The Detroit Red Wings have lost 8-0 to the Predators and 8-2 to the Blue Jackets in the past week. These goals that they have let in have come way too easy. The goaltending has been average this year. Chris Osgood has let in some soft goals, and Ty Conklin is a career backup. And while this is a major factor to their recent play, the defense as a whole is really to blame.
Nicklas Lidstrom is reliable and dependable, but the rest of the defensemen this year have been playing up and down all year long. At times you think they are trustworthy in their own end, and won't give up the puck, but then there are times like this past week that guys like Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart, and Brett Lebda have cost the Wings with their play. Rafalski and Stuart are getting too much money to be playing this poor. Mike Babcock has noticed, and has asked for Jonathan Ericcsson, their top prospect, to come up from Grand Rapids, and play on the blue line. Hopefully when the playoffs come around, Andreas Lilia, Nicklas Kronwall, and others mentioned can help out Lidstrom. Otherwise a repeat of winning the cup is unlikely.
