What's Next for the Red Wings?

asq2 wrote:I really don't think there's anything to say other than "stay the course."

Sign Pahlsson, or don't. They're fine either way.

According to you, and your above statement, there are no areas on the Red Wings that need improvement.

OK, let's compare.

2007-08:
Stanley Cup Champions
President's Trophy
Record: 54-21-7, 115 points
257 GF, 1st in the West, 3rd overall
184 GA, 1st overall
PP 20.8% 1st in the West, 3rd overall
PK 84.0 % 7th in the West, 8th overall
Finished last ten games 7-2-1

2008-09:
Stanley Cup--lost to Pittsburgh in Final
No President's Trophy--finished 3rd overall, 2nd in West
Record: 51-21-10, 112 points
295 GF, 1st in the West, 1st overall
244 GA, 10th in the West, 19th overall
PP 25.5% 1st in the West, 3rd overall
PK 78.3% 13th in the West, 25th overall
Finished last ten games 3-6-1

So...areas where Detroit declined:
Lost Stanley Cup Championship
Lost President's Trophy
Slipped in West standings from 1st to 2nd, overall 1st to 3rd
GA ballooned from 184 to 244, from 1st overall to 19th
PK declined almost 6%, slipped from 8th overall to 25th
Finished season losing 7 of last 10 games

Should the Wings 'stay the course'--as you suggest--that would mean they would decline further next year in the above areas.

As for your casual "fine either way" attitude...that is not how teams build champions.

Given Mr. Holland's proven insistence on excellence and consistent improvement, one doubts he feels the Wings are "fine either way".

I wonder if they'd be interested in a Jiri Hudler for Chris Kelly swap.

PKC wrote:I wonder if they'd be interested in a Jiri Hudler for Chris Kelly swap.

LOL. I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say "no."

davetherave wrote:

asq2 wrote:I really don't think there's anything to say other than "stay the course."

Sign Pahlsson, or don't. They're fine either way.

According to you, and your above statement, there are no areas on the Red Wings that need improvement.

OK, let's compare.

2007-08:
Stanley Cup Champions
President's Trophy
Record: 54-21-7, 115 points
257 GF, 1st in the West, 3rd overall
184 GA, 1st overall
PP 20.8% 1st in the West, 3rd overall
PK 84.0 % 7th in the West, 8th overall
Finished last ten games 7-2-1

2008-09:
Stanley Cup--lost to Pittsburgh in Final
No President's Trophy--finished 3rd overall, 2nd in West
Record: 51-21-10, 112 points
295 GF, 1st in the West, 1st overall
244 GA, 10th in the West, 19th overall
PP 25.5% 1st in the West, 3rd overall
PK 78.3% 13th in the West, 25th overall
Finished last ten games 3-6-1

So...areas where Detroit declined:
Lost Stanley Cup Championship
Lost President's Trophy
Slipped in West standings from 1st to 2nd, overall 1st to 3rd
GA ballooned from 184 to 244, from 1st overall to 19th
PK declined almost 6%, slipped from 8th overall to 25th
Finished season losing 7 of last 10 games

Should the Wings 'stay the course'--as you suggest--that would mean they would decline further next year in the above areas.

As for your casual "fine either way" attitude...that is not how teams build champions.

Given Mr. Holland's proven insistence on excellence and consistent improvement, one doubts he feels the Wings are "fine either way".

Interesting that you don't point out where they improved.

The areas in which they suffered (finishing with a catastrophic 3 fewer points) aren't attributable to the roster, coaching staff, scouting staff or any other part of the organization. It is a sad result of a number of shorter off-seasons.

You can look at the statistics and argue that they need to upgrade defensively, but once the playoffs got going they were fine in that department. My point is that they don't need to pursue anyone in the UFA scene. They've got young kids capable of filling holes at every area. However, signing Sami Pahlsson would not likely make a big enough impact on the cap for it to hurt. Thus, either way Holland is fine.

There is no cause for alarm in Red Wing land, despite your efforts. Surely even as a fan of another team in the division, you can acknowledge that the sky is not falling.

Ken Holland: Red Wings won't re-sign Chris Chelios
Ansar Khan, MLive.com/June 22, 2009

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland met with 47-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios this afternoon and, as expected, told him the club will not offer him a contract for next season, ending the future Hall of Famer's 10-year career in Detroit.

"He's been a tremendous Red Wing; we've done a lot of winning with him in a Red Wings uniform,'' Holland said. "He wants to play again. I really think he can help somebody, playing 10-15 minutes,playing in the 5-6 (defense spot), killing penalties, as a mentor and a role model to younger player. That was a part of his legacy in Detroit.''

Chelios has maintained all season that he plans on playing next season. He will try to sign with another team rather than retire.

Chelios played only 28 games this past season and appeared in just six playoff games.

Barring a trade, the Wings' eight defensemen for next season are Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Brad Stuart, Jonathan Ericsson, Andreas Lilja, Brett Lebda and Derek Meech.

No surprise. With the depth the Wings have... there's really no spot for him.

So does anyone else think that the selection committee even has a choice on whether or not to make this years inductees Yzerman, Robitaille, Hull, and Leetch?

shabbs wrote:No surprise. With the depth the Wings have... there's really no spot for him.

We could use him, now that Richardson's decided not to stay on as coach.

shabbs wrote:No surprise. With the depth the Wings have... there's really no spot for him.

Some might say there was no spot last season...the Wings gave up Kyle Quincey to keep Cheli an extra year.

Looking at Stuart and Rafalski wilting during the Finals, Detroit might have done well to bring more of their talented young d-men (like Ericsson--who was excellent--and Meech) up to the big club.

And when you consider how well Helm, Leino and Abdelkader played in the post season, one wonders why they were scratched for Draper and Maltby who weren't nearly as effective.

But one expects Ken Holland has a plan in mind for next year that includes the rotation of younger players into the lineup.

Ek (I know ) is posting that a Hossa deal is done and they're waiting to announce it.

Annnnnnnnd I hope this is true because Heatley's value just went through the roof with Hossa and apparently Gaborik off the table, haha.

Neely4Life wrote:Annnnnnnnd I hope this is true because Heatley's value just went through the roof with Hossa and apparently Gaborik off the table, haha.

Huh? Gaborik? I didn't see....did he resign with Minny?

Apparently bought a house in Vancouver.

Neely4Life wrote:Apparently bought a house in Vancouver.

Hmm...that is telling. It's one thing to buy a house somewhere tropical let's say. But to buy a house in a NHL market, where you're best buddy currently plays......

cas wrote:Ek (I know ) is posting that a Hossa deal is done and they're waiting to announce it.

After all the (well deserved) trashing of Eklund by GMHockey Members, has he suddenly been forgiven for his transgressions?

Maybe we should talk about 'a Hossa deal' if and when it gets done..? Unless this forum is turning into 'HBLite'.

davetherave wrote:

cas wrote:Ek (I know ) is posting that a Hossa deal is done and they're waiting to announce it.

After all the (well deserved) trashing of Eklund by GMHockey Members, has he suddenly been forgiven for his transgressions?

Maybe we should talk about 'a Hossa deal' if and when it gets done..? Unless this forum is turning into 'HBLite'.

"HBLite" Only in the sense that most (well several at least) of the posters here are recovered HB addicts.

Eklund is a gearbox. Any man who posts a thread touting Richard Park as a "good young player" cannot be taken seriously.

Zoolander wrote:

davetherave wrote:

cas wrote:Ek (I know ) is posting that a Hossa deal is done and they're waiting to announce it.

After all the (well deserved) trashing of Eklund by GMHockey Members, has he suddenly been forgiven for his transgressions?

Maybe we should talk about 'a Hossa deal' if and when it gets done..? Unless this forum is turning into 'HBLite'.

"HBLite" Only in the sense that most (well several at least) of the posters here are recovered HB addicts.

Eklund is a gearbox. Any man who posts a thread touting Richard Park as a "good young player" cannot be taken seriously.

He's had some pretty funny ones. :^^^^:

There's a thread over there devoted to it.

Zoolander wrote:"HBLite" Only in the sense that most (well several at least) of the posters here are recovered HB addicts.

I found out a while ago I have something like 16,000 posts over there. :****: :oops: