PavelValerievichDatsyuk

Okay, just put Helm with someone who can score. I'm going on record as disliking Blashill's choices for forward lines. However, His decision of Kronwall-Green, DK, E was something that I didn't think would work andit seems to be working pretty well.

Helm is looking good. Try him on another line, I say. Switch him with Sheahan.

I like our team! This has been a good start

The Kronwall returns!!!

That's why there was the push by management to have Z on Datsyuk's wing in recent history. The extra demands of playing center do seem to take away from his goal production and many say it wears him out for the playoffs. I think he's looked really good this year. I'm not too worried about him not scoring as long as Larkin's there to finish. He's still leading the team in points. If Larkin looks able to center the 2nd line, it could be good to reunite Dats and Z if we want Z to score.

I like JoesuffP's line suggestions, but doubt Abby would be put on the 4th, as you wrote in another thread. I hope he does get going again soon as well so don't think it would be smart to take him off the scoring lines yet. Maybe this: Ny-Z-Lark Abby-Dat-Tat Rich-Helm-Pulk (or Richards and Helm switch) Mill-Glen-Shea (wouldn't mind giving Andersson a game-he was pretty good when last in) Edit: Thinking about Zombo's comment, we have just got some chemistry going finally in the last few game, maybe we shouldn't completely change the lines. Maybe just switch Sheahan and Helm for now. Helm's been good and Sheahan not so much. I would eventually like the lines switched, though.

That's ridiculous. The message was about scoring goals and somehow you link it to Miller?!! We have a lot of guys in the lineup who should be scoring. If you're counting on your 4th line to save the offence, you're doing something wrong.

Agreed. They were on in OT together as well. they don't work together. Blash needs to stop putting them together. And Pulkkinen needs to get back on the 3rd line.

Wonder what Blashill was yelling at the refs for at the end of the game. I didn't see anything that could've been wrong with the goal.

Bullcrap!!

"He strokes it the length of the ice." Really, Boston announcer?!!? That's how you want to describe that? haha

Z needs to one-time that one.

I don't see it as an excuse, I'm giving my view why he's in his current situation. It is unusual for the wings to have a player go from the CHL to the NHL without doing 3 years in the AHL. Look at all these examples of other players from the Red WIngs systems from the CHL: Mrazek: did almost his full 3 years in the AHL Quincey: did the full 3 years in the AHL Kindl: did full 3 years in the AHL Emmerton: did 3 years+ in the AHL Mursak: did 3 years in the AHL (though he only made the NHL briefly) For older perspective, I looked up some older names: Avery: played parts of 3 years AHL (109 gp) Jason WIlliams: 3 seasons (173 gp) It does seem to be the normal path or treatment for Red Wings prospects coming from the CHL especially in the past 20 years. Who have we had that makes the jump without doing the time? Helm and Jurco are 2 exceptions that I can think of recently. I had to go back to Jiri Fischer in 99-00 to find someone else (Jiri only played 25 AHL games over 2 seasons, but he was a 1st rounder). Jurco did 1 and a half years in the AHL. that is less than normal. But I'm not set on making each prospect do this amount of time as a sort of prerequisite. If AA or Mantha look ready and excel in their call ups earlier, than let them have a spot. I disagree with the treatment of Jurco specifically because he was struggling in the 2nd quarter last season when he could have been sent down to the AHL. Babcock (he made it clear in an interview that he pushed for it) kept him up and played him sporadically between the 4th line and being scratched when I believe he was better served playing big, top line minutes in the AHL. Anyway, I believe it was a mistake, but not one that he can't overcome. At this point, I'm all good with putting him on the 4th line and having him work his way up a la Abby. If he plays well, he'll get his chances on the 3rd line or elsewhere.

All those players had additional pro-level or university level experience beyond their junior hockey: Jurco: 106 AHL games over 2 seasons+nothing Pulkkinen: 119 over 3 seasons + 4+ seasons with SM liiga (top finnish professional league) Nyquist played 132 over 4 seasons + 3 seasons of university hockey Abby: 109 over 2 seasons + 3 seasons of university hockey Sheahan: 110 over 3 seasons + 3 seasons of university hockey ...except Helm, so I'll give you that one.

I agree with the first half and krsmith slightly misunderstood my last post. He did have good opportunities offensively at the beginning of last year. It has come out that he had these back problems so that partially explains his offensive struggles. I think the other factor that is responsible is that he didn't have that foundation of confidence and training that comes from playing in GR for an extended period. Down there you go through the struggles of confidence and injuries and poor play and learn how to overcome them and also build up a personal training habits and routine to limit their occurence. I think he absolutely should have been sent down last year and that would have helped his game and development. That's where most think he was mishandled. He did a lot of defensive things right last year so Babs wanted him on the team (this is where Bill's views on Miller vs. AA are relevant). It's good to see that he's getting the offensive mojo back in GR. It's still hard to see how he will fit into the roster, though. Having him on anywhere higher than the 4th line would necessitate Sheahan on the 4th and Miller out. Or he waits for injury which is probably the most likely situation.

I love 3-on-3 and think it's suited to our team. OT record is 4-2. We're 1 of 9 teams that haven't played a shootout yet and I (and Jimmy) would be fine if we never do this year.

Except, of course, his first season of 36 games when he played very well and put up 15 pts. (pretty good for your first chunk of games) He was rushed into the NHL. Babs fought to keep him there then he had back problems and struggled and was put on the 4th line. People need look at the full story beyond the numbers. I think the team realizes the situation and their getting him back on track. Hope he comes back up and continues with the points In Jurco's 3 games he has as many points as Mantha has in 13 games or AA has in 10.

Our PK is 8th in the league. That's pretty good. For a team that can't score goals, that's pretty important.

Larkin's been great, but Z has more points, is more important as the 1st line center, and is also the leader on the team. We don't see what happens in the locker room, but players have relayed a couple of speeches that Z has given. The idea that we would diss Z by taking away his C is sooo ridiculous and uncessary. He's been everything you expect a captain should be. Larkin's played 20 games. Making Larkin C would - Put extra pressure on him - ensure that he'd have to be paid more - Diss Z, Datsyuk, Kronwall

Last year: Kindl: 13 pts. in 35 games Smith: 13 pts. in 76 games This year: Kindl: 5 pts. in 17 games Smith: 2 pts. in 13 games That's not really similar production - especially last year when Kindl played less than half of the games Smith did. Kindl is better offensively.

Good move. I've never been a Ferraro supporter. This would have to be for Jurco, wouldn't it? Would like Jurco to get in tonight. I know he also played last night, but he might be a bit fresher than our guys who took a bit of a physical beating last night.

This is still not correct. He played the beginning of last year on the 3rd line. He had his back problems and the struggles that ensued got him on the 4th line. That said, I am Jurco's side. He had pretty immediate success when called up, then struggled (partly due to back problems). Those struggles shouldn't define him and mean that he can't get back on the 3rd line. This is good article from last February. I think it should say give Jurco another shot, but the stats are irrefutable: http://thehockeywriters.com/its-time-to-give-tomas-jurco-a-chance/

Forgot Lucic plays for the Kings now. Too bad, I used to like them. Glad Green got a goal! Smith had a few good shifts in the 3rd Why did Glendening get the call to the Z line when Larkin went down? Anyway, Mrazek's awesome and he finally got more than 2 goals from the team in support so we win. We've got our forward group up finally and it's good to see the offence a bit more. Congrats to Jurco in GR!

Red light for Green!

Honestly? he didn't make the turnover, but he's supposed to play defence. He had plenty of a head start - all he had to do is stay between the player and the net. Instead, he got way out-skated and left behind.