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For far too much of this game, it looked as though Detroit just didn’t want to be there any more. Yes, the last 4 minutes were exciting. Where, on earth, was that effort and energy for the second and most of the third periods? The team just watched while their Captain was manhandled for far too many shifts. The on ice bromance between Staal and Hornqvist was nauseating. Most of you know that I’ve tried to give the team the benefit of the doubt in as many ways as I can think of. Mantha is starting to pick up his game. His shot is getting off more quickly, his positioning is better, and God bless him he actually rubbed out Vitrano and caused an icing (while also clipping the former Bostonian across the face for good measure). It was a long overdue bit of nastiness that Detroit has been on the receiving end of on this back to back.
Detroit doesn’t get respect, pretty much anywhere. The team has fallen from dynasty to cellar dweller and it is unpleasant. The upside to this, at the beginning of the season, was the internal respect the players had for the team and each other. Rasmussen was penalized on a hit that went wrong when Weegar fell backward. He looked beside himself with guilt and grief. The same Weegar that buried Glendening into the boards with zero remorse the game before. Ras has the tools to cause problems physically for the opposition, but has become gun shy. The line is a fine one, but by refusing to return the physical play that Ekblad, Weegar, Acciari, Vitrano, Hornqvist and Gudas are dishing out, you are disrespecting your entire team.
Larkin is trying. My God, he tries to do everything he can. But, the captain looks to be already nursing some bumps and bruises. There were a couple hits where you could see him tense up. Smith made some attempts to get physical, but ended up on the short end of the stick. No team in this division is going to give Detroit any respect. They will continue to run over every player and goalie like they’re a 4th line call up. Guys like Ryan are visibly frustrated as the third and 4th lines seem to disappear when things get nasty. My hope that Staal would bring an air of respect and pride to this room has just about evaporated. That may sound harsh, but comparing his attempts at protecting the net to Joe Hicketts, it’s not even close. Hicketts will lay people out in the paint. And, everywhere else too. The decision to keep players off the roster that would actually try to make an impact is mind numbing at best.
In the end, I’ve resisted it for a long time, this falls on Blashill. The culture of the team on the ice is a direct result of the leadership. Larkin, Bertuzzi,Hronek, even Mantha have an uphill battle of trying to raise the intensity out there. At this point, it may be best to hire a former Hell’s Angel as a bench boss. Ask that coach what happens when someone disrespects your colors...well, never mind. Players can’t have chains and ball peen hammers out on the ice anyway.
Quenneville, give him credit, he has a room full of angry and amped up players. They are telling teams who they are in nearly every shift. They crowd the crease, knock down goalies and net front players, and demand respect. whatever the motto inside their dressing room is, it’s working. During Anaheim’s championship run, theirs was, “it’s not about dying for your country. It’s about making the other guy die for theirs”. That’s nasty, but you get the gist. Detroit’s was, “to whom much is given, much is expected”. Clearly that’s not a reflection of the current status.
Look, toughness is a relative term. Datsyuk may have been one of the toughest players to ever put on the winged wheel. Players who tried to run him would literally bounce off of him. Z had his own brand of toughness as well. Lidstrom had ice in his veins. Yzerman carried a team on his back with only one leg. Shanny, man I miss Shanny, he could and would do it all. Patrick Roy still has shoulder pain after the big Irishman took him out during the brawl on ice at the Joe. I know this team can’t afford to have a line of brawlers. You have to be able to skate and play. However, the guys that are playing could do a lot to stand up for their teammates and themselves. I don’t know how this can be remedied. The team needs a new message. I’m not saying Blashill couldn’t make the adjustment, but to this point he hasn’t shown any sign of it. This team has to believe they are worth standing up for. It’s like watching 22 professional athletes with middle child syndrome out there, apologizing for being on the ice. That attitude is going to destroy any chance the team has of building something good, let alone something great. These are just my thoughts, and subject to dismissal. I do believe the core guys deserve better than they’re getting right now.
Second Period Summary - Florida’s power play has once again derailed a very good effort by Detroit. The hit by Rasmussen was corrected to a 2 minute minor, but the additional roughing penalty had me scratching my head. Ekblad and Weegar are two nasty customers and continue to take liberties with Detroit’s players. At this point, it’s time for Detroit to start playing these games like you would a post season series. You’re going to see Florida 6 more times, and they know they can rough you up with zero fear of retaliation. Rasmussen looks afraid to throw a hit after that penalty. Smith is in full control during the corner battles. It’s time to turn this a little bit nasty. Every check in the corner needs to be finished, every time. Rasmussen was submarined and dumped with no whistle, start going just as hard. Guys like Ekblad that are really big are really susceptible to Charlie horse and shoulder problems. Hard in the corners, knee on thigh, shoulder to shoulder hits on the glass. Start matching Smith against Vitrano and Acciari. Both are taking shots at Helm and Larkin. At some point, there has to be a cost associated with the borderline play Florida clings to. Walk the line as best you can.
It is frustrating to see a lack of toughness for the Wings. When you’re outmatched, you have to find another way to shake up the opposition. Start bumping the goalie a heck of a lot more. Greiss as been whacked more than a Chuck E. Cheese gopher. Detroit cannot play afraid, and the skill isn’t there to try to avoid behind physical. In order to get the respect of the Panthers, you have to start burying players with big, clean hits. Ekblad plays a lot of minutes, and a sore shoulder and banged up knees will do a lot to limit his effectiveness. The teams have zero respect for Detroit’s players, and seeing Staal joking around with Hornqvist while getting beaten in front of the net should be completely unacceptable. Duclair has inside position on nearly every O zone shift in front of the net. It’s time to start making that job less comfortable.
Detroit really wants to make high skill plays, they’re just not happening. It’s time to get a whole lot more unpleasant on the ice. If you’re friends with guys on the other bench, send them some room service in quarantine. Don’t let them embarass you on home ice.
First period summary - Apart from the score, a few things jumped out with Detroit’s play in the first period. Smith looks good. Probably the best he’s looked in any given call up. The feed he sent Larkin’s way was beautiful, but his battles also looked good. Ekblad had his hands full with the big winger. Detroit held Florida to 6 shots, many of those on the man advantage. Mantha had a beautiful shot in stride that rang off the bar. It’s been a much better looking period for Detroit. However, I have a theory:
The new NHL pucks may be in use tonight. Passes aren’t exploding off the sticks, and the puck is bouncing in really weird ways. Very similar to the first few games before the trial pucks were removed from play. Whatever is changed on the density of the tracking pucks, it throws players off. Shots that look lined up perfectly well are coming in low or wobbly. Even Larkin’s tally went into the net lower than the stick indicated. I can’t guarantee it, but for whatever reason players are getting hung up shooting, passing and skating. We’ll see if it continues. Overall a good showing by a squad that lost another very important player in Bertuzzi.
A better effort leads to an overtime loss. No one in the room is happy about the record, and reporters continue to slam Mantha. The big Frenchman got his first even strength goal last night. It was actually a nice 150ft play. Puck intercepted at the defensive blue line, nice dish to get it down the ice. A rebound goes right into his wheelhouse and bar down on a beautiful shot. While the cries of “why aren’t there more” get hurled at Larkin and Blashill, for me that was a huge step forward. Mantha’s goals at the start of last year were O zone only. Nice shots in tight. This goal started in the zone where good decisions avoided a chance against and turned into a chance for.
The condensed schedule has many of us forgetting that the season isn’t even a month old. Games every other day just magnify any issues a player who is finding his game after a long time away is going to have. I’ve heard fans try to trade Mantha after every bad shift he’s had. The reality he and the team are facing is that they play a game every other day for almost two straight months. Today is another example of the fast turn around, and it could be a bumpy ride. Bertuzzi isn’t listed on the early roster release. Hirose shows up on the second line with Namestnikov and Mantha. That’s a far cry from Fabbri/Zadina/Ryan. With Fabbri and Zadina out another 7 days at least, they’re going to miss 4 more games. In a normal year, they wouldn’t miss 7 to 8 on a 14 day absence. Nothing this year is normal.
That leads to the availability of a few players out there. It’s inevitable to play the, “can this player make us better” game. Sam Bennet, Victor Mete and Tony DeAngelo are all up for grabs. DeAngelo can be had for the low low price of a waiver claim by tomorrow. Things change in a hurry. Mete was considered “untouchable” just a couple years ago. Bennet is yet another casualty of the 2014 draft first round. He’s considered to be a top performing post season player, but a 3rd or 4th line regular season center. For a 4th overall pick, that’s discouraging at least. Larkin was grabbed at 15 and I’m sure Calgary doesn’t feel that they got the better player. (William Nylander was grabbed 2 picks later at 6). Fabbri has been a good reclamation. Perlini and HoSang both found themselves on the outside. Milano got another shot. Pastrnak was a steal for Boston, but he wisely attributes his success in a large part to playing on a line with Bergeron. DeAngelo is the newest name on the “swing and miss” list, though this one is interesting. DeAngelo has a brand new 2 yr 9.6 million deal. The Rangers are under the gun as a team with high ticket UFAs in Trouba and Panarin as well as a first and second overall pick over the past 2 seasons. And everything in between.
Mete is interesting to me. And honestly, so is Bennett. He’s an RFA this coming off season and only making 2.5 million now. DeAngelo, that’s a big chunk of change. Yzerman is obviously very familiar with the defenseman, and if he makes a move to get him it will be based on some sort of comfort with the situation. Detroit needs centers. Bennett is playing wing on the third line at times in Calgary. His trade value is really low right now, so I don’t know what would move the needle. There’s also the 14 day quarantine, so who knows.
If the team was to peruse one of Mete, Bennett or DeAngelo, who would you like to see wearing the winged wheel?
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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