kipwinger

The world has never seen the kind of stick handling and passing that a line with those three would put together. Their zone entries would be a thing of art, their jaw dropping toe drags a gift from the heavens themselves. It would be as if Marty St. Louis was cloned twice and unlike the movie Multiplicity, neither of the clones would be semi-retarded, and they would pass and pass so fluidly that one might be tricked into thinking that the Datsyuk-Flip-Nyquist line had somehow melded with the winds and waves of the earth into one big flowing hockey life cycle. It would be the most brilliantly skilled line to never score a goal in the National Hockey league, of course.

Seriously, the Free Press wrote the story two days ago and not a single other news source around the state ran with the story. I'm not saying that it didn't happen, I'm saying that it's probably less serious than they made it sound, which is probably why nobody else paid attention to it. Plus, Bert is a mad mo fo, so he'll tough it out.

All this is over reaction anyway. I'm calling it now, Big Bert will be back and badder than ever no later than two weeks from now.

You can't squeeze blood from a stone. Abby is a grinder and that's all he ever will be. Nothing wrong with that. Also, nothing particularly spectacular about that either.

I think he's top six material, and I don't think we need any more shooters. I just think we shouldn't put all the pass first guys on one line, and all that shooters on the other. Last year Zetterberg had 265 shots on goal, Franzen had 211, and Brunner is keeping pace with both of them so obviously he shoots a lot. However last year Datsyuk shot 167 times, Flip shot (career high) 144 times, and Bert shot 118 times. Why in the hell you'd lump them together the way they are now blows my mind.

The scoring slump did come, just not on that line, two of the three members of the first line aren't producing for s***. Zetterberg's production would remain consistent with Flip as history has shown, Brunner's would increase or stay the same as he'd be playing with Pav. And Flip, Dats, (and maybe Bert) would see an increase in production because they would finally be playing with guys that can finish instead of the three of them just passing back and forth every shift. Think about this, you know all those times Bert hangs on to the puck down low, fights off a defender draped all over his back, and passes out into the slot to make a play? Wouldn't it be nice if the guy he passed it to (Brunner) would actually bury it? Same with Dats, he's the best playmaker in the world, and neither of his wingers can finish. Now imagine if Flip carried the puck into the zone like he's good at, and he could pass to one of either Franzen or Zetterberg, both of whom can finish. Now his production increases as well. I understand what you're saying about Brunner and Z, I really do. But it's not like Brunner would be playing with nobodies, he's be playing with the best passer in the world and a power forward that clears space and distributes the puck well, both of them need a shooter to be more effective. And Brunner could be that shooter (Flip sure isn't). Also, it's not like Z and Flip haven't shown chemistry in the past either. Why is the Brunner/Zetterberg chemistry any more important than the Flip/Z chemistry, especially when you consider one maintains the status quo while the other potentially gets a guy going who is currently underperfoming. I know he played wing, and that wingers production is usually higher in our system. But look where the additional production came from. It wasn't goals, it was assists. When Flip played on a line with a guy that shoots and finishes well (Zetterberg) his assists doubled, while his goals only increased marginally. Flip is a pass first guy, so putting him with other pass first guys (Pav and Bert) doesn't play to his strengths. Put him with guys that love to shoot, and his production will increase. No brainer.

Thank you, I've been saying this for weeks now. The reason Flip was so good last year is because he played with a finishing center in Zetterberg. Flip had six more goals last year than the year before, but he had 20 more assists. Why the minimal difference in goals and the huge differential in assists? Because he was playing with two guys that liked to shoot. When you put him on a line with Dats and Bert there are not any finishers on the whole line. Tell me why the three guys with the most shots on goal are all on the same line? And the three top sixers who shoot the least are on the same line? Put Flip with Zetterberg and Franzen, and Brunner with Datsyuk and Bert and watch Flip come alive, with no noticeable dropoff in play from Brunner. Babs drives me ******* nuts with these line combos sometimes. Edit: In the name of accuracy I have to stand corrected, Flip, Dats, and Franzen all have similar shot totals (28-27-28). Brunner and Zetterberg are way ahead (43-45). Bert is way behind (10). I still stand behind my point.

My biggest problem with Babcock is that he believes that with just the right type of reshuffling/juggling/will power, ANY player can be effective in pretty much ANY role. And once he's got that in his head, he refuses to let observable evidence stand in the way. Babcock: Johan Franzen can be a top flight winger if he'd just try harder. Reality: Franzen is a good complimentary scorer as proven by the fact that his best years were when Zetterberg and Hossa were the dominant wingers. Babcock: Abdelkader can be a third line scoring winger if given some time and consistent line mates. Reality: He'll never ever produce points at the NHL level, and is best in a banging and crashing role. Both Eaves and Miller are better scorers at the NHL level while still maintaining defensive responsibility. Babcock: Filppula can be an effective winger in the NHL if he would only shoot more. Reality: Filppula still won't shoot, even as a winger, and he had a career year last season because he was paired with a shooting center. Few of Flip's goals last season were the result of his shooting more, most were the result of rebounds, breakaways, or odd man rushes. But still, I wouldn't fire Babs. He just irritates the hell out of me sometimes.

I take the same position with Babs as I do with Leyland. They are both good coaches, they both do a ton of s*** that pisses me off, but there's no point in moving them out if there isn't someone better who's available at the time. I was all for letting Leyland walk last year when Terry Francona was still available, once he was off the market there was nobody better, so why not stick with Jim. Same with Babs.

Babcock is all about "trying to get people going". Remember two years ago when Hudler just got back from Russia and scored 10 goals (or something) after playing all year on the second line, and only being a healthy scratch once or twice. Meanwhile, Miller and Eaves put up 13-15 goals apiece that year despite being the healthy scratch every other night. All season long it was the same story, "we've got to get Hudler going". Nevermind the guys who "have been going" since the opening season puck drop.

I agree about Tatar, he's really impressed me. I disagree about Mrazek. In the one game he did play, it wasn't so much that he was impressive, as much as it was that St. Louis played terrible. Good on him for winning, but Detroit played good defense in front of him and St. Louis had their heads up their asses. He didn't really have to work too hard in that one.

I was being sarcastic, because Babcock tends to shake up lines after every loss, seemingly without rhyme or reason.

Time for another one of Babcock's random line shakeups. When guys don't play well you don't sit them, or move someone into the lineup from the minors, or make a trade. No no silly hockey fans. You just haphazardly draw names for line combinations out of a hat and throw them together. Abdelkader with Zetterberg and Brunner, why not? Cleary with Datsyuk and Filppula, you betcha! Eaves, Tatar, and Anderson...couldn't hurt! Datsyuk, Emmerton, and Tootoo...we've tried everything else. Whoohoo, it's a rollercoaster ride of excitement when Babs puts a lineup together. Makes me long for the Tigers. At least after Leyland puts his arbitrary lineup on the field he goes and takes a nap, or smokes cigarettes, or whatever he does when he's supposed to be managing. Mursak-Emmerton-Tatar. f*** it! Edit: Also, the hell can't we get a line change without ******* it up. If it's not a too many men penalty, we'll just get caught in the neutral zone flat footed and give up a break away. Ugh.

Remember when we played against the Blues and started our minor league goalie? Something tells me we played a little better defense in front of him than his. Poor kid!

Can we get our full compliment of forwards back some day in the future, pretty please with sugar on top?!? I love that this team is winning, but does it bother anyone else that we have no idea how good our team actually is considering we haven't been at anything close to full strength for the entire season. Ugh. An injury or two is one thing...

The loyalty argument is pretty hard to quantify in terms of effects. While it's easy to say that loyalty cost us when talking about Hossa, or whomever, it's a lot harder to say how much good it did in determining Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, etc. decisions to take less than market value on their new contracts. Like everything else, the effects of the Wings loyalty are not really all that black and white. Which is a tough pill to swallow for those attempting to find a problem to point at.

If Davidson can somehow manage to get a quality GM in there, a la Burke, and maintain the core of this team, PLUS have 3 first round picks in the offseason, I can't imagine it will be an after thought for free agents much longer.

It really depends on who the GM is.

Because you don't replace a 6'3 and 235 lbs. power forward with a 5'10, 185 lb. playmaker.

I'm going to be amazed if we can hang around the pack in the Western Conference in spite of all these injuries. That we're able to compete with top flight teams in the west, even with this hodge podge lineup should send a message to the front office. Young guys are capable of stepping in for the veterans. As such, some of these formerly "unmovable" pieces could be in play real soon if KH decides to make a go of it this season. Bertuzzi out is going to hurt though, anyone else notice that until he came back our offensive zone cycle was nonexistent and therefore our offensive possessions either ended in a takeaway, or a weak shot on goal followed by an opponent rush the other way? Say what you want about Bert, but he's one of only two or three guys that can hang on to the puck in the offensive zone when pressured by the defense.

Wasn't Chelios known for pretty much exactly this type of stick work?

Well it's hard to see what Thomas looks like when your head has been firmly planted up Sidney Crosby's ass for years!

Tatar is with Cleary and Abby tonight, so it's pretty unlikely that he'll be the recipient of any of Datsyuk's wizardry. Then again, if he plays like he did last game I don't think anyone will be the beneficiary of any of his wizardry. Tatar Abby and Cleary may well be a decent line though, however I'm still at a loss for why Eaves is out right now. He's got the best offensive instincts of any or our bottom sixers.

Hopefully Kronwall finds his balls tonight and steps into David Backes like he did to Ryan Clowe two years ago in the playoffs. We REALLY need someone to keep that guy honest, he just opens up waaaay too much ice for the rest of his line when he's able to play that game.

Somewhere in Colorado a bearded Tim Thomas wanders the mountain tops looking for the bedraggled corpse of the Norman Rockwell America that he so fondly speaks of. Little does he know that when he eventually returns to hockey, and he will (they all do), he's heading to Brooklyn NY. I hope you find what you're looking for soon Timmy, because I have a feeling all the Bohemians, Democrats, Gays, and independent women in Brooklyn are going to be a test of faith that even you will struggle with.