2023-2024 Playoff Tracker - updated after each DET game

[TheMoreYouKnow]

But a playoff run was never in the stated expectations this season. The next logical improvement is to make the playoffs, and at that point you're playing with house money.

As for draft picks, I'd rather package every single pick in the next five drafts to add top half of the lineup established NHL players under 30. There isn't a single magic bean going forward that I care about; I think this franchise needs a combination of continued introduction of its best prospects, gradual shedding of underperformers, and significant trades / free agency signings to add real pieces. Whether it's 14th or 18th overall, I'm not waiting another 5 years to see if that kid is a second liner or a third liner, let alone relying on him.

That'd be a great way to achieve mediocrity.

 

[Detroit Knights]

If we beat caps and pens 6 would be enough, even 5 maybe.

if we take care of business on tuesday and against pit, we will be in. We will win one of the montreal games and that'll solidify it

 

[GMR]

I'm suddenly reminded of all the posts from February that were essentially "I don't care if we sneak into the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed, this is a team you do NOT want to have to play in the playoffs"

A six game winning streak will do that. This team can score goals when their powerplay is hot.

People got excited in February because there's been nothing to get excited about for 8 years.

 

[jkutswings]

That'd be a great way to achieve mediocrity.

How so? Do you anticipate any remaining draft picks to become one or more cornerstones of the rebuild? And I'm not asking Yzerman to literally deal away every single pick from here on out. I just think the likelihood of any future picks providing any major pieces is incredibly slim, so the priority should shift from the first phase (hoarding picks, building primarily through the draft) to the second phase (dealing at least some of those picks in packages to land impact players).

Otherwise, by the time "CantMissGuy2024/2025/2026" is in the NHL and really contributing, Larkin will be the NHL equivalent of applying for his AARP card.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

How so? Do you anticipate any remaining draft picks to become one or more cornerstones of the rebuild? And I'm not asking Yzerman to literally deal away every single pick from here on out. I just think the likelihood of any future picks providing any major pieces is incredibly slim, so the priority should shift from the first phase (hoarding picks, building primarily through the draft) to the second phase (dealing at least some of those picks in packages to land impact players).

Otherwise, by the time "CantMissGuy2024/2025/2026" is in the NHL and really contributing, Larkin will be the NHL equivalent of applying for his AARP card.

Larkin won't win a Cup in Detroit. It's possible he retires a Wing because the franchise has a 'lifetime contract' mentality for guys it likes, but if he wants to win a Cup he's probably going to ask to be traded in a few years. Quite frankly, Larkin also shouldn't be easily the best player on a team if that team hopes to win a Cup because he's not that level of player.

I could write a 10 page essay on the problems with acquiring top end talent in free agency and via trades these days, but a lot of ink has already been wasted on that. The simple reality is that the draft remains the by far best way to acquire such talent. The only time a team should de-prioritize draft picks is if they already have most of their Cup-winning core pieces in place and now need to add a final piece or two. This is decidedly not where the Wings are in 2024.

 

[datsyukfan]

We should be using our 1st round pick + to acquire Necas if Carolina is willing to move him/can’t retain him. Should have already been a wing but ya know….. Holland

 

[GreatGordie9]

if we take care of business on tuesday and against pit, we will be in. We will win one of the montreal games and that'll solidify it

I do want Toronto to do us a favor tonight and beat the Pens in regulation. I wouldn't bet on it though. The Leafs are unpredictable.

 

[FMichael]

How so? Do you anticipate any remaining draft picks to become one or more cornerstones of the rebuild? And I'm not asking Yzerman to literally deal away every single pick from here on out. I just think the likelihood of any future picks providing any major pieces is incredibly slim, so the priority should shift from the first phase (hoarding picks, building primarily through the draft) to the second phase (dealing at least some of those picks in packages to land impact players).

Otherwise, by the time "CantMissGuy2024/2025/2026" is in the NHL and really contributing, Larkin will be the NHL equivalent of applying for his AARP card.

Unfortunately I share your pessimism…At 27 Larkin has played in 5 playoff games while Yzerman played in 57 at the same age…We are so far away from contending

 

[Bench]

Unfortunately I share your pessimism…At 27 Larkin has played in 5 playoff games while Yzerman played in 57 at the same age…We are so far away from contending

The NHL is different than it was in Yzerman's era. Those were dominant all-star teams with no cap. It's why the top spending teams (Devils, Avalanche, Wings, Stars) gobbled up all the Stanley Cup appearances.

The bar for a contender now is a bit lower due to the parity that's been imposed with the draft and cap. You used to be able to circle 4 teams to start the season every year you knew were going to be in the Cup finals. Now, even at the end of the year, there's 8 teams you can make a real solid case for. Maybe 10?

Boston, Florida, Toronto, NYR, Carolina, Tampa, Dallas, Colorado, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton.

Some of those more than others but I don't bat an eye if any of them get to the finals or win the Cup this year. Everyone is bunched together with strengths and flaws. The Wings just need to get into that top grouping and be healthy and click when playoffs come.

 

[jkutswings]

Everyone is bunched together with strengths and flaws. The Wings just need to get into that top grouping and be healthy and click when playoffs come.

I think that's a fair bar to set. The debate then is what method(s) are sufficient to bring the current roster up to that level.

Personally, I don't see any QUANTITY of additional draft picks filling even most of the remaining holes with sufficient QUALITY. So I think Detroit needs another 1-2 situations similar to how they acquired Debrincat, plus getting lucky with at least one significant free agent addition...while they add the kids already drafted.

Even if those improbable set of events only have a 5-10 percent chance of coming up aces, I think that's still better than the (nearly) zero percent chance of expecting to land another few core players by drafting 17 or later (and then expecting said fledglings to hit their stride while Larkin is still a key piece).

 

[GMR]

Unfortunately I share your pessimism…At 27 Larkin has played in 5 playoff games while Yzerman played in 57 at the same age…We are so far away from contending

The current Eastern Conference is brutal for us.

Florida
Boston
Toronto
Tampa Bay

Which of these teams do you see falling off in 2025 or after? If all those teams make the playoffs in 2025, that means Detroit will once again be fighting over one playoff spot. The Metropolitan division is guaranteed at least three playoff teams.

We're like hungry dogs fighting over a single bone after it's picked clean.

 

[jkutswings]

The current Eastern Conference is brutal for us.

Florida
Boston
Toronto
Tampa Bay

Which of these teams do you see falling off in 2025 or after? If all those teams make the playoffs in 2025, that means Detroit will once again be fighting over one playoff spot. The Metropolitan division is guaranteed at least three playoff teams.

We're like hungry dogs fighting over a single bone after it's picked clean.

I think Tampa's days are already numbered. Matthews could score 100 and I wouldn't respect Toronto when the games matter. Boston is good but definitely beatable.

Florida should be a huge pain for awhile yet. But in another couple years the division won't be the gauntlet it is now.

 

[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

The correct move, as it always is, is somewhere between what jkuts is saying and TMYK is.

You can’t de-prioritize the draft and you also can’t hope you suck and sock away prospects in perpetuity.

The Wings need to deal from a position of strength and use some of the kids in deals for legit “now” talent.

If you’re proposing blowing it up and hoping to win the lotto… I’m not going to listen to you. That’s stupid.

I also will not accept deal away all the future for guys now.

 

[schuelma24]

Pens up 1 after 1st period. Worthless Leafs.

 

[LongTimeDRWF]

Pens up 1 after 1st period. Worthless Leafs.

1-1 Leaks just scored

 

[schuelma24]

1-1 Leaks just scored

excellent, my post worked. Let me schedule another.

 

[GMR]

I think Tampa's days are already numbered. Matthews could score 100 and I wouldn't respect Toronto when the games matter. Boston is good but definitely beatable.

Florida should be a huge pain for awhile yet. But in another couple years the division won't be the gauntlet it is now.

I'm not talking about beating them in the playoffs. I'm talking about getting there. Boston and Toronto may be beatable, but they're perennial playoff teams. Tampa is older but their top guys aren't falling off a cliff exactly. Florida has a great thing going. It's a tough group to crack.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Of course this bum Nedeljkovic looks like a Calder candidate again when I need him to be himself.... Hey Ned play like you did on Detroit!

 

[Chris Langlois]

Funny the penguins have already has 5 powerplays before the end of the 2nd. The leafs have only had 1. It's almost like the nhl wants the penguins to win...

 

[nbwingsfan]

My god I love how well Samsonov is playing. Not something I ever thought I would say

 

[nbwingsfan]

Oh no Crosby got knocked down! Better blow the whistle while the opposition has the puck do to be sure he doesn’t get scored against

 

[JediOrderPizza]

Man if Larkin got this league protection.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Man if Larkin got this league protection.

We just saw both sides of it at once. They were going to call a penalty purely because it was on Crosby, but then they didn't because they saw it was Matthews interfering. If only Larkin got either the Crosby or Matthews treatments

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Oh no Crosby got knocked down! Better blow the whistle while the opposition has the puck do to be sure he doesn’t get scored against

He told Bettman no more concussions for me or the Penguins are moving cities

 

[GreatGordie9]

Funny the penguins have already has 5 powerplays before the end of the 2nd. The leafs have only had 1. It's almost like the nhl wants the penguins to win...

That is why the Pens beat us in the 2009 Stanley Cup.