Abel to Yzerman

Abel to Yzerman

Another Morning After

04/20/2016 at 10:56am EDT

It's been my history that the days following a brutal playoff loss, there is silence on the line. I've rarely been able to bring myself to write a damn thing, or function at all, really.

So, I'm all courageous now.

A few observations:

You knew as well as I did. The minute you saw the replay and knew Larkin's goal with 7 minutes left was actually not a goal? You knew we were done. You knew it because that's how it goes. Always.

I was actually proud of the way the Wings played the second and third periods. In fact, I remember thinking that we are simply more talented than Tampa Bay. They have one line. One. Neutralized at even strength. Neutered at even strength.

But...

Yes, but. I guess I'm trying to say this in a way that hasn't already been said.

Our special teams are beyond pathetic. Our power play is so bad, so disheveled and so dysfuckingfunctional. It's very simply terrible and it's the reason we are where we are.

Number 1 last year. Number 1. The best power play in hockey. To that. To that disgrace. With that talent.

I don't know what happened to Petr Mrazek when he went through that bad spell. Fatigue. Youth. Women. I don't know. But I'm comfortable, moving forward, with that young man in our net.

Double A (and no, I can't spell his name without cutting and pasting..sorry) is a force. When he's on the ice, when Tick Tock allows him on the ice, every Wing looks for him. Every Wing looks to see if and where he's moving. He is that kind of player. He and Larkin will lead this team and they will succeed. I firmly believe that.

Very few reaction shots of Steve Yzerman. I do think this is hard on him. I also think there's an arrangement between he and NBC. When playing Detroit, no celebratory imagery of him. He's not the fist-pumping type, as a GM, but there has been none of the obligatory press box shots of team execs sobbing and giggling, hugging and groping. I'd bet he's asked that, for this matchup, they keep the cameras off him.

Every time they showed sad clown Ken Holland last night, with his impassive face, I wanted to kick my dog. I think I've made my point clear, but I'll say it again. We are losing to a mediocre team. The Red Wings are losing to a one-line team with a big goalie, and the team that is losing is the team that Holland built, deployed and employed the way he has directed. If you're satisfied with another first round loss, with more blatant "just get in" satisfaction, then shame on you. I know you're not. I'm not talking to you.

When the hell is anyone other than the unwashed fan going to say what is patently and perfectly clear: Holland. Needs. To. Go.

Down 3-1. Possible? Yes. I do believe Detroit is icing a better team than Tampa. I believe that. So, it's possible.

But that's not our style. Not anymore. Nope. Our style is to get in and get out. Quickly.

Hooray for 25. Hoo. Ray.

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About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that.

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