Red Wings

[Tom]

Lol

Sheahan getting PP time is beyond mind boggling. But it was like last season. Larkin was one of the team's best goal scorers and he never got regular PP time. This season, again, Larkin and AA don't get much PP time. Blashill makes a lot of strange decisions.

[Tom]

Another OT loss.

Another AA goal.

They had stretches where they looked decent but overall the defense keeps letting the goalie down and the offense never seems to sustain any pressure. And the power play just continues to struggle.

[Malto Marko]

Marchand slew footed Kronwall and no one on the team made him pay.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l11kJGi71vo"]Daniels: Marchand should be suspended for dirty hit on Kronwall - YouTube[/ame]

[DanO]

Saw that. Couldn't be he didn't get throw out and then suspended. Dirty, dirtty play.

[Tom]

Ott wasn't playing.

[Tom]

Shut out (again) at home by the Maple Leafs. Maple Leafs fans usually have a strong presence at the Joe but hearing "Go Leafs Go" in the closing moments of the game was tough to take especially when you consider how bad they were last year.

Getting back to the shutout, I'm starting to think that Blashill has no idea how to coach offense and couldn't care less about it. When he was asked about the struggles and inconsistency of the offense in the postgame interview, he just smirked and shrugged it off like it was the least of his concerns. After that Osgood was saying that if one of the goalies gets hot, they have a chance to make the playoffs. I understand the thinking but if your team can't score, they have no chance of winning.

Again, the power play looked like a mess. They had two power plays and were able to get one shot off. Nice job. I'm sorry but there's enough talent to get a little pressure going.

[jaadam4]

Blashill isn't the guy to coach this team and Holland deserves all of the credit for the lack of depth and talent. I agree I think we have enough to make the playoffs but this team doesn't do anything well.

We've been shut out 7 times this season, have an all time worst PP and have a losing record at The Joe. Awful

I sure as shit wish we could have Jimmy Nill back. Holland just never adapted from the old days of running a franchise into what its evolved to today. This is his bed.

[chemiclord]

I agree I think we have enough to make the playoffs but this team doesn't do anything well.

"Well, hell, that's good enough for me!" ~ Ken Holland

[jaadam4]

Sounds about right.

[jaadam4]

Last place in the east and tied for 3rd worst in the league. This team is special. Woot woot!!

[jaadam4]

Lost to the Devils! Wow man this team sucks. We haven't drafted in the top 15 in a lifetime but it appears thats done this year. Hopefully we're already in talks with Gallant because Blashit needs to go.

Sheahan still hasn't scored a goal and is still playing heavy minutes. On the plus side he was damned good in faceoffs against the Devils. Was like 11-3 so there's one positive.

[jaadam4]

Holy hell! Finally someone wrote an article about Blashit not managing his players properly.



DETROIT - Coming out of the All-Star break refreshed and as healthy as they have been in some time, playing at home against the team with the worst winning percentage in the Eastern Conference, Tuesday's game was one the Detroit Red Wings desperately needed to win.
Instead, they lost 4-3 to the New Jersey Devils.
Many of the same issues resurfaced, notably a bad start, a dismal power play and an untimely goal against that sapped momentum.
Add to that questionable management of ice time.
The Red Wings went 1 for 5 on the power play. They spent 8:15 on the man-advantage, including a five-on-three for 1:16 in the first period and a six-on-four late in regulation after pulling goaltender Jared Coreau.
But, Andreas Athanasiou did not log any time on the power play. Dylan Larkin saw only 31 seconds. Athanasiou had six goals in his previous 11 games and 11 goals in 34 games for the season. Larkin, back after missing two games with an upper-body injury, is tied for the team lead with 12 goals.
Darren Helm played 3:29 and Justin Abdelkader 3:20 on the power play.
Coach Jeff Blashill, before the game, cited Helm's puck-retrieval ability as the reason he was on the power play ahead of the younger, skilled players. And Abdelkader was there for his net-front presence.
Fair enough to start, but after failing to convert on the first two chances - they didn't register a shot on that five-on-three - it was time for adjustments. Athanasiou and Larkin, who aren't reluctant to shoot, should have been utilized.
Another questionable move was having Riley Sheahan (no goals in 48 games) on the ice for the final 1:01, during the six-on-four, while better options were on the bench (Frans Nielsen, Anthony Mantha, Athanasiou, Larkin). Sheahan took the offensive-zone faceoff, and while he went 11-3 on draws this night, Nielsen has been better this season. They wanted Sheahan's net presence, but Thomas Vanek could have filled that role.


Slow starts hurting Red Wings almost as much as abysmal power play
The Red Wings spotted their opponents a 1-0 lead for the 30th time this season in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

This game wasn't an isolated case. Player management has been an issue this season.
Athanasiou is averaging 12:58 per game, the lowest among forwards playing regularly. He leads the team in goals per 60 minutes (1.45) and is fourth in points per 60 (2.12).
Blashill previously criticized Athanasiou's compete level, and he is prone to defensive lapses. But he generates scoring chances and finishes. He needs to play more for a team that needs to score more.
Sheahan, whose lack of goals is beyond baffling, has been scratched only once. The problem is, the only alternative is Tomas Jurco, who has no points in 13 games. Sheahan is better defensively and can take faceoffs (52.2 percent).
Still, Sheahan has spent too much time among the top-nine forwards and too much time on the power play (average of 1:13, compared to Athanasiou's average 59 seconds).
Questions loom on defense, too, with the impending return of Brendan Smith (knee sprain on Jan. 4) this weekend.
One of nine healthy defensemen must move, either by trade (which seems unlikely) or waivers. It shouldn't be Xavier Ouellet or Nick Jensen, who have been their steadiest defensemen of late and should be fixtures in the lineup.
Alexey Marchenko seems the most likely candidate to be waived. Ryan Sproul, a healthy scratch the past nine games, has more upside with his offensively ability and would be more apt to be claimed due to his size (6-4, 211) and hard shot.
Who sits when Smith returns? Blashill indicated Smith, if cleared, would not play back-to-back this weekend. He'll likely replace Niklas Kronwall in one of the games (Friday at home against the New York Islanders or Saturday at Nashville) to keep the veteran with knee issues from playing back-to-back, like he did the final two games before the All-Star break.
Moving forward, Kronwall and/or Jonathan Ericsson should be scratched occasionally. Ericsson, despite his struggles, has not been sat. Blashill continues to favor the veteran core, but what is there to lose at this point if he shakes things up?
The Red Wings (20-21-9) are in dire straits after 50 games. They're winless in five (0-2-3) and have the lowest winning percentage in the East (.490).
They are seven points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the final wild-card spot, with a game in hand. They are nine points behind the Boston Bruins for third place and the final automatic playoff berth in the Atlantic Division, with three games in hand.
And with seven other teams in between, the Red Wings' task of extending their 25-season playoff streak is nothing short of monumental.

[chemiclord]

I can't wait for this stupid, meaningless streak to die.

[jaadam4]

I've always been quite proud of it but it does seem the bar is much lower these days.

[jaadam4]

Blashit is going to Millen depths. He's now sitting Mantha and Nyquist from the power play in favor of.... You guessed it. Sheehan!

You can't make this shit up. It's like he's betting against his team in Vegas or something