Abel to Yzerman
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Leino To The Doghouse? Shocking, I Know.
by IwoCPO on 10/31/09 at 07:03 AM ET
Comments (81)
I’m too lazy to find it. But somewhere I predicted we’d see this.
Mike Babcock redrew the lines, starting by benching slumping Ville Leino for tonight’s game against the Flames.
“Ville’s having a day to watch,” Babcock said. “He’s not playing hard enough here, so he’s going to watch and the other guys are going to play.”
Leino has one point in his last seven games.
“He’s getting snuffed out, not involved,” Babcock said. “If you are a scorer and you are not going to the net, you’re going to be in for a long year.”
Seems like a few of us could be in for a long year Uncle Mike. Just throwing that out there.
Love this one too. You can just feel the scorn.
Freep
Ville Leino is out tonight because “he hasn’t played hard enough here so he’s going to watch and the other guys are going to play,” coach Mike Babcock said Friday.
Uncle Mike: “Know what you’re going to do Villeeeee? You’re gonna sit in the frigging corner and you’re gonna watch your friends play. Don’t like it? FIX YOURSELF. I swear to god Ville, you’re my favorite little girl.”
Santini for you there bitches.
In North Carolina, but not for long. Will be headed further south for the week. Live Blogs should continue as scheduled. Posting may be light, but I have no idea.
Yes, I fell asleep when it was 5-2. No, I didn’t get all giddy because they tied it and got a point. No frigging way I believe a headline in this morning’s Detroit News that says, “Wings Fine With Lineup Despite Injuries.” That is an idiotic lie. Seriously…how the hell does a news outlet even consider that headline?
“Decimation Continues. Prison-Like Assault On Wings Forwards Continues.”
There, that’s better.
Read St. James this morning? Holy. Hell. It’s a frigging death watch.
They end a five-game trip general manager Ken Holland and several players have called “way worse” than opening the season 0-2 in Sweden.
But, don’t worry. The Wings are “fine with lineup despite injuries.” Idiots.
I’m out. Catching a plane. LB tonite. Let the pain continue.
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Comments
Jesus H. *#$%@& Jobu. We’re dying here. JUST TELL US WHAT YOU WANT
Posted by monkey from here to Timbuktu on 10/31/09 at 07:44 AM ET
From our esteemed colleagues at the Detroit Free Press:
Filppula’s absense will cause lines to shift
Absense? What the *#$%@& is absense? Does he have a drinking problem now too? What the *#$%@&.
Posted by monkey from here to Timbuktu on 10/31/09 at 07:49 AM ET
I see turning the jerseys around in the locker room didn’t turn anything around on the ice. Fuch the symbolism. Tick-Tock has to pull a miracle out of his a$$. It starts in goal. Bitches.
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 10/31/09 at 07:56 AM ET
Ok, I’ll admit it, SmallVille hasn’t been scoring (or passing, or shooting… fuch), but to say he’s not working hard enough? The “soft-Euro” is playing along the boards a lot more than some other forwards.
Posted by Guilherme from Brasil on 10/31/09 at 07:57 AM ET
Strange babcock is okay to call out leino, but never comments on soft goal after soft goal all season long. is he a great coach or did he take the reigns of bowman’s juggernaut that is just now running out of steam.
Posted by Jere from Indianapolis on 10/31/09 at 08:31 AM ET
McCosky’s DETNEWS is asinine, fuching idiot musta had too much cider last night.
He does try to redeem himself with a quote from Uncle Mike:
Babcock echoed the point about starting games better, reminding his team that in the NHL, the team that scores first wins 80 percent of the time.
“I liked our determination and battle level, but catch-up hockey is losing hockey,” he said. “When you are chasing the game, you make turnovers because you have to force things. Whereas, if you get started on time and you are diligent about what you do and you stick to the details, you can play a way more patient, comfortable game.”
I hate to sound like a broken record, no I don’t: FIRE McCrimmon.
Then there is this:
The Wings had 15 giveaways against the Oilers. They led directly to four of their five regulation goals
.
I
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 08:41 AM ET
JFC: I don’t know how this flew under the radar:
Andreas Lilja (concussion) continues to participate in drills, but he still isn’t ready to give himself a return date.
Maybe, a small ray of sunshine on the horizon.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 08:43 AM ET
Players not playing up to expectations and getting the hook for a night is fine here. I don’t care what the name on the back of the sweater is either.
With the gaping holes in net and on the roster, if the skill-scoring types of guys can’t put in 110%...bench’em. Losing games when a team plays to it’s ability is fine, meandering 40 minutes a game and pissing away leads… not so fine.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 10/31/09 at 09:32 AM ET
Maybe, a small ray of sunshine on the horizon.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 10/31/09 at 09:43 AM ET
Watch Big Rig get the seat over Lebda when/if Lilja returns.
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 10/31/09 at 09:33 AM ET
Maybe, a small ray of sunshine on the horizon.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 10/31/09 at 09:43 AM ET
Watch Big Rig get the seat over Lebda when/if Lilja returns.
Posted by mrfluffy from Cincy on 10/31/09 at 10:33 AM ET
You say this as though there’s no chance Lebda could be traded before then. That makes me sad.
Posted by Bio on 10/31/09 at 09:41 AM ET
From the last post:
The team stressed making simple plays to avoid giveaways during Friday’s practice at the Saddledome.
And thoses plans are ... ?
And they will work because ... ?
And we’ll continue to improve by ... ?
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 10/31/09 at 10:05 AM ET
“He’s getting snuffed out”
Babs going all street on us.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 10/31/09 at 10:38 AM ET
Here is something eerie for Halloween:
08-09 Forwards (sorted by season point totals)
Games played, Goals, Assists, Points
1 Pavel Datsyuk DET C 81 32 65 97
2 Henrik Zetterberg DET L 77 31 42 73
3 Marian Hossa DET R 74 40 31 71
4 Johan Franzen DET C 71 34 25 59
5 Jiri Hudler DET C 82 23 34 57
6 Mikael Samuelsson DET R 81 19 21 40
7 Dan Cleary DET R 74 14 26 40
8 Valtteri Filppula DET C 80 12 28 40
9 Tomas Holmstrom DET L 53 14 23 37
10 Tomas Kopecky DET R 79 6 13 19
11 Kris Draper DET C 79 7 10 17
12 Kirk Maltby DET L 78 5 6 11
13 Ville Leino DET L 13 5 4 9
14 Aaron Downey DET R 4 1 1 2
15 Darren McCarty DET R 13 1 0 1
16 Darren Helm DET C 16 0 1 1
17 Justin Abdelkader DET L 2 0 0 0
Total of 289 Goals scored last season. Of that total,
Hossa - 40
Mule - 34
Hudler - 23
Sammy - 19
Wally - 12
Kopeck - 6
Mac - 1
TWBB - 1
Total = 136
% of Goal scorers MIA this season: 47.05%
READY.SET.VOMIT (Exorcist type projectile vomit).
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 12:08 PM ET
I won’t be around for the liveblog tonight and I’ll have to watch the game DVRed tomorrow morning, but I’m still not doom-and-gloom with this team. We’ve had shitty things happen to us since before the season started and had shitty things happen on this road trip, but if we pull off a W in Calgary tonight, we go home with a seven-point road trip. Hell, even an overtime or shootout loss gets us six. I know that Calgary is probably the best team of the five, but if you don’t think we can beat them then I cordially invite you to shut the fuch up about it.
Even a five-point western Canada road trip to this point isn’t the end of the world. Yes, I realize that leaving points on the table at any part of the season is going to be worse for us than it has been in years past, I don’t need that reminder.
There’s a lot of turnover in the lineup (and on the ice..BA-ZING!). Players are readjusting to the system and to playing with one another. Passing is one of our biggest issues right now and it’s leading to a lot of other issues. Bad passing is bleeding speed away from our breakout and causing offsides through the neutral zone. Bad passing is leading to turnovers that turn into scoring chances. Bad passing is keeping us trapped in our own zone. Well guess what, kiddies. Passing isn’t a feature of effort or necessarily of skill. Passing comes from chemistry and the guys who are the worst passers to this point in the season are also the guys that are still learning. I’m not saying it’s our only issue right now, but once the guys really get comfortable with one another, the passing happens and a great deal of our problems go away. From that point, a great deal of other problems go away because teamwork and chemistry also are big factors that influence positioning and how players take to battles along the boards (two more of our main problems).
Call me an idiot if you want, but I feel good about this team and the direction in which they’re headed.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 12:19 PM ET
JJ - - I’ll take your bait:
Call me an idiot if you want
IDIOT.
Just kidding.
Your not an idiot, just a homer, and nothing wrong with that, except perspective.
I’m a homer of the worst sort. But I try not to look through rose colored lenses all the time.
The reality of this season is we’ve lost a huge amount of goal scoring. And our defense/goal-tending/turnovers make Sponge Bob look like a brick wall.
The numbers are staring all of us straight in the face.
I am hopeful the Wings can “tighten the “D”, but evidence this season so far isn’t too promising. Lilja, where art thou?
I’m praying we can make the playoffs, thats about as optimistic as I can get.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 12:34 PM ET
Hope you are correct re the passing JJ.
I really miss the days of excellent passing when the other (losings) teams accused us of playing “boring” hockey . . . . .
Posted by Trish from PalmBeachCntyFL on 10/31/09 at 12:50 PM ET
I agree that there are a lot of bleak figures to look at when comparing to last season, but we didn’t win the cup last season. I still don’t think we need to worry about tightening the D first. I’d prefer to see the unleash the offense more. I think the fact that we’re not aggressively forechecking gives the opposition more time to make our defense look foolish. Unleash the offense.
I know that there have been quite a few soft goals given up by the guys between the pipes, but the majority of the heartbreaking ones have been on rebounds where a guy has been allowed to stand around waiting to put it home. Teams that are defensively on their heels give up a lot more of these types of goals than those that force players to take rushed shots from the outside.
It’s actually part of the reason I haven’t completely given up on Howard. He gives up big rebounds and stands farther away from the goal than Holmstrom does, but if the Wings playing in front of him play the way I want them to, then Howard is doing it right because the other guys aren’t getting second chances and those rebounds are part of what’s pushing the puck the other way for an up-tempo transition.
Just look at the times from each of the last two games after the Wings got a slow start and defensively collapsed. When we’ve been playing the balls-out offensive game, we’ve outscored the opposition 10-3 (Taking it from the 2-0 point of the Vancouver game and the 4-0 point from the Edmonton game). You could say that’s been partially because the Nucks and Oilers took their feet off the gas pedal after building a lead, but I choose to believe it’s because we started ramming the puck down their throat letting the offense take care of making the defense look better.
Take away the bullshit timid start and you’ve got a damn impressive Wings team out there.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 12:54 PM ET
Can’t believe Lidstrom has let the Red Wings fall so fast
Posted by Ghost of Talbot on 10/31/09 at 01:04 PM ET
Posted by Ghost of Talbot on 10/31/09 at 02:04 PM ET
That’s the best you can do? Really?
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 10/31/09 at 01:12 PM ET
I will be in attendance at the Saddledome, trying to improve my 0-2-1 record when seeing the Wings live thus far. So yes, I’ll be the official game-wrecker if Jobu can’t fix my voodoo when it comes to seeing the Wings live.
I’m salivating at the thought of what Draper, Taz and Eaves are going to do together.
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 10/31/09 at 01:49 PM ET
Bad passing is bleeding speed away from our breakout and causing offsides through the neutral zone. Bad passing is leading to turnovers that turn into scoring chances. Bad passing is keeping us trapped in our own zone. Well guess what, kiddies. Passing isn’t a feature of effort or necessarily of skill. Passing comes from chemistry and the guys who are the worst passers to this point in the season are also the guys that are still learning.
You are correct about the passing, but for all the wrong reasons.
The poor and sloppy passing is mostly due to the oppositions fierce forecheck.
When teams back off after a comfortable lead, the precision passing returns, hence…the comebacks. Then the fierce forecheck returns, and it goes to OT.
The fierce forecheck is how other teams beat us last season, They are forcing premature, sloppy passes, and panic dumps. We need our D to learn how to eat the puck once in a while instead of doing stupid things with it when there is not a good play. It is a team game and up to their teammates to create the space and time to make the smart and accurate passes. When the pressure is off and they have the time…precision returns.
One other thing that went with McClelland when he left is our 4 on 4 game.
The Wings 4 on 4 play sucked all last season, just as it does this season;
It doesn’t help that our goaltending sucks and nobody is clearing the juicy rebounds, but there are major flaws in our system.
Our backcheckers are there to help the D, but often turn it into a shinny game by chasing the puck carrier and confusing our D. Sure that results in a takeaway occasionally, but leads to a dump out and the opposition regains control and comes right back in. A takeaway in a shinny game usually is just temporary because nobody is in a structured position to make a play….thus the dump-out.
It would be wise to drink a lot before tonights game. Calgary is a very good team, and Sutter has that fierce forecheck with 3 forwards…...Trouble just waiting to happen.
The Wings still have a good chance tonight because although they have a good team in Calgary, they have been consistently inconsistent. Kipper is struggling with a GAA much like the Wing netminders.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 01:49 PM ET
...but to say he’s not working hard enough? The “soft-Euro” is playing along the boards a lot more than some other forwards.
I agree with Guilherme. If Bert was hitting people and digging pucks out of the corners the way Leino has, the Wings would be in a lot better shape right now. Yah, Ville missed an open net the other night. What Wing hasn’t this year? And what Wing, other than Homer, is “going to the net” right now?
But, hey, sitting Helm seemed to perk him up a bit last game so let’s see what this does to Ville.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/31/09 at 01:52 PM ET
Posted by Ghost of Talbot on 10/31/09 at 02:04 PM ET
That’s the best you can do? Really?
Posted by mrfluffy from Cincy on 10/31/09 at 02:12 PM ET
Go easy.
Remember, he’s a Pens fan.
Let’s let him figure out the intricacies of offsides before expecting him to offer substantive discussion.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 10/31/09 at 01:56 PM ET
You are correct about the passing, but for all the wrong reasons.
The poor and sloppy passing is mostly due to the oppositions fierce forecheck.
When teams back off after a comfortable lead, the precision passing returns, hence…the comebacks. Then the fierce forecheck returns, and it goes to OT.
I agree that the aggressive forecheck that teams are throwing at us is really screwing us up in our own zone and that our d-men need to get better at eating the puck while the forwards need to hang back that extra half-second to actually allow an outlet pass. Seems we’ve given up a lot of goals this season when the defenseman lost the puck trying to get it to a streaking forward. The breakout usually works best when a D-man gets it to a forward who’s standing still and THAT guy gets it to a streaking forward. Sure, you don’t get as many odd-man rushes, but you do get two forwards going through the neutral zone with speed and the third one being that ever-so-dangerous late man high.
But, it’s not all opposition forecheck that’s doing it. The forecheck isn’t causing our guys to put passes in skates or just out of reach in the neutral and offensive zones. I also don’t think the forecheck is causing so many of the turnovers we’ve been making right inside our own blue line. A lot of those happen because a guy just hasn’t gotten used to where exactly his outlet is or how fast he’s moving. We’ve seen so many passes come off our own half boards and just out of reach of that streaking forward that end up getting turned over and held in and I don’t think that’s being caused by the opposition so much as it is by guys whose chemistry hasn’t developed. Homer, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg haven’t been committing those types of turnovers because they do have that chemistry.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 02:07 PM ET
But, it’s not all opposition forecheck that’s doing it. The forecheck isn’t causing our guys to put passes in skates or just out of reach in the neutral and offensive zones. I also don’t think the forecheck is causing so many of the turnovers we’ve been making right inside our own blue line. A lot of those happen because a guy just hasn’t gotten used to where exactly his outlet is or how fast he’s moving. We’ve seen so many passes come off our own half boards and just out of reach of that streaking forward that end up getting turned over and held in and I don’t think that’s being caused by the opposition so much as it is by guys whose chemistry hasn’t developed. Homer, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg haven’t been committing those types of turnovers because they do have that chemistry.
That doesn’t come close to explaining the rapid comebacks when the fierce forecheck disappears.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:13 PM ET
That doesn’t come close to explaining the rapid comebacks when the fierce forecheck disappears.
Or the easy wins against teams using a very weak forecheck.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:20 PM ET
That doesn’t come close to explaining the rapid comebacks when the fierce forecheck disappears.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from 11 pts in 11 games…1/8 of season gone on 10/31/09 at 03:13 PM ET
I wasn’t trying to explain that. You say it’s opponents taking their foot off the gas, I disagree. Vancouver still got quite a few good scoring opportunities while we were trying to claw back. I didn’t see them tighten up their game or play less aggressively after those two goals. I saw Edmonton get tired as much as anything else. I didn’t see their defensive scheme change at all during the game. They had the same forecheck while they were building that 4-0 lead as they did after the Wings potted goal number 2. If those teams did back off their forecheck, then that’s a coaching issue and I’ll gladly accept that Babcock was the better coach in each of our last two games for willing the Wings to keep playing where his counterparts clearly were not able to do the same.
I was explaining that opponents’ forechecking is not the be-all and end-all that’s ruining the Wings’s season. We’ve agreed that passing has to improve. Your answer to that seems to be that the defensemen need to eat the puck. I don’t see how that changes the way we pass in the neutral zone or will keep Todd Bertuzzi from putting it in Rafalski’s skates in the offensive zone, but hey, as long as you’re able to prove part of your point by changing the subject, why the hell not, huh?
Bottom line is that the Wings are improving. They’ll be better as a team five games from now than they were five games ago. If you’d like to call this season a loss, then fine, call it a loss and disappear because there really isn’t much else to say after you’ve written them off.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 02:21 PM ET
Edmonton was just shutout for the 3rd time in 4 games.
And the other game…...
A 6-5 OT win against “the Dynasty”.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:22 PM ET
How many more tuesday’s is that now? i’ve lost track? i’m having trouble carrying the one since it’s clearly jumped up into the high 3-4 digits now….
Posted by Greg on 10/31/09 at 02:22 PM ET
I’m hoping to leave the party with the slutty girl in the witch outfit.
Posted by Matt from Royal Oak on 10/31/09 at 08:43 AM ET
Here’s Chief’s Halloween party hope.
And a few of mine:
mmmm.. bacon…
Goin’ down in the subway…
Strahotski.
And what I’m REALLY hoping for -
Jimmah, do you like movies about Gladiators?
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 10/31/09 at 02:25 PM ET
Your answer to that seems to be that the defensemen need to eat the puck. I don’t see how that changes the way we pass in the neutral zone or will keep Todd Bertuzzi from putting it in Rafalski’s skates in the offensive zone, but hey, as long as you’re able to prove part of your point by changing the subject, why the hell not, huh?
Did you not read this?
It doesn’t help that our goaltending sucks and nobody is clearing the juicy rebounds, but there are major flaws in our system.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:26 PM ET
The poor and sloppy passing is mostly due to the oppositions fierce forecheck. - HTT
Yes yes a thousand times yes. Watch the Buffalo - Detroit fiasco from 2 weeks ago. Unrelenting pressure on our goalie came from the monster forecheck by Buffalo. We got Babcocked.
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 10/31/09 at 02:31 PM ET
ghost of talbot is right, how can the greatest living human being, and captain of captain’s not get his team playing better?
And i thought a great coach is a great coach because of what he can get from his players, regardless of the skill set? get a couple key injuries, a few defections, and all of a sudden you’re scrambling to get a point out of a Penner led Oilers (actually that was a great effort in the end, i’ll give them that). So what does that say about the great coach? maybe the great players make him great? not the system….
Posted by Greg on 10/31/09 at 02:33 PM ET
More good news from Khan(!):
Update from the Detroit Red Wings’ morning skate Saturday at the Saddledome:
Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson didn’t skate. He wasn’t feeling well and stayed at the hotel. The team isn’t prepared to call it the flu yet. Coach Mike Babcock said there still is a chance Ericsson could be ready for tonight’s game against the Flames.
If Ericsson can’t play, Derek Meech will take his spot.
Other than that, the lines and defense pairings remained the same from Friday’s practice:
Bertuzzi-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Cleary-Zetterberg-Williams
Draper-Helm-Eaves
May-Abdelkader-Maltby
Leino (scratched)Lidstrom-Kronwall
Stuart-Rafalski
Meech-Lebda
Ericsson questionableIf Ericsson can’t play, they likely will shuffle their defense pairings.
General manager Ken Holland said the team received good news, relatively speaking, on center Valtteri Filppula. He saw the doctor Friday for his broken right wrist and it was determined that he has a hairline fracture. There is no displacement. He won’t need surgery. The wrist will be placed in a cast. The original time frame was 6-to-8 weeks, now Holland said it’s looking closer to six weeks
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 02:33 PM ET
Did you not read this?
It doesn’t help that our goaltending sucks and nobody is clearing the juicy rebounds, but there are major flaws in our system.
How about we start over with this?
What are the flaws in the system? What’s the best way for the Red Wings to handle an aggressive forecheck, aside from get an “elite” goaltender?
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 02:34 PM ET
I don’t see how that changes the way we pass in the neutral zone or will keep Todd Bertuzzi from putting it in Rafalski’s skates in the offensive zone, but hey, as long as you’re able to prove part of your point by changing the subject, why the hell not, huh?
You seem to be impressed with the way Babs keeps switching lines around, not even considering that the forward have to pass to a RH player one time, and then a left handed player the next time under the exact same circumstances, and he is supposed to notice the difference while making a split second decision.
Setting up a one-timer for a left hander, when he is a right hander and the pass does go in the skates.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:34 PM ET
You seem to be impressed with the way Babs keeps switching lines around,
If you could show me where I’ve ever said that I’m happy with all the line-switching, I’d gladly bow and accept your unrelenting knowledge and authority about how fuched up the Wings are.
I haven’t. Don’t put words in my mouth.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 02:38 PM ET
What are the flaws in the system? What’s the best way for the Red Wings to handle an aggressive forecheck, aside from get an “elite” goaltender?
Under McClelland…
The D drew the forecheckers into the corner opening up our own slot for a pass to the waiting centerman…remember that….Lids, Cheli, and Schneider used to do that repeatedly.
The Wingers stayed deeper on the half boards for the cross ice breakout passes because the D drew the forecheckers into the corners opening up our zone for cross ice passes. When McCrimmon took over, he soon abandoned those cross ice passes, when the problem was our forward were playing too far forward for the CI pass, allowing for the opposition D to step forward and intercept, and often the 3 rd forward who was playing outside the blue line (or rejoining after a player change) could step forward and do the same.
The breakout game plan has changed dramatically under McCrimmon.
Works fine in practice, and in games with a token forecheck….
But drastically changed.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 02:48 PM ET
Going to watch Juice Williams run rampant over Michigan’s impression of an absent Red Wing defense.
R S V.
Actually I like the way the Red Wings have been playing, unless you consider that preventing a 3 on 0 against your own goalie is a priority.
You need a parking spot? There’s one permanently open in front of Jimmah Howard.
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 10/31/09 at 02:50 PM ET
Keep Jonny quarantined from everyone. Even if it’s just the regular flu, we don’t need a revolving door of players running to locker room to puke their guts out.
And JJ, I know you didn’t ask me this, but to answer your question about beating another team’s forecheck:
For example, tonight against Calgary, as Gramps has said, they use a 3-man forecheck. So I would think the prime strategy would be to have the defenseman retrieving the puck send it to the waiting centre in the slot in our zone, who then can fire the puck up quickly to the wingers streaking through the neutral zone, creating a 2-on-2, and then the centre can become the late man in a 3-on-2.
The defensemen have to trust that the centre will be there, and the centre has to know where he has to be. We used to see this all the time in 07/08, and I’ll admit, at the start of that season, I was anxious every time I saw a pass go through the middle of our zone. But as the year went on, that fear disappeared, because it became clear that the players knew exactly what they were doing. The personnel hasn’t changed, but McClelland left, so it’s safe to guess that the sloppy breakout is the result of McCrimmon.
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 10/31/09 at 03:08 PM ET
And Gramps pretty much took the words out of my mouth. And explained it better, and more thoroughly.
So hey, how about that Patrick Eaves? PP time for him could actually be nice, because we know he’ll go to the net.
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 10/31/09 at 03:14 PM ET
So I would think the prime strategy would be to have the defenseman retrieving the puck send it to the waiting centre in the slot in our zone
They have to draw the forecheckers into the corner and pass at the last minute.
Trying to head man the puck from halfway between the goal crease and the sideboards has been killing us for a season and an eighth.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/31/09 at 03:16 PM ET
Ok, now we’re making progress. I’ve said myself that there’s too much separation between the forwards and the D in our own zone and that our guys haven’t been taking advantage of using the middle of the ice in our defensive zone to initiate the breakout. I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment.
I also agree that too much line-juggling is damaging the transition game.
I still think that the Wings are trending upward.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/31/09 at 03:30 PM ET
The breakout game plan has changed dramatically under McCrimmon
This is a recording - - FIRE McCrimmon.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/31/09 at 03:33 PM ET
Well since everyone’s looking way to far ahead here are my predictions. If the Redwings win out they will finish with a record of, 75-4-3, with 153 points. BOOYAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In all honesty though they need to win about 55% of their games from here on out.
Posted by pgoody on 10/31/09 at 03:34 PM ET
Valtteri Filppula. broken right wrist. Holland said it’s looking closer to six weeks
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 10/31/09 at 03:33 PM ET
R S V.
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 10/31/09 at 03:37 PM ET
I do too JJ, I’ve by no means given up on this team. It really does take time to gel and build chemistry with teammates, especially given the amount of roster turnover we’ve had. Still doesn’t make it any less frustrating to watch though eh?
Give me a treat tonight Red Wings, end this road trip on a high note so I can pick up my first W seeing you live. If they happen to pan up high to a drunken bastard in the 300 section, wearing a red Datsyuk jersey, that’s me.
LET’S GO RED WINGS(exclamation point)
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 10/31/09 at 03:37 PM ET
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Didn’t have a chance to watch the Oiler game until this morning. The opening goal pissed me off, so I fast forwarded the b!t€h until it was 3-5. I didn’t hear about Fil’s injury until the post mortum show. Great… Time to play with a trap, I guess.
Alright, someone needs to say it: will tonight party be a trick or treat for the 19? I’m hoping to leave the party with the slutty girl in the witch outfit.
Posted by Matt from Royal Oak on 10/31/09 at 07:43 AM ET