Okay, what is going on with the Wings? Here we go:
--The season is way too long and they are plain tired. Several years ago, the playoffs would just be winding down about now--there still are 7 games for the Wings to play before the first round of the playoffs!
--Injuries. At one time they had seven players out with injuries.
--Zetterberg has been gone too long. Zetterberg is one of the best players in the NHL and he was relied on way too much! They just can't get it together without him.
--The officiating has been lousy. Yes, that is a whole song-and-dance that is always used as an excuse, but... The last few games have been terrible in the officiating department and then the shoot-out calls today! Well, case made. (Not that I believe in conspiracy theories, mind you! ;))
--They still are not over Yzerman retiring. I think that is a given. Lidstrom is a great player and leader, but he ISN'T Stevie.
--Babcock is no Scotty Bowman. DUH!!
--They have one of the worst--if not THE worse--travel schedule in the NHL. The majority of their away games are played 2-3 time zones away. Now, just think how you feel when changing to/from Daylight Savings Time. Now imagine being in a plane for hours. Now imagine having to do your job--a VERY physically taxing job--and doing it well. And now, imagine doing that several times a month! Yes, that would put you off for awhile.
--The normal hot and cold streaks of players. They all have times when they aren't playing to their potential, but when you have two or more on the same team having a bad spell, it is hard to compensate for that.
--The lines are constantly changing. With injuries and new players, the make up of the lines HAVE to change. But when a player is used to playing with the same person day after day and he suddenly isn't there... It just must be hard.
--New players. Both Calder and Bertuzzi have been assets, but it takes time to get used to having someone completely new on the team. And there is no training camp for everyone to be together and get used to each other in the middle of the season.
--They just can't catch a break! When the announcers say over and over and over again, '***** shoots! And it hit the post!', or, '***** shoots! And it hit the crossbar!', you have got to wonder what is going on! And this has been happening with almost every shot on goal lately. It's as if there is a magnet in the puck and it's getting pulled away from the netting and toward the goal posts. Just unbelievable.
I could go on, but why. Talking about what has been going on isn't going to change anything--the games have been played and that's that! If they don't get past the first round of the playoffs, oh well--at least it has been one exciting season. I am going to enjoy the rest of this year and (probably have to) hope for better things for next year. I really, really am going to try to look at things positively and not complain. I mean it! :)
