Carman

Then you are opening a gaping hole on the 3rd and 4th lines. Not to mention hoping for a miracle in either Abby or Helm to jump into their prime potential right away. I'm not against having Abby play more, he definitely has a skill set suited for it. But he is one of the few centers we have, and Babcock doesn't think the gamble is worth risking our already limted center depth.

He doesn't need to be the old Bertuzzi... He would be playing fine and making plenty of chances on the 3rd line if injuries weren't hindering our line-up. It's like the equivalent of playing Lebda 25 minutes a night on the first pairing due to injuries, obviously it isn't an ideal situation. Bertuzzi is not losing these games for us, sorry.

Well I'm pretty sure most of those opinions probably have changed by now. Then again I can't speak for everyone, but I haven't really seen a person defend Bertuzzi much .

That was Sharp, and it was a little while after the incident. Although I'm going to draw back my position after rereading his quotes again. I can agree he didn't show much remorse if any about the situation and that's pretty unfortunate, I expected better from him.

He is held back 20 goals because of talent. He just isn't that good. What don't you understand about him actually being one of the team leaders in hits? He is driving the net, he is forechecking, he is backchecking, and he is playing hard. Honestly you are not bringing anything but your opinion without anything to back it up. Please show me a youtube of Bertuzzi giving up on a play. I believe he is actually skating, I don't understand how people can complain about the lack of skating that Bertuzzi is apparently doing, yet are completely fine with having Holmstrom literally do nothing in the defensive game and basically glide into and out of the offensive zone... All this defending of Bertuzzi is making me look like I love the guy. He isn't playing well, but to say he isn't playing with passion is just a contumelious insult that is unfounded in practically every tangible discussion point other than your biased opinion.

Not saying he isn't an idiot. But what do you expect him to say? He can't come out and say anything else. Saying he is sorry is admitting guilt and in today's age honesty is not rewarded. It would hurt him more to admit to being dirty and get suspended longer, then to not admit being dirty and get suspended shorter...

Kane is a very good teammate on the ice and is one of the most offensively gifted players currently in the NHL not to mention from the USA, nice to see a random fan that has never played with him and is only judging him by a random teenage drunken mistake. There are people in the NHL that have done much worse things then an altercation. I'm not defending what he did, it was stupid but keeping him off the Olympic team for it? Man you must be quite the disciplinarian. Kane has always been a jackass and a general premaddona. But he is a hell of a hockey player and fills a very important and needed role on the US Olympic team. Then again I'm probably biased for having a personal connections, I just cannot fathom not having him on the team.

No one thinks Bertuzzi is a first-liner anymore. But he is forced into this position, it happens when injuries effect the line-up. If you are expecting him to be the 100 point Bertuzzi you are stuck in 03. He isn't going to be a Prime Bertuzzi, he isn't going to be Franzen, he isn't going to be Hossa, he is a 1.5 million dollar secondary scorer that is stuck trying to be a primary goto guy. Expect 40 points, something he is on pace for. I fail to see how he is useless, being one of the team leaders in hits and shots. I believe you have your expectations way way too high for the 09 Bertuzzi.

Kane one of USA's few pure goalscorers... Glad you put personal bias over your country's Olympic success. Anyways, I can't wait for the Olympics. USA has a team that on paper shouldn't match up with Canada, but if Miller gets hot they can certainly contend and in a short series anything can happen. Should be very entertaining nonetheless, and seeing all this young talent is very promising for the future.

/ on Bash Bertuzzi for making dumb decisions with the puck not because of a lack of "desire". That is a totally baseless argument that makes you sound like a 12 year old fishing for insults. He is battling as hard as any other Red Wing, and is one of the team leaders in hits and shots. He isn't losing half as many battles along the boards as 3/4 of the team is. I don't understand how people make up criticisms on certain players. People always need a scapegoat, it's pathetic. Glad you feel better about yourself for judging an NHL player's desire, and refusal to play hockey the way you think he should. How hard is to judge a player on an actually tangible basis, bring up his +/-, his giveaways or his shooting % if you want to be taken seriously. / off

Having bert and homer with draper woudl just be an abortion of a line. It's already bad having a Hart candidate between them, no offense to Draper but he really isn't going to be able to carry them.

May for not being the crap out of Tootoo? It's going to be interesting to see how Babcock changes the lines. I'm really wondering what he is doing with Leino.

I'd rather separate Bert and Homer. Leino-Datsyuk-Holmstrom Bertuzzi-Zetterberg-Cleary Draper-Helm-Eaves May-Abdelkader-Miller Or something even more drastic. Bertuzzi-Datsyuk-Eaves Draper-Zetterberg-Cleary Leino-Helm-Miller May-Abdelkader-Holmstrom(first line PP)

Nor would Brad May. Nvm, Steve Heinze actually played again, granted very poorly.

He is 2nd on the team in shots, it's not like he isn't getting anything on net. But yeah he makes some pretty bad decisions, but that's what happens when injuries happen you have to play players out of their role. Babcock obviously thinks Bertuzzi is the best option out of the available players, and he really has been getting the chances.

I'll agree with that. Just didn't like saying how Bertuzzi is the only thing killing the line. It will be interesting to see what Babcock does with Leino. Leino and Pavel have had interesting chemistry in the past.

Homer isn't useless on the first line, he is useless in the current version of the first line. We don't have the talent available to successfully have Homer play to his fullest capabilities.

About as helpful as Holmstrom's two lazy penalties. To blame our losses on Bertuzzi is completely stupid.

Don't let off Holmstrom. He hasn't done anything in the past 6 games. Not even a whole lot on the Powerplay. Holmstrom is handicapping that line just as much, or more than Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi created plenty of chances tonight by driving the net. Holmstrom failed to do his job tonight in scoring goals.

You are not are very good observer of hockey. He is getting chances which is a hell of a lot more than other players are doing. For example name one scoring chance Holmstrom created tonight?

Goal post, what a humorous fellow that guy is.

Agreed. He is at least getting chances unlike most of the guys on the Wing's. He played decently tonight, still need him to get on the scoreboard though.

Well we deserve the loss. Time to change up the lines significantly.

Bertuzzi has looked good this period. If only Homer could actually touch the puck tonight in front of the net...

Fixed, in my opinion of course