Man, this team is playing great hockey. Seems like not so long ago that Abdelkader was on the second line. They need 11 points in 8 games to reach the 100 point mark, which seems very doable with how they're playing lately. What do you attribute it to? Just health? Chemistry? Schedule?
I said all season long that once they got a chance to get healthy and get some games in together they would start rolling. Hopefully it continues (knock on wood).
Would not want to see this team in the playoffs at all if I'm a higher seed.
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From a GM, "Detroit is the best team we've played this year. It's not even close. Their puck control is incredible...You have to hope your goalie has a great night to give you a chance."
Health. Not just our guys being back but guys like Franzen and Filppula being back in game shape and being the the flow of the game. Stiff and rusty isn't all the way back.
1. Health.
2. Rest. Wouldn't be possible without all the injuries.
3. Player development (Howard, Filppula, Ericsson, Helm) EDIT:
4. Management, scouting (Bert, Eaves, Miller)
1. Health.
2. Rest. Wouldn't be possible without all the injuries.
3. Player development (Howard, Filppula, Ericsson, Helm)
4. Babcock won gold and is no longer preoccupied with the olympics. I said it before, and people may think it has no effect, but Babs was preoccupied the entire year with the pressure of making sure Canada won gold. It may have been a small effect, but in combination with everything else that happened, I think some of those blown lead games we had earlier in the year could have went differently if Babs wasn't preoccupied. Now when I see him behind the bench, he has that look of intensity again, and I love it!
I mentioned this in the GDT... but hasn't the PP looked way more dynamic? This may just be a result of having real PP personnel out there but there's been a lot more movement -- something a lot of us have wanted for a while.
4. Babcock won gold and is no longer preoccupied with the olympics. I said it before, and people may think it has no effect, but Babs was preoccupied the entire year with the pressure of making sure Canada won gold. It may have been a small effect, but in combination with everything else that happened, I think some of those blown lead games we had earlier in the year could have went differently if Babs wasn't preoccupied. Now when I see him behind the bench, he has that look of intensity again, and I love it!
GO WINGS GO!
Bab's was on Jim Rome [ radio] the day after he won gold. It reallt did sound like he was PUMPED to coach a " healthy" Red Wings team. I think the Olymipcs played part in it.
Add getting Mule back and everyone else has to help.Those guys that were out are now fresh and not all banged up.
Add to that the way Howard is playing has to give confidence to the entire club.
It's like the perfect storm.
Right now what team is in better shape going in the post season? Phx? Maybe, they are hot right now. Chi / SJ can't string more then 2-3 wins together. Colorado and LA seem to be slipping some.
Don't want to get to far ahead of myself but I can see this team moving to the 5th spot with the way they are playing VS the way everyone else is playing.
They finally got healthy. Everything was going to take care of itself after that happened. If we would have been reasonably healthy all year, then we would be right up there with SJ, Phoenix, and Chicago for the top seed in the Western Conference.
Pilppula has been amazing for us this year, he's taken huge strides. Ericsson.... not so much.
Howard is obviously the source of everything good in my life right now.
I think Filppula just needed some legit minutes with legit linemates. Putting him on the third line with a bunch of non-scorers with his passing instinct just isn't an effective use of him. Now, put him with Z? Bert? You got something GOIN.
4. Babcock won gold and is no longer preoccupied with the olympics. I said it before, and people may think it has no effect, but Babs was preoccupied the entire year with the pressure of making sure Canada won gold. It may have been a small effect, but in combination with everything else that happened, I think some of those blown lead games we had earlier in the year could have went differently if Babs wasn't preoccupied. Now when I see him behind the bench, he has that look of intensity again, and I love it!
There could be something to this but IMO I'm not really sure that's the case. I just think the lineup was so depleted it was a struggle to score two goals. There was only one game in all of December where the Wings scored 3 goals. Also the Wings were able to greatly improve their penalty kill as a direct result of Babcock coaching the Canadian team so it certainly has provided some benefit to the team.
Another factor should be management/scouting. I'd put that as my #4 reason. Getting Bert to sign a reasonable contract helped add another scoring line player. He ain't perfect but that's why the Wings were able to sign him for a decent contract hit - well that and because Bertuzzi played in Detroit a couple seasons back and liked it so he was willing to become a Red Wing. Getting Eaves and Drew Miller for cheap were just brilliant moves.
There isn't any one reason to why the Wings are playing this way.
1. Having a fully strong team would always be a plus. When you have the strongest half you team out for a long time, being in playoff contention is a brilliant accomplishment.
2. I think these lines have really gelled together. They have found the best possible lineup with the current roster. It doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement and we could use some replacements for next year.
3. Players like Howard, Eaves, Helm and Stuart stepping up and taking some of the burden from all the injuries really helped too.
4. I also think that the Olympics was a distraction for some of the players and with that out of the way, all the players are fully focused on the Red Wings.
Whatever it really is, I'm glad I can finally enjoy watching Red Wings hockey
Could it be that the injuries equal a blessing in disguise? I think so.
I would suggest that you'll feel differently once we start a playoff series in someone else's rink. It's nice to look at the bright side with some of our guys getting some rest, but a healthy squad in the regular season would have us competing for 1st, not 5th.
I'm almost put off by this recent surge. Of course we've been decimated by injuries this season and our recent play has to be a result of people getting healthy, but I can't help shake the feeling that we've just now turned it on when we realized missing the playoffs was looking likely. Hopefully that's not the case and it's just health that has changed us. Either way though, here's hoping it'll last for another month or so.
I would suggest that you'll feel differently once we start a playoff series in someone else's rink. It's nice to look at the bright side with some of our guys getting some rest, but a healthy squad in the regular season would have us competing for 1st, not 5th.
Yeah, obviously, but the Wings have never been this rested coming into
the most important season. I may be getting ahead of myself here but I think all of the injuries will help in the long run, even without home ice advantage. Such a frustrating season to watch is suddenly turning into one of the most exciting.
I'm almost put off by this recent surge. Of course we've been decimated by injuries this season and our recent play has to be a result of people getting healthy, but I can't help shake the feeling that we've just now turned it on when we realized missing the playoffs was looking likely. Hopefully that's not the case and it's just health that has changed us. Either way though, here's hoping it'll last for another month or so.
How can you "turn it on" when Abdelkader is your second line center?
Man, this team is playing great hockey. Seems like not so long ago that Abdelkader was on the second line. They need 11 points in 8 games to reach the 100 point mark, which seems very doable with how they're playing lately. What do you attribute it to? Just health? Chemistry? Schedule?
I think it's a bit of all three. Health is the biggest though. It's so nice to watch the Wings play to their potential.
Now... i'm going to bring you all down a bit. Whoever the Wings face in the first round, (assuming they make it) the Wings will not be the favorite and they will not have home ice. There is still much... adversity to overcome.
Health, which has led to a consistent lineup, which has led to chemistry. Not sure why myself or others expected this team to compete every night when no one had consistent linemates. Or teammates, for that matter.
