7 Game Stats and Surly Suggestions

7 games have come and gone since my last blog, and it seems the Wings are still holding firm at the top end of the Conference. I don’t expect to topple the high-flying Canucks right now, but a 5-2-0 record is not exactly a bad thing, and as we head into the final 20-odd games, it’s looking good for the Wings.

In 7 games, we’ve hit 26 goals (including 7 in Monday’s night’s pummelling of LA), and collected 10 points from a possible 14. I’m not complaining.

Datsyuk has hit 7 goals in 7 games, with Cleary hitting 5, and no fewer than 11 different skaters lighting the lamp. I’m not complaining about that either.

Howard and McDonald have collectively saved 217 shots, and allowed just 19 goals, 7 less than Detroit have managed to score, which could be better, but I’ll not be complaining about that.

The Wings’ road trip out West has already beaten LA, and tonight we play the Ducks, with Phoenix our stop on the way back East. They’re tough teams, and it’s a tough road trip, especially playing Buffalo on Saturday, and then LA on Monday, which is a hefty distance in just one day off. However, it’s usually the same for all teams, so there’s no complaining from me there.

What I will complain about is the distinct lack of blockbusting, stomach-churning, hilarious trades on deadline day. As a Wings fan, I tend to enjoy watching other people’s trades and pass pompous judgements on them, without fear of my franchise doing something monumentally stupid. It’s always nice to know that Kenny Holland will have no fear about spending a deadline day admiring the drying patterns of paint, rather than make a trade for the sake of trading. He obviously also believes our goaltender issues to be over, as Vokoun was apparently being pimped around, but Holland wasn’t tempted.

My issue is that usually, in these circumstances, I sit back, relax and look forward to teams like the Blues, Stars or Flames utterly self-destruct with ridiculous trades that dump salary, trading away 2nd line players for a 7th round pick in 4 years, and the like. This year? Nothing of the sort. A couple of decent trades for both teams (like Penner to LA, who will use him well, for prospect and picks which Edmonton will rebuilt with…eventually), and although there were a couple of lop-sided trades here and there, it was a pretty quiet day.

So that’s my whine. Since my team have a good, solid roster, and injured players are returning to the ice, we’re winning games and holding a good position in 2nd place of the West, there’s got to be something to complain about right? However, I’ll admit that complaining for the sake of complaining seems totally unnatural to me. I guess I could never be a Leafs fan…

Since when have the Stars traded players away for picks? We are usually the ones trading picks for rentals that completely destroy team chemistry! Well the Richards trade aside of course

The Wings will be there contending again, of that I have no doubt. I just hope we get a rematch against you this year as I think it would be a good series! (assuming we even make the playoffs )

I don't know if I would like that, judging on our form against the Stars in the last couple of years...

That's what I mean 2008 we went into that series with Turco only owning 1 win in his career at the Joe...... So proud of them getting it to 6 games after a very tough run. This year could be different if recent form is anything to go by! Saying that playoffs are a different kettle of fish and I reckon it would be a very tough series that could go either way.

Can't say I would be as excited for a series with Vancouver though