I have been alive for 21 years and for every single year the Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs along with 4 Stanley Cups and 6 Conference Championships. The playoff streak of 22 straight years has many Red Wings fans worried that they will miss it. I am here to convince us that all is well and we will keep the streak alive. Hit it Baby G!!!!
This how the standings look as of 2/24/2014:
1. Pittsburgh 83 points
2. Boston 78 points
3. Tampa Bay 71 points
4. Montreal 70 points
5. Toronto 70 points
6. New York (Rangers) 67 points
7. Philadelphia 66 points
8. Detroit 64 points
9. Columbus 63 points
10. Ottawa 63 points
11. Washington 63 points
12. Carolina 61 points
13. New Jersey 61 points
6-13 are all within 6 points of each other. This conference is going to come down to the last game of the season. All of those overtime and shootout losses from earlier in the year are definitely hurting right now. But we are getting healthy (minus the exception of our captain). The Rangers have a great team and a great goalie but there are a lot of trade speculations with their captain Ryan Callahan. If Callahan is gone I do not see the Rangers making the playoffs. Philadelphia is having a great second half of the season and I feel like they will lock down a playoff spot. Columbus is having a great season as well. They have great goaltending with previous Vezina winner Bobrovsky and they will have Marian Gaborik back in the lineup soon. The Blue Jackets will be a team that battles Detroit for the 7th or 8th spot. Ottawa is sitting 10th and I think they will stay there or fall. They have a -22 goal differential which unless they find scoring, will be hard to make up. Washington can battle for the 7th or 8th spot as well if they can find a goaltender that can take them on a run. Carolina and New Jersey do not have the scoring or defense to help them make the playoffs and they will fall off.
So now let’s talk about our roster. Zetterberg will be out the rest of the regular season and I am actually crying as I type this. Pavel is going to have to put the offense on his back. But Tatar, Nyquist and Alfredsson are having great offensive years and they will be able to help. Our team is mostly all healthy. Helm has been healthy since returning and he will continue to make his presence known for opposing D-Men. Weiss will have to be worth his money when he comes back. I imagine him playing the 3rd line center role which will put Helm on the 2nd and Sheahan on the 4th. Can Franzen be the “40 goal” scorer that everyone thinks he is? I think Franzen is so overrated but we will need him to do something. Both goalies are finally healthy. Neither Gustavsson nor Howard played in the Olympics which means they were able to be rested. Down the stretch I’m going with Howard as our starter. He is our workhorse and starting goalie and this is why he is paid 5 million a year. He has had some bad games this year, but since joining Team USA he has been one of the top 5 goalies in the league. My ideal lines for the rest of the season:
1. Abdelkader Datsyuk Nyquist
2. Tatar Helm Alfredsson
3. Franzen Weiss Andersson
4. Miller Sheahan Eaves (Jurco is taken off this line because he will be sent down once Franzen is healthy)
1. Kronwall Ericsson
2. Quincey Smith
3. Dekeyser Lashoff/Kindl
When we start playing again, immediately we have two huge games against Montreal and Ottawa. If we can come out of Montreal with a win or overtime loss and a win in Ottawa, that would be ideal. Gain some separation on Ottawa and catch up with Montreal. After that, the rest of the season will be a very difficult grind. Teams left on our schedule: Rangers, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Wild, Canadians, Lightning, Bruins and Blues. There are a few easier teams but not enough games to push us into the playoffs. We have to win the hard games against the best teams.
Final Projections:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Boston
3. Montreal
4. Tampa Bay
5. Toronto
6. Philadelphia
7. Detroit
8. Columbus
Stanley Cup Winner:
St. Louis Blues over Boston Bruins in 6
Let me know in the comment section how you think the playoffs will look or what our lines should look like.
@Simpsonati
1. Pittsburgh 83 points
2. Boston 78 points
3. Tampa Bay 71 points
4. Montreal 70 points
5. Toronto 70 points
6. New York (Rangers) 67 points
7. Philadelphia 66 points
8. Detroit 64 points
9. Columbus 63 points
10. Ottawa 63 points
11. Washington 63 points
12. Carolina 61 points
13. New Jersey 61 points
6-13 are all within 6 points of each other. This conference is going to come down to the last game of the season. All of those overtime and shootout losses from earlier in the year are definitely hurting right now. But we are getting healthy (minus the exception of our captain). The Rangers have a great team and a great goalie but there are a lot of trade speculations with their captain Ryan Callahan. If Callahan is gone I do not see the Rangers making the playoffs. Philadelphia is having a great second half of the season and I feel like they will lock down a playoff spot. Columbus is having a great season as well. They have great goaltending with previous Vezina winner Bobrovsky and they will have Marian Gaborik back in the lineup soon. The Blue Jackets will be a team that battles Detroit for the 7th or 8th spot. Ottawa is sitting 10th and I think they will stay there or fall. They have a -22 goal differential which unless they find scoring, will be hard to make up. Washington can battle for the 7th or 8th spot as well if they can find a goaltender that can take them on a run. Carolina and New Jersey do not have the scoring or defense to help them make the playoffs and they will fall off.
So now let’s talk about our roster. Zetterberg will be out the rest of the regular season and I am actually crying as I type this. Pavel is going to have to put the offense on his back. But Tatar, Nyquist and Alfredsson are having great offensive years and they will be able to help. Our team is mostly all healthy. Helm has been healthy since returning and he will continue to make his presence known for opposing D-Men. Weiss will have to be worth his money when he comes back. I imagine him playing the 3rd line center role which will put Helm on the 2nd and Sheahan on the 4th. Can Franzen be the “40 goal” scorer that everyone thinks he is? I think Franzen is so overrated but we will need him to do something. Both goalies are finally healthy. Neither Gustavsson nor Howard played in the Olympics which means they were able to be rested. Down the stretch I’m going with Howard as our starter. He is our workhorse and starting goalie and this is why he is paid 5 million a year. He has had some bad games this year, but since joining Team USA he has been one of the top 5 goalies in the league. My ideal lines for the rest of the season:
1. Abdelkader Datsyuk Nyquist
2. Tatar Helm Alfredsson
3. Franzen Weiss Andersson
4. Miller Sheahan Eaves (Jurco is taken off this line because he will be sent down once Franzen is healthy)
1. Kronwall Ericsson
2. Quincey Smith
3. Dekeyser Lashoff/Kindl
When we start playing again, immediately we have two huge games against Montreal and Ottawa. If we can come out of Montreal with a win or overtime loss and a win in Ottawa, that would be ideal. Gain some separation on Ottawa and catch up with Montreal. After that, the rest of the season will be a very difficult grind. Teams left on our schedule: Rangers, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Wild, Canadians, Lightning, Bruins and Blues. There are a few easier teams but not enough games to push us into the playoffs. We have to win the hard games against the best teams.
Final Projections:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Boston
3. Montreal
4. Tampa Bay
5. Toronto
6. Philadelphia
7. Detroit
8. Columbus
Stanley Cup Winner:
St. Louis Blues over Boston Bruins in 6
Let me know in the comment section how you think the playoffs will look or what our lines should look like.
@Simpsonati