Oh What a Difference a Datsyuk Makes

Not that anybody noticed, but I sort of took a sabbatical over the last few weeks.  Why?  Because I'm working on a new and improved positive outlook for life, and frankly, the Wings had me dumpster-diving for expired Prozac pills ever since Pavel Datsyuk had his surgery. 

Wow!  What a tough tumble that was from the top of the Western Conference!  That home-winning streak seems so distant and inconsequential now, doesn't it?  That was fun for a bit, wasn't it?  Now it's just a reminder that a regular season achievement in the NHL is like buying a Ford Festiva--sure, it's a cheap thrill and and the spoiler is super sweet--but is it really something you're going to brag about all summer long?

Seriously, prior to the infectious rash of injuries (Howard, Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Ericsson, Kindl, Bertuzzi, Franzen, Helm, MacDonald...missing anyone?) the Wings perched atop the West peering down at a juicy home-ice matchup with an eighth seed.  That painful tailspin left them watching the Blues soar by, glancing over their shoulders at the Blackhawks, and engaged in a vicious cock-fight with the Predators.  It wasn't until Monday's 7-2 blowout against the Blue Jackets that I saw a glimmer of hope that they could hold onto the fourth seed and secure that sought after first round home ice advantage.

That glimmer was Pavel Datsyuk.  The Dangler looked as if he was back to mid-season form, worth all the MVP chatter of just a month or so ago.  Of all the injuries, even Howard and Lidstrom, it was the lack of Datsyuk that made this team look horribly average, and the slide in the standings shows that.

What made the slide more salty was the return of Cindy Crosby, not so much because I hate the guy, but because I hate the media black hole he creates when he's on the ice.  A few days ago I watched an ESPN top play of Cindy Crosby making a behind-the-back no-look pass to an open winger for a goal.  A great play, yes, but relatively routine for any star in the NHL.  The no-knowledge commentators playfully talked up the play:

ESPN Moron #1: "How many people can do that?"
ESPN Moron #2: "Just one."
ESPN Moron #1 and #2: "Crosby!"

Apologies for the anti-Crosby/ tangent, but for real, Pavel pulls those passes every game--did you see his assist on Gustav Nyquist's first career goal?--and now that the Princess's headaches are better it's back to the same-ol' Penguins-or-bust Sportscenter highlights.  AAHHHH digression!

Anyway, with Datsyuk back the team's confidence seems to have rebounded along with my confidence in them still being the best in the West.  However, that was the Bluejackets they played on Monday night.  Not exactly the best ruler to measure by.

Friday night against Nashville will be good cheese.  A preview to a potential first-round bout at Joe Louis Arena.  A sort of play-in game that could decide home-ice advantage.  Both teams will be looking to make a statement and gain some leverage.  Nashville improved via the trade deadline and by weasling Alexander Radulov out of Russia, but the Wings are getting healthy and finding their championship chemistry.

Expect to see a March playoff game on Friday!

Peace. AWP

Power Play Needs to be Kronwalled

Saw this, made me puke a little.  All that talent.

Red Wings Power Play

Even when the Wings were fully healthy, Detroit's power play was...well...a turd out there. 
Babcock knows this.  He's aware.  What's frustrating is nothing has changed for him all season long, even when his Wings were flying high with the home-winning streak.

They skate through their own zone and central ice with no sense of urgency.  Players stand on the blue line, waiting, looking at the puck as if there is no plan to enter the zone--as if the defense is going to open up and let Zetterberg skate right in.  Stood up and shut down.  It reminds me of watching the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals against New Jersey.  All that talent.  All that talent and no way to utilize it.  Hell, why not just fire the puck in from their own net and send four skaters in chasing after it?  Icing maybe, but at least they wouldn't turn it over between the blue lines!

Detroit lost to Philly on Tuesday 3-2.  They were 0-4 on the power play and gave up a short-handed goal.  Games should not be lost that way,   not in the midst of a close division and conference race.  The Blues are too good.  The Canucks are too good.  The Predators could be better than everybody. 

The Wings need to fire on all cylinders in order to keep pace for the top spot in the Central and the West.  Players will get healthy, the team will stabilize, but unless something changes with the special teams play, all that talent will merely glaze over any malfunctioning component...until the playoffs.

The power play needs a jump, a jolt, a Datsyuk, or perhaps a bone boiling blast from Kronwall.

Voracek got knocked back to the Czech Republic with that latest edition of Kronwalled!.  Good news with this hit: Kronner did not receive a suspension.  Bad news with this hit: the NHL has pooped in its own hat again.

Not from TSN

TSN's Bob McKenzie tweeted, to the dismay of Flyers fans, that the principal point of contact on the hit was to Voracek's stupid head, but it was a body-to-body check.  Huh?  I mean, that's true, but why state it like that?

Brendan Shannahan is doing the best he can to break down legal and illegal hits and deal out punishements when warranted, but the NHL is bungling the verbage of its own rules, and patience is thinning and tempers are flaring around the leage.  It was a clean hit.  The league deemed it a clean hit.  It's obvious that Kronwall didn't aim for Voracek's stupid head.  Voracek aimed his stupid head for Kronwall.

Any hockey player, and fan, knows: Hold your head up, boy! Hold your head up, boy! Hold your head up, boy! Hold your head high!



One of the Morons

 It concerns me that the league cannot come to a consensus on the rules--there is a lot at stake here.  The fans get in an uproar everytime a hit is declared dirty or clean.  Moronic anti-physicality morons feast on this controversy and use it in their war to "clean up the sport".  With concussions running rampant and NHL poster-dork Cindy Crosby continuously wearing wobble pants, the lines between fighting and hitting are succesfully being blurred by boobies who have no invested interest in the sport other than investing interest in themselves.

Clean hitting is part of hockey.  It's as much a fiber of the game as the ice that its played on, but if the NHL cannot draw a fine line with how they word its rules, the morons will win and the sport will pay the consequences.

Peace. AWP

So Long President's Trophy, Hello Stanley Cup?

Damnit.

With millions of dollars under the salary cap, Ken Holland had enough treading space to make a huge splash at the trade deadline.  What did the Wings get?  A 7th round draft pick.

Yaaaaay.

Was there a blockbuster deal out there?  No--Nash stayed in Columbus.  Did any players move that I really wished Detroit would have snagged?  Maybe--Nashville nabbed Paul Gaustad AND Andrei Kostitsyn.  Were there teams around us that made immediate improvements?  Yes--Vancouver and Nashville bought and sold farms.

I still like the Quincey trade, especially after his partner went limp in the wrist, but why move a veteran defenseman like Commodore after losing a veteran defenseman like Ericsson?

By trading Commodore to Tampa, Holland opened up a roster spot.  By making that move so early on Monday, it was reasonable to assume that a trade would be made to fill that spot.  But as the Canucks and Predators kept pilfering the Sabres, the Red Wings remained all quiet on the Western Conference front.

It's a good thing that Brendan Smith will get his chance, but this couldn't be worse timing.  That home-winning streak was fun--but back to reality--the Wings are watching teams pass them on all sides.  Vancouver is now poised to run for the Presidents Trophy, and the Blues and the Predators are riding momentum towards the top of the Central Division.

Detroit is now forced to fend off these teams with Smith and Kindl, Mursak and Emmerton.  I like these players (except Kindl), but I'm not excited about relying on them to secure home ice in the postseason.  I still think the Wings are better built for the playoffs this season than they were in the last two, but the road back to the Finals just got rockier now likely leads away from Joe Louis Arena.

With Pavel Datsyuk in the lineup, Detroit was the best in the West.  It has been frightening to watch the Wings sputter without him.  That has been sufficient evidence that Detroit needs another forward, either a scorer or a bruiser.  I wanted a scorer.  Babcock wanted a bruiser.  I wonder if he's as disappointed as I am.

Peace. AWP

Sneaky Stevie

If you missed my latest post, scroll down and read it. 

Basically, I like Kyle Quincey and I'm glad he's back with Detroit, the team that drafted and cradled and nurtured him before serving him up on a waiver platter.

I also loved that it was Tampa Bay Lightning general manager and Red Wings GOD Steve Yzerman that orchestrated the three-team deal, bringing Quincey in from Colorado, then trading him to Detroit.

Then I read this little nug.  Now I love the trade and Yzerman even more.  I wonder if Lightning fans look at this as Yzerman using their team as a puppet for the Wings.  I don't care...just wonder.

Man it still feels good to stick it to the Avs!  Thanks for another one, Stevie!

Peace. AWP

Welcome Back Kyle

I almost started crying at work when I read that Pavel Datsyuk is going to be out 2-3 weeks due to arthroscopic surgery on his knee.  Today's trade to bring defenseman Kyle Quincey back to Detroit helped me hold back the sniffles.



I really liked Quincey when he was bouncin' round the state between Grand Rapids and Detroit.  It was a difficult decision when in 2008 Ken Holland placed the young, promising defenseman on waivers, but Quincey now comes full circle back to the team that drafted him.  And who's to thank for that?  Steve Yzerman!  Thanks Stevie!

Quincey never really got his shot with the Wings, appearing in only 13 games over three seasons.  However after being claimed off waivers by the Kings, the now-veteran defenseman has carved out a nice career with some notable stats.  In Colorado this season he led all blue-liners with five goals and was tied for most points (23) amongst the defense. 

The Wings lead the league for goals by defensemen this season and Quincey adds another deadly stick to an already deadly blue line.  Check out these numbers with Quincey's season stats inserted:

Lidstrom--10 goals/31 points
White--6 goals/28 points
Kronwall--12 goals/24 points
Quincey--5 goals/23 points
Stuart--5 goals/14 points
Ericcson--1 goal/9 points
Kindl--1 goal/9 points

One area the Wings could use some help is on the power play.  Out of all the goals above, only three (Lidstrom 2, Stuart 1) have come on the power play, and three of Quincey's total this season have come with the man advantage.  That I like.

Here's what I love.  What I remember about Quincey is he has great skates for a big guy, 6'2"/207 lbs, and can help the power play and the penalty kill.  He led the Avs in total ice time (22:21) this season, which compares well with Kronner's (22:28).  He has 68 hits on the season; that would rank him third amongst Detroit's D.  He has 29 giveaways--on par with White's 28--and 22 takeaways--just behind Lidstrom's 23.

I've been sweating the impending trade deadline, watching pieces fall to different places.  I saw Hal Gill go to Nashville and Pavel Kubina go to Philly, and I thought, "Who could the Wings bring in for depth at defense?"  If I knew Quincey was available I would have put him near the top of my list.  He's resignable (restricted free agent), he's not a huge hit to the cap ($3.13M), he's young (26), and we raised him right here in Grand Rapids.

Welcome back Kyle!

Peace. AWP

The Best Thing About 21

I kinda remember when I turned 21 on a typical balls-cold night in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  At 11:55 PM on the eve of the anniversary of my birth the bartender at the Satisfied Frog asked me to leave the bar and return after midnight.  When I came back the table was full of shots...and that's about all I can recall.

mmmm...beeeer...

I have a similar fuzzy memory from Tuesday when the Wings broke the NHL record with their 21st consecutive home victory.  Instead of shooting tequila with my college buddies, I enjoyed a Lagunitas double IPA at Hopcat with my girlfriend for Valentine's Day.  Alas, I did not watch the game.  Oh! the sports sacrifices we make!  I did notice on the television behind the bar that Detroit had defeated Dallas 3-1 to set the record.  My girl was not impressed by the victory, or enthused with my diverted attention.  After all, it's just another game.  Just another win.  At least that's what I remember telling myself Tuesday.

Best thing about a home-winning
record?  Setting it at home!

I've had an opportunity to think about the record and I've read a few online articles and their corresponding comments from readers.  I've enjoyed the praise and I must say I do not give other teams' fans enough credit.  Shockingly enough there has been a good amount of congratulating the Red Wings from fans around the league.  There's still the haters that mentioned all the shootout victories, and a few Beanheads brought up how the Bruins actually won 22 straight sprawled over two seasons (the NHL does not recognize such records), but for the most part credit is being paid to a much-deserved milestone.  There was even praise from the losers on Tuesday.



The Wings Need an Ott

 I got a kick out of Stars forward Steve Ott's comments after the game.  "It's incredible, it truly is.  Twenty-one games in a row at home, let alone five in a row at home, is amazing. It's a tremendous accomplishment for their organization." 

An unexpected classy statement from an expectantly crassy guy.  Ott is one of the most annoying guys in the league and is always amongst the rafters in penalty minutes.  He's the type of dude that will do anything to spoil someone else's party.  He's the guy that pulls you out of bed and onto the floor and takes pictures of you on your 21st birthday.  A real jerk.

But the jerk is right.  21 consecutive victories is truly an astonishing achievement, accomplished by an incredible team.  It is a testament to the dedication of coach Babcock and all the players to reach a team goal of improving on last season's home record which bolstered just 21 wins total at Joe Louis Arena.  It is a sign that Lidstrom and the gang are on a mission to reclaim the Stanley Cup for the third time in eleven seasons, and fifth in 16. 

Ah yes, the Stanley Cup.  That's all that really matters, isn't it?  Cup or bust!  We all remember the record-setting 62-win season in 1995-96, just to get bounced by the Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals.  Remember that?  I just got pissed thinking about it.


Saluting the Crowd

Anyway, the underlying sweetness of this record in regards to the postseason is it has been necessary.  Take a look at the conference standings.  The Wings are just a handful of points ahead of Vancouver and divisional rival St. Louis, and they have played more games than either team.  The Central Division is terrifyingly good this season too--three of the top four teams come from the division.  If the playoffs started today, half the teams in the West would come from the Central.

With a Clark Kent record on the road, Detroit has had to be Superman at the Joe.  At this point in the season the home-winning record is not just a regular season novelty, it's a postseason necessity.

Peace. AWP

Broken Finger...Last Chance?

Pictured: Not Jimmy Howard

I saw today on www.freep.com that Jimmy Howard broke his finger during last night's thrilling shootout victory in Vancouver.  Damnit.  Looks like he'll miss at least the final two games of this road trip: Edmonton and Phoenix. 

The Coyotes are a physical team; that game will be decided in the corners and between the blue lines.  Edmonton on the other hand is a scary/streaky team.  Did you see what they and Sam Gagne did to the Suck-Hawks last night?  Not that I want to see Howard miss time, but this is the perfect and perhaps final opportunity for Ty Conklin to show his worth before he could be shown the door.

2008-09: When Conklin was Good

The trade deadline is February 27 and the Wings are in an unfamiliar position of having a lot of wiggle room beneath the salary cap.  My mouth is watering at some of the prospects out there.  However what I would hate to see is the Wings trade talent and/or prospects for a backup goalie, especially one that played so well in Detroit just three seasons ago.

Conklin was a more-than-adequate backup to Chris Osgood when the Wings made a run to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions during the 2008-09 season.  In fact, he was better.  Check out their stats:

Ozzy:    44 Starts, 26-9-8, 2 Shutouts, 3.09GAA, .887 Save%

Conks:  37 Starts, 25-11-2, 6 Shutouts, 2.51GAA, .909 Save%

Conklin wasn't good, he was great, though I bet Ken Holland would be happy with just a good version today.  His numbers this season are atrocious, creating the swirling rumors that Detroit might be shopping for another netminder.  In the eight games he has started his record is 3-5-0 with one shutout, a 3.20 goals against average, and a .886 save percentage.

Last Chance?

Bottom line, Jimmy is the Wings' MVP this season, and Conklin might be looking for a new job before the season is over.

I would love to see the Wings trade for a top-line defenseman.  I've read that Babcock would like a big-body forward.  That'd be cool too.  But what they might need is a backup goalie.  Hopefully Conklin can make the most of these two consecutive starts out West, save his job, and save Detroit's trade bait for somebody else.

Peace. AWP

Calgary's Classy Tribute to Brad McCrimmon

Babcock and McCrimmon

Brad McCrimmon made an indelible though scarcely recognized impact on the hockey world both as a player and as a coach, and he did both in Detroit.  He spent three seasons playing with the Wings in the early 90s, sharing defensive duties with the likes of Steve Chiasson, Mark Howe, and Paul Coffey.  He also had a hand in shaping a couple of rookies: Vladimir Konstantinov and Nicklas Lidstrom.  He assisted Mike Babcock for three seasons including the run to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 2009, falling short to Pittsburgh in seven games.

October 7, 2011

In May of 2011 McCrimmon bid farewell to his assistant coaching duties with Detroit to become the head coach of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League.  Nearly the entire team was tragically taken from this world after a plane crash in September.  The Wings paid an emotional tribute to their fallen friend at Joe Louis Arena in October with McCrimmon's wife Maureen, daughter Carlin, and son Liam.

Maureen and Carlin McCrimmon

Before Detroit's matchup in Calgary on Tuesday, the Flames organization put on its own tribute to its former captain and Stanley Cup champion.  As in Detroit, McCrimmon's wife and children walked out onto the ice, joined by his parents, siblings, and niece.  Current Calgary captain Jerome Iginla and a few other players skated to the family to deliver flowers, hugs, and heavy hearts.

Unaware of the planned events, I watched the full pregame coverage on Fox Sports Detroit on Tuesday night.  It was an extremely emotional scene that touched everyone in the Saddledome and anyone who watched at home.  I certainly choked up during the ceremony as I saw the family graciously stand before thousands and allow a  new wound to reopen on television.  The video bio that played on the Jumbo-Tron was also broadcasted on FSD.

One of the perks of my old career in radio was getting to know other, much-more known and respected members of the media.  One man with whom I had the great opportunity to speak with and am grateful to remain in contact with is FSD's John Keating.  I've been watching him on FSD and the old PASS Network for as long as I've been watching Detroit sports.  He is Detroit sports.  I sent John an email, thanking him and FSD for broadcasting the tribute in its entirety for us back in Michigan.  I also asked him if he would share a few thoughts about Brad McCrimmon:

JK: Great guy.  Very low key.  Quick sense of humor.  He was called "Beast" by everybody, and he and Mark Howe formed one of the most successful pairings ever.  It was very emotional last night in Calgary, I felt for the family to have it all brought back to them, but they seemed very touched, appreciative.

He also mentioned that he had sent a tip to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun about an interesting pregame story.  McCrimmon's son, Liam, was invited to skate around with the Red Wings, many of whom played with, were coached by, and were friends with his father.  It's a fantastic article that gives insight into the changes Liam, a teenager, has been forced to deal with over the last several months.

Keating also mentioned there would be another similar tribute when the Wings travel to Philadelphia on March 6.  McCrimmon played five seasons with the Flyers in the mid-1980s before moving on to Calgary, then Detroit.  The man touched many lives and definitely left an impression everywhere he went.

Thank you John.

Rest in Peace Brad.

Peace. AWP

Note to Bert: Light Up, or Leave Me Alone

I am, at best, a fair-weather Todd Bertuzzi fan.  When he's on fire I love the guy, but when he's struggling I want no part of him.  Maybe Steve Winwood and Traffic can help me put my emotions to words...

Hey Bert

Just when I was starting to get a read on this guy after posting two consistently inconsistent seasons with the Wings (a sporadic 45 points per season kinda guy), Ber-terd-zzi resurfaced in the first 14 games of this season with just one goal and three points.  Leave me alone. 

Then, inexplicably, Bert lights up for nine goals, 26 points, and a plus-19 rating in his following 29 games.  So now I like the guy.  I think.  For now at least.  With that hot streak he has the potential to skate to one of his best seasons ever...seriously.

With 10 goals and 25 points in 43 games Bert is having what looks like a rather modest statistical season that is on par for his short tenure in Detroit.  Check out his stats over his three seasons with the Wings:

Season       Games     Goals     Points     Rating

2009-10      82            18           44            -7 

2010-11      81            16           45            -7

2011-12      43            10           25           +22

The goal and point totals for this season look consistent, but take a look at that +22 plus/minus rating.  In 17 previous NHL seasons, Bertuzzi has only posted a positive rating in five, and his high watermark is +21.  This season's rating looks like a statistical anomaly, a grotesque aberration, a sixth toe on your ass if you will.  Take a look at his three best seasons, all with the 'Couver 'Nucks:

Season       Games     Goals     Points     Rating

2001-02     72             36           85            +21

2002-03     82             46           97            +2

2003-04     69             17           60            +21

From a pure point-production point of view, Bert's not even even close to his heyday and never will be again, but damn, that rating is really good.  Nicklas Lidstrom good.  In fact he is tied with Lids for third on the team and tenth overall in the league.  Even as a forward, if your +/- numbers are comparable with Lidstrom, than you are having a damn good season.

For the sake of argument let's say Bert continues at his prior pace and plays in, oh I don't know, 30 of the remaining 32 games on the schedule. His projected numbers for the full season might look something like this:

Season       Games     Goals     Points      Rating
2011-12     73             17           44            +37

Again, the goals and points would be about average for what he has previously done in Detroit, but a season +/- rating anywhere in the 30s would be astounding for Bert.  Berrrrrrt.  You're being very un-Bert.

Unlikely Linemates

Now, one must take into account the season the Wings are having and the resulting effect on Bert's numbers.  The Wings are good.  Duh.  They boast the best record in the NHL and rank second to the Bruins (+69) with a goal differential of +43.  Certainly that has something to do with it.

Plus he's been on the top scoring line with Dangle Dangle and the Mule, both of which have been on fire all season long.  But that should not be a knock on Bert.  He had to earn that spot and play to keep it. 

Credit must be given to where credit is due.  Bertuzzi has had a fantastic season thus far, one that could rank amongst his personal best.  He will certainly hit the 300 goal mark (currently sitting at 299), and I would not be surprised to see him reach the 50 point plateau this season and shatter his career-best plus/minus rating.  Certainly a season to remember for a man who has several to forget.

But then again, he is Bertuzzi.  I'm not placing any bets.  His hot and cold streaks are irritatingly inexplicable. 

Sometimes I feel like he's fading away.

When he can't score a goal, I've got nothing to say.

He makes me so angry with the game that he plays.

Either light up or leave me alone.

Peace. AWP

The Perfect Routine

In case you missed the Ver...errr...sus...NBC Sports program 36 featuring Nicklas Lidstrom, you can read this dude's awesome article that basically scripts the entire thing without a single bit of the writer's own thought or opinion.  C'mon mlive, you can do better than this.  I hate to hate, but seriously, who wants to read all the quotes from a television program?  Would you rather read Pulp Fiction's screenplay or watch the movie?  Would you want to read a full transcript of Mickey and Ken calling a game or listen to them while watching the Wings?  Apologies, I did not mean to digress in the opening paragraph.

So, Lidstrom, 36.  Cameras follow el Captain (that's Spanish for 'The Captain") throughout his boring-ass game-day routine as he prepares for back-to-back games against Buffalo at the Joe and the Stars in Dallas.  Remember those games?  The Wings ruined Ryan Miller's Michigan homecoming by running him off the ice in a 5-0 rout and a franchise record setting 15th consecutive home victory.  The following night was a grinder that resulted in a shootout win featuring Jiri Hudler's best Henrik Zetterberg impression.  Two good games to follow Lids, eh?

If the program were about a guy that did not wear the Winged Wheel I probably would have flipped over to a rerun of It's Always Sunny.  Seriously though, as odd as this might sound, watching Lidstrom's daily ritual is kind of like watching him on the ice.  It's a ho-hum affair of business as usual.  His ordinary life is anything but extraordinary, but it's really amazing how he carries that brand of focused, nonchalant attitude in every aspect of his life, be it dropping his kid off at school or shutting down another team's top line.  You'd be as surprised to see him make a mistake in his own zone as you would if he forgot to pick up his son at hockey practice.

But it's the routine that makes Lids so special.  That boring day in, day out, same ol' same ol' that helped make him the best ever.  It's also what still keeps him ranked amongst the best at age 41.  His consistency and ritual make him a model to his teammates.  You have to wonder if Thomas Holmstrom would really eat lunch at the same table at the same restaurant every game day if it weren't for Lidstrom sitting across from him.  You gotta wonder if Holmer would pick up anybody else in his Ford F-150 before every game if it weren't part of his Captain's schedule.  Lidstrom's routine affects others.

And finally, one must wonder if the routine is a big reason why he keeps returning season after season.  For a lot of people, quitting something is followed by a grave stone.  Just ask the administration at Penn State.  Damn, that just turned dark...RIP Joe Pa.

Anyway, what I took away from this installment of 36 is that Nicklas Lidstrom is addicted to this routine, this lifestyle.  Let's just hope he continues to struggle with booting his affliction.

Peace. AWP

Calling All Skeptics...Ignore Road Record

Ouch. I was ready to write my first legitimate post for this season after a strong Original 6 road victory in Montreal. Damnit. Maybe I should go back into hiding…

Anyway, I had an idea for something to write about and I’m not going to let an embarrassing 7-2 loss on national television with no other NHL games scheduled for last night ruin an otherwise well thought-out and perfectly perfect article.

 

Where the Magic Happens



The Wings have played to quite an amazing first half of the season. The positive and exciting story lines abound with Detroit’s home record shining brightest. In particular the franchise-setting 17-game winning streak at the Joe has garnered the most buzz. Yet with all the illumination showering down on the Joe, skeptical eyes inevitably peek at the losing record on the road. Networks and publications, both national and Michigan-based, seem to support this skepticism.

Wings fans are notorious for wanting their team to be perfect. They also want their Little Caesars pizza to be hot, ready, and actually taste like pizza. My official response to those of you with worries over the road record: relax, remember your pills, sip some Scotch, and let me refill your glass with some confidence looking forward to the second half.

Detroit is 13-14-0 away from Detroit. Sure, that looks bad. It looks even worse when lined up next to the ridiculous 20-2-1 record at home. However, they still have the third most wins and fifth best road record in the Western Conference. In fact, Detroit is eleventh in the league in road winning percentage and only the Philly Flyers, NY Rangers, Vancouver Rioters, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators and Jersey Devils have more road wins than the Wings.

Dr. Munchum and Mr. Pennridge

Now check out the other teams in the Central Division that Detroit will competing most fiercely with from this point on. Chicago is 10-9-2. St. Louis is 8-10-3. Whoooaaaa…what great road teams…

Wanna know what I think? Of course you do cutie, you wouldn’t have gotten this far without yearning for my opinion. Mike Babcock obviously lit a fire under his team’s ass to protect their home ice this season after going just 21-14-6 at the Joe last season. The Wings were considerably better away from home with 26 road victories a season ago. A proverbial Jekyll and Hyde act from last season to this.

“Yeah, but…” If you’re still concerned about the road record, here are a few reasons that should make you stop your whining. The Wings open up the second half of the season on the road at Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Phoenix. Say they go 2-2 and earn four points, that’s about what should be expected on a West Coast run. Detroit then gets to feast on six-straight at home with 11 of the next 14 games at the Joe. After another four-game road trip, the Wings finish off the season with seven of ten games at home.

Fear the 'Puss

At the halfway point the Wings are first in their division. They are first in their conference. They are first in their league. Datsyuk is healthy. Franzen is healthy. Zetterberg is struggling but healthy. Bertuzzi is tearing it up…and healthy. Filppula and Hudler are having career years, both are healthy. Lidstrom is still awesome, and healthy. Ian White (Rafalski who?) is healthy. Kronwall has played in EVERY GAME THIS YEAR and has 11 goals and is healthy. The grinders are producing and are healthy (except for Patrick Eaves). Emmerton, Mursak, Conner, Kindl (ugh), and Commodore are all rotating and contributing and healthy. And Jimmy Howard. I friggin’ love Jimmy Howard. This guy has completely stolen my heart. I love that he’s not the starting goalie in the All Star Game. More motivation. I love that Lidstrom isn’t an All Star. More rest. I love that Zetterberg is struggling now. More time.

Long story, short summation, I’m more confident in this squad than I have been since 2009, regardless of a slight losing road record.


Peace. AWP

First Post Since 2010...What Do You Want From Me?

Hi kids. 

I'm sorry I left you for so long.  I had a prior engagement with a morning radio show that put me in bed by 8PM for over a year.  Not a conducive schedule for watching Red Wings hockey.  Unlike other so-called would-be writers out there, I base all of my opinions on hard stats, cold facts, and what I see with my self-trained eyes. 

Ahhhhh so I'm back, and I've been watching, and what a Helluva half a season we've witnessed!  We all figured the Wings would be better than last season, but it was virtually unpredicatable as to how good they have been under all the swirling circumstances.  You know, like, when did the Blues get good?



mmmmm...I look good...

 Who could have possibly guessed that Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, and Nashville would not only be in the playoff hunt at the halfway point, but all be within three to five points of each other (depending on how the Wings fair in Montreal tonight)? 

How about that home-winning streak?  That's been cool.  And those recent shootout victories?  Neat-O!  Super Duper!  Right-on gang!

Anywho, expect to hear back from me periodically throughout the remainder of the season and playoffs.  I hope to unveil a few surprises for you, and there are big plans for the future.  Thanks for reading, please leave comments below, and help me rejoice in the stupendous splendor of being a Detroit Red Wings fan!

Peace. AWP