Detroit vs Minnesota: Time to get Started
It's easy to get frustrated when your team can't score, cant convert on the power play, cant kill penalties and leaves your goalie out to dry like their defense consists of Brett Lebda and 5 of his cousins.
This team is good, and yes the defense isn't what it used to be, but that will change. Three games gone on an already depleted schedule. 45 games left to change everyone's opinion.
Click the jump for your early pregame breakdown.
It's time to show Minnesota that Ryan Suter and Zach Parise mean nothing. They are still the same team that will get their fanbase feeling all warm and cozy, only to come up short. Way short.
Babs said that Datsyuk and Zetterberg didn't work, so he's splitting them up. I thought he figured that out last season, and the season before that, and the season before that, and probably a few more times in between, I've lost count. Its not that they don't have chemistry. In fact the Pav, Z, Brunner line was the only one that seemed to produce any offense so far, but you cant have success when your 2nd line has a guy that won't shoot, another that cant shoot, and one that just glides around like he's looking for a place to take a nap.
So here it goes. Bert, Pav and Filppula followed up by Brunner, Z and Mule. Makes a whole lot more sense right? RIGHT?!? Size and skill followed by skill and lazy-size.
BRIGHT SPOT! Helm is back! Never has a 3rd liner made your entire lineup make more sense. Lets face it, Helm is the backbone of this team. He may not have top 6 scoring ability, but he sure does have heart. Lots of it. Not to mention he drastically improves the penalty kill. Now Abby can go back to centering the 4th where he can stink things up with Tootoo (in a good way), bumping Emmerton to the pressbox. Oh yeah, Bert is back too as you may have already noticed from above. Turns out he didn't have mono, mono tried its best, but Bert murdered it.
Kindl is back too...
All this team has to do now is score, kill penalties, convert on the power play, keep the puck out of their net and stop getting injured.
Seriously. STOP GETTING HURT.
It may seem like I have given up on this team at times over the last week, but I haven't. I'm just the victim of caring too much. I think that over the next few games we will all see things start to take shape. look at the bright side, Lashoff has done well, Brunner looks like the real deal, Smith is just starting what we all hope is a long tenure on the blue line, and Kent Huskins was solid even though he didn't know the system or half of his teammates names.
Harding isn't going to do us any favors, but we cant hide behind the old "their goalie is a Wing killer" excuse.
Ryan Suter is a team worst -3 along with his defense partner Jared Spurgen whoever that is. So there's that.
Its time to rally behind them and show support.
LGRW!
Helm coming back is a Godsend. He really is that one piece that brings the team together. That being said this team is in need of a shake-up. It's not that we are bad, it's just something isn't clicking. I can think of two moves that I feel would be a huge boost. Monitor things in Montreal and Calgary and make some blockbusters for Subban and Iginla. Franzen and a pick for Subban. Instant firestarter on defense. Is he the best, no. is he better than Quincey though? Hell yes. Smith and Subban on the same line, give me a second to change my jeans. But what about the size we gave up in Franzon on the front? Forget about it. The only team that doesn't know Iggy needs to be in Detroit is Calgary, let them flounder till the deadline and then scoop him up for some prospects and maybe a pick or two. Instant vocal leadership and a thousand times the effort of Mule. Pav and Iggy on the same line, think about it.
I love Ken Holland, and have faith in our team top to bottom.. HOWEVER. What gives with some of our signings? We have some of the BEST forwards in the game. One in the WORLD in Pav, but why when we KNEW Lids time was getting shorter, were we not aggressively trying to get GOOD D men in here? We supposedly have a ton of cash, but we signed Quincey, and Commodore last year? We never gave Commy a chance, and Quincey is struggling. I'm confused as to why even after we lost out on Suter Parise, we haven't bust headlines with a "SOLID" player?? I never thought I'd say it, but I'm glad at least we locked in Tootoo. He gives us an edge we lack..
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@moorecha @Reddy @Jillian Rizk it is a very good way to build strength and prevent injury though.
I love the wings as much as the next person here but frustration is overwhelming me and as long as our shots mainly come from the outsides without net present our beloved wings wont score enough. Im not gonna continue thinking that our D isnt good enough cause it doesnt matter if your not scoring.
On that note im still excited about tonight and i´d love to be surprised by the good guys and go to bed with our first win of the season! ( Columbus AP doesn´t count :)
Lets go boys! Finally Helms back! Im gona not drink tomuch tonight so i can stay up and watch this game. Its hard getting them in over here England.
