Quick Hits: The Off-Season Continues

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Oct 18, 2011 5:42 AM CDT in Quick Hits

Despite everyone claiming the opposite since the day we signed him, Ian White is playing more and more like the Brian Rafalski of old and is looking absolutely fantastic out there. Analysts suck at analyzing, who knew? [Detroit Free Press]
In what will amount to good news for only Brendan Smith, Mike Commodore is skating but is unlikely to play this weekend. This should give Smith the opportunity to finish serving his 5 game suspension he received for a headshot on Ben Smith of the Blackhawks during the preseason. In all likelihood, Smith will be sent down to Grand Rapids as soon as Commie is ready to play and not see any NHL action. [MLive]
With a setup paragraph that would feel right at home inside the Jedi Council, NOHS details why our power play is not up to scratch. [Nightmare on Helm Street]
Oh look, we remain undefeated and drop in ESPN's Power Rankings (but rise in NHL.com's). How does that happen? [ESPN - NHL.com]
Hey guys, did you hear we are off for five days? Longest break of the season? What the hell? [MLive]
As the Wings found out with Curtis Joseph and Manny Legace, there is no defense for a bad goalie. [Wall Street Journal]
In the Battle for Florida, the Panthers prevailed over the Tampa Bay Lightning last night with a 7-4 win victory that included 4 powerplay goals (and two assists for Ed Jovanovski. Go Shady Weber!). For comparison's sake, the Wings have one powerplay goal in nearly 20 chances over 4 games. [Yahoo! Sports]
The Penguins are hit again as Evgeni Malkin and Brooks Orpik joined Sidney Crosby as unhealthy scratches yesterday. They fell to the Jets 2-1, who got their first ever regular season victory. [Yahoo! Sports]
Bob McKenzie warns everyone to hide your wife, hide your kids, and to hide your husband because Phoenix Coyotes news is about to heat up again. The NHL is expected to endorse one of two groups trying to purchase the team and (unfortunately) keep it in Glendale which should jumpstart the acquisition process. Over/under 1 year after the purchase that sale and/or relocation news starts heating up again? [TSN]
"Gonchar not expected to play Tuesday, Ottawa fans probably okay with this." Excellent. [NBC Sports]
Possible jerseys for the Winter Classic have popped up again and they are actually pretty good. Previous renditions have had Flyers jerseys so bad that I cannot believe Chris from Icethetics has not gone apeshit and gotten suspended by Brendan Shanahan yet. Hopefully these are what we see in January [Broadstreet Hockey]
Ryan Kesler will return for the Canucks tonight. Ready your fantasy teams, (wo)men. [Nucks Misconduct]
Playing in Canadian puts unnecessary pressure on underperforming players whose first names are initials. Who knew. [TSN]
Is there still room in the league for a designated fighter? I don't believe there is, but there is room for MMA-trained, midget Czech pimps. Could we ask for anything more? [NBC Sports]

Discussion of the Day: Today's discussion is a follow up to yesterday's question about possible free agent targets. With how well Mr. White ('Whitey' according to Babcock) has played, is it really necessary to sign someone if Nicklas Lidstrom retires this summer? Or would we be fine with Kronwall-White/Stuart-Kindl/Ericsson-Smith/vet like Commie or Ruslan Salei?

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I'm confused...

Why would Nugent-Hopkins score a hat trick in the Tampa Bay-Florida game? ;)

Would you rather be Kronwalled or Jarnkroked?

by WingsFool on Oct 18, 2011 6:09 AM CDT reply actions

Good catch.

I added that after the fact and must have added it to the wrong point. Now that I look at ti, it looks like I deleted my entire point about the Oilers. Go figure.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Oct 18, 2011 7:03 AM CDT up reply actions

N E Body see RNH’s Goal ?! SWEET Eh ! I however feel bad for the broadcasters nowadays….
With all these Hyphenated Names that are popping up in the NHL.
Seems weird. Well.. IMHO .. I think it is.
its going to make the Announcers job that much harder.. Just Imagine

Jim Hughson:
"Nugent-Hopkins wins the face off. .. Back to Ekman-Larsson… over to Grand-Pierre… picked off by Pierro-Zabotel… he is stripped and its back to Paajarvi-Svensson … Regained by Letourneau-Leblond… flipped to Zuccarello-Aasen who fires and SSSCCCCOOOOOORRRRRREEEESSSSSSS !!! Over the Glove side of Mark-Andre Fleury ! Power play goal ! .. And we will be back in a minute with this message brought to you buy Smithkline-Beecham and Anheuser-Bush !"

Pppsssttt hey Kelly !… What the fuq ever happened to names like Billy Smith, Bobby Orr or Bobby Clark !!! My fuq’n head hurts from this hyphenated Crap ! Someone get me a Scotch and a Ibuprofen ! .. What ? the Mic is still On ?!!?!??!! Why didn’t you tell me Hrudey !!! What the HELL !!!

(Ok so Fleury is a Violation because his Hyphenated name is on his first name but I couldn’t find a goalie who had a Hyphenated name.. so .. excuse me)

FLYERROB ! YOU STAY AWESOME FLYERS FANS ! ~ ~ ~ Lori Wilson Gray ~ ~ April 07th 1967 - May 27th 2011 ~ May you rest in Peace ~ I love you and miss you big Sis ! I cant believe at 44 yrs of age .. you went to sleep and never woke up. I promise to take care of Matt and Emily for you. With Love, your baby Brother.

by FLYERROB on Oct 18, 2011 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Detroit is ranked behind Washington?

Washington is undefeated but they have only one regulation win. ESPN talking bollocks as usual.

by nosnst on Oct 18, 2011 6:18 AM CDT reply actions

East coast bias

Let us start with the fact that it is, in fact, ESPN and they do have that east coast bias. That’s one point. Second point is that they have two guys doing the rankings. Each week different guy does the ranking so it also has to do with their personal preference. It’s stupid and weird as to why they would do it like that, but that’s their thing. They can’t have just one person’s opinion.

Mine own mind is mine own church.

by Michael Litzner on Oct 18, 2011 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Burnside follows the East, LeBrun follows the West

and that is reflected, heavily, in each one’s Power Rankings.

Think about how stupid the average person is, and then realize that half of them are even stupider! --George Carlin

by J_Stone on Oct 18, 2011 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions

I blame the power play

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Oct 18, 2011 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions

ESPN

Somebody there has heard of Ovechkin, probably only as ‘Ovie,’ and they might know he plays for the ‘Caps’. That’s why.

Would you rather be Kronwalled or Jarnkroked?

by WingsFool on Oct 18, 2011 6:29 AM CDT reply actions

I'd much rather have a Suter/Weber/Seidenberg in that lineup

Than rely on those pairings over the course of a season.

by J.J. from Kansas on Oct 18, 2011 7:07 AM CDT reply actions

I like White's play so far...

and am pleased in general with the Wings’ D. But none of our current players is ready to pick up Lidstrom’s mantle, let alone inherit it. Could we squeak by with the current pairings sans Lidstrom? Yes. Would it be pretty? No.

We need a bonafide franchise defenseman after Lidstrom leaves, and we do not have one.

Red Wings: Hockey Par Excellence

by Naysayer on Oct 18, 2011 7:49 AM CDT reply actions

However, I think that Smith could very well be the next franchise defenseman, and we could definitely squeak by until he is ready in two or three years to pick up that mantle.

Your welcome Jeff.

by Hornecker on Oct 18, 2011 8:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed. I think we have a good enough OVERALL D that might keep our head above water. Lidstrom will be missed. He is a keystone, but I think we can also have guys step up and fill that void if needed. I will miss him, but I’m not worried. White has impressed me and even Ericsson is fulfilling his duties.

Get your Al the Octopus

byjenniferleigh.etsy.com/

by Josh Howard on Oct 18, 2011 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions

not to rain on anybody's parade

but even with the ridiculous 18436-day break between games, i’m not in the mood or mindset to start talking about “the future” when the season’s barely a few weeks old. i’ll start thinking about midseason (January) at the earliest, more likely during the stretch run to the playoffs.

Jovanovski wasn’t the only guy who raked in some power play points from that Panthers offensive outburst.

You wanna tell me that to mah face?!
YET ANOTHER Detroit Red Wings blog.

by uvgt2bkdnme on Oct 18, 2011 9:41 AM CDT via iPhone app reply actions

BOOOOOOO

Just kidding. Yeah, it’s very early and it’s tough to know what will happen in January when we have guys hurting and tired. That’s when you see what’s left in the tank. I will say though, we look far better than last year already and that gives me hope.

Get your Al the Octopus

byjenniferleigh.etsy.com/

by Josh Howard on Oct 18, 2011 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions

True

The Wings have played exactly one contender so far in their four games and that contender was without their Selke-Trophy winning center (and some other shitheads who aren’t too bad at hockey either).

That said, I’d be fuming if we didn’t have at least 6 points by this time in the schedule. November and December are brutal schedules and I’m worried that, like last year, our ability to bank points early is going to make a difference for us late.

by J.J. from Kansas on Oct 18, 2011 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions

oh but of course

if we blew any more than 2 or 3 points out of this opening stretch of games, then i’d be worried, but my focus would be more about this current incarnation of the team. should any of the perpetually scratched guys (Brunnstrom) get a game to give the team a shot in the arm? is Howard/ Conklin doing the job? how did the defense let in so many goals against that we lost so many points? (obviously, all these questions are about the hypothetical universe where the Red Wings haven’t won the 4 games they have in this universe.)

as for beyond this season, i still wouldn’t start thinking about “the future” until much later, but if the doomsday scenario did play out, i’d definitely open up that can of worms considering that one option for improvement is through trades.

You wanna tell me that to mah face?!
YET ANOTHER Detroit Red Wings blog.

by uvgt2bkdnme on Oct 18, 2011 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions

PP goals are streaky

I can’t get too worked up over a brief 4-game trend.

by stevenyc on Oct 18, 2011 9:45 AM CDT reply actions

There was a comment over in the "twitter" section on the main page about Letang

Per nhl.com, he has a hearing with Shanaban today. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=596418

Will be interesting to see if he gets any extra time. If he does, the Pens may be really in deep shit if it’s for an extended period of time.

by zfan16 on Oct 18, 2011 11:01 AM CDT reply actions

I would be surprised if he got one game

I think a Zuccarello-esque fine ($2,500) would be appropriate here. It was certainly boarding, but it was called in-game as such. Letang didn’t back of the hit nearly as much as he could have, but he also didn’t drive him into and through the boards.

by J.J. from Kansas on Oct 18, 2011 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Letang got two games, per nhl.com

Here’s the link: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=596452

by zfan16 on Oct 18, 2011 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm surprised by it

but I like Shanahan’s explanation.

by J.J. from Kansas on Oct 18, 2011 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions

The Real Concern now is...

with so few games this month (9), that we will have to make up for it over the next few months (15, 14, 13). More games mean more injuries and less time to recover. Have we been set up for the injury bug?

Based on this, I fully believe that after January we will know what kind of team we really have.

The good news is that we should win at least 2 of the next 3 if not all 3. Then we have the Sharks and Wild again. It could be a great month, since banking points is really important for us this year.

by LAwing on Oct 18, 2011 12:46 PM CDT reply actions

if Nicklas Lidstrom retires this summer

LALALA CAN’T HEAR YOU :(

"Goaltending is a normal job, sure. How would you like it in your job if every time you made a small mistake, a red light went on over your desk and 15,000 people stood up and yelled at you."
-Jacques Plante

by DetroitSports on Oct 18, 2011 2:10 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs

“Retires” just means he hits up the local Belle Tire shop and gets a new set for his car so he can still get to the Joe (and to improve the powerplay of course). Right guys???

by SlapshotGoal on Oct 18, 2011 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions 8 recs