Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Problem

Everyone wants to know what's wrong with the Red Wings. With each loss adding up to more and more disappointment, everyone is trying to find that specific thing that is holding the Wings back from ending this awful streak. Well, you are all wrong.

It's not a lack of leadership in the locker room or on the ice.

It's not any individual from the Red Wings. (HUDLER! BERTUZZI! CONKLIN!?)

It's not the coaching staff.

It is... wait for it... 5 goaltenders in which will all share the Vezina at season's end.

We have gone up against the best goaltender(s) in the league, 6 times in a row. With those odds, scoring at a pace higher than 1 goal per game would only be luck. Wait, what's that? You need to see some stats to back up my statement?

We have taken a very respectable 198 shots through the last 6 games. All losses (In case you missed that). That's an average of 33 shots a game. Now subtract 1 of those shots a game which resulted in a goal  and that leaves you with 32 saves per game. 32 saves per game on 33 shots is phenomenal.

At that rate, you will notice the goalies throughout the 6 game span are averaging a Save Percentage of: .969

What the fuck?

To put this in perspective, Tim Thomas won the Vezina just last season riding on the coattails of a .938 SP%. That being the highest percentage since the stats introduction in 1983.

Where am I going with this? Well, aside from the fact that Kipper, Harding, Vokun, Mason and Niemi are all going to be Co-Vezina winners for the 2011-12 season? I think if the Wings just keep doing what they are doing, even at the cost of the immediate return (3-5 wins), they should eventually start potting a lot more goals without taking any drastic measures.

Because lets be honest, there can't be more than 5 Vezina winners this year, right?

(This article was written with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Sort of.)

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