kipwinger

Jesus he did crush him too. I miss Brad Stuart.

Remember when half of LGW was saying that Bertuzzi was past his usefulness and should be bought out? Me too. Haha. Kinda nice to have a guy who can hang on to the puck in the offensive zone eh? Pav. That's it.

You got me there. Those two goals in those two situations were exactly the same. Yzerman was all the time sliding across the ice on his knees and blowing past his linemates. Good call. Yzerman = Showboat.

Personally I don't like to see it, having growth up in a city where stars like Steve Yzerman, Barry Sanders, Lidstrom, etc. would score and go about their business. However, at the end of the day I don't think it's that big of a deal. I'm sort of in the "if you don't like it don't do it" camp. Also, I'd never teach kids to do this either. But good on him for getting excited and having a hell of a beginning to his career. Edit: Additionally, I have a feeling he'll pay for that one the next time he plays the Kings.

A little small for sure. But I do like that you picked people who are already signed/in our farm club rather than make up a dream team roster with free agents that we can't realistically bank on signing.

I completely agree. I was just trying to figure out their thought process, I don't agree with the decision at all though.

I agree with you, I wanted to see those lines as well. I think that would be better for the team. However, Abby does bring a big(ish) body at 215-220 lbs. and I'm just saying that they must want that on the third line with Bert in the top six and Sammy out. If that's not their thinking then I don't know what is, because Eaves is a MUCH better winger than Abby. The only thing that makes Abby preferable to Eaves is his size, in skating, scoring, PK, forechecking, and defense, Eaves is a better player.

They anticipate he'll make the jump over from Europe next year and play for the Griffins, he's still quite young though, so the chances of him making the big club are small. He'll likely play in GR for at least 2 or 3 seasons.

Bottom six tonight according to Ansar Khan: Cleary-Helm-Abby Miller-Emmerton-Tootoo Not really sure if I understand this one, their offense isn't producing and so they have Abby on the wing and Eaves out. Because, ya know, Eaves never scores more often than Abby. I guess they must want a big body on each of their top three lines or something.

I'm not going to call you stupid like the last guy, but if you get a scouting report on Pulkkinen he's usually described as EXCLUSIVELY a pure sniper. He plays the game very much like Brett Hull did, find open ice and one time the puck. Not going to say that he's going to be a superstar in the NHL, but as far as a "sniper" type of game, he's that in it's truest fashion.

I thought he started the year out well, played solid and didn't make too many costly mistakes for a young guy. I really liked his transition game especially, as he is able to skate well and make good outlet passes. However, I'm not sure that either he or the team know exactly what kind of a defenseman they want him to be. If they want him to be an effective puck mover, he needs to be paired with a stay at home guy so that he can play his transition game more ably. However, Babcock frequently talks about how Kindl needs to use his size to his advantage and be harder on guys in his own end. He's not very good at this, and if that's what he's being groomed to do then I think he'll disappoint. All in all I'm not ready to give up on Kindl. Ericssson was bad for 3-4 years before he took the next step and earned his playing time last season. Jiri Fischer wasn't that great to begin with either. As they got more comfortable, and their role became more defined, they adapted their game successfully. Hopefully Kindl will too.

I agree with the thoughts so far, but I think they should switch Flip and Brunner. Brunner likes to shoot, as does Zetterberg, so I think they should spread them out across the two lines. However I do like that each line now has a big body on it, say what you want about Bert, but at least he can hang on to the puck in the offensive zone. Ideally I'd have Brunner-Pav-Franzen/Bert, Flip-Zetterberg-Franzen/Bert, but I can live with what they have here if it turns out to be effective.

Well, I definitely like these lines better, I'd still switch Flip and Brunner, but these are better. I don't like Brunner and Z together because they both like to shoot alot, and I don't like Z and Pav together because they are both reluctant to shoot. But at least there's a big body on each line. These will perform better, but as I've said in other threads, I think the real cause for the lack of offense is the fact that the forwards are laying back to cover for the terrible defense. Fix the d, and the offense can get back to doing it's job.

I agree, we don't need to have a fire sale. Most of the troubles this team have can be fixed this season and as far as I'm concerned the only LEGITIMATE problem is the defense. The offense is struggling because they are having to play back and cover for a shoddy defense. Fix the defense and the forwards can get back to doing their job, scoring first and being defensively responsible second. Also, the PP and PK will get better too. Our PP is awful, but until yesterday our guys had exactly 5 practices to learn an entirely new system...obviously there's going to be some hiccups. They've had two more days to work on it now, and so I expect it will improve. Same with the PK, when you're struggling you need practice, which until this week they haven't been able to do. The only real concern is the defense, which Holland will address by the deadline, if not before.

At this point I'll take a spot picking doucher over the team full of children or mediocre hacks that currently reside in on our defense corps. Like him or no, he's a first rate talent and could definitely help us if the price is right. Right, I wasn't talking about a Filppula for Subban trade specifically, I was more commenting on the fact that people keep saying the only players we've got with trade value are Filppula and Franzen, and only half of that is true. But yes, Subban isn't signed either, so he's less valuable as well.

Filppula has essentially no trade value because he's a free agent next year.

That's B.S., and I'm so sick of hearing "well the league doesn't want guys hitting". It's not true. They just don't want guys getting hit in the head illegally. This hit took place last season. Neither a penalty nor a suspension were issued. Why? Because it's not illegal and he didn't target the head. If players hit correctly (e.g. stay on their feet and hit opposing players in the body/shoulder) then there's no problem.

He got suspended for hitting him in the head, not for charging per se. It was an illegal hit AND it targeted the head, that's suspension worthy. An illegal hit by it's lonesome is just worthy of a penalty. Maybe Tootoo should have got a penalty, but not a suspension. Schenn deserved both.

Video speaks. They are going to protect guys against concussions. Schenn did two things wrong here, he charged AND he targeted the head. In today's game that's a suspension every time. If he had charged Volchenkov and hit him in the shoulder, he probably wouldn't have been penalized and definitely wouldn't have been suspended. These guys need to keep their skates on the ice and keep their hits to the body. If they don't, then they're in the wrong. Here's how hard hits have to be done these days...lest anyone start bitching that they're taking the hitting out of hockey.

Bogosian is 22 and Kane is 21. If you land either of those guys they ARE your future. No matter who you take with a high pick, it's not likely that the person will give you 30 goals (Kane) or 22 minutes of ice time a night (Bogosian). This is a no brainer move for us, and could probably be sold to Winnipeg given their lack of offense, depth at defense, and need for picks.

"Not a bad trade but I think Nyquist will be better than Kane in 3-5 years... and as much as I want Bogosian, Staurt is a huge reason I would be in on that trade... The guy is a hitting and shot blocking machine, which we desperately need..." I wouldn't mind Stuart, but my biggest concern with him is that he hasn't traditionally logged a lot of minutes. I want a bona fide top 4 defenseman who can play 20+ minutes a game. Stuart has never done that. Could he? I don't know, but given the option, if I were going to target a tough, shot blocking, shutdown d-man I'd target somoene who has played big minutes. Volchenkov or Regehr most notably.

To Winnipeg: Franzen Nyquist 1st To Detroit: Bogosian Kane Brunner-Pav-Kane Flip-Z-Sammy Bert-Helm-Cleary Tootoo-Abby-Miller/Eaves Kronwall-Bogosian White-Ericsson Smith-Lashoff Colaiacovo/Kindl

I think this all gets sorted when Helm and Bert are back. Give the lineup a chance to play as it was originally intended and we'll see what we have. I don't think Emmerton's been bad, and I don't think Cleary has been as bad as some around here think. But we don't know what we have until we've got a full contingent of forwards. With Helm and Bert back, Cleary doesn't have to carry the puck which should improve his effectiveness, and Abby/Tootoo/Miller or Eaves should mismatch against other fourth lines, necessitating line matchups and clearing the ice up for the third line as well. Let's see what we have, and then act accordingly. But I agree in principle with the OP, Emmerton is working really hard.

Neither did I, but if he's not getting playing time and looks at us and sees a chance to play big minutes, he might be willing to waive it no? I ******* hope so anyway.

Okey doke, here's a few observations from last night (both good and bad) which I think bear heavily of the effectiveness of this team. I'm not going to talk about personnel moves because that's purely speculative at this point, and it's also beaten to death. So... 1. Pavel Datsyuk should never EVER play on the wing. Arguably the best playmaking center in the game, and without doubt the best stickhandler in the history of the game, needs to be carrying the puck. Period. 2. After Babs shook up the line combos there was a couple of quick scoring chances, and I generally liked the makeup of the first line after the change. Prior to the first game when the lines were announced, I thought putting Pav,Z, and Brunner was a mistake. No net front presence, two guys that need the puck to be effective, nobody that can power the puck into the zone, or hang onto it against big defensemen. That has born out in reality. From here on out I'd like to see Pav, Brunner, Franzen together and Zetterberg, Flip (on the wing), and Sammy/Bert. Nyquist and Flip should NEVER EVER play on a line together if it can be helped. Watching them overpass last night instead of take it to the net was infuriating. 3. The fourth line is super effective, and once Abby (who's also looking good) gets on it they are going to wreck shop. Expect bigger minutes from these guys in the future and eventually a lot more scoring. Also, Tootoo is awesome as hell. 4. Brian Lashoff, after another safe, effective, and poised game does not come out of this lineup any time soon. This kid's game translates well to the NHL because he's a good decision maker who doesn't try to do too much in terms of generating offense. He plays defense, gets the puck safely to the forwards, and his job is done. I like it, and we need more of it. 5. All in all the defense looked better last night, across the board. Quincey wasn't as bad as the last two games. Everyone played better. But thank god for Jimmy Howard, who's been a hero all three games. 6. Special teams: The PK looked better, but again, thank god for Howard. The PK will continue to improve as Helm, Eaves, and Ericsson get into the lineup/get playing optimally. The PP on the other hand, looks lost. It's as if they believe if they continue to pass it around enough, Lidstrom will magically appear and take the point shot for them. They need a lot more coaching to learn this new system, which is the one thing they haven't had so far this season. As they get a little time to learn it the system will work, but we have to remember that we've got four guys on the first PP who have always run a PP the same way for their whole careers. The change is necessary, but hard won. I like the new look though, with Brunner and Kronwall rotating between the point and the half boards, that movement is going to pay off. Almost did for Brunner against Columbus, had he one timed the puck. Once he learns his shooting angles he'll improve on the PP as well.