A Comparison of Teams a Year Later at The All-Star Break

[dash]

The Jets aren't showing any signs of slowing down, Big Buff is getting plenty of Norris talk and the goalie tandem of Starsky and Hutch are playing great. Part of me hopes the Jets make the playoffs (not at the expense of the Flames, mind you), but those fans deserve some playoff hockey.

 

[detroit_schlegs]

Those are the two teams that I root for in the Great North - the Flames and the Jets.

 

[sherbert1421]

Defense is not an issue. As of today, the Wings are 7th-best in the league in goals against per game, 4th in shots against per game, 6th in PK% and 8th in 5-on-5 goal ratio. They're also disciplined, spending the 5th-least amount of time in the box per game. Those sound like Cup-worthy defensive numbers to me.

The "need" for a right shot at the blueline is overstated. Chemistry is exponentially more important. Kronwall and Ericsson have been paired with each other for years; they know how to play off each other and where each other will be in all situations. Ever since Babcock paired Quincey with DeKeyser midway through last season, Quincey's play has been vastly improved and they've developed good chemistry. Babcock has publicly stated this D-pair has been his best this season. Earlier in the season when Kindl and Lashoff were getting ice time the defense was unstable, but the big solidifier was importing Ouellet into the lineup and pairing him with Smith.

I'm happy with how the Wings defense is playing right now and I pray no injuries disrupt the chemistry of all three D pairs.

eye test disagrees. with strong forechecking teams, the wings defense struggles big time getting the puck out of the zone. this will only be magnified in the playoffs when teams really bare down

a lot of this has to do with the fact that there is a defensman on every paring playing on his weak side (All left handed shots). During a game, look at how many times a wings defensman is forced to play the puck on his backhand because he is playing on his weak side and ends up turning the puck over as a result. when you have players that are mediocre at moving the puck outside the zone aside from kronwall, this issue becomes even more magnified.

 

[mattola]

The Jets aren't showing any signs of slowing down, Big Buff is getting plenty of Norris talk and the goalie tandem of Starsky and Hutch are playing great. Part of me hopes the Jets make the playoffs (not at the expense of the Flames, mind you), but those fans deserve some playoff hockey.

it would be really wonderful to watch that.

wouldnt it be funny (and it wont happen) that the first canadian team since the Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup turned out to be Winnipeg. I would support that (just not over my team lol)

 

[jstewismybastardson]

we have more regulation wins and also more regulation losses than this exact time last year. exact same points too. albeit no shitshow so like puck said much better.

Jan 20 2015 - 26w-16l-3sol = 55 points
Jan 20 2014 - 25w-16l-9sol = 59 points

more points same date last year BUT 5 fewer games played this year

100% correct with the no shitshow observation ... especially with Kevin Bieksa now out of the lineup indefinitely

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Jan 20 2015 - 26w-16l-3sol = 55 points
Jan 20 2014 - 25w-16l-9sol = 59 points

more points same date last year BUT 5 fewer games played this year

100% correct with the no shitshow observation ... especially with Kevin Bieksa now out of the lineup indefinitely

Where did you find such detailed point in time information?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Where did you find such detailed point in time information?

4 letter network ... looking at team sched's

ie Vancouver Canucks 2015 Schedule - Canucks Home and Away - ESPN

 

[detroit_schlegs]

In my OP, in order to make an equitable comparison of the 47 games the Wings have played this season up to the All-Star break, I had to backpedal 5 days in the the calendar of 2014, which is when we had completed 47 games last season.

 

[pixburgher66]

32-12-2 (66pts) in 2013-14
26-12-8 (60pts) in 2014-15

Oddly enough I think being not so hot in the shootout may be the difference between this year and last. Weird. At this point last year the Pens were 4-0 in the shootout, 2-4 in the shootout this year.

Total GA: 111 last year 110 this year
Total GF: 146 last year 136 this year

Pens are a bit more beat up this year though. So, it's really hard to tell where they stand.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

The Wings are 4-1 or 5-1 since Franzen went down with injury and was replaced in the lineup.

I'm not saying anything...just sayin'.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

In my OP, in order to make an equitable comparison of the 47 games the Wings have played this season up to the All-Star break, I had to backpedal 5 days in the the calendar of 2014, which is when we had completed 47 games last season.

yah i believe mattola was comparing canucks record/points at the 45 game mark ... you could call that an equitable comparison point ... but then you realize canucks reached the 45 game mark last season almost 2 full weeks earlier (jan 7) ... which probably played a hand in their tank job the rest of the way last season

so i went with the point in time comparison as an alternative which is just as inequitable a comparison lol

 

[detroit_schlegs]

eye test disagrees. with strong forechecking teams, the wings defense struggles big time getting the puck out of the zone. this will only be magnified in the playoffs when teams really bare down

a lot of this has to do with the fact that there is a defensman on every paring playing on his weak side (All left handed shots). During a game, look at how many times a wings defensman is forced to play the puck on his backhand because he is playing on his weak side and ends up turning the puck over as a result. when you have players that are mediocre at moving the puck outside the zone aside from kronwall, this issue becomes even more magnified.

One of the other issues that we have had for several seasons now in our continued in ability to clear the puck out of our zone, especially when, as you indicated 'against a good fore-checking team', is that some of these players of ours have a very bad habit of extending their time in holding the puck well longer than they should to keep passing lanes available to them. This bad habit of some of these guys has been so ingrained with them that they've almost created a virus among some of the others to do the same thing; Kronwall being the biggest culprit IMO. Now, they've even made matters worse by choosing to take the puck back deeper into their zone when they are at the edge of their blue line, a mere heartbeat from moving the puck into or through the neutral zone. It's all quite simple to see the way passing zones can collapse when you picture yourself deep inside the defensive zone with the puck. You observe two fore-checkers heading your way as they have entered the zone. You see the many pathways/lanes in front of you to your left and right that you have at this moment in time to deliver the puck to someone, but as you wait only 2 seconds, the amount of space available to you has severely been limited to 5 choices - behind you off the back wall to the other side, directly left or right, depending on which side of the ice you are on, off the side wall for a carom to who knows where, up over the top of the attacking forwards, or resorting to carry the puck yourself. The last 3 choices is where some of these dmen have found themselves far too often (in deep shit up to their eyeballs), primarily because of their inability to be more immediate when they find that their first option to make the safe pass out of the zone is available at their first opportunity. Of the times that Kronwall finds himself in this situation, some of them result as they do because of his needed desire to carry the puck. He is notorious for carrying it out in times when it is far more beneficial to make the first pass instead, especially when on the PP. Just watch him on a regular basis carry it out on the PP, where so many times it holds up the delivery of his forwards into the offensive zone and literally cuts their foot speed off at the knees. That process generally ends up going nowhere, but when the quick transition pass takes place the possession seems to generate more successful opportunities. I tend to like it much better when the initiation of the play in our end starts with DeKeyser or Ouillet; even, Quincey has improved greatly in that situation, where in the past, he was a turnover machine. When Smith starts out with the puck in our zone, I tend to resort to holding my breath, since I believe that he hasn't quite figured it out yet. But, all in all, that bad habit of tendencies to relish the holding of the puck has resulted in disaster far too many times for the Wings in our end. One of the other issues in the lack of smooth transitions out of our zone, comes at the hands of occasional brain lapses by the forwards forgetting to get to the side wall to provide the dman with the first option for the safe route out of the zone. When watching some of the many games throughout the league, one will be able to see how some teams have so much less issues when transitioning the play out of their zone; it seems to mimic 'robot repetition', where it is automatically followed, like a fine working Swiss clock. Very much like walking or breathing, you just do it, period.

 

[detroit_schlegs]

The Wings are 4-1 or 5-1 since Franzen went down with injury and was replaced in the lineup.

I'm not saying anything...just sayin'.

The problem with the Wings, as I see it, in situations like that of Franzen, is that they are too damn loyal to their players that have greatly helped in the past to put the money in the bank, the meat on the table, and the awards in the trophy case. IMO, for a purely business sense, you've got to chop the tree down when it no longer bears the fruit that keep the production moving forward, but sometimes their hallowed loyalty tethers the ship from progressing ahead. It's time to cut the umbilical cord and let the Mule move on to greener pastures.

 

[detroit_schlegs]

Another thing - that loyalty bs had a lot to do with keeping him instead of Hossa a few years ago, when they couldn't keep both; and, where are we now with that decision? The franchise now has two front teeth missing.

 

[sherbert1421]

Another thing - that loyalty bs had a lot to do with keeping him instead of Hossa a few years ago, when they couldn't keep both; and, where are we now with that decision? The franchise now has two front teeth missing.

gotta remember though that hindsight is 20/20. obviously looking back now hossa would have been the better choice. but franzen was coming off 2 straight solid seasons and was a playoff beast in those 2 years.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

gotta remember though that hindsight is 20/20. obviously looking back now hossa would have been the better choice. but franzen was coming off 2 straight solid seasons and was a playoff beast in those 2 years.

I will forever remember that one playoff series Franzen had. The goal totals after all was said and done...

Franzen 9
Colorado 8

 

[RP-29]

eye test disagrees. with strong forechecking teams, the wings defense struggles big time getting the puck out of the zone. this will only be magnified in the playoffs when teams really bare down

a lot of this has to do with the fact that there is a defensman on every paring playing on his weak side (All left handed shots). During a game, look at how many times a wings defensman is forced to play the puck on his backhand because he is playing on his weak side and ends up turning the puck over as a result. when you have players that are mediocre at moving the puck outside the zone aside from kronwall, this issue becomes even more magnified.

Your issue with exiting the zone on the backhand is a legitimate one and one I'm sure Babcock would prefer not be an issue, but the team has adapted well this year; much improved over last year. It's not as big of an issue this year as you're making it out to be.

Here are the teams the Wings have lost to in regulation this year:
ANA 2-3
@PHI 2-4
@OTT 1-3
MTL 1-4
@TOR 1-4
FLA 3-4
@TOR 1-4
NYI 1-2
@BOS 2-5
@VAN 1-4
@WAS 1-3

That who's who of losses does not distinguish a pattern of having trouble against teams with heavy forechecks.

Also, this year, the Wings have already beaten every single team that has been in the Cup Finals since the Wings last won it (2008). They've already proven they can beat the teams who go deep in the playoffs.

No team is perfect; every team in the league has a perceived weakness, but not every team has the best coach in the world. I'll tell you one thing, barring a rash of major injuries again, the Wings will be a very tough matchup for EVERY team they face in the playoffs.