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Wings Need More Goals
by Paul on 12/08/09 at 01:47 PM ET
Comments (7)
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN responded to a Wings fan email…
I agree to a degree with your analysis on the defensive game of the Wings. For starters, I don’t think one of the game’s great all-time blueliners, Nicklas Lidstrom, has been up to his usual standard this season. The injury to Niklas Kronwall severely hurts the cause, as well.
But overall, I have to agree with GM Ken Holland, who recently told me his biggest concern was the lack of offense. It’s no surprise the Wings would find it more difficult after losing Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson, Jiri Hudler and Tomas Kopecky from last season and replacing them with Jason Williams, Todd Bertuzzi, Patrick Eaves, Brad May and Drew Miller. Not the same juice.
Now, let’s give you some historical backing. The Wings are 18th in goals per game right now at 2.76. I did a little digging just for you. In the last 10 NHL seasons beginning with 1999-2000, the Wings’ final regular-season goals per game average never dipped below 3.00 and the team ranked top five in the NHL in eight of those nine seasons
more plus numerous other questions and answers from Pierre…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Why is Tomas Kopecky always lumped into that equation? In the four seasons he played games in Detroit he accumulated a massive twelve goals and 20 helpers. Just sayin’.
Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 12/08/09 at 02:19 PM ET
Jesus christ .... Is Pierre LeBrun retarded? How many times does this have to be covered this year.,, every article is about losing the same players over and over and over again ... I do agree about Lids, but come on do we need to cover the same shit day in day out? Im sure by now that every NHL fan knows who left the Wings .. and that was in July ... lol
Posted by Hossaa on 12/08/09 at 02:41 PM ET
It doesn’t matter who left in the offseason, what’s hurting right now are all the injuries.
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 12/08/09 at 02:45 PM ET
Franzen is more of a core player in producing goals than Hossa ever was. Besides, Hossa’s regular season goals and Samuelsson’s amazing ability to only score when the game was already out of reach for the other team really only help pad stats. It’s the regular production from guys like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, and even little Hudler (along with brilliant point shots from the D) that made Detroit what it has been.
Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 12/08/09 at 02:48 PM ET
We are really missing Tomas Kopecky’s 6 goals from last year! What is it with all these idiot ESPN-types that mention this guy? Did zilch for us when he was here except embarrass himself in a fight.
Posted by James from NY on 12/08/09 at 02:59 PM ET
Samuelsson’s amazing ability to only score when the game was already out of reach for the other team really only help pad stats.
Yeah, like game 1 of the 08 finals? Sammy is such a frontrunner!
Say what you will about his terrible inaccuracy, infuriating presence on the PP and general questionable effectiveness as a second-liner, Sammy had a number of clutch goals for the Red Wings.
Posted by shanetx on 12/08/09 at 05:07 PM ET
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It’s obvious that the Wings have lost offense this season, but why do so called “experts” keep including Kopecky in the list of offense lost? He has never and will never contribute anything even close to consistent offense for any team ever. Drew Miller is more offensively ept.
Posted by John W. from a bubble wrap cocoon on 12/08/09 at 02:16 PM ET