“I’m a big believer of steady on the rudder,” said the unflappable Babcock.

Well, you better figure out the difference between port and starbord pretty damn quick, Mike. Right now, this “ship” looks like it has no rudder and it’s caught in a 50-knot swell.

And, to make matters worse, the folks on the shore are quickly losing faith in your ability to figure out which of the deckhands are capable of righting the ship and which ones are likely to send it to the bottom.

Until now, most of us have had undying faith in you as our captain. But, now, some of us are beginning to wonder if we’re putting our faith in Captain Courageous or Captain Ahab. Please do something to reassure us that it’s the former and not latter.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/26/09 at 10:31 PM ET

I don’t know what Babcock can do. The Wings lost a lot of their talent during the off-season and losing Franzen right at the beginning of the season didn’t help. To me, the problem is offense, and a little bit of goal tending, but mainly offense. The Wings just can’t score goals like they could last season.

Take last night’s game for example. The Aves scored twice (and 1 empty net goal, but we’re not going to count that as a goal they earned). The Wings should have easily scored two goals, especially with the amount of shots they had (they outshot the Aves 49-23), but they couldn’t convert on the scoring chances.

That’s pretty much been their problem for the entire year. They haven’t scored enough to win games, and when they get a large lead, they stop playing their hardest and give it up. I know recently that’s what’s been going on. They did it against Phoenix, and both games against the Aves.

Hopefully, they’ll be able to turn this season around, because right now they’re not playing as well as they should and I don’t think that Babcock’s to blame.

The Wings don’t want to start firing coaches because players aren’t performing the way they need to.

Posted by Eric on 10/26/09 at 10:41 PM ET

I don’t know what Babcock can do. The Wings lost a lot of their talent during the off-season and losing Franzen right at the beginning of the season didn’t help. To me, the problem is offense, and a little bit of goal tending, but mainly offense. The Wings just can’t score goals like they could last season.

Imagine if it was a new hire as coach just starting.  “Welcome to the organization - now for starters, we’re going to take away Hossa, Hudler, and Samuelsson, Franzen until March (and less than 100% for certain when he does get back in the lineup), and Cleary and Zetterberg will both have injuries in training camp that slow them down and Datsyuk will miss a bit of time at the start of the season, too.  Plus the rookies will start the season off playing like rookies because that is how the learning curve goes.  Good luck.”

The Wings don’t want to start firing coaches because players aren’t performing the way they need to.

I think they have the patience to avoid that kind of decision.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/27/09 at 12:17 AM ET

Well…he can only work with what the GM gave him and let’s face it…it’s essentially sloppy seconds.  They should’ve signed a backup that could light a fire under osgood’s 80 year old ass; giving up that coyotes’ overtime goal(s) is inexcusable.  At least 1/4 of the lineup wouldn’t have a job in the league…this is arguable but I consider: May, Eaves, Williams, Bertuzzi, dead weight.  I don’t care about their records in the regular season or playoffs; day in day out they do nothing.  If you don’t give Datsyuk and Zetterberg something to work with they won’t work.

Posted by stoneman from vegas on 10/27/09 at 02:17 AM ET

Until now, most of us have had undying faith in you as our captain. But, now, some of us are beginning to wonder if we’re putting our faith in Captain Courageous or Captain Ahab. Please do something to reassure us that it’s the former and not latter.

You’re smarter than this, OTC.  9 games into a massive turnover after three straight conference finals and two straight finals with a cup sprinkled in?  Seems awfully alarmist to honestly start losing faith.

Posted by Heaton on 10/27/09 at 07:21 AM ET

I have not watched much of the Wings this season, but just by looking at their roster - the amount of turnover there is bound to have them wading their way through an adjustment period.  They are still one of the better teams in the league - mind you weaker in overall team depth but better than they have been showing so far, the skaters will be fine.  The only question is (as it is every season), will Chris be good enough in goal?  He has been in the past, so you have to figure he will be again…

Posted by WingMan from The Q C on 10/27/09 at 08:52 AM ET

You’re smarter than this, OTC.  9 games into a massive turnover after three straight conference finals and two straight finals with a cup sprinkled in?  Seems awfully alarmist to honestly start losing faith.

Seconded.

Posted by Garth on 10/27/09 at 09:07 AM ET

9 games into a massive turnover after three straight conference finals and two straight finals with a cup sprinkled in?  Seems awfully alarmist to honestly start losing faith.

Well, Uncle Mike himself is always saying things like, “The past is the past. We only care about right now.” So, I love the guy for what he’s done in the past but it’s disturbing to say the least to see this team look so disinterested. Motivating these guys to at least play at a high level for a full 60 minutes is the coach’s job.

Now, I have no doubt that Babs is doing everything he can think of to “right the ship.” But, for whatever reason, the players don’t seem to be responding. That’s what has made me “start losing faith” in the coach. Is that “alarmist”? You bet your life it is. And I’m going to stay alarmed until I see a group of players on the ice who look like they really give a damn.

In all honesty, I fully expect that to happen. Uncle Mike is a smart and passionate guy. At some point, hopefully sooner than later, he’ll find the “start button” on this team and they’ll be just fine. But my “undying faith” in Babs has definitely been shaken by what I’ve seen so far this year.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/27/09 at 09:28 AM ET

Motivating these guys to at least play at a high level for a full 60 minutes is the coach’s job.

The players play the game, not the coaches.  As big of a Babcock supporter as I am, at the end of the day it’s the players who win or lose the game. 

If the players can’t get motivated anymore by a winner like Babcock, we need to blow this entire team up and start over.

But that’s not the case.  It’s still October and if it’s fair to alarm the sirens for Babcock then I guess it’s fair to alarm the sirens for the players as well who aren’t earning their paychecks.

Posted by Heaton on 10/27/09 at 09:41 AM ET

They should’ve signed a backup that could light a fire under osgood’s 80 year old ass;

Thanks for that.  Do you charge for those insights?

I’m sure Holland just decided that he didn’t want to pick up a seasoned backup or maybe retain Conklin.  Hell, why didn’t he just give Hossa as much as he wanted and re-sign Hudler for more than the KHL was offering?

Oh wait, there’s the small matter of the salary cap.

They signed three players (Eaves, Bertuzzi, Williams) for a grand total of $3.5, just to make a full roster, and it pushed them to the cap ceiling.

Holland decided to invest in Zetterberg and Franzen, knowing that this year we were going to be up against the cap.  He did the best he could.

You might consider Bert, Williams and Eaves dead weight, but so was Dan Cleary when he was signed.  Williams and Bertuzzi had 57 and 44 points respectively last year.  That’s dead weight?  And Eaves signed for $500K.

Are any of the three ideal signings?  No, but it’s not as if the Wings are losing because of those signings.

Posted by Garth on 10/27/09 at 10:21 AM ET