kickazz

HAHAHAHA that goal was hilarious!!!! I'm not even mad cuz it was pretty damn funny. Of course. Mrazek was an idiot on that play. Face palm. Moving on tho.

So is Babcock hockey or Blashill hockey more boring?

Tatar and Larkin are good at puck possession and Pulkinen has a great shot. So Blashill isn't doing anything unorthodox. I guess we should head to the other thread and confirm that Blashill really is Dave Lewis #2 since Lewis put that line together.

This whole having a puck digger on your line theory is so generalized. It doesn't need to ALWAYS be the case. Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Hull ^ one of the best and popular NHL line in history that WORKED. All SMALL guys. For the record I'm a proponent of having puck diggers and big bodies players with scorers and playmakers. I'm just saying there's no reason to think it's the "end all be all" to hockey.

It doesn't matter if he's playing wing. He's still our primary PK center and will take faceoffs there.

Lolll! Hey i started that!

he's a better goal scorer but i'd say pav has the better hands and hockey IQ

Looks like everyone is returning the same time as Datsyuk is. Awesome. All will be drinking beer together at Datsyuks crib watching them play.

Let's just say when Datsyuk comes back. And if Richard's injury isn't too severe... Blash is going to be in a pickle as to who should be starting where. The speculation/reason for the whole damn Richards signing was so Zetterberg and Datsyuk could play together. Cuz lets be honest, as much as I love Zberg - he was a s**** center last year in the playoffs looking back at it. Then Zetterberg comes out and is basically leading the whole league in assists and is 2nd in points AS a center. So now its like.. Do we keep him center? Then wtf happens with Richards? What about this guy named Larkin? Well damn.. Datsyuk has to stay center.. Oh and what about Sheahan.. who simply IS a center. Glenny on 4th center or 3rd scoring line? (ehhh)

Good as Wolverine fan I always hated Notre Dame.

Hah, and he's forced to do it with a piece of his spine missing!

Top 6 is an NHL mentality, we can't really start saying top 9. Sure we could do it for fun but it's meaningless in reality. I didn't imply that the best players should be on top 6. I specifically said "primary and support roles". Jurco simply doesn't trump any of out best scorers, board workers or playermakers on the top 6. We have one or two guys that are simply better at it then he is and seem to have better chemistry than he does around top 6. Since you're saying top 9 then why not just have him on the third line? I don't know what the line combos would be.. Additionally, it would be counter productive to break up your best possible lines just because you want to squeeze him into top 6. Technically our best lines are : Nyquist - Zetterberg - Abby Larkin - Zetterberg - Abby Tatar - Datsyuk - Helm Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Abby Those 4 combos have been our best in recent history since 2013. If all those guys are healthy and playing they should be playing in either of those combinations. And I'm willing to bet Blashill knows this. (For one the stats are there to show it) Jurco has no place in there. Unfortunately. Unless you want to bring the kid line back - whatever that was. (I think Tatar/Sheahan/Jurco?)

Dave Lewis has 3 stanley cups. Blashill has 0

Lol give him a break man the least he should be able to do after getting demoted is be able to keep his number.

Who do we blame this on

I know a lot of people want this Zetterberg - Larkin - Abby line with Larkin being the center. (I myself preferred this in the beginning) But truth be told, Larkin is not doing so hot on the faceoffs. Zetterberg is the better center at the moment. But I guess if we're going with the shotgun approach and want him to CONTINUE being center, regardless of how bad he is on the faceoffs, then sure you can force him to developing that way. Otherwise, if it's a defensive zone faceoff on a critical time of the period. Say a one shot game.. I'd rather have The Beard take the faceoff than Larks.

Taking the perspective of someone who is indifferent towards Jurco. Aka I'm not a hater nor a fan boy of Jurco - I think he's got potential. He did decent in the preseason. It's not like he did spectacular. Personally I didn't like him on the 4th line like Babcock had him, I thought he came into the NHL maybe a season too early and was asked to play a role he shouldn't have. Having said all that. Jurco has been given good opportunity by Blashil and unfortunately he hasn't done much with it. This is the reality. Putting him on the top 6 while you have guys like Z, Dats, Nyquist, Tatar, Abby, Larkin, Richards, even Helm is just absurd. I know it sucks but lets be honest. Those guys mentioned above have done more as supportive or primary players in the top 6 than Jurco has. Although Richards has been s***** for the Wings, he just needs to get back into his groove as he is a proven top 6 center. But even without him, there's more guys knocking on that top 6 role before Jurco. One of who is named Larkin.

Insider information? If I take this bet will I get Rick Zomboed?

Well I guess what im wondering is would anyone want to give up prospects and picks for Kopitar. I would. But he's up for free agency soon anyway so it's not even a real situation hah.

I'd go with Jimmy. Both Jimmy and Mrazek are doing well. I feel like benching Jimmy would screw up his confidence. Not sure if thats a smart move if they're tryig to maintain a tandem. Mrazek doesn't seem to care much if he doesn't start, kid will play with confidence regardless. Jimmy takes things to the heart a bit too much. Coaching is sometimes like parenting. Hah.

Not too shabby of a hit.

I wish, I tried to find it because I missed it during game. Blashill, Tatar and crew have been on a Zetterberg "high" talking about him carrying the team. Didn't realize he played close to 25 minutes last night. Holy s****..

^Normally I'd agree with. But I feel like having a pair of defensive minded defenseman could help alleviate all these these oddman rushes. There's been too many of them. I just want us to play it safer and make some good controlled zone passes.

Green Kronwall Dekeyser Quincey Ericsson Smith/Kindl Q and D was our best pairing last year, they know exactly where the other will be. Green is a good tandem to Kronwall who can be both defensive and offensive. Green will mess up but not like Ericsson does and Kronner is used to bailing out his partner (E) a lot anyway. Ericsson on third will do him good imo. Smith/Kindl rotate. This ofcourse is all once Q and Green come back..

Better quality of the freaky twinning at 28:04 mark