THN.com Playoff Blog: Extra rest will serve Wings well
The Red Wings completed a four-game sweep of the Avalanche and will have a little down time before starting the Western final. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Ken Campbell
2008-05-02 00:58:58
Yikes.
It’s safe to say, one would think, that if the Stockholm Red Wings play the way they did in the second round of the playoffs, their players will be getting fitted for Stanley Cup rings just over a month from now.
Of course, if they make as short of work of their next two opponents that they did of the Colorado Avalanche, perhaps we might see the end of the season before we have to star applying sunscreen on a regular basis.
Is it just me or are the Red Wings looking very much the part of Stanley Cup champion? Granted their first two rounds have not been against very good teams, but the way they dictated the game in the Colorado series indicates to me that this is a team that is on something of a mission.
Just as importantly, the sweep by the Red Wings means Detroit has emerged from the first two rounds in 10 games. The sweep in the second round will serve them well when the going gets particularly difficult in the Western Conference final and, if they win that, the Stanley Cup final.
Of course it helps when Johan Franzen emerges as a big-time scorer on a team that already has an embarrassment of those. With his hat trick in the Red Wings 8-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 Thursday night, Franzen notched his seventh, eighth and ninth goals of the series to break a franchise record for goals in a series set by Gordie Howe in 1949.
The only difference was that Howe’s eight goals came in a seven-game triumph over the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, while Franzen’s nine came in a four-game sweep.
All eight goals for the Red Wings, incidentally, came from players who were born in Sweden, while the Avalanche’s star from Sweden had to once again watch from the sidelines. The fact that Peter Forsberg missed the game – along with Ryan Smyth, Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny – was unfortunate to be sure, but was a risk the Avs must have realized when they signed him at the trade deadline.
If Forsberg is indeed the man of honor and the player of integrity everyone makes him out to be, he will retire for good after this season and stop teasing teams with what might be if he were only able to ever play on a consistent basis. And since that prospect is currently impossible, Forsberg should do the right thing and file his retirement papers as soon as possible.
The same might be the case for Colorado captain Joe Sakic, who has been on the year-to-year plan for the past couple of seasons. There are many in the hockey world who feel Sakic still has some fine hockey left in him, but there certainly wouldn’t be any shame in Sakic retiring now and not having to suffer the indignity of spending the last years of his career as a shell of his former self.
Should they both retire, the Hall of Fame awaits them. Wouldn’t be a bad class of 2011 if Jaromir Jagr decided to pack it in after this season, would it?
THN.com's Playoff Blogs, featuring analysis and opinion on the action from the night before, with insight on what happened and what it all means going forward, will appear daily throughout the NHL playoffs. Read more entries HERE.
Ken Campbell is a senior writer for The Hockey News and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Tuesdays and Fridays and his column, Campbell's Cuts, appears Mondays.
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Brian Kemp (Posted 2008-05-05 07:20:48)
Wings over Dallas in 6...I agree, neither team the Wings played, were as good as the Stars, but they took 4 games to get warmed up against Nashville, and they haven't looked back since. They've owned Turco for his whole career, and while I expect him to play better than he has in the past against the Wings, maybe steal a game, the Stars just aren't good enough offensively to keep up with the Wings. Maybe I'm wrong, the games still have to be played, but I just don't see the Wings losing 4 of 7. As far as "chokers" goes, that's just ignorant talk. They've only lost one series in the last twelve years where they were up by more than a game, and not at all when they were up late in a series. Oh, and no way should Sakic retire yet.
Matt (Posted 2008-05-03 14:10:45)
I think that maybe the wings will lose some momentum but in the long run they will benefit from the rest, in the first 10 minutes of game one they may show some rust but it will pass. Every game you risk injury to one of your players. The stars, or maybe the sharks will be better than the teams detroit has played so far. Turco doesnt have the best record against the wings but he has a lot of talent and some of the past break downs have been the fault of his team, I wouldn't expect anything but outstanding play from him. I just wonder why some of the Dallas fans are implying that detroit believes it has already won, I sure dont, every round you play a better team, and every round you have to play better. And what is the problem with throwing a squid on the ice?
bill (Posted 2008-05-02 23:03:33)
its going to be detroit v pitts for the cup. BOOK IT!!!! I hate the wings(predators fan) but I must admit they have cranked it up for the playoffs. in the regular season they didnt seem that good to me even though they had the best record. they will wipe up with the stars.
Kevin Sporka (Posted 2008-05-02 22:57:30)
The extra rest will not serve Detroit well at all. They have momemtum so far, but when the third series starts next week that momentum will be lost. The Mule will continue to keep the Wings going throughout the playoffs.
mitz (Posted 2008-05-02 20:58:03)
Sakic: ...what is all this craziness of Sakic retiring. I'll tell you what, send him to Detroit! He's a champion and has lots of hockey left in the tank. I was even irritated to hear those boneheads on NHL Hockey Central talking about how "old" Lindrom is at 38. This nonsense that a certain age trumps ability is crazy. Oh yeah, that that Jagr should retire?? I dont' get it, if you can play at a high level, play.
Forsberg. I'd take him as a depth player, but not as a plyer to count on like the Avs did. If you have a decent lineup and would be ok with or without him, I'd take him for the potential added punch.
mitz (Posted 2008-05-02 20:52:15)
Sour grapes. Last I checked there was not a sportsman alive that would "ease up" because their opponent is injured. I don't recall Anaheim "taking it easy" on Detroit last year when we had injuries. The is the luck of the draw, and every knucklehead knows that depth is what wins the cup.
Detroit will have made the Western Finals 2 years in a row. I don't think that is choking. Anyone who watched the Wings see's a well coached team, lots of skill, that appears to be hitting full stride in perfect time to take home another Cup. ...I sure hope 4 cups in 11 years isn't choking?
Reza Truck (Posted 2008-05-02 19:43:14)
Wow... what an angry bunch we have. The Wings did what the rules allowed, beat a team devistated by injuries (by the way most of those Wing "chokes" had a lot of injuries) and played as a team. I would love to see Wings-Canadians final but at least if SJ loses to Dallas it will be a 6+6 final.
whatsthatsmell (Posted 2008-05-02 17:59:44)
Detroit will choke again. Same as they do every year in the playoffs. Even when they were somewhat of a dynasty and won three cups, I still considered them chokers. The way they have played all these years in regular season they should have won 5 or 6 cups in the last 10 years.
Vince (Posted 2008-05-02 13:35:18)
What make Dallas fans think the Stars are so much better then the Av’s. Only 2 points separated the two in the regular season. If you’re thinking Turco, remember the Wings have owned him his entire career and the Stars for that matter.
Brian Curtis (Posted 2008-05-02 13:30:40)
...and on that note, Ken... why is no-one seriously talking about Babcock for the Jack Adams? All indications seem to be that Ovechkin, umm, I mean Boudreau will win it, and if not him, the runner-up seems to be Carbonneau...but no-one believes it will be won by the Red Wings coach...and it should be!
Jim Reinecke (Posted 2008-05-02 13:28:43)
Another playoff el-foldo from a Joel Quenneville coached team. Being a St Louis native, I should remind everybody that this is the blithering idiot that ran Brett Hull out of town during his stint here. Congratulations Wings. . .hope your enjoyed your domination of a physically defective team with a mentally defective coach but wait til next round. . .the Stars or the Sharks (I'm not counting them out yet) will be more of a handful. Dont start planning on sipping champagne out of the cup just yet (or in Chelios' case, prune juice.).
Joe Guzy (Posted 2008-05-02 13:27:25)
Hey Pat don't be scared about us Dallas Stars fans! We are a good natured bunch unlike the overconfident, look down on everyone else throw a squid on the ice Detroit fans. We only like to talk a little smack when the time is right. I'll see you posting your woes when the Stars are beating the Red Wings and moving onto the Stanely Cup Finals.
GOOOOOOOOO STARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Martin K (Posted 2008-05-02 13:09:30)
Bob: A few of their defenders were playing hurt throughout the series, Hannan was skating on one leg by the time game 4 rolled around. If you have all your forwards in the lineup, their skill level will allow them to control the puck longer, thus keeping the puck out of the hands of the Red Wings and reducing the amount of scoring chances that they would have.
All of you who say that Sakic should hang them up couldn't be more wrong. Joe is a classic guy it is his decision to do one year deals from here on out, and not the organizations. A classy guy who scored 100 pts. last year, this year he ran into a sports hernia, which was mis diagnosed orginally and forced him to miss even more time. This isn't the way Joey wants to go out... playing 40 games in the regular season and than getting swept 4-0 and losing the final game 8-2. He's got a few more good seasons in him left. With the Winter Olympics being in his backyard you can almost expect him to play two more years, staying in game shape for the 2010 Olympics to captain team Canada in Vancouver. Can't wait for you to put up a point a game again next year Burnaby Joe... enjoy your summer.
Pat Stewart (Posted 2008-05-02 13:02:32)
The Wings showed that they have purpose last night. They will be a force the rest of the way through. Reading through this post though, I'm just amazed at how many "Stars Fans" are all of a sudden coming out of the woodwork...
james boston (Posted 2008-05-02 12:54:35)
A great Avs team with great depth? Theodore is over-rated. The Wings lucked out because the coach was stupid enough to keep on playing Theodore. They would have still beat them,but the Avs would have extended the series at the very least. They had trouble with Ellis in their 1st round.Why? Because he's a good goalie!! Turco is an up-grade on both those goalies. They're a legit team to boot. It certainly wont be a sweep for either team!!!
Joe Guzy (Posted 2008-05-02 11:52:38)
First off Forsberg (aka Mr. Hurting Foot) should never have comeback to the NHL, he was done and only proved to everyone what a selfish player he is. Second, the first two teams the Red Wings played were teams that barely made it into the playoffs let alone were any competition for them. Lets wait and see what happens in the Western Conference Finals
before they start sizing their Stanely Cup rings. I have a feeling the Dead Wings will be in for a rude awakening when they face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals since the Wings coasted in while the Stars have had to face the Defending Stanley Cup Champs and the San Jose (we lose in 2nd round) Sharks. So with that said I believe this series will goto a game 7 and the final outcome will be Dallas - 4 and Detroit - 3.
GOOOOOOO STARSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Daniel David (Posted 2008-05-02 11:20:21)
Are these wings the best in the NHL? I think so. They swept a great avs team with great depth. Even if the Avs had solid goaltending it still would not have been a series...The avs are in a deep hole, and probably do not where to go next.
Mary Rogers (Posted 2008-05-02 10:25:27)
I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch the sweep. What an awesome display of true talent! Go Wings!!!
JD (Posted 2008-05-02 10:11:26)
As a Wings fan, I have the greatest respect for Joe Sakic and Forsberg and Foote. While Forsberg may not be able to go another year, Sakic definitely can and should, if he still wants to play. Colorado has the nucleus for a strong team and just needs a few more players to fill a couple of soft spots and they will be fine.
The Avalanche can still remember what it's like to be champions and they still have pride and heart. Hell, Sakic can play for several more years while Colorado reloads. I am rooting for them to ascend to the top tier in the NHL again soon. As someone who vividly remembers the "Dead Wings" of the 70's and 80's, I can appreciate how Avs fans are feeling, but hope springs eternal and I hope the Avs rise again soon.
Chris Kim (Posted 2008-05-02 09:49:57)
ArgyBargy: Sakic himself is the one that came up with the idea of year-to-year deals. If the Avs had their way, he'd be locked up permanently through the age of 45. The Avs tend to love older vets (as evidence by bringing back Foote and Forsberg).
Sakic still has game left. He'll still be close to a PPG player (he had 9pts in 9 games this playoff season). How much does he want to be a part of his kids' lives is the big question. The Avs will sign him the second he approaches management and says, "I think I had a $5m season last year" and the Avs management will say, "Done".
Bob (Posted 2008-05-02 02:02:07)
I know Colorado was decimated with injuries to their forwards, but they still had their defensive starters. The Red Wings have played, at least in this series, up to their potential. It's awesome to see. I'm a hockey fan who enjoys skill, good skating, good clean checks, and no goonery. For me a Red Wings vs Penguins Stanley Cup Finals would be the most entertaining. I think a series such as that could have the potential to lure many new fans to the game. No goons, good offenses, good defenses, good hard skating and hitting. Whoever Detroit faces in the WCF's it won't be the same Red Wings from the regular season.
Tony Collier (Posted 2008-05-02 01:46:04)
I definately feel Sakic should retire this year. It's pains me to watch the legends hang on for so long. I love Joe Sakic simply because of how much he reminds me of Yzerman. Just think, this season could be the last for Sakic, Shannahan, Jagr, Sundin, Forsberg, Selanne, Neids, and Hasek.
ArgyBargy (Posted 2008-05-02 01:34:17)
Colorado still seems to have a decent team that could contend but not for a few more years. I'm also in agreement that Sakic should retire and as an Avalanche player. It'd be a shame to see him go to another team. He's a classy guy who deserves to go out on his own terms. For the Avalanche to keep him on a year-to-year contract almost seems cruel to a guy like that. If it was known that the Avs were well within contending for the Cup, then of course he should be there, but it doesn't seem that way. Recalling the likes of a wonky Forsberg and Foote seemed like a "getting the band back together" moment that failed miserably to re-capture the magic of the 90's. Like his counterpart in Detroit during all of those heated games, Steve Yzerman- Joe should slide into retirement with dignity and pride knowing he's a classy guy that not even the most die hard Wings fan could hate.
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