Jeremy Laura: Red Wings finish season with OT loss to Leafs, Debrincat hits 39

The last game symbolized this awful season.

You are mistaken, ALL of the Maple Leafs big guns played. Busting a gut, to add to their individual cookies totals in a meaningless game. The only Leafs players who were scratched, were those injured.
McCabe, Kampf and Ekman Larson.

Detroit played well. Thank heavens this season of misery has come to an end.
Now, let us all enjoy the real talent compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Mount Everest of all sports championships.

Another great read. Thanks for another year of knowledge and optimism. Kudos is warranted. As Wings fans we are fortunate to have the best writer on HB.

This being said, I am absent optimism and dont feel fortunate. Tonight is symbolic of the floundering rebuild. A team short on talent, offering lackadaisical effort, unwilling or unable to take advantage of a team visibly coasting. Toronto didn't block a shot, kept clear of the corners, didn't hit, didn't chase (until the final few minutes), didn't push the play, etc. Unfortunately, the Wings seemed confused and amateurish, loosing in overtime while Toronto was playing 4th liners.

I can't understand why fans continue to accept SY's nonsense about internal growth and his BS about the next batch of 'elite' prospects. The growth never happens and I'm not expecting elite talent to magically appear. Once an unaffiliated scout, I still keep in touch with my peeers, who suggest there are only three prospects worth mentioning, ASP and the goalies. All remain years away from full-time NHL deployment. [BTW, MBN's weakness were laid-bare last year, hardly qualified to play in the SHL] Perhaps SY could find solutions if he was not ignorant of the problems.

With 5 Teams in the Atlantic unquestionably superior, and a myriad of internal problems, including, no ready propsects, no elite players, no-trade lists, poor free agents, poor trades. player apathy, league players now referring to Colorado as HockeyTown, and the fourth longest playoff drought in league history, its only a matter of time until SY joins Buffalo in blaming his failures on palm trees.

Ok, so get this: Here I sit in Killarney, pouring rain at 130am...through the wonder that is the interwebs, I get to listen to a bit of the game. A piece of home whilst in my home-land. Doesn't matter that we lost, honestly, at the end of the day we worked a team for a point we shouldn't have had....and pushed to help a teammate. Ok, losing stinks, but there's some good in the game.

This should be an off-season of some serious change. If not......yeah, I ain't gonna go there. ASP may well be 3RD at puck-drop for next season, some anchors on this team need to be cut loose, and some kids need to rise up. We need a splash in UFA. ANYTHING less portends to a stressful season in Hockeytown.

You never know, as a fan, how dearly you hold your team.....until you can't see them or hear them. I'm still a fan, still bleed red n white. LOVE "Don't Stop Believin'". There's a good team here, gang. But there needs to be some major changes.

Excellent season, Jeremy!!!!

You are mistaken, ALL of the Maple Leafs big guns played. Busting a gut, to add to their individual cookies totals in a meaningless game. The only Leafs players who were scratched, were those injured.
McCabe, Kampf and Ekman Larson.

Detroit played well. Thank heavens this season of misery has come to an end.
Now, let us all enjoy the real talent compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Mount Everest of all sports championships.
- GeoffY

While I had said: In fairness, Toronto had rested its top players and this was not the “A” game that the Leafs brought as they prepare for a series against Ottawa. Still, no one had Holl with a goal and an assist, Watson with a goal, but Debrincat getting to 39 was certainly a boost for the end of the season

They were in the game but the minutes were controlled. They did not have the same dispatch. I should have worded it differently, but it was clear that they were giving more minutes to players lower in the lineup. I apologize for the wording. This was still a winnable game especially due to the more limited minutes of those players. Even OT started with an “off” line. I apologize for not making that more clear. Matthews scored the opening tally, that was in the notes.

Another great read. Thanks for another year of knowledge and optimism. Kudos is warranted. As Wings fans we are fortunate to have the best writer on HB.

This being said, I am absent optimism and dont feel fortunate. Tonight is symbolic of the floundering rebuild. A team short on talent, offering lackadaisical effort, unwilling or unable to take advantage of a team visibly coasting. Toronto didn't block a shot, kept clear of the corners, didn't hit, didn't chase (until the final few minutes), didn't push the play, etc. Unfortunately, the Wings seemed confused and amateurish, loosing in overtime while Toronto was playing 4th liners.

I can't understand why fans continue to accept SY's nonsense about internal growth and his BS about the next batch of 'elite' prospects. The growth never happens and I'm not expecting elite talent to magically appear. Once an unaffiliated scout, I still keep in touch with my peeers, who suggest there are only three prospects worth mentioning, ASP and the goalies. All remain years away from full-time NHL deployment.
- Jackie Daytona[BTW, MBN's weakness were laid-bare last year, hardly qualified to play in the SHL] Perhaps SY could find solutions if he was not ignorant of the problems.

With 5 Teams in the Atlantic unquestionably superior, and a myriad of internal problems, including, no ready propsects, no elite players, no-trade lists, poor free agents, poor trades. player apathy, league players now referring to Colorado as HockeyTown, and the fourth longest playoff drought in league history, its only a matter of time until SY joins Buffalo in blaming his failures on palm trees.

I would say that the optimism stems from the drafted prospects that are coming up and pushing their way through. Kasper made a big impact after the coaching change. We’re about to see what ASP and MBN bring to the table. Tuomisto, Wallinder, Danielson, even Buium is grabbing attention. The other Johansson that reported to GR, physical and bringing a strong game. We’re starting to see the picks step up and become contributors. Raymond and Seider came in early and the coaching change finally saw Kasper get the minutes he was capable of playing. Debrincat has transformed his game as well. Almost all of the free agents have been a disappointment (those that are still here). While it’s been brutal, a full tear down and rebuild has been every bit as painful as it could be. You’re not wrong to be frustrated, not at all. I just believe more and more that the drafted prospects will take the reins and the club seems to want them to do that.

Ok, so get this: Here I sit in Killarney, pouring rain at 130am...through the wonder that is the interwebs, I get to listen to a bit of the game. A piece of home whilst in my home-land. Doesn't matter that we lost, honestly, at the end of the day we worked a team for a point we shouldn't have had....and pushed to help a teammate. Ok, losing stinks, but there's some good in the game.

This should be an off-season of some serious change. If not......yeah, I ain't gonna go there. ASP may well be 3RD at puck-drop for next season, some anchors on this team need to be cut loose, and some kids need to rise up. We need a splash in UFA. ANYTHING less portends to a stressful season in Hockeytown.

You never know, as a fan, how dearly you hold your team.....until you can't see them or hear them. I'm still a fan, still bleed red n white. LOVE "Don't Stop Believin'". There's a good team here, gang. But there needs to be some major changes.

Excellent season, Jeremy!!!!
- mcmastermike1968

I agree that some jobs need to be taken. I wouldn’t look to the UFA market. Kasper looks like he could have a big season, if ASP stands strong and the D can move some of the disaster out that will be a huge difference maker. Look to the trade market and possibly even offer sheets. The prospect pipeline for Detroit was ranked first at the beginning of the year. Some of those players are ready to wear the wheel. UFAs are going to go under the assumption of the cap raise but there are a few major issues that could hit hard. There are going to be teams who are genuinely afraid of dealing with offer sheets and it may be worth paying the price to go after some young talent.

Another great read. Thanks for another year of knowledge and optimism. Kudos is warranted. As Wings fans we are fortunate to have the best writer on HB.

This being said, I am absent optimism and dont feel fortunate. Tonight is symbolic of the floundering rebuild. A team short on talent, offering lackadaisical effort, unwilling or unable to take advantage of a team visibly coasting. Toronto didn't block a shot, kept clear of the corners, didn't hit, didn't chase (until the final few minutes), didn't push the play, etc. Unfortunately, the Wings seemed confused and amateurish, loosing in overtime while Toronto was playing 4th liners.

I can't understand why fans continue to accept SY's nonsense about internal growth and his BS about the next batch of 'elite' prospects. The growth never happens and I'm not expecting elite talent to magically appear. Once an unaffiliated scout, I still keep in touch with my peeers, who suggest there are only three prospects worth mentioning, ASP and the goalies. All remain years away from full-time NHL deployment.
- Jackie Daytona[BTW, MBN's weakness were laid-bare last year, hardly qualified to play in the SHL] Perhaps SY could find solutions if he was not ignorant of the problems.

With 5 Teams in the Atlantic unquestionably superior, and a myriad of internal problems, including, no ready propsects, no elite players, no-trade lists, poor free agents, poor trades. player apathy, league players now referring to Colorado as HockeyTown, and the fourth longest playoff drought in league history, its only a matter of time until SY joins Buffalo in blaming his failures on palm trees.

I too am concerned about the lack of any clear, unambigiously elite talent in the prospect pipeline. ASP is the best shot, but certainly not a lock. It’s extremely hard to have sustained success in the NHL if you don’t have at least one player at or near the MVP tier (MacKinnon, Makar, Matthews, Hughes, etc.) and the Red Wings don’t have anyone close.

But I also think it's not really fair or reasonable to put all the blame here at Yzerman's feet. If you're going to rip a guy's draft record, I think you need to show how he could have or should have done significantly better.

If you honestly look at the first round picks Yzerman has made and the players who came afterward, I think it's tough not to conclude he's gotten above average results from the picks he's had to work with. You can nitpick, sure. Probably rather have Guenther or Johnston than Edvinsson. I still think the Danielson pick was bad.

But the main problem is that, each time Yzerman has gotten up to make his first selection, there have been exactly 0 elite players still on the board. The last time it was even possible for Detroit to draft a franchise cornerstone, even with perfect 20/20 hindsight, was Quinn Hughes in 2018, and that was on Holland’s watch.

You can argue he should have tanked longer, traded Larkin, not gone after DeBrincat, and just refused to leave the basement until lady luck finally gifted him a No. 1 pick in a year where a Hart Trophy caliber player was actually available. But how long would that have taken? Maybe a couple years. Maybe 10+. The reality is that indefinite scorched earth isn't really a viable path. If you don't get that cornerstone after 3-4 years in the basement, realistically your options are basically try to find another way or lose your job.

Yzerman is not a great GM. He's not a terrible GM. He's an average GM who got dealt a crap hand and played it ... so-so, at least to this point. I'm not opposed to a regime change in principle but I am opposed to making a change just for the sake of change. As much as it stinks I don't know that there's a better path forward right now then letting the next couple of years play out and hope that at least a couple of Raymond, Seider, Edvinsson, Kasper, ASP, Buchelnikov, Cossa, Augustine, etc. produce some unexpected magic. Not great odds but the only other real option is tearing it all down, again.

I agree that some jobs need to be taken. I wouldn’t look to the UFA market. Kasper looks like he could have a big season, if ASP stands strong and the D can move some of the disaster out that will be a huge difference maker. Look to the trade market and possibly even offer sheets. The prospect pipeline for Detroit was ranked first at the beginning of the year. Some of those players are ready to wear the wheel. UFAs are going to go under the assumption of the cap raise but there are a few major issues that could hit hard. There are going to be teams who are genuinely afraid of dealing with offer sheets and it may be worth paying the price to go after some young talent.
- Jeremy Laura

I'll allow it 🤭🤭

Seriously, though; Ekblad, Bennet, Boeser, or Nelson could fit in for us. The biggest thing to me is how absolutely horrible 5-on-5 scoring was...and the PK was abysmal. These 2 areas, in my opinion, are critical in being addressed. If we can't overcome that....methinks it's going to be quite a while before anything good comes along....

Having Ekblad at 2RHD and ASP at 3RHD? I think most of us would sign up for that. Nelson can slot 2C easily....maybe 1C? Bennet's a beast, but I worry about tax-free FL vs MI state income tax, be a hard sell. Boeser's dying to have new scenery.

I dunno, but something needs to give. I truly think adding 1 of the above will help turn this team around from knocking on the door to knocking down the door and making SCPO next season.....

You are mistaken, ALL of the Maple Leafs big guns played. Busting a gut, to add to their individual cookies totals in a meaningless game. The only Leafs players who were scratched, were those injured.
McCabe, Kampf and Ekman Larson.

Detroit played well. Thank heavens this season of misery has come to an end.
Now, let us all enjoy the real talent compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Mount Everest of all sports championships.
- GeoffY

Leafs had to dress the core 4 because of cap issues. But if you look at the game log for last night and compare to their season average you will find that the core 4 collectively played about 10 mins fewer than their typical average.

Leafs had to dress the core 4 because of cap issues. But if you look at the game log for last night and compare to their season average you will find that the core 4 collectively played about 10 mins fewer than their typical average.
- Turnitaround

+1

Leafs had to dress the core 4 because of cap issues. But if you look at the game log for last night and compare to their season average you will find that the core 4 collectively played about 10 mins fewer than their typical average.
- Turnitaround

Played 10 minutes combined for the 4? Maybe. Check their averages again. If you are implying each played 10 minutes less, the data does not support this assessment.

I too am concerned about the lack of any clear, unambigiously elite talent in the prospect pipeline. ASP is the best shot, but certainly not a lock. It’s extremely hard to have sustained success in the NHL if you don’t have at least one player at or near the MVP tier (MacKinnon, Makar, Matthews, Hughes, etc.) and the Red Wings don’t have anyone close.

But I also think it's not really fair or reasonable to put all the blame here at Yzerman's feet. If you're going to rip a guy's draft record, I think you need to show how he could have or should have done significantly better.

If you honestly look at the first round picks Yzerman has made and the players who came afterward, I think it's tough not to conclude he's gotten above average results from the picks he's had to work with. You can nitpick, sure. Probably rather have Guenther or Johnston than Edvinsson. I still think the Danielson pick was bad.

But the main problem is that, each time Yzerman has gotten up to make his first selection, there have been exactly 0 elite players still on the board. The last time it was even possible for Detroit to draft a franchise cornerstone, even with perfect 20/20 hindsight, was Quinn Hughes in 2018, and that was on Holland’s watch.

You can argue he should have tanked longer, traded Larkin, not gone after DeBrincat, and just refused to leave the basement until lady luck finally gifted him a No. 1 pick in a year where a Hart Trophy caliber player was actually available. But how long would that have taken? Maybe a couple years. Maybe 10+. The reality is that indefinite scorched earth isn't really a viable path. If you don't get that cornerstone after 3-4 years in the basement, realistically your options are basically try to find another way or lose your job.

Yzerman is not a great GM. He's not a terrible GM. He's an average GM who got dealt a crap hand and played it ... so-so, at least to this point. I'm not opposed to a regime change in principle but I am opposed to making a change just for the sake of change. As much as it stinks I don't know that there's a better path forward right now then letting the next couple of years play out and hope that at least a couple of Raymond, Seider, Edvinsson, Kasper, ASP, Buchelnikov, Cossa, Augustine, etc. produce some unexpected magic. Not great odds but the only other real option is tearing it all down, again.
- Sven22

Outside of Makar, these are all number one picks. If you are referring to Jack Hughes, he might not be the best Hughes on NJ, and was tossed around like a rag doll during 4 Nations. Hughes should have been watching from the press box while Connor was playing instead. Hischer and Bratt are the better players on NJ.

The draft has the change to allow each team to get a top pick. Chicago will likely get another top 2 pick for 3 consecutive years. I agree, sell it all, be the worst team for 5 years and then go.

I don't agree with all the draft picks but to me the main issue why this team isn't good enough to make the playoffs right now has been that Yzerman keeps signing the wrong UFAs. There are way more UFA signings that aren't doing well and very few that actually help this team. Trades has also been an issue. Yzerman has made some baffling signings and trades the last few years. You can easily put out a better team if you don't sign guys like Copp, Compher, Chiarot, Holl ect...and instead sign better options that were available at the time. I know someone will say "the player has to want to sign with the Wings so it's not that simple". Yes and if you can't sign the player, you don't commit multiple years to the 2nd or 4th best option to fill that need. You either don't sign anyone or you sign a 1 year stop gap that you can hopefully flip at the deadline and try and get your guy in the next off-season.

You also don't pay a UFA based on a career year in a contract year. You pay him based on his career average. You pay him on a career year and you end up with a bad contract that nobody will want and he won't be worth his contract for your team when he reverts back to his career average.

This summer is do or die for Yzerman to me. If he doesn't fix the glaring issues and improve this team enough, he needs to go.