Detroit Red Wings Blue Line Report for the Week of October 30
This was a tough week for the Detroit Red Wings, with two losses and a win. Finishing the week with a 4-2-2 record is a solid start to the season.
There were a lot of challenges to overcome as injuries to the forward lines are mounting, and Rasmussen served the first of a two-game suspension. The 2 to 1 win over the Wild on Saturday night is one of the best performances from the blue line in a long time, and finished the week on a positive note.
A Look at the Detroit Red Wings’ Sixth Game of the Season: New Jersey Devils
New Jersey was all over the Red Wings from the outset. Their speed and offensive skills resulted in a dominating game. This is the first game where the Wings were overmatched throughout. Consistently losing important face-offs made the game even more challenging.
To make matters worse, only Larkin and Perron appeared engaged in the game. Bad games happen, and this was undoubtedly one of those tough games.
Detroit Red Wings: Game Six Individual Reports
Moritz Seider – Grade C. Seider’s issues were mostly about pressing offensive play too much. He was uncharacteristically making poor decisions during this game and had a series of giveaways. In the second period, a backhand pass in his own zone across the middle led to a quick scoring chance and was indicative of the poor play of the whole team.
Ben Chiarot – Grade C. As Chariot became frustrated and the game wore down, he became aggressive and was looking for trouble. This was a tough game, and Chairot was also not blameless in poor passing and struggled across the board. The game was not there, but the attitude is not bad. Angry is a good thing sometimes.
Olli Määttä – Grade C. Määttä did not do much to control the game. Like the rest of the team, he was reacting, covering up for teammates’ miscues and missing passes.
Filip Hronek – Grade D. Hronek has been strong in his play over the last two games, but this was a game to forget. He struggled in the face of the forecheck throughout the game.
Robert Hägg – Grade C. Hägg had adventures. There was his second horrible delay of the game penalty of the year—this time without pressure. However, Lindstrom did not get into a position to receive a pass. No one was in a position to receive a pass.
Hägg decided to make the right play off the glass and out of the zone, but he missed and sailed the puck into the crowd. Immediately New Jersey scored the first power-play goal of the year against the Detroit Red Wings, and the game was over at that point.
Yet, Hägg made an aggressive play to take the puck deep and around the net, where he found Kubalik for the goal. A creative and brave play after a tough two-and-a-half periods. He crashed the net with an opportunity to score later in the period.
Hägg pinched up to push the play in the last five minutes and was beaten on the fifth goal. It was a risky play that did not work out. At another time in the game, that would have been unwise. But pushing for a goal in the third period was a calculated risk. The aggressive effort to keep fighting against the onslaught showed a positive attitude.
Gustav Lindstrom – Grade D. Lindstrom is not often in the wrong place and does not make especially poor decisions, but he is beaten regularly. Coaches do not change winning lineups, but after a bad loss, now is the time for a change.
A Look at the Detroit Red Wings’ Seventh Game of the Season: Boston Bruins
A road game against a very good and hot Boston team was always going to be a challenge. The return of Brad Marchant excited the crowd more. And he looked very good. The Wings missed several opportunities in the first; Erne alone, Soderblom off the post, and a three-on-one did not result in a score. There was also an excellent and aggressive first-period penalty kill that resulted in zero shots against.
The Detroit Red Wings hung around in the second period. A team that can hang around after being down by two has a chance of good things happening. But good things did not happen. Three rapid goals early in the third period put a fork in this game.
The Detroit Red Wings did not play poorly but simply did not have the talent. Bouncing pucks went over Wings sticks and settled on Bruin sticks. There was no one who was able to make a big play when the game was close. And then everything fell apart like too many games last season.
Detroit Red Wings: Game Seven Individual Reports
Ben Chiarot — Grade C. He screened Husso on the first goal. This was one of the first games where Chiarot was not noticeable.
Moritz Seider — Grade C. Seider was burned on the early goal by Coyle. He struggled throughout to clear the zone ahead of a relentless forecheck. He looked slow. Seider is starting to play a lot like Chiarot, slow, physical, and with more anger.
Ollie Määttä – Grade C. Määttä made a few uncharacteristic giveaways in the game. Määttä was most notable for making poor passes or being checked off the puck, followed by hustling back to break up plays.
Filip Hronek – Grade C. Hronek struggled in the defensive zone. A bright spot is that he made a solid assist on the Erne goal. The was a deflection, and it was a messy assist, but he made the play.
Robert Hägg – Grade B. He is looking more comfortable with the puck. Confidence and professional calmness are showing up.
Gustav Lindstrom – Grade C. I was surprised not to see Oesterle. But Lindstrom looked solid in the first, with much better coverage and management along the boards. He still gets beaten one-on-one too often.
A Look at the Detroit Red Wing’s Eighth Game of the Season: Minnesota Wild
This is a Derek Lalonde victory. The Red Wings were five forwards down. Moreover, there have not been offensive contributions from Suter, Copp, Zadina, or Veleno. The Wild were quick and skilled. This win is attributed to the defensive zone coverage that was far better than they had shown. There were few blown coverages and wide-open forwards in front of Husso.
This is the kind of game that used to be won only by a goalie stealing the win. Husso was strong but did not steal this game. The Wild were swarming, but they were covered, kept to the outside, and several shots were blocked.
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The 2-1 home win was a team win based on structure, work, and discipline—a great team victory with the blue line leading the way. The game ended what could have turned into a losing streak and ended the week on a strong note. This could start the blue line gelling into a positive force.
Detroit Red Wings: Game Eight Individual Reports
Ben Chiarot— Grade B. Chiarot is all attitude and physical strength. He adds a lot to this team. He drove into the offensive zone with the puck, contributed to the cycle, and made an excellent contribution to Raymond’s first-period goal.
Moritz Seider—Grade C in the first period and A- in the second and third periods. He looked to continue to be struggling in the first period. He was beaten and chased the play on the Wild’s two-on-one goal early in the first. Later that period, he took a shot to the inside of the knee that stunned him. That stinger seems to increase his intensity.
Seider was a major player in the five-man pressure cycle, eventually leading to Raymond’s first goal. A shot-blocking machine. Seider was everywhere in the second and third periods. He killed penalties, cleared the crease, bullied forwards along the boards, and had an active stick that deflected multiple dangerous passes. After the first goal against, Seider played his best game of the season.
Ollie Määttä – Grade B. A couple of great shot blocks in the third period when the Wild were pressing. He holds the defensive structure together. Defensive zone structure is a team and coaching issue, but Maatta is smart and disciplined in executing the plan.
Filip Hronek – Grade B+ — This was the best defensive game by Hronek in memory. I loved the grit in standing up for Perron in the third period. He manhandled and took down the Wild forward, Shaw (no relation), with authority.
It is easy to forget that Hronek can be a tough character. I think he forgets that too often as well. He was an important factor in the defensive stand in the third. Excellent play along the boards. More of this type of play from Hronek to complement his power play leadership, and this could be the start of something good.
Jordan Oesterle – Grade B. Oesterle’s first game of the season was a strong effort. I expected some rust, but he works well with Hagg. Oesterle is much better on his own end than Lindstrom. His play along the boards was solid; he picked up the right man and played with aggression. A better-than-decent game for his season debut.
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Robert Hägg – Grade B. Hägg has been the model of consistency. Big, solid, tough, and smart. I suspect that he will not earn a grade higher than a B or a grade lower than a C all year long. He will not do anything spectacular and will rarely make a big mistake.