"We've got some players who aren't playing as well as they can," Holland said. "But I like the makeup of our team. I think we're real close to playing good. We're in the process of finding out who we are."

"I believe that over the course of 80 games, players find their own water levels," Holland said. "Every player can play real good or real bad for four to six games."

Will Datsyuk and Zetterberg be at the 90-point level? Maybe not. But they are too good not to be point-a-game players, Holland said. "They're too good, and I've watched them for too long," he said.

As for the players who replaced the departing free agents, they are off to slow starts as well, but Holland insisted Jason Williams, Patrick Eaves, and Todd Bertuzzi will be helping the club by the end of the year. Bertuzzi assisted on the winner Tuesday, although it was just his fourth point of the season (one goal, three assists). Williams has just two goals in 10 games, and Eaves has zero points in just four games. As the first month of the regular season draws to a close, Holland knows there are lots of people fleeing the Red Wings' bandwagon.

"Yeah, but I understand," he said.