No… freakin....way…

Someone better tell Babs and the players!

Posted by Osrt on 10/11/08 at 08:27 AM ET

LOL, well played, Osrt.

The game against Toronto stunk of a few things:
- Toronto was as ready and as good as that team can possibly be. Give them major credit, but they won’t look that good many more games this year.
- A banner raising is tough because it’s asking the players and coaches to celebrate their greatness on one hand, then turn around and act like they’ve earned nothing in a split second. Teams don’t do well on these kinds of nights.
- Babcock’s preseason plan where he had the team split into two full squads and alternated games has hurt continuity. You can tell that guys didn’t have enough time playing together, especially d-pairings and forward lines. The only line/pair that was in sync was the Datsyuk line with the Lidstrom pair. The burden of having so much talent in the organization was that Babcock didn’t really have a choice, he had to get all those guys game time. I suspect in a week or two we will see more of the precision passing and dogged work ethic we are used to from this team.

Teams have saved their best for the Wings for 10 years. This isn’t anything new for this club, including these players and coaches.

Posted by Nathan on 10/11/08 at 09:33 AM ET

No… freakin....way…

Someone better tell Babs and the players!

Posted by Osrt on 10/11/08 at 09:27 AM ET

Hee-hee. 

Especially tell that captain person, Lidstrom.  He’s been playing on a team skating below the radar for so long that he might not know how to react to teams that don’t take his team lightly anymore.  He doesn’t have that much experience with a winning team, after all, and might be likely to panic when pressured.

A banner raising is tough because it’s asking the players and coaches to celebrate their greatness on one hand, then turn around and act like they’ve earned nothing in a split second. Teams don’t do well on these kinds of nights.

That’s why I was actually expecting a loss.  It’s not human to not have some carryover - people are incredibly adaptable animals, but that rapid an emotional adjustment is close to impossible.  I think it was Edmonton the last couple years that lost every single home game they retired a jersey - or pretty close to it, anyway.  It didn’t matter who the visitor was, if there was a ceremony before the game, the fans knew the Oilers were going to lose.  A week for Detroit to shake off the rust and they’ll still get their 47 to 53 or so wins - just not the first game this year.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/11/08 at 11:03 AM ET

One freaking game..... gimmeabreak. Lah-tee-dah, we’ve all got miles n miles to go. We’re used to having a bulls eye on us. Tis a long season.
We were flat footed as hell against TOR, Uncle Mike won’t ice a flat footed line up more than once. Just sayin’.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 10/11/08 at 04:18 PM ET

Sorry Baroque, but thats not why they lost.  Teams playing their banner raising games are 28-7-5-1 according to Empty Netters.

Posted by Kevin from Pittsburgh on 10/11/08 at 04:31 PM ET

Er Patterson:  again, what’s new?  Wealth of new talent?  Everyone gunning for the Wings?  We’ve been hearing that for the last dozen years or so.

Next!

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 10/11/08 at 05:50 PM ET

Actually, Detroit is just mediocre in home openers, banner or no banner:

2008:  3-2 loss to Toronto
2007:  3-2 win over Anaheim
2006:  3-1 loss to Vancouver
2005:  5-1 win over St. Louis
2004:  everyone lost :(
2003:  3-2 win over Los Angeles
2002:  3-2 loss to Montreal
2001:  4-2 loss to Cangary
2000:  4-3 loss to Edmonton

String of losses and then alternating - so clearly this was their turn to start off with a loss this year.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/12/08 at 08:05 AM ET

Thanks for that, Baroque.  Even last year’s win against Anaheim was a SO squeaker.

Posted by yawt from norcal on 10/12/08 at 08:15 AM ET