{Ed Note: Moved to front page for good discussion - One game against the Bruins doesn't mean these issues are gone, but I'd like to see the discussion moved forward from the difference between when this was written and now, after the Wings showed they can play dominant hockey against a good opponent]

I posted this in the CSSI thread and JJ suggested I make a FanShot out of it so that it isn't buried in comments and we can get some discussion going.  I've never done one of these before, so we'll see how this goes.

So here are my thoughts on what's wrong with the way the Wings have been playing lately, mostly based on the last game.  Because that was as perfect an example of everything they've been doing wrong this year (and for the last 2 years to a degree).

First, I didn't watch the game all the way through… at about the second goal against I knew what sort of game it was and forwarded through large chunks of the game… pretty sure I didn't miss much.

I’m pretty sure it was the loss of Filppula that got them back into this mental funk. Anyway, onto my criticizm.

Offense:
Lots of players seem to be waiting too long to pass so that the other team has time to get in the way and block/steal the pass.

Everyone keeps talking about starting with energy…. I’m not so sure that’s the problem. The Wings don’t always play a really fast game, but they play a patient game. I don’t see much patience in their game at the moment. Lots of speed for the sake of ‘energy’, lots of shots for the sake of taking shots. But the speed keeps putting them out of position and the shots are not placed well enough to make it through the defense and goalie.

When the Wings play the game the way they can, it always looks really fast because good positioning and passes catch the other team out of position all the time.  It isn't necessarily due to how fast the guys are skating.

They don’t seem to be communicating, they’re rushing and not really seeing the whole rink. When the team rushes into the offensive zone, they are all going right to the boards and net so that after someone takes a shot if there is any rebound no one is in position to get it. Instead it’s kicked out and the opposing team gets it and starts a 4 or 5 man rush down the ice leaving 3 or 2 of the Wings forwards too deep to backcheck. Which is part of why the defense is being such a huge issue lately (I think).

Defense:
The defense hasn’t been that bad, I just think that it’s been pressured really hard by the ineffective forechecking game the wings are playing lately. I think most of the defensive issues are mental mistakes (out of position), or specific players not playing the puck well and causing turnovers.

Players:
Kindl – he’s mentally tired. He was playing really well earlier in the year, but now he looks tired. This is his rookie year, and I’d imagine that the funk the team is in would probably affect the less experienced guys more. The pass to Homer in the 1st was a terrible play, he had tons of time and should have passed it up the middle (I forget who was there), or just cycled it again. His issue lately is patience.

JJ mentioned in his reply to my comment (that this thread came from) that he is probably physically tired as well due to grind of the NHL schedule.  Which is probably true.

Ericsson – He’s hit or miss. I think his issue is the positioning issues that they guys are having. Overall I’m not really up or down on his play lately, he’s had some terrible miscues that have cost the team, but at the same time, he’s had some good solid play as well. The fact that he can have a good game when the rest of the team plays so bad gives me hope for him.

On the other hand he seems to overthink his positioning sometimes (and underthink it others). I remember a play where he was backing off about mid-zone with the puck carrier (forget who) advancing. Salei (I think) was near the faceoff circle with the player he was defending against moving towards the wall. Salei looked over, saw Ericsson backing off like someone playing no-check pick up hockey, went over and knocked the guy down.

There was no good pass, he should have just knocked the guy on his ass. The puck won’t score on it’s own.

Homer – It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling to see him head to the net when he was out there. But he just did not work on that Abby/Miller line. That was terrible. I’ve never really been a fan of Homer on the 4th line… 3rd maybe, but he just doesn’t seem to match very well with 4th line play. That’s probably just me.

There, I think I’m done pontificating. Not really sure how accurate my opinions are, but that doesn’t bother me that much :)

Now, discuss...