Is Detroit's Playoff Streak in Jeopardy?

[Pucks_and_Pols]

The Redwings have been in the playoffs for 24 straight years, the longest current streak in North American pro-sports.

I will never totally count out that organization, but they are looking very thin and seem to have some major injury concerns.

Their current (healthy) top-6 D according to Daily Faceoff is as follows:

Defensive Pairings

Niklas Kronwall
Brian Lashoff

Kyle Quincey
Brendan Smith

Kent Huskins
Jakub Kindl

Even once they get healthy on the blueline, you are still looking at Ian White, Jonathan Ericsson, and Carlo Colaiacovo joining that lineup. Those guys are decent, but not suitable to replace the likes of Lidstrom and Rafalski.

Up front, the drop off from Datsyuk and Zetterberg to the rest of their forward group is alarming.
Filppula and Brunner are promising, but not sure fire top-6 guys. Who knows how many healthy and effective games they can squeeze out of Bertuzzi and Franzen in such a condensed schedule? Scoring shouldn't be an issue, but there are still some holes to fill in that lineup.

Again, they are the Redwings, and famous for their depth and development of players. But man, this is the first time in a long time where I am doubting their playoff credentials.

[DelPen]

Goaltending is a problem too. It's like Toronto with Zetterburg and Datsyuk.

[Digitalgypsy66]

The fan base is getting fed up with Babcock, too. I doubt Holland and Mike Illitch are, yet...but who knows.

It could be the start of the reboot.

[Kovy27]

I think so. They are probably in the toughest division in the west with Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville ahead of them. Their D is not very stable, they lost their true leader, and Jimmy Howard is a fruit.

[Beveridge]

The fan base is getting fed up with Babcock, too. I doubt Holland and Mike Illitch are, yet...but who knows.

It could be the start of the reboot.

Only coach I'd rather have on this team than Blysma.

[Pitt87]

The Redwings have been in the playoffs for 24 straight years, the longest current streak in North American pro-sports.

I will never totally count out that organization, but they are looking very thin and seem to have some major injury concerns.

Their current (healthy) top-6 D according to Daily Faceoff is as follows:

Defensive Pairings

Niklas Kronwall
Brian Lashoff

Kyle Quincey
Brendan Smith

Kent Huskins
Jakub Kindl

Even once they get healthy on the blueline, you are still looking at Ian White, Jonathan Ericsson, and Carlo Colaiacovo joining that lineup. Those guys are decent, but not suitable to replace the likes of Lidstrom and Rafalski.

Up front, the drop off from Datsyuk and Zetterberg to the rest of their forward group is alarming.
Filppula and Brunner are promising, but not sure fire top-6 guys. Who knows how many healthy and effective games they can squeeze out of Bertuzzi and Franzen in such a condensed schedule? Scoring shouldn't be an issue, but there are still some holes to fill in that lineup.

Again, they are the Redwings, and famous for their depth and development of players. But man, this is the first time in a long time where I am doubting their playoff credentials.

Wow... didn't look at the depth chart lately. No wonder they were all in on Suter.

[André]

Yes.

This is what I wrote this summer in the super long post with my ranking of all roster:

Oh how the mighty might fall. Last year (or two years already) I had to calm people saying how the Wings were finally about to miss the playoffs. This year, that suggestion is not as premature. Offensively their top four of Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen and Filppula is pretty sweet but after them they're really aging or without depth. Returning Samuelsson had a nice year once again last season, though, so who knows. Offensively they're might still be fine. On defense, however, they haven't replaced Lidstrom and Stuart at all. Smith's a great up and comer but Kronwall, White and perhaps Quincey will really have to carry most of the workload. Howard better be as hot as last year or the Wings could be in for a challenge. I think their 100 point streak is in some real danger for sure. No doubt they were in the running for Suter and/or Parise and might really hurt after striking out. Their draft magic seems to have come to and end as well.

http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=59470

[Idoit40fans]

I'll be ready to count them out if they're still out of it in April.

[newarenanow]

I'll be ready to count them out if they're still out of it in April.

Those are my feelings. I don't think they'll be a top seed, but I can still see them very well making the playoffs. Until they are offically eliminated, this is a team/organization that has figured out ways to get it done in the past.

[Pucks_and_Pols]

The fan base is getting fed up with Babcock, too. I doubt Holland and Mike Illitch are, yet...but who knows.

It could be the start of the reboot.

Only coach I'd rather have on this team than Blysma.

See, I was actually thinking that Babcock (as much as I hate the prick) and the system they run is one of the BEST things that Detroit still has going for it right now.
Fans there are really going to blame the coach for the lack of talent they currently have assembled on this roster?
If so they are insane.
If the Wings do rally and keep their playoff streak alive, it will be because of Mike Babcock's coaching, not in spite of him.

[Troy Loney]

What 8 teams will beat them out for the playoffs?

St louis
Chicago
San Jose
Vancouver
Los Angeles
Nashville
Minnesota

I guess I could see them falling behind either Anaheim or Colorado.