Playoff Chase

[Run the Jewels]

Wallinder has put his time in the AHL, he 100% deserves a call-up and a chance to play. May as well see how he looks at the next level as opposed to Lagesson.

He's playing huge minutes in Grand Rapids, top pairing and both specialty teams. Not sure it makes sense to bring him up so he can play 10 or so minutes in Detroit. He'll make the team next season and then it's up to him to earn his ice time in Detroit.

 

[Run the Jewels]

So just like power levels, expected goals are bullshit.

If you have shit scorers they are, but as we're seeing with Kasper, when you improve the team's overall skill, those expected goals should start to be reflected in actual goals. Four goals for Kasper in his last 6 games.

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

I went through the schedules of several teams and here's how I see the final points for the wildcard contenders:

Ottawa: 95 pts, WC1

Montreal: 87 pts, WC2

NYI: 86 pts
NYR: 84 pts
C-Bus: 83 pts

DRW: 82 pts

This makes the big assumption that one of those 4 teams between us and Ottawa doesn't go on a hot streak. If one of them does, that team will have some unexpected wins against better opponents and they'll finish with 92 points and the Red Wings won't even be close. I can see the NYR doing that.

And I've assumed that the Red Wings won't go 12-0 to end the season. If that happens we'll have 96 points and we'll leapfrog Ottawa for WC1. I've assumed that the Red Wings will finish pretty strong though, with quite a few loser points when they lose, and a couple of wins against better teams. Even just 10 points out of the remaining 12 games won't be easy.

To get 6 more points than I've projected and maybe get WC2, they'll have to get 4 wins out of the Avs, Canes, Panthers (2 games), Lightning, Stars, and Leafs, so they'll have to go 4 wins and 3 losses against that murderers' row.

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

Islanders lost again. No one seems to want WC2 all that bad. As much as we all think the Wings are dead, others in this race aren't completely putting the Wings away.

4 of the next 5 at home, then a road game at Montreal. If ever there was a time for one of those patented McLellan 7 game win streaks, this would be it.

Sorry, I can't help but hope.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Bruins have been instructed to tank for sure. Zadorov is scratched and Pastranak playing limited ice time. It’s comical watching them play against the Ducks right now. Purposely giving up on plays, and like 20 2 on 1’s so far. This is full on 90’s/00’s Pens and Oilers level shit.

Pretty expected by Neely.

 

[Ulysses31]

was hoping devils would fold after losing hughes freeing another spot, but they stayin afloat.

 

[Run the Jewels]

I went through the schedules of several teams and here's how I see the final points for the wildcard contenders:

Ottawa: 95 pts, WC1

Montreal: 87 pts, WC2

NYI: 86 pts
NYR: 84 pts
C-Bus: 83 pts

DRW: 82 pts

This makes the big assumption that one of those 4 teams between us and Ottawa doesn't go on a hot streak. If one of them does, that team will have some unexpected wins against better opponents and they'll finish with 92 points and the Red Wings won't even be close. I can see the NYR doing that.

And I've assumed that the Red Wings won't go 12-0 to end the season. If that happens we'll have 96 points and we'll leapfrog Ottawa for WC1. I've assumed that the Red Wings will finish pretty strong though, with quite a few loser points when they lose, and a couple of wins against better teams. Even just 10 points out of the remaining 12 games won't be easy.

To get 6 more points than I've projected and maybe get WC2, they'll have to get 4 wins out of the Avs, Canes, Panthers (2 games), Lightning, Stars, and Leafs, so they'll have to go 4 wins and 3 losses against that murderers' row.

I do wonder how things would have played out if Yzreman pulled the plug on Laldone in say November when it started to become clear that it had run its course? I am largely an Yzerplan defender, but he waited too long to move on from Lalonde.

 

[LongTimeDRWF]

Islanders lost again. No one seems to want WC2 all that bad. As much as we all think the Wings are dead, others in this race aren't completely putting the Wings away.

4 of the next 5 at home, then a road game at Montreal. If ever there was a time for one of those patented McLellan 7 game win streaks, this would be it.

Sorry, I can't help but hope.

From memory, last year was not too different, the last 20 games of the season was much like a Monty Python skit...the Race of Directionally Impaired....hope is a 4 letter word, but until I see that dreaded E after the DRW in the NHL standings...there is hope...

 

[Holden Caufield]

 

[Gniwder]

I do wonder how things would have played out if Yzreman pulled the plug on Laldone in say November when it started to become clear that it had run its course? I am largely an Yzerplan defender, but he waited too long to move on from Lalonde.

I'd rather he just waited until the end of the season so we'd have a better draft pick.

He never should have picked another college goalie to replace Blash, goalies are always gonna want low event hockey with all 5 guys playing defense and no offense.

 

[ShanahanMan]

CBJ wins

 

[Lampedampe]

I hope Columbus makes it over Habs

 

[14ari13]

f*** a wildcard. i want the division

Well

Need to add to help the team. The Copp injury really hurt. I know a lot of fans don’t like him but he did a lot of small things that help lead to winning

Our record is brutal since he got injured

I'm having deja vu of this same exact time last year.

Your deja vu was right.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Well

Our record is brutal since he got injured

Your deja vu was right.

I was gonna say that about Copp. It's not THE reason we've tanked the last month, but it's not entirely a coincidence either.

We trotted out a 4th line of Watson-Motte-Shine the other night. That's a third line on the Griffins.

 

[MBauer]

I was gonna say that about Copp. It's not THE reason we've tanked the last month, but it's not entirely a coincidence either.

We trotted out a 4th line of Watson-Motte-Shine the other night. That's a third line on the Griffins.

Well Soderblom being out, and Mazur instantly getting injured upon callup didn't help. Also having watched quite a few Griffins games this season. that could easily be their 1st line. Unfortunately the other prospects in GR aren't really ready yet.

 

[Winger98]

Going to also mention that the 4 nations break also killed off any momentum we had at the time, and removed the ability for this team to keep playing/practicing basically every day. Coming out of that we basically had to start from zero, and the long we went without winning, I think it just kept pounding away at the team's confidence. Losing confidence, losing Copp, the goalies going a bit cold...it's all just a lousy combination.

 

[lilidk]

Wings not going to make it , but even if they lose most of the games it will not really help them at the draft. I don't think tanking good for them now.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Wings not going to make it , but even if they lose most of the games it will not really help them at the draft. I don't think tanking good for them now.

There’s a huge drop off after top 10. Need to at least finish there

 

[lilidk]

There’s a huge drop off after top 10. Need to at least finish there

Probably couple more good pics, most importantly they will draft top 10. They will not going to have similar like last season finish

 

[Ulysses31]

NYR will win tonite looks like

 

[FMichael]

I'd rather he just waited until the end of the season so we'd have a better draft pick.

He never should have picked another college goalie to replace Blash, goalies are always gonna want low event hockey with all 5 guys playing defense and no offense.

If there was any intention on making the playoffs this season - Lalonde should’ve been let go this past summer.

Can see this team go 1-8 for the last month of the season…

 

[Lampedampe]

If there was any intention on making the playoffs this season - Lalonde should’ve been let go this past summer.

View attachment 1002464

Can see this team go 1-8 for the last month of the season…

Holy... Had no idea they've got 5 games in 7 days.

Hopefully those opponents will rest players. Seeing as they're all quite set in the standings.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I do wonder how things would have played out if Yzreman pulled the plug on Laldone in say November when it started to become clear that it had run its course? I am largely an Yzerplan defender, but he waited too long to move on from Lalonde.

I’d guess 8-10 more points at minimum. If we started the season with TMac 14-16 more. And that’s with a roster that’s worse than last season’s.

 

[Gniwder]

If there was any intention on making the playoffs this season - Lalonde should’ve been let go this past summer.

Yeah, should have gotten rid of him instead of Walman. Picked up better players than Tank and Motte.

If Yzerman wasn't the fan favorite as a player, he would've been fired by now. We were all afraid that we'd be stuck as a perennial bubble team, and STevie can't even get the team that far. The NHL playoff drought record for a GM is 6 seasons, Stevie is just one shy now.

 

[ricky0034]

Yeah, should have gotten rid of him instead of Walman. Picked up better players than Tank and Motte.

If Yzerman wasn't the fan favorite as a player, he would've been fired by now. We were all afraid that we'd be stuck as a perennial bubble team, and STevie can't even get the team that far. The NHL playoff drought record for a GM is 6 seasons, Stevie is just one shy now.

yeah but have you considered that actually it's Yzerman's first year next year? obviously everything was Ken Holland's fault at first, but then also when he went to Edmonton he was still a GM in the league so he was still having a psychological impact that it isn't fair to discount even though he wasn't here anymore

and then of course the grace period once he did stop being a GM