March 16th, 2010 at 12:12 AM ^
If they can get everyone back and stay healthy, they're a sleeping giant.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:12 AM ^
It's March. How teams are playing now is little related to how they'll play in the playoffs.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:17 AM ^
Are you mixing up hockey with baseball? Because mid-late march is the stretch run for playoff positioning and getting a solid idea of what your lines will look like. Kind of like September for baseball. It is very important.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^
That's like saying the last 2 weeks of the basketball season are not indicative of how teams will play in the NCAA tourney. You're not going to get a much more representative sample. The playoffs start in 4 weeks. How they play now is a lot better indicator than how they played in December.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:25 AM ^
take a look at how pittsburgh did last year in march and i think you'll change your tune a little bit
March 16th, 2010 at 12:40 AM ^
Or hey, how about how the Canucks did, when they went 11-3-1 in March last year. Or when the Blues went 4-1-1 last year in April. That really should have been a good indicator right? The Red Wings had a great run through March and April back in '06.
Trying to predict what happens in the playoffs 4 weeks before is not easy. I know everyone wants the regular season to =/= playoffs for the Red Wings, but noting that March also does not equal guaranteed playoffs success is pretty important too.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:52 AM ^
wasn't saying march = guaranteed playoff success. WAS saying that it's important. and i AM saying that you're off when you said it has little to do w/ how a team does in the playoffs. I believe you're wrong, and that it has a lot more than a little to do w/ playoff performance. especially for a team thats struggled throughout the year, and double especially for a team thats kinda-sorta getting healthy for the 1st time in a long while. Playing well just before the playoffs for the redwings is only a good sign for the playoffs.
That's fine if you want to be optimistic, but I'd caution against it. I'll agree that it can only be considered a good sign. Yes, teams that play well before the playoffs should be considered at an advantage over teams that do not. But for success purposes (isn't that all that really matters?), I don't think you can say it does. Then again, if we're only talking about making it to the second round, then yes, feel free to be optimistic.
Soul dong punches hurt a lot worse when expectations are high. Keeping them low just tends to work out a lot better.
Geez Debbie Downer, are we allowed to get excited about anything? I don't think anyone is saying the Wings are now a lock to go far in the playoffs.
You don't have to be overly negative just to keep your expectations low. The Wings are capable of putting together a run but if they don't that's ok too. They've had a helluva 18 year ride. I for one am excited to watch how this plays out.
about whether or not it truly indicated playoff SUCCESS. It's a better indicator of playoff potential. They may end up facing the sharks or blackhawks, and they are and have been very good teams this year.
To say the Wings are going to beat one of them just because they do well just before the playoffs isn't necessarily right.
But it's an indication they may be a hell of a lot tougher than their record indicates.
I + you for your insight, but I think people - you for your initial wording.
People are negging him because he's missing the point.
No one is predicting that Detroit is going to waltz into the Stanley Cup finals because they are playing well in March.
What people are saying is that if Detroit makes the playoffs, they will be a dangerous lower seed. Don't read more into that statement than what is written.
You said it better than I did.
And the final part of your statement is even truer. Had I said, how a team plays 4 weeks before a playoff game is even played has nothing to do with how a team will play in the playoffs, and the Penguins will totally lose while Crosby does nothing, we would have seen a much different outcome. Not towing the party line on this here board gets you negged quicker than year ago bouje.
March 16th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
You are totally discounting the fact that Detroit is finally healthy and that they are more likely than another team to hit their stride coming into the playoffs. Agreed about tempering expectations but the Wings can do whatever they want IMO they have already spoiled me enough. I can live without them doing well for one year if need be.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:22 AM ^
I am glad they won but they still have a lot of work to do in the defensive zone. Even with full possession of the puck, they struggle executing a breakout play.
If they can fix the turnovers in their own zone they could go far in the playoffs.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:25 AM ^
Wings almost didn't keep the puck in the zone, but Franzen got it, spun around at the point, surprisingly had room for a slapshot (I can't believe no one got on him), which Homer deflected in.
Key save by Howard on that penalty shot.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:26 AM ^
That save was huge as well as the 4 minute PK when Raf got the double minor. Whew, I'm glad they pulled that game out.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:27 AM ^
It was a very strange play, it was as if everyone stopped once the defensemen dropped out of the zone.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:30 AM ^
This eliminates the stench from the home loss to Calgary last week. Also, Iginla didn't score tonight so I am vindicated.
How many should they win to secure a playoff spot? I hope they play the Sharks first round; Detroit is 3-0-1 against San Jose without Lilja and Franzen.
It feels a little better now knowing that we are 3 points ahead of the Flames with that win which now puts us up to 80 and them at 77. Were still holding on to the 8th place but we need to keep raking in the wins every game to provide more distance between us and Calgary. I do not trust the Flames to lack as the season comes to a close. We just need to keep bringing in the points and then we'll be in a safe playoff position. This battle is far from over for 8th. I'm hoping to leap frog Nashville for 7th. Two canadian road games coming up then the big kahuna against the hated Penguins on the following Monday. All 3 have major points on the line this week going into next. 13 games left people and that is a lot to play for!
is the sole bright spot in a bleak Michigan sports universe. Wings will have to play well down the stretch to hold this lead, and I think that they will.
A few weeks ago I spoke of a designer's competition where the artists were asked to redesign the identity of the Original Six teams, as if their current branding never even existed. Of course it would never happen, but it was an interesting challenge as a graphic designer, and of course the Red Wings are the current team up for consideration. If anyone cares, you can see my submission and others at this site. Voting will probably start today or tomorrow.
Cool stuff, some I liked better than others. The purple gang reference was kind of cool, from a historic point of view. I liked the pegasus ones as well. Thanks for sharing.