Red Wings Overplaying Puck

by Minne Soda Connection on Jun 12, 2009 10:25 AM CDT

There are times when defensively you have to play the body, use poke checks and body positioning, and tie up sticks in front of the net... then why is it that deep into the Stanley Cup championships the Red Wings are still overplaying the puck on odd-man and speed rushes, failing to take the body in front of the net, and coughing up the puck in the defensive zone repeatedly?

The Wings are not playing the defensive side very well at all and this is apparent from the increase in odd-man rushes, failure of back-checkers to help, defensemen obsessed with the puck-puck-puck, and Osgood flailing around like a dying cockroach.

I still think the Wings are a better team, the officials have kept the Pens in the series, and despite this... I think the officials and Bettman are going to give this one to the Pens... but god I hope not!

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re: defense

…it appears the defense was, indeed, the achilles heel of the Red Wings. Two changes I’d make over the off-season would be the removal of both Ledba and Stuart from the organization. They stunk repeatedly and offered very little of “O” for their stink on defense.

by Minne Soda Connection on Jun 12, 2009 9:44 PM CDT reply actions

are you..

kidding me? Stuart had more goals in this series than Marian Hossa. Keep Stuart. He brings the intensity that the Wings really need. As far as Lebda is concerned, i say get rid of him and bring Ericsson and Meech up full time. And that could work if Chelios decides to retire.

by jackson1234 on Jun 13, 2009 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions

re: Detroit defense

Point is the guy does not play defense and he is a DEFENSEMAN who cannot play the body on an odd man rush, play the body in corner or behind the net, or play the body in front of the net… he can skate with the puck occasionally but is prone to defensive zone turnovers and sloppy passes. His only positive attributes are in the offensive zone where Detroit doesn’t need any more help.

He was ~~2 (+/~~ ratio) in both games 3 and game 7 against Pittsburg and played particularly poor in his defensive zone. So you tell me… how is Brad Stuart a good defenseman in the clutch?

by Minne Soda Connection on Jul 6, 2009 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions

oh come on

Stuart was probably nervous.
There was a reason why Ken Holland took Stuart at the trade deadline last season.
Stuart really stepped up his play…it was just that game where he really broke his ankles.

by forever_rednwhite on Jun 15, 2009 5:03 AM CDT up reply actions

Here's a crazy idea...

Stay with me here…let’s dump Hossa and his huge salary, dump Lebda, Chelios, Maltby and maybe Samuelsson, bring up Abdelkader, Helm, Meech and Ericsson full time, and….go after Chris Pronger. Sure, he’s the most hated man in hockey (I like him), but who wouldn’t want that colossus on their blueline? Does anyone else think not putting Abdelkader back into the lineup, maybe in place of Maltby or Samuelsson, was a huge mistake?

by Mike Braun on Jun 13, 2009 1:27 PM CDT reply actions

i say...

that we get rid of Hossa. i mean obviously. he did nothing for us in the postseason.We need to dump Lebda and Maltby at the draft and get a pick out of it. We bring Abdelkader, Helm, Ericsson and Meech up full time. But instead of getting Pronger we get a cheaper defensemen and sign Nik Antropov and by letting Samuelsson, Hudler, Kopecky, Hossa, Maltby, Lebda go and Chelios retiring it will give us enough room to do so. Plus we need to resign Conklin because he played outstanding this year.

by jackson1234 on Jun 13, 2009 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions