Notes: Wings back to work to prove they're better than they've showed

DETROIT -- The Red Wings know that what they say right now does not matter, it is what they do Tuesday night at home against the Winnipeg Jets.
The team is mired in a seven-game losing streak and coming off an embarrassing 10-1 defeat in Montreal Saturday.

"We can talk, we can stand here and say things but we have to go out and show it, we have to go out and do it," Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "There is enough said in here behind closed doors, open doors, with coaches. It's enough talk, we have to go out and show that we're a team and we stick together and we play for each other."
After the loss, Zetterberg said they had embarrassed every player who has ever worn the winged wheel.
It was a harsh message but one he felt he had to deliver after that performance.
"I didn't want that just to be a loss because it wasn't just a loss," Zetterberg said. "The way we lost, I've never been part of that before. I want them to realize, too, that everyone that maybe hasn't played for that long realize that, that that was bad and make sure that that doesn't happen again."
Wings coach Jeff Blashill was glad that Zetterberg made such a strong statement.
"When you're sitting on the bench and you're representing the winged wheel either by wearing it or coaching it and you have a loss like that, that's ugly, that's embarrassing, no question about it," Blashill said. "Is it powerful, yeah, it's powerful. I think it's important for guys that have been around this organization a long time that have had tons of success, to remind our younger players or new players that this isn't any organization, you're representing the Detroit Red Wings. And that better come with a great, great sense of pride. Like any organization, there's going to be ebbs and flows but you better represent how special this organization is."
Although having a day off Sunday was good to get away, Tomas Tatar said it wasn't fun to think about Saturday's game.
"It was a tough thing to swallow for sure," Tatar said. "I've never been part of that kind of result. I guess games like that come. We don't feel really good about them. I would say maybe we deserve it. We didn't play good enough. We didn't play structure, so that was just the result of the bad game. Once it's going like that, it's hard to stop. This organization deserves much better and we know what we did wrong. So here it comes, another game, and we have to bounce back."
Because they failed to win any battles in Montreal, the Wings spent most of Monday's practice in battle drills.
"We got to hold onto the puck more," Blashill said. "That's something you don't get tons of chances to practice on through the NHL season because you play, practice, play, practice. So certainly coming off a day off it gives you a chance to go harder. It doesn't have the accumulative effect of multiple days. So we got to win puck battles and hold onto the puck more. When you do that, even if you don't create tons of offense, you're basically playing defense because the other team is not creating any offense.
"As I watched the game, we'd get in on the forecheck, we'd come up with the puck and then we'd give it away by not holding onto it. That crushes your transition game because now they're never tired, they're never going for changes. That's something we really focused on today."
Zetterberg didn't mind the change of pace.
"It was stuff that we really haven't done before in practice so it was nice to have one of those," Zetterberg said. "I wouldn't mind to see more of those kind of practices for us. That's how the game is nowadays, you have to win your battles offensively and defensively and you got to work on it in practice."
Another thing the Wings need to focus on is their response to adversity.
When the other team scores, they can't let it snowball by trying to do too much as individuals.
"We can't win the game in the first shift," goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "We gotta know that as well. There's going to be times tomorrow night when they're going to dictate the play. That's just the way a hockey game goes. We just gotta go out there and when things aren't going our way, bend but don't break."
The Wings have a structure in place to follow and it's something they need to stick to so things don't get out of hand.
"Especially in tough times, you have to have some kind of structure that you go back to and rely on," Zetterberg said. "We know our structure, we know what to do and we just got to find a way to do that and be fine with that and not try too much when we're behind and that way would cost us another goal for them. So we just got to wait for our chances and be patient but at the same time, we got to play with confidence, too. We can't just sit back and don't believe in yourself. We have guys in here who can make plays so when there is time for us to do that, we have to make them."
Blashill said it's easy for him to see when his players are not demonstrating that kind of confidence.
"One thing to me that's a real true-tell sign is when the puck is a hot potato, you're not playing with any confidence, because when you're not playing with confidence you don't want to turn the puck over, so you just throw it away because you don't want to turn it over," Blashill said. "Well, that's not the solution. The solution is to gets your (butt) out and take that extra second and if you have to eat it, eat it, but never throw it away, never have it be a hot potato, put it in safe (place), make a hard play when you have to, but don't just throw it away."
Blashill and the Wings are very aware that before the season even started, the pundits predicted that the Wings would once again fail to make the playoffs and several predicted they'd finish in last place.
"From day one in camp we've talked about making sure we play with a chip on our shoulder and prove people wrong," Blashill said. "We get another chance tomorrow night to prove people wrong. I'm sure there's a lot of people out there saying 'Here the Red Wings go, this is what we expected.'
"This isn't what's going to happen."
ZETTERBERG DROUGHT: Zetterberg scored four goals in the first seven games of the season but has not scored since, a 20-game drought.
"Yeah, it has been a struggle," he admitted. "But I think last year I went through similar, not as long, but when you go through tough times like that, you just got to keep doing the right things, not doubting yourself or cheat. "You just got to work harder, I know it maybe sounds boring but that's what you got to do. You got to try to get into the tough places and eventually the puck will hit you and it will go in. It's all you need to get going again. For me, it's just trying to stay positive and do all the little things right."
Although Zetterberg is almost four years removed from back surgery and is 37 years old, he says he feels good physically.
"I do," Zetterberg said. "I can't blame anything like that."
WILSON TRADE: Scott Wilson, we barely knew you.
On Monday, the Wings traded Wilson to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2019 fifth-round pick. In 17 games with Detroit, Wilson did not record a point and was minus-1.
Wings general manager Ken Holland told MLive.com that they are not recalling another forward from Grand Rapids at this time and would decide on Wednesday if they will recall a player.