Red Wings

[Niffla]

Been a long, LONG time since I've seen the Wings look this bad. You know what, the more I think about it, amazingly enough, this is actually the first time that I've seen them in this state in my life. I didn't start following the Wings until, 94' I think?

Every single season that I've been a fan they've made the playoffs.

Looks like that streak is curtains, barring some miraculous mid-season revival.

[jaadam4]

Soundbite on the radio this morning:

Reporter: What to the Red Wings have to do to break this losing streak?

Ted Lindsay: Get better players.

Ha!!

[jaadam4]

I think what's plagued this team since Rafalski retired has been the defense. Lidstrom was the best defenseman to ever play the game and also the best band aid ever. How could anyone say our D sucked when you have the best defenseman on the planet? Besides Lids we were garbage

Rafi and Lids together were amazing. When Rafi retired Lids was stuck playing sick minutes. Holland has done fuckall to rebuild them. He signed Ericsson to a retarded contract and he's let the youth rot in GR.

Our huge hole is D

[froot loops]

They are worse offensively than defensively though. The defense and Howard has kept them in games.

They need a new start, new GM, new players. The current regime has had enough time. This team is probably the equivalent of the early 80s dead things.

They haven't been the same since Lidstrom retired. But there is no fighting it, they fought having a down year for a long time, but eventually you have to bottom out.

[jaadam4]

They're just terrible. The problem is that Holland will probably stick around for another year even if they don't make the playoffs this year IMO.

Unless the Wings force him out but that goes against their MO

[froot loops]

I'm not sure that's true, they just haven't missed the playoffs in a long time, the last time they did Brian Murray was brought in.

[jaadam4]

I hope you're right.

[jaadam4]

When we first made the Dats to Arizona trade it looked pretty amazing. We traded his salary cap hit and our 1st rounder to Arizona for a 1st rounder (4 picks later) and some scraps. It looked like a genius move

Then Arizona drafter a Dman that slipped by the name of Jakob Chychrun and it made sense. That kid is now the NHLs youngest defensemen in the NHL at 18 and logging 20+ mins a game and looking very good

That trade is going to haunt us. The kid we drafted is playing well in our system but Chychrun is tell damned good.

[jaadam4]

At least Holland did something and tried to make a run at Stamkos. Too bad that one didn't work out

[jaadam4]

Looking at the 2017 draft might put us in a tough spot. We're 7th worst record in theeague which would give us a nice draft pick or a decent shot in the lottery. The issue is this draft isn't spectacular. There's really no once in generation type players. The ceiling IMO is a Jonathan Toews type on N Patrick.

We're 4 points out of the last playoff spot. I might be on the keep the streak going bandwagon for another season. Very sad

[Malto Marko]

Looking at the 2017 draft might put us in a tough spot. We're 7th worst record in theeague which would give us a nice draft pick or a decent shot in the lottery. The issue is this draft isn't spectacular. There's really no once in generation type players. The ceiling IMO is a Jonathan Toews type on N Patrick.

We're 4 points out of the last playoff spot. I might be on the keep the streak going bandwagon for another season. Very sad

You never want to root for them not to make the playoffs but it sure is different knowing even if you do, you are only fodder for another team.

Becoming Lionesque as far as playoff expectations.

[jaadam4]

The Wings aren't devout of talent.

Larkin, AA and Mantha alone are a nice trio of forwards to have. The last 2 drafts have been pretty decent as well. I don't think we're far off but tanking a year to get a high end draft pick would be my preference.

It just won't be happening this year.

[jaadam4]

The problem is that Dats left, Z and Kronwall are old and no one has stepped up. Nyquist and Tatar are redundant forwards in their skillset and the fact neither are scoring. If they're scoring 25-30 goals like they're capable of our forwards aren't as thin as we look. Look at how they've done in international competition

Defense is just fucked IMO. Mike Green hasn't had the impact on offense like we hoped for and Dekeyser is a good player but he's not anything more. Our young guys have stayed in GR for too long. We're average to suck in our own zone and we lack good outlet passes to spark the offense. We have a few guys with respectable shots but I don't think our current coach knows what the F he's doing

[jaadam4]

When was the last time the Wings were in last place in their division this late in the season? Blashill needs to be fired

[Niffla]

What a disastrous season.

And what a disaster Blashill has been.