GDT: Game 35: Red Wings vs leafs 7:00 pm et 12/27/24

cjm502

Holy Jumpin!
Jun 22, 2010
1,946
1,280
Mid Michigan
Virtually everyone began declining (Holl was actually solid all game imo) as the 2nd period started but there is one constant through everything now and before TM:

Kane is absolutely done. He's a far-cry from what he looked like last year. Doesn't look confident handling the puck or making cross-seam passes. Even when he's stationary. I wonder if he's been dealing with a lot of hip pain that he's not telling us about

He's not a bottom 6 guy obviously, and he's a major black hole in the top 6. Not even good on the PP anymore. He can sit there and head fake and that's about it. He would be addition by subtraction at this point
His inability to catch a pass cleanly has been mind blowing. The ability to catch a pass, especially less then ideal ones, has to be the most underrated skill in the NHL and Kane has completely lost that ability. For a guy that's supposed to have some of the best hands all time and be an elite playmaker, I don't get it. Players slow down at 36, they don't handle contact as well, they don't keep up with the play as well, maybe they start to trip over the blue line (Kronwall, Abdelkader), but losing the ability to corral a pass is a new one.
 
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Our Lady Peace

Registered User
Aug 12, 2014
3,451
3,365
BC
His inability to catch a pass cleanly has been mind blowing. The ability to catch a pass, especially less then ideal ones, has to be the most underrated skill in the NHL and Kane has completely lost that ability. For a guy that's supposed to have some of the best hands all time and be an elite playmaker, I don't get it. Players slow down at 36, they don't handle contact as well, they don't keep up with the play as well, maybe they start to trip over the blue line (Kronwall, Abdelkader), but losing the ability to corral a pass is a new one.
This is what I keep seeing over and over. His puck touches are not nearly as soft as we've seen them even in a Wings sweater

He spoke recently about how he himself needs to be better and to contribute. I know he's a limited player at this point, but even at that he could just be a PP merchant and pump up our numbers there. I see him out there and cringe now

I can't help but sense he's dealing with something that's affecting his mental. Kane is not a second-guess kind of player, especially when it comes to his hands
 

Oddbob

Registered User
Jan 21, 2016
16,862
11,437
Aren’t teams supposed to have a short-term spark after firing a coach?

Played the Leafs who buried their chances and he only got to meet the team this morning. I jokingly thought your thought during the first period, but I wasn't expecting much with a quick hire. I mean he basically ran all of Lalonde's lines which tells you how little time he had to get ready for this game. I didn't watch past the first period as when the Wings get down 3 or more the past few seasons, I basically stop watching as we aren't a fun enough team to keep watching when there is no chance of a comeback.
 

whata beauty

Registered User
Aug 22, 2012
73
65
Honestly, thought they played hard with consistent intensity tonight. Just lacked the talent Toronto has. They battled all game which we haven't seen in a while so I take that as a positive. Still, there were hardly any good chances created when they had the puck in the zone before being down 4 and they struggled with d-zone coverage again. I feel like those are things McLellan can help improve as long as they play balls out.
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
14,156
2,227
In the Garage
Honestly, thought they played hard with consistent intensity tonight. Just lacked the talent Toronto has. They battled all game which we haven't seen in a while so I take that as a positive. Still, there were hardly any good chances created when they had the puck in the zone before being down 4 and they struggled with d-zone coverage again. I feel like those are things McLellan can help improve as long as they play balls out.
Effort is really all you can expect tonight. McClellan said it would take 5-6 games for him to get a feel for the players and for them to get a feel for him. No one should expect an immediate impact, but after 5 or so games there will hopefully be some coherent systems in place and the guys will be bought in and will continue to put in good effort to do what's being asked of them.
 
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TheOctopusKid

Registered User
Sep 24, 2010
1,536
1,827
His inability to catch a pass cleanly has been mind blowing. The ability to catch a pass, especially less then ideal ones, has to be the most underrated skill in the NHL and Kane has completely lost that ability. For a guy that's supposed to have some of the best hands all time and be an elite playmaker, I don't get it. Players slow down at 36, they don't handle contact as well, they don't keep up with the play as well, maybe they start to trip over the blue line (Kronwall, Abdelkader), but losing the ability to corral a pass is a new one.

So I was one of the loudest voices against Kane coming to DET last season because I have yet to see the hip resurfacing and planar surgery be...successful. It's absolutely wrecked the 3 prior players who had it done where they hung it up after like a season. I didn't think we'd get Patrick Kane, we would get some weird broken version of it.

Then last spring happened and he looked really good and motivated and shut me up real fast. But then we've gotten 2024-05 Kane and despite all that talk of "first time I've had a training camp" "really got to work out this offseason" etc. etc.

I think his hip is totally f***ed. And he's compensating bad in a lot of ways, specifically putting literally zero effort into his skating ("why is he looking so slow?" "he doesn't play defense" "he just gives up on the offensive play because his linemates are so bad and he just wings the puck"), I ...don't think he can move or manage the pain anymore. It's what took Backstrom out and put him on LTIRetirement. He looked okay for a while and people we're like "He's back!", except it just hurts to move and you get tired of trying to manage it. His pass catching, I just don't think he's in the position - he isn't skating to the point on how he wants to receive it - and he's not able to lean or turn/rotate to grab the pass comfortably.

I think Kane's hip is totally gone and he's running on fumes
 

Oddbob

Registered User
Jan 21, 2016
16,862
11,437
Effort is really all you can expect tonight. McClellan said it would take 5-6 games for him to get a feel for the players and for them to get a feel for him. No one should expect an immediate impact, but after 5 or so games there will hopefully be some coherent systems in place and the guys will be bought in and will continue to put in good effort to do what's being asked of them.

Yeah, I think people underestimate how big a change of playing styles on a team mid season. I only watched the first tonight, but I did think they at least were skating hard, Toronto buried all 3 chances they got in the 1st so it looks really bad.
 

Chris Langlois

Registered User
Jan 31, 2022
289
338
If you're looking for a breath of fresh air and some hope, listen to McLellan


Just think this is the first time in almost 3 years the team has had a coach speak to them after a loss 😄 🤣. I was at the game and he visibly is in constant communication with players the way babs always was. I loved it. And I love how he said his job is to help these players grow and succeed.
 

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