wings_fanatic

Pavel with a sick move, JUST MISSED... Hudler better not be used anymore in shootouts would someone please like to tell me why Babcock uses him over FIL?!?!? ALso, sick move by Patty Kane gotta give him props for that. Overall I think the Wings will be ready for the playoffs: - Mike Babcock, for the love of God PLEASE keep Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the same line, whether it be with Bertuzzi or Nyquist... the second that switch was made the Wings came alive - Franzen is at least looking a lot more determined at TRYING to make plays so that is a positive sign - Our PK has been fantastic lately and whether you wanna admit it or not, our powerplay has not been that bad either. Think about it, I am pretty sure we have hit at least 1 post on our powerplay over the course of the past 6 or 7 games, including 2 posts today... I think the Wings will get it together - Though Jimmy had a little rebound trouble today, he looks primed and ready Lastly, everyone is so worried about Nashville having to play in their building but dont forget the fact that almost every time we play in their building during the season is on the 2nd night of a back to back so we are tired... lets see how they fair against us when rested. It will be a great series but I do not think Nashville can withstand the Wings.

FINALLY Babcock has changed the lines... hopefully he sticks withthem for the playoffs... i hate when he changes lines in the 3rd period of a game and then goes back to the same old stinkin lines for the next game.

These lines have to freakin change!!! Our lack of goal scoring is apparent these past many games and I dont care if certain lines have generated some chances or not... the fact of the matter is we are NOT SCORING GOALS!!! Mike Babcock is paid good money to put a team together that has the best chance to win, and after the past 10ish games it is clear that these lines are not giving us a good chance to win. So, Babcock how about you do your damn job and CHANGE THE LINES. Datsyuk with Zetterberg!!!

You know what I am now convinced that we need Datsyuk with Zetterberg going into the playoffs. Yes the Fil line has been fantastic, but Pavel's wrist must be hurting him pretty bad for Franzen to be taking faceoffs and Franzen NEVER wins a faceoff and that will kill us in the playoffs. To top that, Franzen coasts around too much to be playing with Pavs. If his wrist is hurting, the Eurotwins should be paired together and I still think Fil and Hudler would be able to hold their own on the 2nd line. Datsyuk- Zetterberg- Bertuzzi (Bert would do a great job opening up ice for the Eurotwins) Franzen- Filpulla- Hudler (The line has worked before and Fil is playing fantastically) Like I said, with Pavel's wrist clearly bothering him, I think this is the best option going forward and would provide us a lethal first line and a pretty good second line. The fact of the matter is we have not been scoring goals lately... when that happens lines have to change.

Also I want Lidstrom and White back together because they are able to move the puck much faster... speed was a HUGE problem for us tonight. Another thing I am concerned with these lines headed to the playoffs. babs hasta be ready to make line changes quickly if things are not working in game 1... he cant wait until freakin game 4 line last year in the playoffs cuz its too late by then. I am still thinking Pavs and Hank shall be together by the end of round 1

Good game by a tired Wings team. I hope Pavs is okay with his wrists. I thought the Wings just looked flat out dead tired all 3rd period and it ended up burning us. There should be no back to backs this late in the year, but whatever. Also, take back my reffing commment from earlier... the refs missed WAY TOO MANY should ahve been calls against the Devils. No wonder the Devils are so good defensively... they get away with more hooking and holding than anyone else it was really annoying!

I love how the refs are just letting them play tonight... I still think the Devils should have got a delay of game though when they took the net off. Anyways hopefulyl the refs keep their whistles away and let them play... go Wings in the 3rd!!

I liekd the first 6 minutes then the Wings were flat after that. I thought the refs missed about 3 CLEAR penalties against the Devils in that time and then they called that penalty on Nick Lidstrom and the Wings got flat after that. If your going to miss obvious calls for one team, then you don't go and give Nick freakin Lidstrom a penalty for something so minor like that. Anyways, I think Babs has to make an adjustment with lines because anytime the bottom 6 forwards are out there they seem to ALWAYS be stuck in our zone... that will kill us come playoffs. ALso, I am TIRED of the ******* posts this year!!! I swear to God the Wings hit at least 1 post every game... they must have some sort of record!!! Babs hasta do some sort of good luck ritual or something lol because I am getting tired of the freakin posts!

I have not been the biggest Ericsson fan since his last good run he had in 2009, but since his injury he has been fantastic and has looked like his 2009 self while playing with Nick. I think in the 1st round especially, against the Preds, having a big body like Ericsson play with Nick will help shut down the opposing lines a lot. Also, they have appreared to look really comfortable while playing with one another these 2 games. To add one more thing, I love how Babs keeps making such a big deal about Ericsson and having a positive effect on the PK and everything because every time Ericsson hears Babs talk to the media like that, that will increase his confidence level so much- - really smart by Babs and that could contribute to a lot of success going forward.

HUGE win by the Wings. Awesome game by Pasha!! I thought Pavs, Nick and Howard were fantastic all game long! Also I would like to say I was completely wrong about Babs's decision to keep Franzen with Pavs... that is why he is the head coach of the Wings and I am not. To add to that, man when Franzen plays, he PLAYS! Whatever ticked him off at the end of the 2nd carried over and woke him up finally and now hopefulyl it can continue!

If there continues to be a lack of offense pressure in the 3rd at about the 10 minute mark I would like to see Pavs and Hank put on the same line because I dont think the Blues can handle that and Fil can man the 2nd line fine at center.

Pavel was flying all game with Nyquist then Babcock made the switch and that line hasn't been nearly as effective generating chances. I like Bert with Pavs cuz he creates open ice and competes a bit harder than Franzen... Franzen to the 3rd line imo. Also, Jimmy is playing GREAT.

Babcock is an idiot for taking Nyquist off of Pavs line... now he has 2 slow guys to work with!

solid first period for the Wings on the road at St. Louis, who owns the 2nd best home record next to the Wings. - I thought Hank's line was solid, but did not get much offence generated - Pavel was FLYING out there... he is going to have a good game point wise imo - Franzen continues to piss me off... he gives the puck up all the time, is slow and when he gets the puck instead of MOVING with it he frickin flicks it up... imo if he does not get going after this game he needs to be sent to the 3rd line and replaced by Bert

I hate franzen with a passion. Babcock needs to seriously answer for his dumb decision making if he continues to play Franzen on that top line with Pavs. Bertuzzi is having a GREAT game and is showing that he MUCH MORE DESERVES to playing with Pavs than Franzen!

Babcock needs to ******* take Franzen off of Datsyuk's line. I am getting sick of Franzen and it is clear that Pavs is too. Pavel looks like there is no point because Franzen is not helping him at all. Franzen cant receive a pass or anything!! Nyquist looks greaet with Pasha though!!! Franzen needs to be taken off that line and sent to the 3rd line with Bert being put back with Pavs!!!

Babcock is not rotating the Dmen to make them fight for their jobs, he is rotating them to give each of them a little rest. I understand his thinking, but I do not like the idea because we are in a position where we need to get our team consistent heading into the playoffs and that is not going to happen if we are resting a different dman every game. In regards to Babcock keeping Franzen on Pasha's line instead of Bert, I think that is a mistake. Franzen has not EARNED to play 1st line minutes at all this year. The argument against that is that he is leading our team with 27 goals. My argument to that is if we had Nyquist playing with Pavs all year like Franzen, I am sure he would be right around that mark as well. TO add to that, Nyquist gives it his all every shift unlike Franzen, and actually has speed and makes good plays. Franzen has done nothing to impress me this year and has just slowed Pavel down imo. IF Babcock does not realize this and get Franzen off of pavel's line, then it could be a very short post season for the Wings. Nyquist- Datsyuk- Bertuzzi Filpulla- Zetterberg- Franzen/Hudler

If the Hawks win tonight and then we wwill beat florida tomorrow we will be back in 4th. I think that is going to happen because Nashville will be tired against a fresh Hawks team and the Wings have such good success against Florida. With that said, I am VERY PLEASED that Babcock has finally put Nyquist back with Pasha at practice today but I am disappointed that he is keeping Franzen on the line over Bert. I think Bert plays best with Pasha and has been doing a fantastic job all year at creating open ice for Pavs and using his body well and going in front of the net. IMO I would rather see Nyquist-Datsyuk- Bert BUT I am willing to see what it looks like with Franzen on there. If after the 1st period tomorrow Franzen is still floating, then demote him to the 3rd line and put Bert back with Pavs and Nyquist.

In fact if pasha goes to practice tomorrow and notices babcock is still keeping Franzen on his line, he should turn to babcock and tell him to f*** off then leave the ice... im sure that would get the point across lmao!

This whole defence rotation needs to stop too... we need to have our guys going heading into the playoffs because they arent rite now. I swear to god when i read the practice report tomorrow I better be reading about either Nyquist playing with Pavel or Hank playing with Pavel... either way we will NOT make it out of the first round if babs continues to play Franzen with Pavel. With few games remaining babcock has to start tinkering with the forward lines to find something that works best.

I defend Babcock a lot but if he continues to keep Franzen with Pasha then he needs to answer for that because that is just a bad coaching decision. I consider Babs the best coach in the world, but a good coach would have recognized the lack of energy tonight and especially the top line. Pavel tried tons of different things but Franzen wasn't skating and when Pavel tried to give him the puck all Franzen did was either not catch it, dump it around the boards, pass to no one, or flick it in the air. I dont care how good Franzen has been in the past, he does NOT deserve to play with Datsyuk at all and the last 2 games proves that as he has single handidly made pavel look average. Babcock better fix that line for next game... NYQUST WITH DATSYUK GOD DAMMITTTT!!!!

O please we hit a post and Rinne got a lucky save. Then Cleary (who many of us have openly hated this year) screwed up in the last minute costing us a goal. A couple things: - Franzen NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFF THE TOP LINE!!! Pavel looks like Pavel that we know only when he is not on the ice with Franzen... FIX IT BABCOCK!!! - Man Kronners has been having some rough games lately... not able to keep pucks in, not hitting the net, mis-cue on passes which leads to my next point - Why is White not on the top PP with Nick on point?? It is best that way cuz him and Nick can switch sides for the 1 timer... with Kronners with Nick they keep trying to give the puck to Kronners to shoot instead of Nick and it just isn't working. Simply put, White should be playing with Nick and Nick needs to get the puck more - However the PP is moving the puck really well and we should have scored twice on it tonight... one post and one robbery Going into the 3rd the Wings need to dominate and to do so I think the Eurotwins need to be reuinted. Get it done babcock!

not top speed currently? Franzen is NEVER at top speed this year. He may be leading our team with goals, but he floats around every single shift and frickin flicks the puck in the air and then gets off. Datsyuk is at his best when he has someone to open ice for him (bert is doing very well at that this year) and speed... something NYQUST can provide. Nyquist is a way better passer than franzen and even though his shot is not as good, he still has an ability to shoot the puck. As I have said before I think Nyquist should play with Pavs and Bert, then Franzen can take Hudler's spot on the 2nd line and then Hudler can take Cleary's spot on the 3rd line...

Franzen looks like crap tonight again and is slowing pasha down too much. Returning from injury or not, we dont have time to wait for franzen to start competing while with pavs because he is slowing down that whole line. Nyquist needs to play with pavs

I agree that I am getting tired of people on here ragging on players this year. Looking at the date the threads are made hating on the players, it always follows a loss. Bertuzzi is having a great year playing with Pasha, while I dont like Ericsson myself you cannot deny he has been good on the pK, Franzen has an ability to put the puck in the net and has playoff potential still. With all that said, I have really grown to dislike Dan Cleary this season. I know he was great last year, and has been great for us often in the past, but this year he has flat out sucked. More than that, every time he is on the ice he is giving pucks away, wrong coverage, and taking dumb shots. I know he is playing injured and I respect him for that, but it is the point where he is actually hurting our chances of winning while he is on the ice. I am not saying get rid of him, I am saying sit him out for the rest of the year because he simply is too injured to be effective. Liek I said i respect him for trying to play through it, but I will respect him more if he can admit he is hurting this team by playing, and take a step back for the rest of the year.