Motown4013

I cant believe i am doing a line thread.....but.......Just for a game....ONE game, I wish Babs would give up the idea that he needs size or grit with scoring and go full throttle with: Pasha Tatar Alfie Gus Hank and Franzen I honestly think Tatar and Dats would be amazing together and already the Swedish meatball line really works. Gus has lit a fire under the Mules ass. A girl can dream, right?

This sucks. Terrible, terrible news. Z has been awesome this year........BUT.....this opens a few doors. * Tatar is gonna see consistent PP time and second line time. * Gus is going to get legit top line time * Weiss will be seen on the second powernplay unit without the two Albatross wieghing the guy down. May getnhim the confidence he has been lacking. Mule has been very solid as of late as well. This is a huge 2 weeks for the team. Let's see who steps up and takes their game to a different gear. Character. This team has it so let's see who rises up. Heal Zetty!

Totally agree. I don't want to mess with success by any means but if we are dominating like we have been the last 2, I'd like to see Babs make the adjustment.

I like Weiss and I think the signing when it happened....no doubt he has been a disappointment. My question is....he is NOT a defensive liability so when we are up 4-0 or 5-0 like we have been the last 2 games, why not try and get him one? Get the monkey off his back. He must be beyond frustrated. Play him of the powerplay. The problem is confidence....he has ZERO and is starting to pass and defer. If we are up, throw the guy a bone and let him play with Zetty and Franzen or Gus. Get him a goal and they will come.

Insanity. That's the best that Franzen has played all year and Tatar clearly has chemistry with him. WTF. I just continue to shake my head at these decisions. If Alfie is a go, the second line should be Float, Tots and Alfie....nothing else. PS close the door Monster! I'm glad he is getting a start!

Whether you liked him or not, I think Babs has decided that Tots is a Huder 2.0. He's critical and a bit impatiet with the Tatar.....I am glad we have Tom Renney because you constantly Renney patting the young guys on the back, giving them praise. PS- Hey Babs....Hudler playing top line minutes with the right line mates and has a 19 points on the season.....are you paying attention Babs???

If this is true and the Mule is suffering from social anxiety with depression, it can be crippling. This certainly does add an " explanation" of his inconsistent play, his inability to rise to the occasion and why he appears to lack any motivation. It's not a free pass.....im not stating that it makes everything better BUT it kinda makes sense. As Karen said, if he is ill....whether it be physically unable to perform OR emotionally unable to perform, he should be placed on IR and be treated....much like if he had a concussion or another injury. Shane Corson has a well documented and lengthy history with this disorder and it eventually ended his career. I hope Mule can take some time, get some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and get well from this.

I think this post is more about a players make-up and their responsively rather than "Who is a better hockey player" you see this time and again with athletes. A good fit with the team, the coach, management Ect all play a factor in how a player responds. It's not unusual for a player to be amazing on one team and then underperform for another. Weiss, Flip...but others like Heatly, Yashin, Gonchar, Nash, Lupul..........the list is endless. I think Weiss will come around. He's too good of a hockey player not to BUT some players simply play better and respond better depending on the environment. Looks at Hudler...it was pretty clear that Babcock was not fond of him. He was critized for his poor defensive play but in Calgary, he has been given the first line and he is thriving. I don't think he did well being scrutinized, whether it was valid or not...the same goes with Flip. Some players need to be challenged, attacked and then excel under a hard nose approach. Others need to be coddled and reassured. Babcock isn't that guy and although he is a good coach, I imagine he is very demanding and vocal about whatbhe likes and what he doesn't. Either way, we had a good player in Flip who needed a change of scenery and he's doing well. I always liked him here and I wish him well. I hope same for Weiss and that he will find his rhythm and become what the organization saw in him. Just my 2 cents!

Ok, this is what we have all been waiting for. Please play Helm, Andy and Tatertots on the third line together! Good luck Helmer and welcome back! www.mlive.com/redwings

Great game for a guy who hasn't played in a season and a half! Great to see 43 out there! He was awesome!

I thought he was REALLY close last night to taking his game to the level he should be playing at. I would love Babs to put him with Pavs and Z to try to get his confidence back. I agree that he is getting better and comfortable with the Wings system. I was a Flip supporter....I still am. Why can't you love hockey and really like certain other players who play elsewhere but love the Wings? Weiss will breakout...it's just a matter of time. I'd rather him than Franzen every day. At least the guy shows some heart and competes. The rest will come

I'd trade Franzen. His contract is cap friendly and the guy has shown he can be a huge asset.....he just doesn't want to be. Gus and Tatertots are going to be better players all around than Franzenfloat. I am so tired of watching this guy meander around the ice like he is on a Sunday stroll at a seniors home. Its BEYOND ridiculous. I see Bert hustle his ass around with a bad back. Gus in the minors is a complete waste, and Tatar saddled with Cleary the albatross IF he isn't a healthy scratch.... yet, there is 93, crawling back on a line change or standing in the same spot for 8 seconds of his shift. Imagine having that much talent and deciding not to use it? He and Lash for Girardi and a late pick would do it for me.

As per Khan, all lines are getting the shake up for tomorrow's game. www.mlive.com/redwings It will be interesting to see what Tatertots can do with Hank! Thoughts?

I don't understand and I simply never WILL understand why Franzen is the only guy on this team that never seems to be held accountable. Babs will demote guys like Weiss, Hudler, Flip, Brunner, Alfredsson and other talented players to the 3rd line when they are not showing up. I can think of twice that Franzenfloat has been demoted in the last 5 years. It appears that Babock thinks Mule is one shift away from that magical 2008 run. Let it go man.....He's lazy, inconsistent, erratic and uninspired. I for one am getting a bit tired of watching the guy stroll around out there like he's out for a Sunday walk and not being called on his sh@t.

I hope your eye doesn't look like Dan Cleary after he plays the Dan Cleary drinking game.....urrr when he's not playing that game! Have fun and I hope they light the lamp for you!

For sure. I was at that game....nice waste of 6th row seats! LolAnyway, they have to do something because everyone is flat. I have serious doubts about Mule and Tatar together.....they both aren't really strong defensively so that line could either be lethal in a good way or in a horrible way. Bert has always played well with Pavel...but Pavs makes everyone better. The 4th line is solid. The third line is like an online dating site -- random people lumped together who probably don't compliment each other, have no mojo and at the end of the night, nobody is gonna score

Well said Crym. I actually thought that both of them had really good games last night...... actually thought Smith may have had the best game he has played as a wing....if that crossbar was a quarter inche skinnier he would have potted the game winner. Split them up- they don't compliment one another and let them play. They need confidence and they aren't getting it together.

Hmm...interesting how different people see things from their own perspective. I for one thought that Weiss played his worst game last night but prior to that, he has been solid. Let's remember, it's not like we acquired Stamkos.....Weiss is a hard working second line centre. Maybe the expectations are a bit high? He's playing a very different style of hockey on a very different hockey team. Its hard to adjust after spending 10 years on a team like Flordia. Until 2 games ago, he was playing with two stone cold pillars in Franzenfloat and Alfie/ Cleary. To be honest I like the way he plays. He is effective on the back check, works grinder hard, effective along the boards and he hauls azz every shift. The scoring will come as he gets familiar with the system and his team mates. For the cap hit, he's a solid, heart guy with an offensive upside! Think of it this way, he makes 1.9 million more than Sammeulsson! Anyone else thinks we got an amazing deal for a heck of a player now???

Go back and read the original post......the point is that whether you are on the first OR the fourth line you need to be defensively responsible. You also need to possess the puck. Tatar did neither of these things in his debut. I WANT this guy in the line up too but I don't think he did anything at all to secure a spot. The team was awful and he was awful but he didn't rise to the occasion.

I think Babs is going to be quite unhappy when he reads what Smith says about being benched. I am glad he is sitting him down....if Smith doesn't understand why he is sitting he isn't mature enough to play. I personally think Bert has played very well the last 3 games...I hope he adds the extra hands on that line. I'm curious to see how this shake up plays out. GO WINGS!!! I read it like Tatar isn't scoring....therefore he's not in. It's hard to score on the 4th line but I thought he had a very dismal game against Boston- he was very weak in the defensive zone and his puck possession was disappointing...and I am a Tots fan.

For years I never really cared for Lou. I thought he was a bit arrogant and definitely overrated. Ever since the ridiculous way they handled the debacle in Vancouver i find myself secretly rooting for him. He always remained humble, supportive of Schneider and well, a class act. The way they treated him and THEN to pull that Bullshard at the draft and rename him the " number 1 guy" in Vancouver after he believed he would get the opportunity to start his career......I dunno, I wish him well. I'd be embarrassed to be a Canucks fan after stringing the guy a long for a year. Good luck Lou

I could have went with the youth movement- Danny D would have been my rookie X factor but honestly, the key to a young defensive Corp is leadership. Keeping with that theme, I chose the guy that needs to be leader on that back end so Kronner got my vote. I think Kronwall has all the skills to be a great defenseman. I don't think I am off the mark by saying the majority on the boards, including myself saw 55 fall a bit short on taking over the number 1 last year. If he can be the player everyone is waiting him to become, Kronwall has to be the X factor. He needs to lead my example and to do that, he has to find his natural game again. That means generating a solid breakout pass, quick puck movement, contributing offense and the" super kronwalls" that put a little fear in the opposition who like to skate with their head down. Last year he had a tendency to hesitate. He also let the puck get behind him a bit too much which lead to unfortunate penalties. He has to be better....and I think he will. Imagine if you take the best Kronwall And allow him to teach a guy like Smith use his body and his hockey sense? If he can teach Q to find that tiny opening in the slot. Teach Kindl how to take a hit and not give away the puck. If that happens, I don't think we have an issues with the back end. That's why I think Kroonner is the x factor this year.

I really like this post....so many factors to consider! I actually think it's Gus and here is my rationale. We know the stellar career Alfie has had and we know what he brings. Weiss was a guy I have wanted since day one and he adds a depth that I love. Hank is a rockstar and Pavel the same. Franzen....well....he is like an unstable relationship that you constantly think about ending because when it's good, it's awesome and when it's bad...it's Sh#t. Gus....all the tools are there. He has good vision, soft hands and he works his Nyqvist off! The guy in my opinion could be the difference on this team, the X factor for the Wings. Put all of talent together with a healthy dose of self confidence and he can EASILY score 20+ goals. The flip side is that if he isn't prepared or gets skittish or overwhlemee by the pace of the game, it really changes the dynamics of the 3rd line! I hope he is awesome like the player I think he can be and I hope he is the X factor for this team!

She DID know you were talking about Evander... and yes, Girardi would be great in the winged wheel!!