Playoffs Watch

[skate skate skate]

Thanks for ****ing nothing, Chicago.

Remaining schedules:

Wings | Pittsburgh | Philadelphia
Columbus| Carolina| Pittsburgh
Florida | Philadelghia (b2b) | Islanders (b2b)
Tampa | Washington (b2b)| Columbus (b2b)
Montreal | New Jersey | Colorado
Pittsburgh | Detroit (b2b)| Arizona
Buffalo (b2b)| Rangers (b2b)| Winnipeg
Montreal (b2b)| Buffalo | Washington
Minnesota (b2b)| Nashville | Ottawa (b2b)
Toronto (b2b)| Islanders (b2b)| Pittsburgh (b2b)
Philadelphia (b2b)| Philadelphia (b2b)| Detroit (b2b)
Boston (b2b)| Ottawa| Toronto (b2b)
Rangers| Washington | Pittsburgh (b2b)
| Philadelphia| Islanders (b2b)

 

[jerrymac]

I think the best we can hope for now is that Philly beats Pittsburgh in all three games they play each other or they lose all three.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

**** off Hawks

 

[golffuul]

I'm normally not all gung-ho on going deep into statistics, as far as what they mean for a team's success, but it seems pretty obvious that if you have a negative goal differential for the majority of the season, let alone 70 games in, that you aren't going to have success over the length of a season, be it making it into the playoffs or certainly even winning a playoff series.

Since Lidstrom retired our season numbers for goal differential, are as follows:

2012-2013: +9 (7th of 8 in Western Conference) - 2nd round exit.
2013-2014: -8 (2nd Wildcard spot) - 1st Round exit
2014-2015: +14 (3rd in Division, 6th of 8 in the East) - 1st Round Exit
2015-2016 (so far): -10 (out of the playoffs, currently)

On Dec. 1st, we had a +13 goal differential and were 14-5-5.

On Jan. 1st, we had a -7 goal differential and were 18-13-7, meaning that we went 4-8-2 in December with a -20 differential for the month and the team has never really recovered from that. We are currently 34-25-11, and have a 16-12-4 record since Jan. 1st, with a -3 differential.


I just don't know how to look at a statistic like this and not be suspicious of our defensive systems/defensive talent. It's pretty clear that if you can hold teams off the score sheet until your offense gets going, that you will eventually have stretches of play where the offense will end up as a positive result of good defensive play. But it seems, since Lidstrom retired, that we are relying on our offense to make up for the defensive lapses. And while I think Mike Green was a good addition to our team, I think not getting a 2nd defenseman, by trading from our forward depth, was a huge blunder by our GM. We could have traded Pulkkinen before his value fell off, we could have traded Nyquist or Sheahan or Helm...or all 4. We have the forward depth in Grand Rapids to account for any of those 4.

I just felt like we could have done something to stop this train of inevitability from ever getting any momentum.

I don't mind being that hard to play against team, every year. But we haven't seen that in a couple of years, now, and it looks like we aren't going to see it anytime soon.

I just hope that this day rings in someone's ears as the beginning of something new. It's time to start passing the torch.

 

[Bench]

**** off Hawks

Uh oh. Wings officially slide 1 point back and the Pens and Hawks both have a game in hand. It's going to be really close. It's starting to feel a bit like this is the year. One dozen games left. Margin of error is going to be razor thin.

 

[Classicnamesup]

What a disaster, out of the POs this late in the season playing how they currently are. 5-5-0 in L10, that isn't good enough. -10 GD isn't good enough.

 

[Reddwit]

Is anyone else kind of excited to see how this plays out? Now we get to see what the guys are made of.

 

[golffuul]

Is anyone else kind of excited to see how this plays out? Now we get to see what the guys are made of.

I am interested to see if the kids step up. Someone needs to be pumping their tires to let them know that it's now THEIR time, if they only just reach out and grab the torch.

 

[BinCookin]

Is anyone else kind of excited to see how this plays out? Now we get to see what the guys are made of.

I am. And to be honest I see this as win win because im always an optimist.

If we make the playoffs... Ya we win. More Hockey

If we lose.. interesting to see if Holland changes tactics, is embolded to do a needed trade etc etc (put on armchair GM hat... something might happen)

 

[Shoalzie]

I'd rather they earn their way in instead of backing in. Having a team like the Flyers pushing them is a good thing.

 

[korrowan]

I'd rather they earn their way in instead of backing in. Having a team like the Flyers pushing them is a good thing.

Problem is a team like the Flyers want it way more. Wings are cooked. Come and get 'em boys.

 

[joe89]

Is anyone else kind of excited to see how this plays out? Now we get to see what the guys are made of.

Good test for the kids but I still think any outcome will be a reflection of how good our veterans are or aren't. We can count on playoff mode Z trying to step up, but can he pull that out of the bag once more? Can Richards be an X factor? Datsyuk, Nyquist, Tatar. We need those guys to win the 9-10 games we (probably) need, it would be unrealistic at this point to think that Larkin, Mantha and Athanasiou can salvage this season.

Young players imo make good teams better, but right now we're kinda hoping our young players can make a mediocre team good. And that's a whole lot harder.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Silver lining: We currently have a 1% chance at getting Matthews!

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Silver lining: We currently have a 1% chance at getting Matthews!

Fans: haha they missed the playoffs
And they get Matthews. Of course

 

[TheOtherOne]

I would love more than anything in the world to see the reaction from everybody if we miss and get Matthews.

 

[Shaman464]

I would love more than anything in the world to see the reaction from everybody if we miss and get Matthews.

The second after that happens, I will be on HF with popcorn.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

If we missed the playoffs and then got Matthews. I wouldn't even be a little bit mad.

 

[Laser Rayzor]

 

[Classicnamesup]

Best bet is to hope PHI quits playing well. PIT is outplaying them handily right now and PIT has a few points on the Wings

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Yep. Gotta root for Pittsburgh now. Smh Philly

 

[jolly roger]

Penguins 4 Flyers 1. Good for Wings!

 

[Probie]

Penguins 4 Flyers 1. Good for Wings!

If we win today then we can be 3 points up with them having two games in hand, meaning they have two win both of their next two to pass us...

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Islanders slowly becoming a target if not one already

 

[14ari13]

Islanders slowly becoming a target if not one already

They have 4 points on us, plus 2 games in hand. We have 0 chance passing them.

Our problem is that the 2 teams we Are fighting for a playoff spot Are ones of the hottest teams in the league. The pens have won 5 in a row, the flyers were 8-1-1, they lost today so they Are 7-2-1.
Can both those teams keep it u? Can we play better?

 

[Leadzedder]

What we need today (other than an obvious Detroit win) is a loss by TB or Boston. That puts those teams back in range.

TB would be 2 points up with even games. Or Boston would be 3 points up with us having a game in hand.

Either scenario would change the dynamic. Making the playoffs and avoiding Washington would be ideal.

If we win today and TB loses. Both teams play next against each other on Tuesday. Detroit could then tie them in points with a win there. We'd still be back in row but the gap would be closed.


Looking at the playoff odds site, after today we could be as low as 32% or as high as 65%. This next couple weeks is gonna be painful.