It is the year 2160. A group of tourists are visiting the Museum of Sports History. A tour guide leads them to an exhibit labeled, "NHL Referee: early 21st century".
GUIDE: And here we have a former NHL official. As labeled, we are fairly sure that he refereed sometime in the early 21st century, around the time which critics now describe as "The end of fair play". This was right before the NHL decided to officially revolutionize the referee's job, beginning to make it the way that it is today. Any questions?
TOURIST: How did the position work before the NHL changed it?
GUIDE: As many of you probably already know, there used to be a time when everything was not predetermined. Back then, teams relied on things such as coaching, management, momentum, and luck. Everything was totally unpredictable.
TOURIST: Sounds chaotic. Why did they let it happen that way?
GUIDE: Back then a lot of people held different beliefs than they do today. Most fans felt that the NHL and its officials should get out of the way and let the players and coaches battle it out. Their idea was that if the games were not interfered with, the best team would win. That's why, if any of you have watched old film from those days, you will often hear fans booing referees' calls. Announcers often used to protest by saying things such as "Let the boys play."
TOURIST: When and how did they finally decide to change things?
GUIDE: Well, historical evidence gives us reason to believe that the officials began rigging games in secret a little while before the NHL decided to officially change their job description. Then came 2010, which many describe as "The beginning of the end". A look at a Western Conference Semifinal game between the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks, which is now one of the most famous of all time, provides almost indisputable evidence. Though neither the NHL nor the officials ever confessed to it, we can be almost certain that the refs were under direct orders from Mr. Gary Bettman, the commissioner at that time, to make sure the Red Wings were quickly eliminated. They did a good job, too.
TOURIST: That was part of the Red Wing Conspiracy, right?
GUIDE: You know your history. In 2008, the NHL was frustrated and furious to watch their "promo boy" (a common nickname critics of the referee evolution used for Sidney Crosby) be defeated by a European-dominated team that somehow made its way into the playoffs just about every year. They thought a lowered salary cap could end the reign by limiting the talent that they could acquire. When that didn't work, they sought help from the men in stripes.
TOURIST: Sorry if this is a little off-topic, but what's a salary cap?
GUIDE: Salary caps, as I mentioned earlier, were the NHL's way of limiting the talent that each team could acquire. Back then, players went to different teams asking for money. The general managers, or GMs as they were often called, were in charge of figuring out contracts and trying to get the best players available. Often the highest bidder got the player. The cap limited each team's spending money. The NHL hoped that that would prevent teams like the Red Wings from stocking up, but it didn't work. Today, of course, the players and teams no longer have to worry about such nonsense, as the NHL now assigns each player to a certain team based on what they feel would create the best balance. They also pick their payroll for them. In doing so they have also eliminated the need for agents and general managers, which means more money can be spent on the players and stadiums.
TOURIST: Going back to Sidney Crosby, how did he manage to get around back when the NHL wasn't there to give him the tools to be the greatest player in the world?
GUIDE: To be honest, most would agree that he struggled. Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin often challenged the notion that there were none greater than Crosby, not only by consistently outscoring him, but also by adopting a completely different, and much more reckless style. He laid punishing hits on those who dared touch the puck. He even did that to Crosby. This set of actions ultimately led to the NHL's decision to ban Ovechkin for life in 2012. Though many were glad to see the back of him, the move also outraged many. The NHL, of course, used their favorite way of dealing with things at the time, which is today described as the "Policy of Ignorance". Instead of worrying about the Ovechkin outrage, they concentrated on Crosby. Just a few years later, the commissioner passed the Crosby Protection Plan, the first ever plan that called for officials to begin favoring certain players. That was truly the beginning of the referee evolution. And look how far we've gotten! How the games work out is now determined by the NHL and its refs. Thus we can assure for the most entertaining games possible!
TOURIST: I suppose we have them to thank. By the way, if fans and experts from the early 21st century were here to see this, what would they say?
GUIDE: Well, believe it or not, there would probably be plenty of critics who would strongly object to this. The NHL's decision to begin controlling outcomes angered many people. The Red Wings decided to drop out of the league in 2015, after player assignment began. Between the Red Wing Conspiracy and Oveckin's ban, chaos erupted. For a while it looked the NHL might close its doors and never reopen, but enough fans who hated the Red Wings and Ovechkin remained, and the league was able to build off of Crosby hype and rebuild itself. Still, there are plenty of fans who would say that they miss the "Fair Play Era" and wish the NHL would allow the players to "determine the games themselves".
Any more questions? .....No? OK let's move on then. Coming up next we will see an MLB player, BEFORE steroid use was made legal.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Nothing to lose
3-0.
Is it really happening? Can it really be happening?
3-0.
It seems like a strange dream. A nightmare, to be exact.
3-0
Fans can't believe it. What in the name of Gary Bettman happened?
3-0. That's the status of the Detroit Red Wings's series against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have won all three games, each by a score of 4-3. Strange, huh? Not only is it weird to be defeated by the same score three times in a row, but it's even stranger to see the Red Wings, the winningest NHL team of the 21st century, down 3-0 in a series.
It's time. The Red Wings started in a deep hole, and they keep getting handed shovels. Some are from the men in stripes. Some are from the Sharks. The rest are from themselves. If things don't change soon, we'll find ourselves waiting till next season for the Wings to return to the Cup. Momentum must shift.
Now, before I go any further, let me tell you something: I love Jimmy Howard. He is one of the best goalies that Detroit has ever had. He is a Calder Trophy nominee, and, in my opinion, the best of the three. He has played phenomenally all year.
Now, with that said, I believe that it is time to pull the rookie out and go with experience. It's time for Chris Osgood to step out of the mentor role and back between the pipes. I'm not blaming the losses on Howard. He played decent in Game 1 and pretty good in Game 2. He wasn't all that bad in Game 3 either.
But this isn't about good or bad, or even about blame. It's about turning around a team that is trailing 3-0 in a series. That type of comeback is exceptionally tough. How do you pull it off? There's only one way: change dramatically. Switching goalies ought to do the trick. Pulling Howard for Osgood would be a game-changer. Even if Osgood does not play as well as Howard, the simple act of change could shift the momentum right back in Detroit's favor.
It might work out; it might blow up in Mike Babcock's face. If it works out, the Wings will be headed back on their way to the Conference Finals, and, hopefully, the Stanley Cup. If it blows up in Babcock's face, who cares? The Wings would likely have been on their way to failure soon anyway.
Putting in Osgood would be far from waving the white flag of surrender. Let's not forget experience. Ozzie won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings. He put on a performance that likely would have earned him a Conn Smythe Trophy had the Red Wings not fallen to Pittsburgh in the Final. He has shown, time and time again, that he knows how to play when he needs to.
Ozzie may not be the better of the two goalies, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is the momentum. Right now it's certainly not on Detroit's side. They're tired. They're frustrated. They're losing hope.
3-0.
How do you get a team that feels that way back on track? Coach Mike Babcock needs to put in Osgood not because he's necessarily the better goalie, but because it is his only chance of getting his team to play the way that they need to.
Hopefully I'll turn on Thursday's game and hear a familiar old chant.
OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE!
Is it really happening? Can it really be happening?
3-0.
It seems like a strange dream. A nightmare, to be exact.
3-0
Fans can't believe it. What in the name of Gary Bettman happened?
3-0. That's the status of the Detroit Red Wings's series against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have won all three games, each by a score of 4-3. Strange, huh? Not only is it weird to be defeated by the same score three times in a row, but it's even stranger to see the Red Wings, the winningest NHL team of the 21st century, down 3-0 in a series.
It's time. The Red Wings started in a deep hole, and they keep getting handed shovels. Some are from the men in stripes. Some are from the Sharks. The rest are from themselves. If things don't change soon, we'll find ourselves waiting till next season for the Wings to return to the Cup. Momentum must shift.
Now, before I go any further, let me tell you something: I love Jimmy Howard. He is one of the best goalies that Detroit has ever had. He is a Calder Trophy nominee, and, in my opinion, the best of the three. He has played phenomenally all year.
Now, with that said, I believe that it is time to pull the rookie out and go with experience. It's time for Chris Osgood to step out of the mentor role and back between the pipes. I'm not blaming the losses on Howard. He played decent in Game 1 and pretty good in Game 2. He wasn't all that bad in Game 3 either.
But this isn't about good or bad, or even about blame. It's about turning around a team that is trailing 3-0 in a series. That type of comeback is exceptionally tough. How do you pull it off? There's only one way: change dramatically. Switching goalies ought to do the trick. Pulling Howard for Osgood would be a game-changer. Even if Osgood does not play as well as Howard, the simple act of change could shift the momentum right back in Detroit's favor.
It might work out; it might blow up in Mike Babcock's face. If it works out, the Wings will be headed back on their way to the Conference Finals, and, hopefully, the Stanley Cup. If it blows up in Babcock's face, who cares? The Wings would likely have been on their way to failure soon anyway.
Putting in Osgood would be far from waving the white flag of surrender. Let's not forget experience. Ozzie won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings. He put on a performance that likely would have earned him a Conn Smythe Trophy had the Red Wings not fallen to Pittsburgh in the Final. He has shown, time and time again, that he knows how to play when he needs to.
Ozzie may not be the better of the two goalies, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is the momentum. Right now it's certainly not on Detroit's side. They're tired. They're frustrated. They're losing hope.
3-0.
How do you get a team that feels that way back on track? Coach Mike Babcock needs to put in Osgood not because he's necessarily the better goalie, but because it is his only chance of getting his team to play the way that they need to.
Hopefully I'll turn on Thursday's game and hear a familiar old chant.
OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Now, soon, or never
After winning game 2 on the road to even the series, most teams would hope to turn around and take game 3 at home as well.
But the Red Wings were unsuccessful in doing so. Now, I may get my fair share of cries and screams for saying this, but the Red Wings lost because of two things: officiating and goaltending. By officiating, I am referring to the fact that the Wings were cheated out of a goal yet again because some official decided to lose sight of the puck.
But forget the officiating for now. There is nothing that can be done about that. Goaltending, on the other hand, can be fixed. Mike Babcock basically has three options: 1. He can pull Jimmy Howard for Chris Osgood right away. 2. He can let Howard start game 4 and make a decision based on his performance. Or 3. He can decide that Howard is sticking in net, regardless of game 4 performance, and probably leave him in for the remainder of the playoffs.
The last option is not recommended. For Babcock to do so would not only make himself look like a stubborn mule, but would also neglect the playoff experience of backup Chris Osgood. Not to mention the mental damage it could inflict upon Howard.
So that leaves us with options 1 and 2. Option 2 may appear to be the way to go, but maybe not. Coach Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals wasted no time at all. After a quick 2 goals in game 2, Theodore was riding the pine in favor of Varlamov. And it worked.
The argument for Howard is that, for the most part, the goals were the fault of lousy defensive plays. That argument would prove effective in the regular season, there is no doubt about that. But this isn't the regular season. It's the playoffs. The playoffs is when you expect your goalie to step up, at least from time to time. Howard failed to do so on Sunday afternoon.
And it's not as if benching Howard would be the equivalent of waving the white flag of surrender. Chris Osgood has shown, time and time again, that the playoffs are his time to shine. He could prove to be more than effective in goal.
But then again, maybe Babcock does need to give Howard one more chance. He was playing fairly well before game 3, after all. Perhaps he can recover. It's definitely not out of the question. Pulling him out right away may not be the answer.
The arguments on both sides are legit. Overall, I would lean toward option 1 if it were my team. But it's not. It's a decision that Mike Babcock will have to make, and it's a reason that I'm glad that I am not Mike Babcock. Whatever decision he makes, he will be the target of criticism, you can be sure of that. Yank Howard now and he'll be accused of jumping the gun. Let him start on Tuesday and they'll question whether he is being too easy on the rookie.
Whatever the decision, Babcock better be right.
After all, the Detroit Red Wings season will probably depend on it.
But the Red Wings were unsuccessful in doing so. Now, I may get my fair share of cries and screams for saying this, but the Red Wings lost because of two things: officiating and goaltending. By officiating, I am referring to the fact that the Wings were cheated out of a goal yet again because some official decided to lose sight of the puck.
But forget the officiating for now. There is nothing that can be done about that. Goaltending, on the other hand, can be fixed. Mike Babcock basically has three options: 1. He can pull Jimmy Howard for Chris Osgood right away. 2. He can let Howard start game 4 and make a decision based on his performance. Or 3. He can decide that Howard is sticking in net, regardless of game 4 performance, and probably leave him in for the remainder of the playoffs.
The last option is not recommended. For Babcock to do so would not only make himself look like a stubborn mule, but would also neglect the playoff experience of backup Chris Osgood. Not to mention the mental damage it could inflict upon Howard.
So that leaves us with options 1 and 2. Option 2 may appear to be the way to go, but maybe not. Coach Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals wasted no time at all. After a quick 2 goals in game 2, Theodore was riding the pine in favor of Varlamov. And it worked.
The argument for Howard is that, for the most part, the goals were the fault of lousy defensive plays. That argument would prove effective in the regular season, there is no doubt about that. But this isn't the regular season. It's the playoffs. The playoffs is when you expect your goalie to step up, at least from time to time. Howard failed to do so on Sunday afternoon.
And it's not as if benching Howard would be the equivalent of waving the white flag of surrender. Chris Osgood has shown, time and time again, that the playoffs are his time to shine. He could prove to be more than effective in goal.
But then again, maybe Babcock does need to give Howard one more chance. He was playing fairly well before game 3, after all. Perhaps he can recover. It's definitely not out of the question. Pulling him out right away may not be the answer.
The arguments on both sides are legit. Overall, I would lean toward option 1 if it were my team. But it's not. It's a decision that Mike Babcock will have to make, and it's a reason that I'm glad that I am not Mike Babcock. Whatever decision he makes, he will be the target of criticism, you can be sure of that. Yank Howard now and he'll be accused of jumping the gun. Let him start on Tuesday and they'll question whether he is being too easy on the rookie.
Whatever the decision, Babcock better be right.
After all, the Detroit Red Wings season will probably depend on it.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Red Wings show signs of resurgence
It wasn't the fact that they picked up 3 points.
It was how they picked up the 3 points. On Friday and Saturday, the finally healthy Red Wings picked up a win and an overtime loss by doing something they've been doing ever since they became a powerful empire: Executing the Impossible.
Tie the game with 0.2 seconds left? That's Red Wings hockey. Come from behind 2-0 two nights in a row? That's Red Wings hockey. Score twice in 5 seconds? That's Red Wings hockey. Win the game with less than a second left in overtime? That's- well, you get the idea.
Up until after the Olympic Break, the Red Wings were nursing injuries and having trouble putting the puck in the net. Now Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall, Valteri Flippula, Tomas Holmstrom, Jonathan Ericsson, and even Andreas Lilja have all returned, and so has the Red Wings' biggest weapon of all- the Impossible.
The trip out to Western Canada was perhaps the best example, but it wasn't the only one. Score 4 goals in 6 minutes to beat the Chicago Blackhawks, and people are gonna start to notice. The Red Wings are finally starting to calm down their fans- a little.
But there is no reason to feel overly comfortable. The Red Wings are currently 8th in a league that allows eight teams to make the playoffs, and the way 9th place Calgary is playing, the Wings will have to continue their hot streak.
And there are still many things in need of improvement. The Red Wings must begin playing hard for the whole game, or at least most of it. Lines 1 (Datsyuk, Franzen, and Holmstrom) and 3 (Helm, Draper, and Eaves) are playing great, and the fourth line is doing all right for, well, a fourth line. But Henrik Zetterberg, as well as linemates Valteri Flippula and Dan Cleary, needs to start scoring.
The defense is starting to get involved in scoring again, but they are not all the way there yet. Rafalski and Lidstrom are getting the job done, but it's about time that Stuart, Kronwall, Ericsson, and the others starting generating some more offense like they are capable of doing.
The Red Wings are nearly there, and maybe they are getting even closer. In addition to Zetterberg, Valteri Flippula finally found the net yesterday. Happy Birthday, my favorite Finnish player. There is your gift.
Now it's time for you and the other slackers to start giving to us.
It was how they picked up the 3 points. On Friday and Saturday, the finally healthy Red Wings picked up a win and an overtime loss by doing something they've been doing ever since they became a powerful empire: Executing the Impossible.
Tie the game with 0.2 seconds left? That's Red Wings hockey. Come from behind 2-0 two nights in a row? That's Red Wings hockey. Score twice in 5 seconds? That's Red Wings hockey. Win the game with less than a second left in overtime? That's- well, you get the idea.
Up until after the Olympic Break, the Red Wings were nursing injuries and having trouble putting the puck in the net. Now Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall, Valteri Flippula, Tomas Holmstrom, Jonathan Ericsson, and even Andreas Lilja have all returned, and so has the Red Wings' biggest weapon of all- the Impossible.
The trip out to Western Canada was perhaps the best example, but it wasn't the only one. Score 4 goals in 6 minutes to beat the Chicago Blackhawks, and people are gonna start to notice. The Red Wings are finally starting to calm down their fans- a little.
But there is no reason to feel overly comfortable. The Red Wings are currently 8th in a league that allows eight teams to make the playoffs, and the way 9th place Calgary is playing, the Wings will have to continue their hot streak.
And there are still many things in need of improvement. The Red Wings must begin playing hard for the whole game, or at least most of it. Lines 1 (Datsyuk, Franzen, and Holmstrom) and 3 (Helm, Draper, and Eaves) are playing great, and the fourth line is doing all right for, well, a fourth line. But Henrik Zetterberg, as well as linemates Valteri Flippula and Dan Cleary, needs to start scoring.
The defense is starting to get involved in scoring again, but they are not all the way there yet. Rafalski and Lidstrom are getting the job done, but it's about time that Stuart, Kronwall, Ericsson, and the others starting generating some more offense like they are capable of doing.
The Red Wings are nearly there, and maybe they are getting even closer. In addition to Zetterberg, Valteri Flippula finally found the net yesterday. Happy Birthday, my favorite Finnish player. There is your gift.
Now it's time for you and the other slackers to start giving to us.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Winter Olympics
It's been almost a week now, so I guess it's time for me to talk about the Winter Olympics. Here's a few things I've noticed:
Figure skating troubles
You skated well Evan Lysacek, and I admire you for giving it everything you had. But sorry, my friend, gold should have gone to Russia's Evegeni Plushanko.
Plushanko clearly skated a much more difficult and dynamic program. His motions were more complex and exciting. He landed a quad-triple toe-loop combination successfully. Defeat may have been understandable had Plushanko fallen during the routine, but he did not.
Granted, Lysacek did everything perfectly while Plushanko had an iffy landing or two, but Lysacek's routine was simple enough that a junior skater probably could have done nearly the same. Plushanko's routine was clearly tougher. Shouldn't that mean gold? As Yahoo! Sports' Elvis Stojko said, "In what other sports do you have to hold back in order to win?"
Most Americans are angered by Plushanko's claim that he should have won gold. They shouldn't be. He was right. But of course, what does that matter? Plushanko is Russian and Lysacek is American, so most of America will support Lysacek, with some exceptions. Here's a question I'd like to ask Lysaceks's supporters:
How many of you actually watched the routine?
The rest of us, meanwhile, are beginning to realize more than ever that something is wrong. The judges have been under criticism for a while, and Plushanko's defeat should maximize that.
U.S. hockey- They have a chance!
I'm going to cover hockey now, a sport that still allows you to push the envelope.
And, for a change, the U.S. is in the running. The men are 2-0, though that may not last with a game against Canada coming up next. Still, you have to like their chances this year. They've got solid goaltending and are full of energy.
The offense has a key component. When I say that it falls on the shoulders of Zach Parise to get those pucks in the net and lead this group of snipers, I'm making an understatement. The guy has been great all year, and now is the time for him to step up. Of course, he will need help. That will be taken care of if he does his job.
As far as the women go, I don't see much to be concerned about. A 14-0 thumping of Russia followed by a 6-0 victory over Finland tells me that they don't have much to worry about. Go U.S.A.!!!
Figure skating troubles
You skated well Evan Lysacek, and I admire you for giving it everything you had. But sorry, my friend, gold should have gone to Russia's Evegeni Plushanko.
Plushanko clearly skated a much more difficult and dynamic program. His motions were more complex and exciting. He landed a quad-triple toe-loop combination successfully. Defeat may have been understandable had Plushanko fallen during the routine, but he did not.
Granted, Lysacek did everything perfectly while Plushanko had an iffy landing or two, but Lysacek's routine was simple enough that a junior skater probably could have done nearly the same. Plushanko's routine was clearly tougher. Shouldn't that mean gold? As Yahoo! Sports' Elvis Stojko said, "In what other sports do you have to hold back in order to win?"
Most Americans are angered by Plushanko's claim that he should have won gold. They shouldn't be. He was right. But of course, what does that matter? Plushanko is Russian and Lysacek is American, so most of America will support Lysacek, with some exceptions. Here's a question I'd like to ask Lysaceks's supporters:
How many of you actually watched the routine?
The rest of us, meanwhile, are beginning to realize more than ever that something is wrong. The judges have been under criticism for a while, and Plushanko's defeat should maximize that.
U.S. hockey- They have a chance!
I'm going to cover hockey now, a sport that still allows you to push the envelope.
And, for a change, the U.S. is in the running. The men are 2-0, though that may not last with a game against Canada coming up next. Still, you have to like their chances this year. They've got solid goaltending and are full of energy.
The offense has a key component. When I say that it falls on the shoulders of Zach Parise to get those pucks in the net and lead this group of snipers, I'm making an understatement. The guy has been great all year, and now is the time for him to step up. Of course, he will need help. That will be taken care of if he does his job.
As far as the women go, I don't see much to be concerned about. A 14-0 thumping of Russia followed by a 6-0 victory over Finland tells me that they don't have much to worry about. Go U.S.A.!!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Franzen's return spoiled- For now
Throughout the season the Red Wings have struggled due to many injuries, but the return of Johan Franzen just might mark a turning point. The Wings fell in overtime, 4-3, but one can't help but feel that better days are ahead.
Franzen is not the most valuable player on the Red Wings, but his consistency and his extra fuel in the playoffs have always helped this team out. Perhaps the strangest thing about this season for the Red Wings has been their lack of scoring. Franzen can help there. Not only will he put plenty of pucks in the net, but his return also ought to take the pressure off of our struggling Euro Twins- Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
I'm quite surprised to see how many fans have already counted out the Red Wings this year. They have competed this whole time, spending most of the season hovering between the 8 and 9 spots in the Western Conference. Franzen, along with the other returning stars, ought to provide the extra push that they need. Should the Red Wings make the playoffs, they will probably scare a lot of teams.
I'm being serious. The nice blessed surprise of Jimmy Howard has the Red Wings covered in goal. The defensemen are, if anything, better than ever, what with the addition of Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings have not allowed many goals this year, and I don't expect that to change.
As for offense, well, ironically that's where the Wings have been struggling this year. They have scored very few goals, especially compared to their recent previous seasons. Well, once Patrick Eaves gets healthy, they should actually be fine. There is no Hossa, Hudler, or Samuelsson, but there is now Eaves, Todd Bertuzzi, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, and Drew Miller. Dan Cleary is healthy, and I have a feeling that Valteri Flippula is ready to start making an impact; that is, an even bigger one than last year.
The Red Wings main challenge will be making the playoffs this year. Once they get in (which I think they will), they should be fine.
Franzen is not the most valuable player on the Red Wings, but his consistency and his extra fuel in the playoffs have always helped this team out. Perhaps the strangest thing about this season for the Red Wings has been their lack of scoring. Franzen can help there. Not only will he put plenty of pucks in the net, but his return also ought to take the pressure off of our struggling Euro Twins- Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
I'm quite surprised to see how many fans have already counted out the Red Wings this year. They have competed this whole time, spending most of the season hovering between the 8 and 9 spots in the Western Conference. Franzen, along with the other returning stars, ought to provide the extra push that they need. Should the Red Wings make the playoffs, they will probably scare a lot of teams.
I'm being serious. The nice blessed surprise of Jimmy Howard has the Red Wings covered in goal. The defensemen are, if anything, better than ever, what with the addition of Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings have not allowed many goals this year, and I don't expect that to change.
As for offense, well, ironically that's where the Wings have been struggling this year. They have scored very few goals, especially compared to their recent previous seasons. Well, once Patrick Eaves gets healthy, they should actually be fine. There is no Hossa, Hudler, or Samuelsson, but there is now Eaves, Todd Bertuzzi, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, and Drew Miller. Dan Cleary is healthy, and I have a feeling that Valteri Flippula is ready to start making an impact; that is, an even bigger one than last year.
The Red Wings main challenge will be making the playoffs this year. Once they get in (which I think they will), they should be fine.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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