OT: Red Wings win Central Division

Submitted by BlueDragon on

Earlier tonight, the Detroit Red Wings clinched the Central Division title by defeating Minnesota Wild 4-2.  This year is the 20th consecutive year the Red Wings have gone to the playoffs.  Today is also the 9th time in the last 10 seasons that the Wings have won the Central Division.

Statistical Breakdown:  http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=310403005

Hannibal.

April 4th, 2011 at 9:38 AM ^

Winning a division is nice, but the Red Wings won't make it out of the first round.  San Jose, Vancouver, Chicago, Anaheim, and L.A. all look like better teams right now.  You have to dominate teams to win with a goaltender as bad as Howard, and the Wings haven't done that.  They are getting outplayed more often than not and giving up huge shot totals.  Zetterberg is having, by far, his worst year since the lockout.  I never thought I would see him below zero on plus/minus, but he is. 

rosedani

April 4th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^

datsyuk has been in and out of the line up all season long and that has really contributed to the wings inconsistent play. He is 3 or 4 time selky winner and at the beginning of the year he was looking like a Hart finalist. The wings are a different team with him on the ice and when he gets back for the playoffs there is no way the blackhawks, ducks, or kings will be able to compete with the wings depth. All four lines can score with the emergence of Darren Helm and Patrick Eaves.

The canucks have been really solid but the wings have dominanted the season series. The sharks are very hot but if you think Howard is bad then Niemi is the worst. I see San Jose getting bounced in the first round.

CompleteLunacy

April 4th, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^

Yeah, they look like better teams RIGHT NOW, but that's because all the teams yo mention have been fighting for their playoff lives the past two months. The Wings did that last year, and they still barely managed to get out of round 1 before losing in 5 to SJ. IN other words, extrapolating success at the end of the season to playoffs doesn't work, because the playoffs are a whole new animal. It's a lot better for ease of mind to see the Wings play better going into the playoffs, and I think the last 2 games have been an honest effort to turn the switch back on.

Howard a bad goalie? What are you smoking? Did you see the saves he made aainst Nashville in the third period!

Zetterburg having an off year? He's been struggling lately only because he was the whole team for awhile while everyone was injured, and please tell me how having 24G, 56A, and 80P, good enough for 11th in the league in terms of points, qualifies as an "off year".

Plus Minus is a stupid stat. It is hockey's equivalent to TOP in football, and it really only means something significant if a player is very strongly positive or negative. Lidstrom is a minus right now, but I dare you to say that means he's been borderline bad this year. I dare you.

mtlcarcajou

April 4th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^

Wings can take Canucks. Luongo will choke again, par for the course. The dropoff in pure hockey talent from their first to second line is steep. Also don't think their d can handle the bigger RW forwards.

Though that Sedin line is lethal, Zetterberg and Datsyuk (if healthy) are a dream defensive choice to play against them.

Here's hoping that Det meets the Habs in the final! Alright, whatever, I can dream...