NHL analysts criticized the Detroit Red Wings for their ongoing struggles, marking their 10th consecutive season without a playoff appearance. They highlighted the need to change the team's core players, despite their talent.
Leave it to the outspoken NHL analysts on TSN's afternoon drive show in Toronto to unload on the "choke-job" Red Wings.
Hosted by Bryan Hayes with ex-NHLers Jeff "The O-Dog" O'Neill and James "Noodles" McLennan, O'Neill said "these guys don't do squat and they're married to them. It's crazy stuff."
O'Neill got "OverDrive" started with a stinging critique of the Red Wings, who have missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, the fourth-longest streak in NHL history and the longest in the Red Wings' 100-year history.
"There's a team where you draft all these guys, (Moritz) Seider, (Lucas) Raymond, (Dylan) Larkin and they can't even get into the playoffs," said O'Neill, who scored a playoff goal for the Carolina Hurricanes against Detroit in Game 3 of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals, won by Detroit in five games.
"They're good guys, they're good players. You commit to them longterm and big dollars, but guess what? That's not the right mix of players. You would think by now they would at least get in. They need to change up the mix of the players.
"What are you going to do? Tell your fanbase that this is the same group. You can go and get an Andrew Copp and trade for Justin Faulk and do this again, but it's the same group of guys and they'll be in the exact same place next year."
Hayes said the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators locked up their players like (Tim) Stutzle, (Brady) Tkachuk, (Thomas) Chabot and now they've passed the Red Wings and are in the postseason for the last two years.
"It's not working (for the Wings), Brian," O'Neill said.
"Choke job," Hayes said.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Red Wings need to break up core after recent collapse
The Red Wings have struggled to find the right mix of players, despite having talented individuals like Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Dylan Larkin.
Their 10-season playoff drought is the fourth-longest in NHL history and the longest in the franchise's 100-year history.
Analysts recommend that the Red Wings change up their core players, as the current mix has not led to playoff success.
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