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Not seeing a path to the playoffs with this roster. Too much dead weight and useless, overpaid veterans that can’t get the job done and play reliable team defense. Why the hell Hamonic is still getting ice time defies logic. Comphor, Copp, Rasmussen, and even Berggren have been a bust. Still desperately need more talent up the middle… nobody worth a crap to play 2nd or 3rd line center. Desperately need a true top 4 defenseman… While Talbot has been a steady reliable tandem type goalie, the Gibson experiment is looking worse every game he plays. Giving up at least 4 goals in 8 of his last 12 games. Still lacking a solid #1 starter in net (who isn’t 38 years old). Time to sit some of these guys and call up a player or two from GR… like NOW !! Definitiion of hockey insanity: keep playing the same crappy players over & over again and expecting to win (or make the playoffs).
Side note…. I’ll be at the Griffins game tomorrow night against the Iowa Wild. I’ll get a chance to see Nygard play in person. He’s only 20… so the kid still has time to improve.
I have to say… I really think Leonard has earned the first call-up. I mean what else does a guy need to do to earn the call-up ? He’s leading the AHL in points ! MBN and Lombardi would be next on my list. And please…. keep Hamonic on the bench !! He’s like -7 in his last couple of games. Terrible. Call up Wallin or Tuomisto if you need to… but keep Hamonic off the ice. Hoping somebody will take Gustauffson and/or Holl off our hands before the trade deadline. Could happen as injuries keep piling up around the league. Time to shop Rasmussen or even Berggren if a good return is there to be had.
Same crap, different game. Not sure what it’s going to take for this team to learn how to score the first goal or even score a goal in the first period. It’s mind boggling why they can’t put in a full 60 minutes effort. Maybe McClelland needs to start benching people who get caught out of position or who are not covering their man in the D-zone. Hamonic, Compher and Rasmussen need to just stay on the bench. I’m really sick of seeing this team playing from behind every game. Not a good formula to win if you’re always playing catch-up. It puts more pressure on the goalies too.
Bernard-Docker needs to be playing every game. They win when he’s in the lineup. So much better than Hamonic. Gee… looks what happens when you get traffic in front of the other team’s goalie… you score goals. Wings should be doing this EVERY game. I hope McClelland hammers this idea into their skulls. Wings still need to tighten up their defense. Use their speed and take away time and space from the other team like they did on that hot streak they had earlier in the season. And be aggressive on the PK ! This was a must win game. Had they gone on to lose 4 in a row then I think Yzerman would have gotten serious about shopping some of these players.
Finally… the Wings showed some life tonight. This really was a must-win game. It’s amazing what happens when you actually get bodies in front of the other team’s goalie and take away his vision. Wings need to do that on a nightly basis… which they don’t. Good to see Bernard-Docker back out there. He is a big impromvement over Hamonic, who should just stay on the bench. You know you’re having a good night when Rasmussen actually scores (which is rare). The PK still looks timid and weak to me. They’re still collapsing back and letting the other team do what they want with the puck… they need to be much more aggressive !! It has gotten better overall though… unlike last year which was a complete dumpster fire for the PK. Would really like to see Danielson get that first goal or at least get some assists in his next game.
Wings did about what I was expecting. Not a bad trip… this team will have more growing pains this season as they try to find their identity. Winning at home for the next few weeks will be crucial to stay in the playoff race. Wings need Kane to get their PP back on track.
And…. how about those GR Griffins ?! Looking forward to going to one of their games on Black Friday. They are the only undefeated team in the AHL at 8-0. Danielson needs a call-up and they can bench Rasmussen who doens’t add any value to the team at this point. He is good at taking bad penalties though. Gotta think Leonard or Daneilson will get a call up if there is another injured forward in Detroit. Watson didn’t get any ice time on the trip and was sent back down to GR.
Gibson was impressive. Nice to see him playing lights out. This has calmed my concerns for now. If he can play at this level consistently the Wings will have something they haven’t had in about many years… solid, strong goaltending. And what a difference it makes. The kids look great. You can see the energy and talent they bring to the ice. There’s no substitute for it. If there are any mmore injuries you gotta think Carter Mazur will get the first call-up if they need a forward from GR. Lombardi has been really good too. Griffins are 3-0 now… nice start to the season.
Seeing the other two fresh faces in Bernard-docker (another young player) and Appleton has made this team deeper, younger, and better defensively. The much improved team defense is what’s really making the difference maker. The PK has been really solid so far as well. Those deflating goals from year’s past have not been happening thus far.
We can all take a collective sigh of relief that Yzerman had enough common sense to keep all three of these kids in the lineup. He would have gotten the lynch mob otherwise. Nygaard in particular was a lock after training camp and the preseason games. ASP and Finnie also were simply too good to ignore and send back to GR. It really wasn’t that hard of a decision. The talent speaks for itself. This is a big moment for the rebuild which is now turning the corner. There’s no substitute for young legs. To quote Bob Hartley (former NHL coach of the Colorado Avalanche)… “Old players get older, young players get better”. It will be weird seeing Holl and Gustaufson in GR though.
Next players coming up to Detroit: Wallin, Danielson, Mazur, Cossa and hopefully Tuistomo. That’s at least four legit NHL prospects that can make the jump and make this team better (especially Wallin and Cossa).
