Red Wings

[Malto Marko]

Wings are on the hook for Ericcsons contract to the tune of $4.25 Million through 2019.

[jaadam4]

I have no idea what Holland was thinking when he handed that one and Howards out.

Those both are just brutal contracts

[WingsFan]

This isn't as frustrated as see teams I thought were Cup contenders lose. Just get in and anything can happen, but not these bums sorry to say. What a joke, I have to agree with chemi on most everything now. Reality has set in, I really wish some heads would roll, but not going to happen.

[jaadam4]

That's true as well. When we were a president cup winner but losing in the first round to an 8th seed was excruciating

[Malto Marko]

It all comes down to physical play.

Wings have always been a small, speedy finesse type of team.

The teams having success now are bigger, stronger and can skate as well as handle the puck.

Size does matter.

[DanO]

Let's not forget Zetterburg and Pavel are getting up there in age and just don't seem to be the same players they use to be.

"Can Mrazek please start the next game."
-------------------------------------Me too. Would like to see him get some playoff experience.

[WingsFan]

Mrazek played well in the playoffs last year vs Tampa, just like last year won't make any difference.

[maxw3ll]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg have definitly lost a step. Their top line does not threaten Tampa's top line.

I like that Abdelkader likes to hit. However, he takes penalties at all the wrong times. It fucks the wings at times.

Kronwall no longer hits, and seems slower physically and with his decision making.

Not sure where Tatar or Nyquist disappeared to.

Howard has been mediocre. He did not lose either of the games for Detroit.

Mrazek might provide a boost with his ability to play the puck, but has been consistently bad over his last starts. Too aggressive, guessing.

[froot loops]

Yeah the problem is they are relying on Datsyuk and Zetterburg at an age when guys like Larionov and Yzerman were counted on to chip in on the third line.

[DanO]

Yeah the problem is they are relying on Datsyuk and Zetterburg at an age when guys like Larionov and Yzerman were counted on to chip in on the third line.

Yep!

[chemiclord]

Yeah the problem is they are relying on Datsyuk and Zetterburg at an age when guys like Larionov and Yzerman were counted on to chip in on the third line.

Part of the problem is that I guess other teams have planes now and are scouting those places like Sweden and Finland where the Wings were able to get huge steals in the later rounds because no one else knew about them.

The other problem is that Ken Holland is scared. I'm sorry, Froot, but he is. He is an absolute COWARD right now. He is TERRIFIED of taking ANY risk, whether it's drafting a player that might consider the KHL, or not wanting to part with any of the redundancies languishing in Grand Rapids for... reasons...

If he wants a champion team again, he needs to be willing to take risks again. I mean, this is a franchise that thumbed their noses at the goddamn SOVIET UNION, and now they're scared of the KHL to the point that they won't even consider any Russian prospects?

If he won't get off his fucking hands, I think it's time to roll his entire chair out of the building.

[froot loops]

They need a new direction I agree. But I'm not going to parrot Jeff Moss.

[chemiclord]

They need a new direction I agree. But I'm not going to parrot Jeff Moss.

If Moss's position is Holland needs to wake up or get fired, I'm not sure how you can agree and not be parroting his position.

(I'll be honest, I have no idea what Jeff Moss's exact proposal is. I'm sure it's about 3,000 words long though.)

[chemiclord]

Seriously though, if the problem isn't Ken Holland, then what is it?

Everyone who thought Babcock was holding this team back got what they wanted. And now Blashill has taken this team and... well... done pretty much the exact same thing with it.

So there are two options here:

1) That both Babcock and Blashill have the same fundamental problems as coaches and manifesting in pretty much exactly the same way...

or

2) That the talent level of the team is pretty much tapped out, and NO coach is going to get much more out of them.

I dunno, it seems like (2) is the more logical option here. Ken Holland needs to improve the talent level of this team, and that requires him to do more than sit on his hands, putting out stop orders on any prospect east of Czechia, and being willing to part with some of these prospects he's stockpiling in Grand Rapids.

If he refuses to do those things (and by all accounts, he continues to refuse)... what SHOULD the Wings do? I get that you want to respect the man who spearheaded this 25-year-run. But his reluctance to do ANYTHING is hurting this team. When do you say enough is enough?

[jaadam4]

The teams having success now are bigger, stronger and can skate as well as handle the puck.

Size does matter.

The top TB forward is the smallest guy on the ice and would disagree with you