. And instead of Hudler, Draper, and Holmstrom - we have Tootoo, Brunner, and Bertuzzi. Helm and Abdelkader are much better players than they were then, so I can really only point to the difference on D as to why that team was a dominant cup winner, and this team is far from guaranteed a playoff birth. Oh ya, and our goaltending that season was a split between Hasek and Osgood. (Ozzie replaced Hasek in the first round). I would take Howard and how hes playing this season over those two.
- Muskoka88

I do agree that the defense is a problem. Up until now, the Wings always had one of the best scoring defense unit in the league every year. Not sure where they rank this season but i would imagine it is at the bottom of the league.

The only one putting up a good amount of points is Kronwall (2nd in the NHL for defensemen). Ericsson isn't doing too bad either for a guy that doesn't get time on the PP with 10 points (JBo has 13 points on the season). On the PP Kronwall is the only one getting points with Quincey having one assist...the rest of the defense doesn't even have one PP point this season. Kindl is next with 7 points which isn't too bad but way too many times he shoots right into the player covering him. Smith isn't putting up the offense but he's a rookie. In time he will gain confidence and learn how to put up more offense but for now it's an adjustment for him to the NHL game. Quincey, Lashoff and Huskins won't produce much offense. White isn't doing what he is suppose to be doing which is put up points. If he's not putting up points, he doesn't help the team much because his defensive game isn't great. Colaiacovo hasn't really played and he will probably last a week at best when he comes back before he is back on IR.

The guys like Bouwmeester, Dekeyser, Streit, Yandle, Gardiner, etc might help a bit but one of them i don't think will make a huge difference until the rest of the Wings defensemen get their offense going more consistently. Plus none of these guys are right handed shooting point men which is something the Wings need.

Perfect example of a bad team getting help from the refs and beating a superior team. Little Caesar guy must have caught Bettman screwing a goat or something.

Perfect example of a bad team getting help from the refs and beating a superior team. Little Caesar guy must have caught Bettman screwing a goat or something.
- ThickMcRunfast

You're wrong the Wings won

Perfect example of a bad team getting help from the refs and beating a superior team. Little Caesar guy must have caught Bettman screwing a goat or something.
- ThickMcRunfast

Canucks fans always have an excuse. When you go 0 for 6 on thr power play I cant really see how you can blame the refs.