Bob Duff: Flunking the litmus test This week was to be a test of where the Detroit Red Wings stand against the NHL's top teams. It isn't going well.

Well, no poop. This team is actually pretty bad when looking at the actual play and the und ruling numbers. More Mark, Less Duff.

Solid breakdown Duff

Howard let in 3 on 4 shots not 2 like your article suggests

Swiss Cheese anyone?

This team is embarrassing. Kronwall really should retire, he is now embarrassing himself.

Big D!

They pulled Howard out of the bar & he went for 1 save in 4 shots, so they let him go back to the bourbon & cokes.

Terrible start usually leads to an uphill battle. Unlucky, maybe Howard can stay off the turps next game & save some goals.

Some startling revelations Bob. Go away.

Flunking the litmus test describes Duff's blogs perfectly.

Some startling revelations Bob. Go away.
- gergeswillems

Duff has the stuff, enuff with all this gruff,
He's writing it ruff so the fans can be tuff.

Duff has the stuff, enuff with all this gruff,
He's writing it ruff so the fans can be tuff.
- Aussiepenguin

You’re off the cuff, defending his fluff.
Yah acting all buff, just came out a huff.
Enough with Duff.

Enuff with Duff

You’re off the cuff, defending his fluff.
Yah acting all buff, just came out a huff.
Enough with Duff.
- RafiDRW

Big D, has it all on a tee,
Rimming it like Jero, may as well start drinking kero,
Carrying on like Daffy, gives you no cred Rafi.
Stop being the duck, & start giving a fark.

Big D, has it all on a tee,
Rimming it like Jero, may as well start drinking kero,
Carrying on like Daffy, gives you no cred Rafi.
Stop being the duck, & start giving a fark.
- Aussiepenguin

You're no Mike Bossy, Aussie.
Stick to down under
Where the Kangas are saucy.

Maybe only one small point in the grand scheme of things, but Kronwall led Detroit defenders in PP time last night, at 2:37. (Green had 2:02, Daley and Ericsson 15 seconds each.) That is the sort of thing that makes me want to hurl objects at my TV (okay, laptop) screen.

Kronner hasn't scored a powerplay goal in more than two years (!!!), despite the buckets and buckets of ice time he gets on the man advantage. He went from 23 PP points in 2014-15 (3 goals), to 14 points (0 goals) in 2015-16, to 6 points (0 goals) last year. He obviously has nothing left to give here, yet he somehow still gets the No. 1 or No. 2 option by default.

Not that the Red Wings have any genuine weapons on defense besides Green anyway, but it should be already be apparent that Trevor Daley is significant upgrade over Kronwall on the second unit. Or how about Nick Jensen? No idea how good he'd be on the PP since he never gets the opportunity, but in only 56 games he has more points since the start of 2016-17 than any Detroit defenseman not named Mike Green. (Man is that depressing.)

Kronner should be getting token PP time at best, but he's going to keep getting 2+ minutes per game because nobody on the coaching staff seems to be able to see that he isn't good at it anymore -- or worse, because they feel he's "earned it" or because they're "easy" minutes where his lack of mobility won't be as obvious. It's infuriating.

You're no Mike Bossy, Aussie.
Stick to down under
Where the Kangas are saucy.
- gergeswillems

That doesn't even rhyme. Poor effort can do a lot better. Has potential but refuses to concentrate & is easily distracted or distracts others. Will at some stage come out of his shell.

Signed,

Miss V. A. Gina.

There's a point where teams need to make a decision, but unfortunately don't and leave their teams in purgatory for years. DET is dangerously close from becoming that team that doesn't quite wind up being the worst team in the NHL, but also isn't a playoff team.

I also get that a player like Zetterberg is the heart and soul of your team, so please don't take what I'm about to say as something that is done lightly, but...

It's time for this team to go into full rebuild. You have some solid young players with many years of play a head of them, Mrazek is still very young. It's time to cut ties and move out the older players.

Franzen(I know he's on IR), Zetterberg, Green(who I'm sure will be moved anyway), Kronwall... ship'em out.

I know Zetterberg is a touchy subject and he'll probably have a Jagr-esque career, but he doesn't help your team's next phase. Everything I'm reading about the draft in 18 is astounding. It's supposed to be a better all around draft than they've had in many years and that includes the McDavid and Matthews draft.

We've seen how this league works and I'm sure there are teams that will give you first rounders for both Zetterberg and Green. Zetterberg should be playing on a contending team and a contending will give up a lot. Noooo, this isn't me lobbying for him on the Pens.

Just saying, it's important to me as a Hockey fan to keep hockey popular and cities like DET need to be good. Take two years of suckage and come back strong.

I'm not saying tank. The goal is always to win, but make sure you cut the weight... I' not calling it dead-weight because they're not, but cut that weight.

Vancouuver is a prime example of a team that's dragged it's feet.

@Rinosaur U seem like a real intelligent & sensible hockey fan, u definetly know ur stuff... The Wings certainly don't get it, I was really pissed off last year we didnt eat our Datsyuk contract, draft Chychrun, Oh yeah remember Mantha didnt even get to start the season with the Wings! These effin clowns man... & this year i really thought they understood now & i assumed Rasmussen was going to at least get a 9 game audition (4 preseason goals!!!) Soo yeah all over the place this team needs to re evaluate & acquire the talent...

All that being said... u r wrong about Zetterberg... look at some point u earn the right to age & retire on the team that drafter u when u r a guy like Zetterberg... Just like Lindstrom & Yzerman, its sets a precedence & i for one want to see more of it happening, its insane to trade ur hero for one, but once u win the city a championship, u have fulfilled ur end of the bargain... so if he wants to finish here i for one couldnt happier about that.. what upsets me is the MAF situation, if he wanted to stay in Pitts he should have been allowed to so its a shame thinking back on Modano who did it all is disgusting, Alfredsson is another one who thou cupless probably deserved it... guys like Sedins r tricky cuz 1) they r 2 guys & 2) they failed to win the cup so yeah i see the obvious dilemma here, but the whole playing for only one team thing is an accomplishment & a legacy type thing, u earn it through success.. but i said the other day if these guys r willing to sign for 2 million a year & allow the process then i see no harm in letting them play.. seems like their desire to play together keeps them motivated, i think its weird bit whatever lol... I like what i see out of Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat is ok so yeah the Sedins dont have to b a hindrance, there not all worldly anymore ne wayz lol

@Rinosaur U seem like a real intelligent & sensible hockey fan, u definetly know ur stuff... The Wings certainly don't get it, I was really pissed off last year we didnt eat our Datsyuk contract, draft Chychrun, Oh yeah remember Mantha didnt even get to start the season with the Wings! These effin clowns man... & this year i really thought they understood now & i assumed Rasmussen was going to at least get a 9 game audition (4 preseason goals!!!) Soo yeah all over the place this team needs to re evaluate & acquire the talent...

All that being said... u r wrong about Zetterberg... look at some point u earn the right to age & retire on the team that drafter u when u r a guy like Zetterberg... Just like Lindstrom & Yzerman, its sets a precedence & i for one want to see more of it happening, its insane to trade ur hero for one, but once u win the city a championship, u have fulfilled ur end of the bargain... so if he wants to finish here i for one couldnt happier about that.. what upsets me is the MAF situation, if he wanted to stay in Pitts he should have been allowed to so its a shame thinking back on Modano who did it all is disgusting, Alfredsson is another one who thou cupless probably deserved it... guys like Sedins r tricky cuz 1) they r 2 guys & 2) they failed to win the cup so yeah i see the obvious dilemma here, but the whole playing for only one team thing is an accomplishment & a legacy type thing, u earn it through success.. but i said the other day if these guys r willing to sign for 2 million a year & allow the process then i see no harm in letting them play.. seems like their desire to play together keeps them motivated, i think its weird bit whatever lol... I like what i see out of Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat is ok so yeah the Sedins dont have to b a hindrance, there not all worldly anymore ne wayz lol
- Lockette

I totally get what you’re saying and I’m aware it’s touchy. I’m also sore about MAF, but I recognize the business aspect. These are tough decisions to make. For the Pens to have kept both Murray and MAF would have had a ripple effect for that team and eventually hamper them from doing the things they need to do.

Zetterberg obviously loves playing in DET and while I’m sure he’d love another cup, he’s accomplished his goals and now gets to play simply because he loves to play.

This is not meant to be nasty, but the wings are not a playoff team and unless they decide to go make some major moves, they probably won’t be for a while. There’s just not a lot of planning for the future in terms of being a true contender.

I totally get what you’re saying and I’m aware it’s touchy. I’m also sore about MAF, but I recognize the business aspect. These are tough decisions to make. For the Pens to have kept both Murray and MAF would have had a ripple effect for that team and eventually hamper them from doing the things they need to do.

Zetterberg obviously loves playing in DET and while I’m sure he’d love another cup, he’s accomplished his goals and now gets to play simply because he loves to play.

This is not meant to be nasty, but the wings are not a playoff team and unless they decide to go make some major moves, they probably won’t be for a while. There’s just not a lot of planning for the future in terms of being a true contender.
- Rinosaur

Completely agree. Wings aren’t going to contend. We need to really draft well this year and trade off what we can in terms of one of the goaltenders, one of Nike or Tats, Green, and one other lower six forward. It won’t happen but it’s what needs to happen.

That doesn't even rhyme. Poor effort can do a lot better. Has potential but refuses to concentrate & is easily distracted or distracts others. Will at some stage come out of his shell.

Signed,

Miss V. A. Gina.
- Aussiepenguin

Wow. The word hypocrite comes to mind.

Wow. The word hypocrite comes to mind.
- gergeswillems

My year 2 report card from Miss Gina.

My year 2 report card from Miss Gina.
- Aussiepenguin

Year 2? Go back to Austrailia you piece of poop.

Back in '78!

There's a point where teams need to make a decision, but unfortunately don't and leave their teams in purgatory for years. DET is dangerously close from becoming that team that doesn't quite wind up being the worst team in the NHL, but also isn't a playoff team.

I also get that a player like Zetterberg is the heart and soul of your team, so please don't take what I'm about to say as something that is done lightly, but...

It's time for this team to go into full rebuild. You have some solid young players with many years of play a head of them, Mrazek is still very young. It's time to cut ties and move out the older players.

Franzen(I know he's on IR), Zetterberg, Green(who I'm sure will be moved anyway), Kronwall... ship'em out.

I know Zetterberg is a touchy subject and he'll probably have a Jagr-esque career, but he doesn't help your team's next phase. Everything I'm reading about the draft in 18 is astounding. It's supposed to be a better all around draft than they've had in many years and that includes the McDavid and Matthews draft.

We've seen how this league works and I'm sure there are teams that will give you first rounders for both Zetterberg and Green. Zetterberg should be playing on a contending team and a contending will give up a lot. Noooo, this isn't me lobbying for him on the Pens.

Just saying, it's important to me as a Hockey fan to keep hockey popular and cities like DET need to be good. Take two years of suckage and come back strong.

I'm not saying tank. The goal is always to win, but make sure you cut the weight... I' not calling it dead-weight because they're not, but cut that weight.

Vancouuver is a prime example of a team that's dragged it's feet.
- Rinosaur

Zetterberg is going nowhere.