Another game, another high goal tally for the opposing team. I realize the wheels fell off last night when the Penguins got a 5-3, but 7 goals? The offense is what changed over the course of the offseason, not the defense. Osgood has played poorly, but the defense isn't giving him any help.

So what's the deal? This is a team that led the NHL is goals last year and was second in goals against. Should we be worried about the Wings D?

They've looked terrible thus far. I don't know exactly what it is but they have looked nothing like last year in the few games I've been able to watch. My buddy's texted me to bitch about the D during most games I'm not able to watch too.

I saw a lot of back checking last night from the guys that are good at it (Pavel, Hank, Fanzen) but not from anyone else really. I was pleasantly surprised to see Hossa fore checking nicely too. But I saw a lot of people out of position down low in our zone. We'd have two defenders going to the same player and stuff like that.

I don't think talent is the issue, I just think it's mental mistakes.

I haven't seen every game, but from the games I've seen they have three big problems that are causing them to give up goals:

1. They don't really sustain pressure in the offensive end down low like last year. That alone not only gave the Wings more and better scoring chances themselves, but denied other teams good breakouts and chances to score.

They're scoring goals this year, but not the same way as last year. If the Wings don't get back to controlling the puck more in the other team's end down low they will have tons of problems (especially in the playoffs).

2. They get caught either in the other zone or too far up in the neutral zone. Other teams are pressuring the Wings more this year and that pressure is getting them the puck out of their zone, often getting them the puck in the neutral zone and getting them odd-man rushes on the Wings.

3. The Wings just aren't moving their feet in their own end. They're not pursuing as fast and they're especially not anticipating like they were last year. Other teams are getting good shots on nets, chances to get into the slot and chances to get rebounds.

The beauty of Babcock hockey is that it covers the entire ice. They're being sloppy at all ends of the ice from what I can see and it all leads to giving up more goals.

It's called a Stanley Cup hangover. I'm not worried. Quit worrying.

It's not about worrying. It's about identifying problems in November and making sure they're taken care of by April.



HELENE ST. JAMES' BLOG
Osgood says Wings won't go far in playoffs unless they improve

BY HELENE ST. JAMES • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • November 12, 2008


Mike Babcock had several good lines today at Red Wings practice, starting with wondering if the sun had risen today (he arrived very early at Joe Louis Arena, apparently).
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It was, of course, the day after the disastrous 7-6 overtime loss to the Penguins, in a game where the Wings blew a three-goal third-period lead, allowing four goals.

For those who are worried about the Wings – because this wasn’t an isolated incident; they’ve been off as a team almost since the first game – Chris Osgood put things in perspective.

“We’re 9-2-3. We’re in second place,” he said. “Yeah, we’ve got to take care of it, no doubt. We’ve got to work our way through it, and pay attention to detail. That’s probably been our biggest fault this year."

“We’ve got to improve ourselves in our own end, and turning pucks over, and we know that. It’s a process. We’ve got to work our way through. Right now, we seem to just let things snowball. It’s something different for us, definitely, because usually we’ve been pretty solid defensively and been able to shut teams down in the third period, and that hasn’t been the case this year. We take bad penalties, and we have to play a lot better in our own zone. Those are the two things we have to shore up. It’s been going on for 15 games now and it’s something we’re going to have to work through and improve, definitely. If we continue this all year, we’re not going to go anywhere in the playoffs, that’s a statement we all know is true.”

Babcock is hoping the loss to the Penguins will serve as the proverbial wake-up call.

"This is going to be a springboard for things better," he said. "My wife, the good woman that she is, she told me last year we were up 3-0 on Dallas at one time and lost 6-3. That was a springboard for good things, and so is this. That was nice of her to do this morning. The point is, it’s never going to be easy, and I think when you go through a year like last year, you think nothing bad happened. I remember when we won one time in 11 games. Things don’t go good all the time, but it’s how you react, and it’s how much pride you have in your job that allows you to fix it and come back. We’re better than this."

With Tuesday’s loss, the Wings dropped to 6-0-3 when leading after two periods.

“We haven’t been as diligent, we haven’t had the same stick-to-itiveness, the same killer instinct where when we get you, we just bury you,” Babcock said. “I think at home, it’s worse – we get ahead home, and now it’s a cute-fest. The difference in last night’s game and maybe Vancouver or Atlanta is, they’ve real good players and they were able to overcome because you give them the opportunity. I’m a big believer we’re responsible for what happens to us, and right now we’re not as good as we’re capable of being. We’re going to fix it.”

The game gnawed at Babcock as he tried to fall asleep afterwards.

“I had to flip my pillow over a number of times last night because it was soaked every time I woke up,” he said.

You are right. I'm just in a easy going mood right now, even though bukky just lit me up.

Those were some insightful posts.

It's called a Stanley Cup hangover. I'm not worried. Quit worrying.

Or....the team is 5000 years old and it was going to start to matter eventually.

I can't agree with that. Dats is 30, Z is 28 and Hossa is 29. Flip and Hudler are both 24. Franzen, Cleary, Kopecky, Kronwall, Lebda, Meech and Stuart are all 30 or younger.

It's not a very young team like Chicago, and we do have some old-timers, but it's not an old team either.

Not like it used to be a few years back, that's for sure.

I can't agree with that. Dats is 30, Z is 28 and Hossa is 29. Flip and Hudler are both 24. Franzen, Cleary, Kopecky, Kronwall, Lebda, Meech and Stuart are all 30 or younger.

It's not a very young team like Chicago, and we do have some old-timers, but it's not an old team either.

Ok, I'll clarify, the players we depend on defensively are 5000 years old.

Who? Lidstrom? He's old but he's still our best defenseman.

Rafalski? 35 and playing fine.

Chelios? He doesn't even play much.

Lebda? Lilja? 26 & 33.

Stuart or Kronwall? Both under 30.

Want to clarify again?

:motown owns:

Who? Lidstrom? He's old but he's still our best defenseman. REALLY OLD

Rafalski? 35 and playing fine. OLD

Chelios? He doesn't even play much. Doesn't play period.

Lebda? Lilja? 26 & 33. Young and doesn't play much and OLD

Stuart or Kronwall? Both under 30. Sucks@ 29 and nothing to say

Want to clarify again? Also, Oldsgood

Guys that play = Old
Guts that don't play = irrelevant to the dicussion.
Hypothesis: poor defensive play related to defensive age.
Factual evidence confirms oldlyness.

Possible scenarios:
Defensive player quality has reduced since the previous season.
Defensive player speed has reduced since the previous season
Player quality has gone mostly unchanged
Age is cumulative.

In conclusion Motown owns, but not today.:kennythejet:

Weak.

The connection of age and defensive deficiency on the Red Wings is tenuous, at best.

Weak.


The connection of age and defensive deficiency on the Red Wings is tenuous, at best.


Bubs, not really sure if you're just attempting to argue for argument's sake, but I'll add one last thing:

Defensive Pairings:
Rafalski and Lidstrom (Still the best tandom in the NHL)
Stuart and Kronwall (Incredibly effective in last year's playoffs)
Lilja and Lebda or Meech (Very good 3rd defensive pairing)

The talent and YOUTH are there. Saying the Wings are old is something a beat writer from Colorado would do - it's uninformed. Lidstrom will probably win another Norris Trophy this year, meaning his age has nothing to do with the way the Wing's defense goes. Rafalski is still a top teir defenseman, meaning his age means nothing. Stuart and Kronwall are young and fun as hell to watch. Lebda, Lilja and Meech have made some mental errors this year and somehow the Wings have paid for each one.

And that's what I figure is the case with their defense. They're playing fine, but they make a mental mistake here and there, and Osgood hasn't been playing all that well this year to save them from those mistakes. You're right, Ozzy is getting old, but he's also getting better with age. I would take the old Osgood to the rookie Osgood any day.

Back to you, Bubs.

Saying the Wings are old is something a beat writer from Colorado would do - it's uninformed.

The Minnesota/Colorado rivalry runs deep.

I think Motown's dead-on with our goaltending. It's been all right, but nothing special, and not great enough to cover up defensive mistakes right now. I would say though that our defensive screw-ups have been as much the forwards as defensemen.

I too would take old Ozzie over young Ozzie. I would pretty much have taken last year's Ozzie over any Ozzie in history.

Bubs, not really sure if you're just attempting to argue for argument's sake, but I'll add one last thing:


Exposed....

Before I choose, there's something I have to tell you: Bubbles, you've been exposed.

*Bubbles gives poorly acted surprised look*

http://images.tvrage.net/shows/15/14758.jpg

So what, Ms. MoTown likes crappy MTV shows. And that stupid shit is slightly addicting...