Wings Home Cooking Spoiling Playoff Chances

No team in the NHL has less wins at home this season than the Detroit Red Wings. An abysmal 6-10-7 start at the Joe has been a strong source of consternation for the team and fan base. How could this be possible? Isn't this the same organization that set an NHL record with 23 consecutive home wins in 2012? Is there a way to fix before it costs the Wings a berth in the post season? 

To be fair, it's been a tough season for the Red Wings. The team has a total of 166 man games lost due to injury. And we aren't just talking about losing a few 4th liners and depth defensemen. Only three players on the roster have played in all 43 games. Just think about that. Another statistic to consider? Eight Wings have made their NHL debut this year. Eight. I am used to going seasons at a time before a rookie or prospect is skating around in the regular season for Detroit. Now, it seems like every other game a Grand Rapids Griffin is wearing the Winged Wheel. 

So, concurrently, Detroit has struggled with consistency. What has always served as a benchmark for the Wings in the past, has now become a glaring weakness. But, another characteristic that the team has traditionally counted on, and yet has morphed into a new vulnerability, is the crowd at the Joe Louis Arena.

The weak attendance and punch-less home ice advantage that the crowd provides has been the largest elephant in the room for years. Pay no attention to the inflated and misleading attendance totals that the NHL tallies. According to the NHL, every home game this year has been a sell out. Have you seen a game recently? Notice all those fans disguised as adjustable red seats? Detroit reports their attendance based on "tickets sold". A disingenuous method used to tout their arena and marketing capabilities.
But, the reality is that the crowd at the Joe has been an embarrassment in recent years. Fans sitting on their hands, only reacting for goals and being quite apathetic towards the product on the ice. It's apparent that the fan base has grown blase towards the Red Wings. A "Wake me when the playoffs start" mentality that has poisoned the atmosphere at the once feared and revered Joe Louis Arena. 

Rarely do deafening echoes of "Let's Go Red Wings" reverberate throughout the Joe like in years past. What about Todd Bertuzzi or Jimmy Howard chants? Nope. Nothing.
During a shaky season, the once steady fans at the Joe have become a weakness. Look at how the team plays on the road. Second best record away from home in the league. The Red Wings are completely different when competing as the visitor. The energy is higher, the tenacity is greater and the results are much better. 13-4-3. 

I have found myself, over the last three season especially, preferring to watch the Wings on the road than at home. It's almost always a better game. Just take a listen to the last two games Detroit has played on the road. The home crowds in Nashville and Dallas were much more vocal than any have been at the Joe. Even when the Stars were down a couple goals, the fans were into it and keeping the enthusiasm up. It was contagious. I caught myself rooting for Dallas to score. That's what a strong home crowd presence can do for a team. 

The Red Wings have been abandoned by a passionless and detached crowd that generates little home ice advantage. Detroit would be better served playing in Phoenix, where although only 60% of the crowd is rooting them on, it's a vocal and demonstrative majority. 

Detroit has just 18 games left to play at home this season. And it's a fantastical notion to assume the Wings can keep their point total on the road. It's imperative that the team improves their record at the Joe or it will be the first time since 1990 that they will miss the playoffs. 22 straight appearances in the playoffs. 22 straight post seasons with games the Joe. All gone in the blink of a drowsy eye. 

Can you imagine April in the D with no Red Wings playoff games and an empty Joe Louis Arena?

Actually, an empty Joe isn't too hard to envision, considering the spiritless crowd frequenting the arena this season. A crowd that may sleep their way into Spring without the Wings. 

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Red Wings Mid-Season Review

42 games down, only 40 left on the regular season schedule for the Detroit Red Wings. So, what a perfect time to do a review of the year up to this point.

RECORD: 18-14-10, 46 pts, 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

Its been a tumultuous first half for the Wings, where a combination of injuries and inconsistent play threatens to end its vaunted 22 consecutive season playoff appearance streak. Now, an argument could be made that the team has done quite well treading water while a large portion of the roster has been incapacitated. 

However, that argument would be a losing one. 

Detroit is trending in the wrong direction. All phases of their game are suffering, and although key players have missed time, there is more than enough talent to guide the team through these difficult times. We expect more from the Red Wings, and right now they have been underwhelming and quite disappointing. For the Wings to get into the playoffs this year, there must be a indelible impact made in certain aspects of their game. Here are a few of the players that must step up if the Wings plan on playing this Spring:

#1. Jimmy Howard- Goalie (6-9-8, 2.72 g.a.a.)

6 wins. That is all that Jimmy Howard has been able to provide for Detroit so far this season. Well, he was hurt for some time this year you say. Howard still started 23 games. Chipping in only 6 wins is far below the expectations a well-paid, and now U.S. Olympian, should be adding to his team. And its not like he's been the victim of some bad puck-luck. There have been various stretches this season where Jimmy Howard has looked completely lost. Watch some of the November games again. He was having a hard time tracking the puck, a complete mess handling the puck, and seems to have regressed in terms of rebound control. How many more times does he have to watch a puck go wide and have an opponent tap a goal into a wide open net until he figures out to stop moving so far out in front of his crease? Howard has been such a liability in net that Jonas Gustavsson supplanted him as the starter for a few games. The Monster has been much more effective posting 11 wins and a 2.39 g.a.a., whilst keeping the Wings from drowning with his stellar tending as Howard worked to find his game. 

The next 4 months will be the most important in Howard's professional career. Between Detroit's fight for a playoff berth and his inclusion into this year's Winter Olympics, Howard's mettle will be put to the test. The knock I have on Howard is that his game suffers when there are distractions he is dealing with. Two years ago it was the contract negotiations that stymied his play, this year it's been the pressure of the U.S. Olympic selection. He has to be stronger mentally if Detroit is to have any chance making the post season this year. Howard has put the team on his back when necessary in the past. Remember, rolling off four consecutive wins to get the Wings into the playoffs last Spring? He has to be even better this year, or the Wings will be in bad shape and struggling to grab the 8th seed in the East.


#2 Niklas Kronwall- Defenseman (4 goals, 24 assists, +7)

Judging by stats alone, one would believe that Kronwall has been having a stellar year. But, if you examine a few layers further, there is something just a bit off with his game thus far. From here, it looks like Nik has lost a step or two. His offensive game is still top-notch, but it's been on the defensive zone that the Swede has been lacking. Noticeably, Kronwall has had a few issues in man coverage. Though never known for his speed, Kronwall had a Lidstrom-like ability to always maintain incredible body position on offensive attackers. A pick here, a subtle interference there. #55 found a way to keep the opposing team from swarming the net.

 This season has been a different story. There's been a lack of positioning that has resulted in goals more often than not for the opponents. And not just body control either. His stick has been slumping, as well. Instead of keeping it low to deflect passes, Kronwall has been caught with it up around the waist of players, thus enabling them free rein to shoot on goal. Also, when is the last time you have seen anyone get Kronwalled? Nik, as the elder-statesman on the blue-line, is heavily relied upon by not only the coaching staff, but his teammates. He needs to be a steady and reliable hand as Detroit progresses this next half season. 


 #3 Darren Helm- Forward (7 goals, 4 assists, 16 games played)

By any measure, its been a tough season for Darren Helm. Widely expected to be a key contributor for the Wings this year, Helm's season has been marred by injuries. It's been one step forward and two steps back for the 26-year old from Manitoba. When he is on the ice, Helm has produced. A tough penalty killer and exceptional speedster, #43 adds a dimension that Detroit sorely lacks. But, unfortunately, he has spent more time on the IR than the score sheet. Mike Babcock loves what Helm brings to the table as a third-line center. Quite possibly, when healthy, the best in the NHL. There is the caveat though. Health. Something that has avoided Helm the last 2+ years. A healthy Darren Helm can be the difference between playoffs or no playoffs this season. And if he is unable to get right, the organization needs to seriously consider other options for the third-line center position not only now, but for the long-term. His speed and fore-checking changes the complexion of the Wings, a weakness that may prove too difficult to overcome without his presence in the lineup. 


The three Wings above are instrumental in extending Detroit's playoff streak these next 40 games. However, the players listed below are reasons why the team still has hope:

1. Henrik Zetterberg (12 goals, 22 assists, +15)--1st half MVP
2. Daniel Alfredsson (11 goals, 19 assists, +8)---exceeded all expectations after coming over from Ottawa.
3. Jonas Gustavsson (11-3-2, 2.39 g.a.a., .914 save %)---best goalie currently on roster 

Those players, and the coaching of Mike Babcock, have been invaluable for Detroit as they have fought their way through the first half. Teetering, but never toppling. Still grasping at the last playoff spot. With a mix of veteran and young talent, Babcock has orchestrated a solid performance under the circumstances.

Coach Babcock will have to rely on youth even more as the year progresses unless veterans, such as Daniel Cleary and Stephen Weiss, start producing. Luckily, the organization's prospects have gained valuable experience the last year and a half, and can be trusted a bit more come crunch time. Perfect example being Brendan Smith. Much-maligned for his play in the 2013 playoffs and early segment of this season, Smith is now on the top defensive pairing with Kronwall and improving each game. Players like Smith, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist will have been a huge impact on how far the Wings go this year. 

At the very least, it's been a roller-coaster season so far for Detroit. And you can bet, the next 40 games will be an exhilarating ride. 

Youth & Consequences: Holland's Lack of Faith in Young Wings Proves Costly

For the past two decades, the Detroit Red Wings have been the class of the National Hockey League (NHL). The organization has been able to build a foundation of winning thru shrewd roster moves and an owner willing to spend the dollars on talent. However, the last few years have shed light on cracks that threaten to topple this great franchise.

The biggest crack in the foundation, and one that has the potential to cause the most damage, is the overreliance on veterans over young players.

The Red Wings have been firm in their belief that experience is a trump card, especially when it comes playoff time. Currently, the Wings have the 3^rd oldest team in the league behind only Florida and New Jersey. In fact, the addition of Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss this past year, raised the average age of the team, even as the league as a whole is trending younger.

Across the NHL, there is a wave of exciting young players that are making a profound impact on their respective teams. Whether it is Nathan Mackinnon in Colorado, Seth Jones in Nashville, Tomas Hertl in San Jose or less-heralded, but equally productive players such as Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson or Valeri Nichushkin in Dallas, youth is quite empathically being served.

Did you notice any Red Wings on that list?

How about top 15 in rookie scoring? Top 25? Nope. The highest ranked Red Wing in rookie scoring is Danny Dekeyser, who is ranked 27^th.

One may see this as an indictment on the young talent the Red Wings have in their system.

One would be wrong, because, according to hockeysfuture.com, Detroit has the 9^th best pool of talent in the NHL.

The true condemnation should be directed at General Manager Ken Holland and the importance placed on over-ripening prospects in the system. Players like Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar should have been in the starting lineup for the Wings last year. Tatar ended up being the AHL Calder Cup Playoff MVP, and after spot starts with the big team throughout the year, Nyquist played an integral part of the best line Detroit had in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (with Center Joakim Andersson and Winger Damien Brunner).

So, after successful 2012-13 campaigns you would think that these two would be penciled in to the starting lineup for this season, right?

Wrong.

Tatar was relegated to the bench, and Nyquist had to start the season in Grand Rapids.

In their place, Detroit signed Dan Cleary, Alfredsson, and Weiss. None of which addressed the team’s glaring lack of speed. Sure, there are strengths that each player projected to provide. But, instead of giving opportunities to young players that proved they could succeed in the NHL, Holland decided to stick with the veterans. The move has come back to haunt the Wings.

Although, Alfredsson has been better than advertised, the Cleary and Weiss signings have been massive failures. They have combined to tally just 10 points in 61 combined games. Not to mention the injury issue that seems to linger with Weiss. And as a whole, the team has had struggles in the scoring department. These two are not helping the cause.

Detroit is mired in mediocrity and instead of battling for upper-echelon seeds in the East the Wings are straining to hold onto the 8^th position.

The new blood of Tatar and Nyquist has 21 points in just over 40 combined appearances. Good for a point every other game. Solid contributions that have come when the Wings desperately need it.

Both players have taken the opportunities presented to them for various reasons, and have risen to the occasion. Nyquist scored 2 goals on his first game this season after being called up from the minors, and Tatar has been a steady hand on the powerplay and is second on the team in game-winning goals.

Viewers can see the impact the two players have had on the ice. You notice Tatar and Nyquist are on the ice. On the other hand, the veterans are in the background. Part of the scenery at Joe Louis. Taking up space at best, costing the Wings a playoff spot at worst.

The Red Wings have a slew of NHL-ready prospects that can produce today. Have you marveled at Tomas Jurco, yet? What about defensemen Adam Almquist and Xavier Ouellet? These three players that when given the chance, has showed their worth with Detroit. I’d much rather have Jurco than Mikael Samuelsson and anyone over Kyle Quincey.

Ken Holland has hamstrung this team not only this year, but has stunted the growth of our next generation of stars. Instead of having faith in his young players, Holland went to the veteran player well once again. This time, it may leave Detroit high, dry and out of the playoffs.