This is what happens when you have a team of skill but no hunger.
The 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings took their early out of their 21st consecutive playoff appearance with a run that may have just been a sweep by the Nashville Predators.
What the Red Wings have in skill they completely lacked in heart. I would not go as far as say the Dead Wing Era has returned but if things keep going this way they it just might. There was no hunger, no passion, no emotion at all from the machine that is the Detroit Red Wings.
Cycle. Cycle. Cycle.
That is what we witnessed in these five games. All Cycle no shoot.
It has been said so many times that it has become a cliché but you’re going to miss all the shots you don’t take; and if no one is there to knock in the rebound that Pekka Rinne gives up… guess what that is not going to go in either.
Bringing in new assistant coaching was suppose to bring in new ideas for the team. Becoming lackluster just is not going to win anything.
More should have been done at the trade deadline. Getting Kyle Quincey back was fantastic… if racking up penalty minutes was the objective.
Why is it the playoffs start and now the Red Wings can not keep themselves out of the penalty box? Stupid plays. Johan Franzen played stupid the entire series. Why are is he getting paid what he is? The excuse was for his playoff performance. Well holy crap ya’all that was horrible.
It is not a coincidence that the only game Detroit won was the one where they were heated. When they hated Nashville for Shea Weber’s attack on Henrik Zetterberg. I am not going to go into that incident we all have beat that horse to death; but game two the Red Wings came out hungry and they won.
Remember when the Red Wings were the team to go to because they would rally for a player? When they played their hearts out to win that cup in 2008 for Dallas Drake before he retired.
They could not do that for Tomas Holmstrom and possibly Nicklas Lidstrom? Really? Drake meant more to them than these two that have spent their entire careers making the team what it is (or was) for these “youngsters”.
The team needs an update. Get rid of the stubron jackass we call the Mule, get a goal scorer. Honestly since losing Marian Hossa to the Blackhawks the Red Wings still have not found themselves a snipper. Players can cycle the puck all they want, but unless they shoot it they are not going to score.
Keep Darren Helm, Keep Patrick Eaves in your thoughts and hope he is okay for next season. Detroit missed both of them dearly in the playoffs.
Keep Nicklas Kronwall though odds are he is injured again as he did not “Kronwall” anyone this series (odds are it would have been a 4-5 game suspension anyway).
Keep Howard but find him a good partner. Not a back up but a good goaltending tandem where the goalies push one another; not where one self destructs.
Keep the Euro Twins. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg probably should have played on the same line together a little more when nothing was frickin’ working.
Keep Bertuzzi since he is the only one willing to use his size.
The Central Division is getting younger, full of players that are hungry to get their chance at the cup and to take down everyone that stands in their way.
Especially the old measuring stick Red Wings.
?
