So Saturday, Jason Williams went awkwardly into the boards...which apparently, for Detroit players is like the wolfman being shot by a silver bullet, Superman being touch by kryptonite, or a silver steak being shoved into a vampire's heart. Williams suffered a broken fibula and is expected to miss at least 6-8 weeks of action. How wonderful.
Franzen out.
Filppula out.
Williams out.
So basically, that's like plucking an entire second line off of a team's roster. How many teams in the NHL would be able to survive that? My guess would be not many. And to make matters worse, we haven't exactly built ourselves a nice cushion to fall back on while our players get healthy. The Red Wings are 3 points out of a play-off spot right now. Sure there's 67 games left to be played, but as whacky as the Western Conference has been this year, we can't afford to start dropping successive games as we did at the beginning of the season.
So what now? Don't expect Kenny Holland to make any noise in the trade department despite the General Manager meetings about to commence. It probably wouldn't make any sense to bring in a rental for two months once Filppula and Williams become available again.
Despite losing Williams (7 points in 15 games), Detroit still can ice a full roster, a play-off quality roster? You tell me. Here's how I see the lines as of now...Bertuzzi-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Leino-Zetterberg-Cleary
Draper-Helm-Eaves
May-Abdelkader-Maltby
That's still a pretty damn good core of forwards. And one we've already seen before. Losing Williams is going to force Babcock's hand into icing pretty much the same lineup day in and day out, as opposed to juggling scratches in and out as he has done up to this point. It is not time to panic.
After all, we're still only one measly point behind the almighty Chicago Blackhawks. And with a win on Wednesday, we can climb within one of the Central Division leading Columbus Blue Jackets. For all of you nay-sayers who didn't want Jason Williams in the first place, here's your chance to see what this team would have looked like without him. And don't give me that crap that we could have used that $1.5 mil to go out and sign someone else, because you probably would have whined about whoever else we would have signed anyway. It's time for the kids (Eaves, Helm, Abdelkader) to prove their worth and veterans (May, Draper, Maltby) to prove that they still belong. The work load remains the same, there's just less people to do it. That's a concept I'm quite familiar with. When it all comes down to it, all you have to remember are the following...
- We still have a pair of the best two-way forwards in the league
- We still have the best defenseman to ever lace up the skates
- We still have the best coach in the NHL
- We still have the best GM looking over us
Relax.
It's hard to like what's going on right now, but we'll get all of them back during the regular season, with time to return to form just in time for the playoffs (Franzen is a maybe with a torn ACL, but I've also never seen a guy not fall down and cry after suffering that injury, let alone finish a hockey game... I have no idea what he's capable of).
ReplyDeleteThe talent we still have on the roster is absolutely good enough to keep us in contention for a home ice series in the playoffs. I'm not lowering my expecations for this team.
I trust my team to Dr. Dangle and the guys. You should too
Man, as much as I would like to belive that this post isn’t a pep talk trying to focus on the positives, I have to concede that this seems like wishful thinking. Even the strongest willed Wings fans have got to be shaking their heads after that Toronto game. I’m getting tired of hearing Babcock say, “We got to be way better than that”.
ReplyDeleteI was feeling good. They had clawed their way back into the standings, but now that three big time forwards are out it’s time for everyone else to show up. Lebda, it’s time to stop turning over the puck and making rookie mistakes on defense. Ericsson, it’s time to stop falling over causing a two on one, and a minus (twice in the last two games). Osgood, it’s time to close that 5 hole, get back to you’re A-game man, I’m tired of hearing about playoff Osgood and regular season Osgood. You are an A+ goalie, play like one. All other forwards (yes, you to Pav and Hank) HOLMSTROM is leading the team in goals!
To Drew’s credit, Helm seems like the only guy playing his heart out, maybe we need to bench everyone else for a game too.
I’m not coutning them out. I know they can turn this ship around, but they need to do it soon.
I'd put the circus back together, and move Helm up to the 2nd line, if I were king.
ReplyDeletePavs-Z-Homer
Bert-Helm-Cleary
Leino-Drapes-Eaves
Malts-Abby-May