kipwinger

As I've said before, I agree with all of the points about Franzen's play. He's inconsistent, often lazy, and largely an under achiever. But I don't think that the guy needs to move on or be traded or whatever. He is still extremely valuable as a complimentary goal scorer. He just can't be the guy to carry the offensive load for a team because he's inconsistent. I understand that the wings gave him a contract in hopes that he would continue to improve on a couple of good seasons and be that kind of guy, but in the end he just isn't. With more forward depth in the top six, Franzen is still very very valuable. Insert a true goal scorer into this lineup who CAN carry the offensive load, and all of the sudden Franzen's 28 goals (or whatever he is currently averaging) looks pretty good. Plus, depth creates all sorts of opportunities to exploit mismatches and defensive weaknesses, which will only increase Franzen's effectiveness in all likelihood. The guy's a good player, he's just not the elite player that the management, the fans, and I personally hoped he would turn out to be. Basically, it's a matter of changing his role to fit what he is, and not what we all hoped he would be.

I agree with every single point you just made. He does float, he doesn't play much defense, his attitude is s***, and he's inconsistent. I'm positive that they signed him to that new contract expecting him to be a top flight goal scorer after his mid career success. He obviously isn't. My post was more a response to the people calling for him to be traded. I don't think they should trade him, but I don't think they should expect him to be "the guy" to carry the offensive load. He's proven he can't do it consistently. However, if they were to get a guy who could, and Franzen could assume the secondary role that he's made for, then we'd be in real good shape. Additionally, I know that they expected a lot out of him based on his good years, but part of management's job is recognizing when guys fail to live up to what's expected of them and change their role accordingly. What I don't want to see is a situation in which they rely on him, year after year, and he fails to deliver. We can expect Justin Abdelkader to have a larger offensive role all day long but it's probably not going to happen, so decide whether or not his skill set makes it possible for him to be in a different role and get him there. Franzen should be a secondary scorer, not because he doesn't have more skill, but because at 31, if he hasn't figured out how to live up to expectations then he probably never will. But that doesn't mean he can't be useful to the team.

Johan Franzen is a good complimentary goal scorer. He shouldn't be relied upon to carry the offensive load for any team. This year and last year he was expected to do that and he obviously can't be that guy. But with a 4 million cap hit and the numbers he puts up, I'm happy for him to be out there for forward scoring depth. Bring in Parise and Franzen gets less defensive pressure and the offense returns, it's really that simple. Anybody else notice that Franzen's career regular and post season's came when Hossa was drawing the tougher defensive assignments? Again, COMPLIMENTARY.

Don't really know where that third line is going to get their scoring from, but if you switched them you'd be alright considering Helm, Cleary, Eaves, and Miller are all better offensively than that third line. Bert can score, but put up as many goals this year as Miller did and had the advantage of playing with Pav.

So I'm just aggregating from all the different posts here, but it looks like you guys are suggesting this team gets rid of Abby, Eaves, Emmerton, Hudler, Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Lidstrom, Quincey, White, Kindl, Franzen,Cleary, Mursak, Conklin, McDonald and Stuart in various combinations. Leaving Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Howard, Miller, Helm, Filppula, Kronwall and Ericsson. Well that's not MUCH of a turnover.

You may be right, and I don't think that Helm is a scorer by any means. But I think Helm is harder to play against, better forechecker, better defender, etc. and so I'd rather have him out against the better opposition lines. His defense is wasted against forth lines that don't score much anyway. Either way, we need to shore up that fourth line center position and get Abby (at least) off the third line wing because having him and helm out together ensures nobody is scoring on the third line.

Well since this is the realist thread, I'll be realer than real and say that hypothetically we don't make any moves for anyone. If so our team could look like this... Bert-Pav-Franzen Flip-Z-Nyquist Cleary-Helm-Eaves/Miller Mursak-Abby-Eaves/Miller Lids-White Kronwall-Quincey Ericsson-Kindl/Smith Kindl/Smith While I don't know if it would win the cup or not I think it looks better than the team we fielded during the playoffs this year. Any thoughts?

Honestly, no matter what we do with the bottom six I'd like to see Abby as the full time center on the fourth line. I know he's supposed to be better on the wing, and maybe that's true, but with a couple of years worth of consistent time on the wing he still has yet to show he's got an offensive touch. This is no knock on either Abby or Emmerton, I just don't think Abby is going to give you any offense, and I don't think Emmerton is going to be any sort of a grinder. Down the center I'd like to see Pav-Hank-Helm-Abby and then fill in around that. Get the toughness or scoring by filling in the wingers where needed.

This is the best post on this thread. We all know that the Wings lacked depth in the top six, we all know that the bottom six (because of injuries) wasn't too good. We all would have liked to see some moves at the deadline, but obviously the market was total s***. But at the end of the day we got beat by a really good hockey team with an unbelievable goaltender. Did we underperform? Sure. Would the addition of a Guastad, Moen, or Ruutu have been any sort of a guarantee against a real good Nashville team? Nope. Here's to retooling and coming out strong next season, and here's to the Tigers, who seem to have no problem landing the big fish (Fielder) and the little fish (Fister) needed to make a run. I STILL ******* LOVE DETROIT SPORTS!

http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/119998/2/watch-detroit-red-wings-vs-nashville-predators.html

I'm happy when we win, but that doesn't mean I need to throw a temper tantrum when we don't. Then again I'm not the type of guy to freak out about things that don't have any real affect on the quality of my life whatsoever. Anyway, enjoy the beers you're obviously drinking and please don't beat anyone up tonight if the Wings lose. Just breath deep and remember that a bad powerplay isn't an excuse for being a bad spouse or parent.

Let me see if I'm following your logic, so having a bad powerplay is a source of energy and momentum for the other team? Wouldn't that mean that since Nashville's powerplay is worse than ours, we'd be the ones getting energy and momentum from the other team? And yes, I am arrogant. If by arrogant you mean I don't get all pissy with people over a game played by children. If only I could be the kind of fan you are.

nobody is satisfied, but apparently nobody else's powerplay is much better so the pp obviously isn't our biggest concern...of which we have many.

We have one of the top five power plays in the playoffs. Meaning better than 11 other teams in the playoffs. I understand your frustrations but please stop making s*** up to ***** about.

We're going to win this game. Putting it on record.

well it's a game again

playing a nice game of catch with Rhinne must be nice

good looking powerplay

With his reach Ericsson does just fine in the scraps. But he's too important for the PK AND he did just come back from a broken wrist. I'd prefer he not go punching too many people for a bit.

Mike Knuble: 6 goals, 12 assists, 72 games played for Washington.

I'm not disagreeing with you guys, obviously it sucks that we didn't finish the season stronger and I do hate relying on some sort of a playoff switch but if I can't hope for that, then there's not a lot to hope for. I believe that Rhinne is going to be all the difference in the series. If we can figure him out (no easy task) then we'll be ok. I don't think they've really got enough offense to be too afraid of and Weber and Suter can't be on the ice ALL the time. Matchups will be key, but I'm looking for a big series out of whichever line doesn't have to deal with that top defensive pairing. Wings in 6.

Given our tendency to pick it up in the playoffs, and given that Nashville lives and dies on three guys, I'm calling the first round upset here and now.

Wasn't able to catch the game. How did the Sheahan kid look?

Not going to sit here and pretend that I've followed the guy for his whole career or anything, but I know Jagr was one of the guys who defended Kronwall's hit on Voracek. Said it was hockey and it's a contact sport and you can't take hits like that out of the game. I don't really know if Briere had any whining to do after he got Kronwalled, but I certainly don't remember anything of the sort. If anybody on Philly's team is a whiner, it's their Captain and biggest guy on the ice ironically enough. Well, when he's actually in the lineup anyway.

Jesus, rare bad shift for Kronwall.