Two games ago, I was depressed when considering the Wings' chances this year; a 10-3 mauling by St. Louis and countless other half-hearted, disinterested efforts had me really concerned about this team's ability, energy, and coaching. And I'm still concerned. However, the final game of the season against the Blackhawks has lifted my spirits somewhat. A meaningless game for the Wings and a must-win for the Hawks - it didn't really bode well for a victory. Colour me shocked when the Red Wings endured a high energy first period by Chicago only to come alive themselves, and produce a competitive, edgy performance to get the win against a desperate team. That was playoff hockey, and I had begun to think the Red Wings didn't have it in them anymore.
The Wings now face the Phoenix Coyotes, a repeat of last year's first round contest where Detroit came out on top of a seven-game series. I like Dave Tippett as a coach, and the Coyotes will be tough, defensive, disciplined and no doubt have excellent goaltending from one of my favourite goalies Ilya Bryzgalov.
Oddly, that one game against the Hawks has turned around my thoughts on the Wings' chances a significant amount, and I'm starting to think that those eternal optimists and all-knowing loyalist fans may be on to something. This veteran group are assembled for the playoffs. The regular season is a boring slog, particularly on a team that has made it to twenty consecutive postseasons. Maybe they will be transformed, energised; the big red machine rebooted. But are these individuals good enough to make this team Stanley Cup winners?
Goaltenders
Jimmy Howard
I have my doubts about Howard, mainly because of his tendency to revert to his early days as a rookie last season - juicy rebounds on every second shot and too many soft goals. He had a spell in early-spring to forget, but thankfully he's looked like the guy who gets all those wins again in recent games. The jury's still out - until he can form the basis of a good cup run it will remain out - but the next few weeks will be telling. With MacDonald as backup, and Osgood questionable to be in the mix at all - this has to be the time for Jimmy Howard to prove any lingering doubters wrong.
Joey MacDonald
MacDonald will start the playoffs as backup, according to Babcock, as nobody knows where Osgood is at in his extended and tedious recovery. Joey was very, very solid up until the St. Louis blowout, and in my opinion he was absolutely hung out to dry by a shocking display in front of him. Hopefully we won't need him as a starter.
Defensemen
Nicklas Lidstrom
The Captain will be his usual brilliance, I'm quite sure, and would no doubt love to collect another ring before they hang his number from the rafters. For some reason, I suspect he'll be back next season, he's just too good to retire yet. If there is any concern here, it's if he's paired with Rafalski and they're subjected to intense, physical forechecking. I thought last year that pairing was susceptible to that vigorous, wear-down game, but considering they've been mostly kept apart at even strength this season, it probably won't be an issue.
Brian Rafalski
Rafalski has the ability to amp up his game when it matters - we saw that at the Olympics where he was stellar for the USA, and so long as he's focussed he should be fine. His tendency to turn it over in the regular season shouldn't be an issue on the big stage. He's also due to score a few more goals too, so hopefully he's timed it well.
Brad Stuart
Stuart was a terrific addition at the 2008 deadline for the Stanley Cup winning Wings of that year. Another guy who's solid as a rock. Our best shot-blocker, one of our best hitters, and a physical presence. It'll be interesting to see if he's paired with Lidstrom. The occasional bone-head play he makes is not normally when it matters - although he did get caught out last year against Phoenix - but I like Stuey. Come playoff time he's usually a model of consistency. My only concern is how he and others are paired up. Going by this season, he may be with Lids. I think he's been saving up some dynamite hits for a while now, so look out.
Niklas Kronwall
The fact that Kronner is somewhat of a doubt for the opening game is a little depressing - not that I don't think he'll play, I do, just that they're still talking about 'making progress' from his upper body injury. We need that shoulder in good shape in order to deliver full effect of the Kron-wall to the opponents. Hoping for some nifty offence too, as is his wont.
Jonathan Ericsson
The Wings have been very quiet about Ericsson this season. Babcock's regular media discussions of Big E's play last season did nothing to inspire confidence in the player, and this year Babs has wisely buttoned it. He's certainly improved this season, but I'm still not convinced. He still has that slightly clueless look about him sometimes, and can get caught out of position occasionally. Whether it's relevant, I'm not sure, but starting out as a forward must've had an influence on his defensive positioning and the uncertainty he sometimes displays. He needs to be more physical. But saying all that, he has looked better this year, and he'll need to maintain that good play and even fire it up a notch for the playoffs. Here's hoping.
Ruslan Salei
I thought Salei started the year off pretty well for the Wings. Not as imposing as Lilja, but tough enough, not as speedy as Lebda, but much better all round, I thought he'd cement his place in the team and be a solid third pairing guy. Jakub Kindl's emergence, coupled with increasingly shaky performances from Rusty, has meant his place is in serious jeopardy for the opening game. I think Babs will start him, but he'll be on a short leash. He'll need to ramp it up quite a bit. Be more imposing, play with more snarl, and keep his head in the game.
Jakub Kindl
When Kindl first got into the team he was understandably tentative. His rookie season in the NHL, after being a solid producer with the Griffins, was a big step and at first he displayed some nerves. Injuries meant he kept his place for an extended period, however, and he has come on leaps and bounds. He looks like a natural defencemen to me - in the way Ericsson sometimes does not - and I rarely notice him for poor defensive play or positioning. The only problem for Kindl early on was his outlet pass; he got caught several times not clearing the zone or not finding a teammate in center ice. He's improved dramatically in this regard though, and it really hasn't been an issue the last couple of months. If he doesn't start, I'd wager he may turn out to be a stellar replacement if Salei or Ericsson prove to be liabilities.
Forwards
Pavel Datsyuk
Yeah, the guy's my favourite player and probably lots of people's favourite. He's a guy that rival fans even give proper respect. Plays the game in the right way, has fantastic work ethic, backchecking, takeaways - all this from the most skillful player in the league and the ultimate danglemeister. Plus he beat up on Corey Perry this season which just adds another notch to his legendary belt.
Henrik Zetterberg
An apparent strained knee is the problem from Zetterberg, who will miss the opening game for sure and I suspect at least the second game aswell. It's a shame, because he did carry the team on his back through many of the injuries to his teammates, and although he hasn't been blasting in the goals he's been point-per-game and we know he's clutch when it matters. A real shame that he'll miss games though - hopefully no more than a couple. The good thing is that Phoenix don't really have a superstar center that Z would have to keep quiet with his dogged defensive game. So perhaps the Coyotes are a good team for Z to miss time against.
Johan Franzen
The Mule has been one of those guys who has looked disinterested the last few months. Actually, he looks like a guy who's not getting any sleep because of a crying baby in the house. Whatever the reason, his five-goal haul against Ottawa was followed by a scoring slump that was unusual in its length for the Mule. We know he's streaky, but he's certainly not been in top gear for a while. He needs to step it up in the playoffs, and his history would indicate he most certainly will. For some reason, he's one guy I'm a little concerned about. We need him to produce. He needs to get angry. They wouldn't like him when he's angry.
Danny Cleary
After a couple of seasons where injuries had affected his play, Cleary bounced back this season in fine form, challenging for the goalscoring lead. Then a Brad Stuart shot broke his ankle and he was forced to endure another spell on the sidelines. He's back now though, and his gritty style will be relied upon to play physical and be a threat in front of their goalie. Usually comes up big in the playoffs.
Todd Bertuzzi
Bert is a guy that I think can be key for the Wings. Obviously he's not played an edgy game, understandably, in the regular season due to his history, but when someone had to step up against Nashville he did so and he ended up pounding Shane O'Brien twice. He probably won't end up fighting in the playoffs, but if he continues the physical checking game that we saw toward the end of the season, he'll be exactly what some critics say we lack; a big, physical, tough player who has good hands. His checking against the Hawks last game was particularly evident, and resulted in a Cleary goal. That's what we want to see from Big Bert.
Valtteri Filppula
Filppula has been a slight source of frustration for some Wings fans, as he has yet to reach what they believe is his maximum potential. 'He's gotta shoot the puck more' has been a constant refrain from his coaches over the last couple of seasons. Regardless, Filppula has proved to be a very effective player in the playoffs. The biggest thing I noticed from him last playoffs was his physicality. He's not a small guy, even if the babyface might fool some, and when he uses his size physically he can lay the body pretty good. Like some of his teammates, if they commit to the physical game, the rest will follow, because they are a skilled group.
Tomas Holmstrom
The one place we don't want to see Homer is struggling in his own zone. He cleared three pucks over the glass in the last few games of the season, and before that he would occasionally be guilty of turnovers in the neutral zone. He has to cut that out. That said, the biggest fear fans have about Homer is more to do with the refs; how many good goals will they take away from him with phantom goalie interference calls. He's already been vocal about it, and he'll probably have to position himself a foot farther out of the crease. Hopefully we won't have Dan O'Halloran as ref for many games, and Homer's arse can go about its business with impunity.
Jiri Hudler
Hudler had 26 points in 28 games around new year - playing with Datsyuk and Cleary for the most part - and was rewarded for this by being put with Draper and Helm on the fourth line because of Franzen's slump. I know a lot of Wings fans don't like him because he's small and occasionally gets lost in the crowd, not to mention his defection to Russia, but he has playmaking talent and a quick release, and so should be utilised. I don't think Babcock has ever really fancied him, and his limited icetime has made it tough for him to produce. Babcock's expectation of 70 points from him last summer was a bit far-fetched too, but Hudler's horrible first half of the year didn't help. Hope he can redeem himself in the playoffs. If he get his nose dirty, battles, and goes into the hard areas then he'll be rewarded. He's been there before, at least, so although I have some doubts I'm hopeful he can come up with some timely points.
Darren Helm
Helm is a fan favourite, and it's easy to see why. I'm sure he'd rank in the top three quickest NHLers, and his hustle is outstanding. He's a terrific PKer, constant shorthanded threat, and he's drawn a ton of penalties this season. It's probably his tenacity that is his best attribute, and he can drive opposition D-men mad. His hands are starting to catch up too, which is great news, and he's proved in the past he can lay the body like a machine. I love this guy.
Justin Abdelkader
The recent Nashville game could have been Abby's coming out party. He was terrific. Although he leads the team in hits, he has been offensively subdued, a fact I put down to him playing center for a large part of the season. I'd play him as a winger, and his play in the Nashville game reminded me of 2008's Dallas Drake. Can't go wrong with having another Dallas Drake on the team. And if his past is anything to go by, he could get some damn important goals. He leads the team in plus/minus. Babs loves this guy.
Patrick Eaves
Eaves has occasionally looked like that guy who scored 20 goals in his rookie season, and has a terrific shot if given the opportunity, but his season has been interrupted a few times by injury and more recently illness. I'd certainly start him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he falls back into the competitive 'rotation' with Miller and Draper. When injuries were at their worst for the Wings this season, he got time on the second powerplay unit, and was terrific option down low on the left side - his quick release was a real option. Again, Babs knows better and he was quickly yanked off it despite scoring a couple of goals. He needs to bring a physical game and grind it out alongside his usual partner in crime Helm. We need to see his insanely happy post-goal face a few times this playoffs for sure.
Mike Modano
Modano has escaped criticism this season almost entirely. He's a 'great player' who's had a 'great career' and you don't start wading in on a veteran like that. But he's been really poor, in my opinion. Yes, he had a slashed wrist in a freak accident which derailed his season, but I'm skeptical that he was ever going to be much better than he's proved to be. He's not a guy who's changed his game to suit a new role. To me, he's still skating around like he's the Modano of old, except now he's on 40-year old legs. I don't see how he fits well on any line, he's not good enough for the top two and he doesn't provide any sort of grit for the bottom two. And let's not forget, this isn't a guy who's near the league minimum wage - Holland paid him 1.75 million plus bonuses this season. For me, he's been an absolute bust, and this playoffs is his last chance to prove me wrong. And it will be his last chance, as apparently he's going to retire. In 2008, the fact that a subplot to the Wings Cup run included winning the cup for Dallas Drake, who'd never won one, was appropriate. Drake played with desperation, boundless energy, physicality - he'd take a 30-second shift and tally up 4 or 5 hits. He was phenomenal. Modano, who's already won a cup, and who has Willa Ford waiting on him to ride off into the California sun, doesn't exactly spring too many comparisons with Dallas Drake. If it was up to me, I'd have Modano as being very questionable to get into the lineup. I'm not expecting him to make much of an impact. Prove me wrong, Mo.
Drew Miller
This guy has been scratched often this season, and often he's responded the next game by scoring, and once even getting into a fight. I like Miller, but I feel he's probably pretty much where he should be in the lineup - fighing it out for a spot in the team.
Kris Draper
Draper's had a slight renaissance this season. He's back taking important faceoffs, for one thing, slipping out of that role last season. Draper is obviously a leader, and a big part of the locker room, and indeed a huge part of the Wings success since the 90s. There's no doubt he'll give 100% when he's out there. Interesting to see if his faceoff prowess has bumped him up on the pecking order. I see him or Miller being a scratch at the start of the playoffs, but you never know.
On paper, this team has a lot of depth. There are key question marks though. Salei, Kindl, and Ericsson are somewhat of a concern for me, but if two of those guys play to the top of their game then we should be all right. As for the forwards, my concern is whether all these older veterans like Homer, Bert, Modano, and Draper are able to bring the energy required for several rounds of playoff hockey. Hudler is also a concern - there's no point in him being in the lineup if he's going to be invisible, and if he's on the 4th line then he's probably not going to be effective. Modano - will he be able to raise his game massively as will be required, and more importantly, will Babs have the cojones to scratch him if he doesn't? Zetterberg's injury is an obvious concern, along with the fact that his knee may be targeted by the opposition when he returns.
I see this team starting the playoffs pretty well. Although I like the Coyotes, I'm not sure they're significantly better than last year, whereas the Wings, if they play to their potential, are better than last year's injury riddled and fatigued group. Bryzgalov can steal games for sure. But I'm going to predict the Red Wings win it in 6 games. The talking heads like those on TSN are either going for the Coyotes in 7 or the Wings in 7. My newfound confidence in this group makes me go for the Wings in 6.
Beyond that, I can see the Wings going a round further. Vancouver are very much favourites to get to the Western Conference Final, and if the Wings meet them there it would be a fun series. I think this is the year that the Canucks have to prove themselves. The pressure is all on them, because they've been superb so far. It will be interesting to see how they, and Luongo, handle it, and to see if they get over the hump of losing to the Blackhawks two years straight. I'd say if they meet the Wings later on, it would probably go to a game 7, and it would probably be just desserts for two of the more entertaining teams in the West. Do I see this Wings team going all the way? Honestly, no, because I can't shake off my lingering doubts, but I do see an improvement over last year. But hey, if Howard proves himself, the veterans step up and the team gets on a role, who knows?
Other Predictions
For the rest of the west:
Vancouver in 6
Anaheim in 7
San Jose in 5
In the East, I'll go for:
Washington in 5
Pittsburgh in 7
Philadelphia in 6
Montreal in 7
Go Wings!
