kipwinger

Well if Sammy was waived, and he cleared, we'd only have 100k against the cap, so it wouldn't be enough to recall Nyquist. Even so, there's still no harm whatsoever in waiving him just to see what happens.

Here's what I don't understand with Sammy. Why not just waive him? If he doesn't get claimed then you can just put him right back on the roster, like they did with Emmerton. Why not just see what happens?

I'm so irritated with the Wings' recent performances that I'm sitting here thinking of the most insane possible ways to improve the team. Not Dan Cleary to the first line insane, but insane none the less. When you start thinking that unproven prospects couldn't possibly be worse than your established roster, things have gone badly.

Mrazek could be the number one guy in five years after Howard's contract is up? You think he's going to stick around as a backup for that long?

You're definitely right, and my frustration with Babs' and his lines may be causing me to be slightly reactionary. However, I would point out that so far this season, every lineup Babs has used in practice has seen at least one game before being changed. So there is some reason to believe he'll give it the old college try.

You're preaching to the converted. I've been calling for Z to play on Weiss' wing for quite a while now. But Bab's sees it differently. This team needs Weiss to produce, and what better way to ensure that than by burying him on the fourth line with Tootoo and whomever.

I totally agree, but he's got the MUCH heftier price tag. All things being equal though, Vanek is the better player.

I'm sure Babs has some b.s. excuse for it. "He's earned my trust" or "he's heavy on the puck" or "he's a gamer". Something of the like. Nevermind his productivity or skill level. He's a real heart and soul guy.

Yep. Sorta makes you feel like throwing up in your mouth huh?

Eaves was practicing today, as was Helm. Eaves was on a line with Andersson and Bertuzzi, and Helm was rotating in with the top six. Don't know when either of them will play, but Eaves is likely back before Helm.

Franzen and Miller are both hurt.

Why do you think that?

Yep, Babs is there everyday...and that has led him to believe that it's best to have Dan Cleary on our top line. Ugh.

I'd give Buffalo Mrazek and a first for Moulson so long as A) he was interested in signing an extension, and B) they took two of our expiring contracts as well. To Buffalo: Mrazek 1st Sammy Tootoo/Eaves To Detroit: Moulson

Sure, I agree that changes have to be made to the overall roster. But that doesn't mean that in the mean time Babcock should just throw lines together all willy nilly. Given that Franzen is hurt, and given that Miller left practice today, why not this... Alfie-Dats-Bert Zetterberg-Weiss-Tatar Eaves/Cleary-Andersson-Abby Tootoo-Glendening-Eaves/Cleary. Not the best lines in the world, but certainly better than the trash I just linked above.

Get the impression he's grasping at straws?

Well, just when I thought Babs' lineup couldn't get dumber.. Update #2: Per Khan... Some new lines today: Datsyuk is with Tatar and Cleary, Zetterberg is with Alfredsson and Abdelkader. ... Andersson is with Bertuzzi and Eaves; Weiss skating with Tootoo and Samuelsson, who might be subbing for Miller. Helm working in on top 6. ... Defense pairs remain the same: Kronwall-Smith, Quincey-DeKeyser, Lashoff-Kindl

The Islanders had a good shot at re-signing Moulson before this. They have about zero chance of resigning Vanek. Both score about the same number of goals, though Vanek does have the better play making skills. So basically the Islanders traded a first and second and any shot they had at re-signing a thirty goal scorer, for another 30 goal scorer who's likely to walk at season's end. Islanders got fleeced. Edit: Also, why the hell is Darcy Regier still allowed to make decisions of this magnitude at the NHL level?

We might disagree, which is fine, but I've never believed that you were arguing just for the sake of being argumentative, which is to say that I think your positions are respectable. This affirms it. Let's go Red Wings!

I don't mind them splitting up for the time being, but I would prefer Zetterberg stay on the wing...since...you know...he's the only winger that seems to be capable of scoring goals.

Babcock is positively frustrating at times. If you look at my post on the first page of this thread you'll see that I argued for a top six of... Alfie-Pav-Bert Zetterberg-Weiss-Franzen And he goes with... Alfie-Pav-Bert Tatar-Zetterberg-Franzen Close but no cigar. Zetterberg is the only winger scoring goals. So obviously he needs to be moved. Also, Weiss is penciled in as the second line center. That's where he wants to play, that's where the team wants him to play, and that's where he should play. Yet he doesn't. Why not put him between two capable wingers, let him get in on some scoring while learning the system with veterans who can make plays and help ease his transition? Instead they expect him to gain confidence while both trying to learn a new system (the first of his career) and carry the entire offensive load on a line with two hammer hands wingers. F*ck I hate Babs' line combinations.

It would be incorrect to attribute an entire team's defensive play (for good or ill) on one guy. However, there doesn't seem to be any problem pointing out that Smith has been our worst defenseman so far this season. Someone has to be. Obviously he's not to blame for stinkers like the Ottawa game, but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask "why is our worst defenseman playing top line minutes against Ottawa". It's pretty much universally agreed that Smith has tremendous upside, and that he should be given an opportunity to work out the kinks in his game. However, he shouldn't be allowed to do so at the expense of the team, or of other guys who have been playing better. I think that is what many people feel, and I realize that could easily be misunderstood as "blaming Smith". Secondly, in spite of the fact that Kyle Quincey is an easy target to be a whipping boy around here, he's been incredibly solid so far this season and in no way deserves the kind of antipathy he receives on this forum.

Well I know it's definitely not because Tatar "does play defense" or because Babs is "defensive minded". Other than that...no idea.

I don't see Tatar being as one dimensional as everyone else seems to suggest. Also, I don't think Babs is all about defense like other suggest as well. Babs was perfectly fine keeping Brunner in the top six, despite his HORRIBLE defense. He only demoted him after he stopped scoring. Likewise, He kept Hudler in the top six for a couple years despite his HORRIBLE defense, because he scored points. Tatar is noticeably better defensively than the two I mentioned. Babs has kept worse forwards in prime slots, with or without them being defensively responsible. I don't know why he takes such a hardline against Tatar, but it certainly doesn't have s*** to do with his defense...which is actually pretty good for a guy his size.

There are a few reasons why our offense is struggling right now. First, in years past we've always been a league leader (or nearly league leader) in defensive scoring. With Lids, Kronwall, Rafalski, and before that Schneider we always had d-men who put up good point totals. We don't anymore and our GAA suffers because of it. Secondly, Babs needs to stop being experimental with our lines. We already know who our centers are going to be down the stretch, and we already know who three of the top wingers are going to be. Let them play where they're supposed to and start forming chemistry. This mix and mash s*** has got to stop. Finally, we need to sort out what we expect out of guys and where they fit on the team, if anywhere. At some point we've got to get past the point of "competing for a spot" and get guys in the positions they've earned so that they can form some chemistry. Having more than enough players competing for jobs is good in training camp, it's bad when you're a month into the season. At this point I'd like to see something like this... Alfie-Dats-Bert Zetterberg-Weiss-Franzen Tatar-Andersson-Abby Cleary/Miller-Glendening-Tootoo I don't want Dats and Z separated permanently. But I also don't want Alfie and Weiss together until they are both VERY comfortable with the system, I don't want two guys learning the system on the same line at the same time. I feel that Dats would work well with Alfie in order to get him going, and Zetterberg would work with Weiss for the same reason. Also, when Helm and Eaves get healthy this would all be reevaluated but until then, I like this the best.