DatsyukToZetterberg

Another m*****f***** with his first NHL goal at the Joe.

Please God let this happen. Let it happen every night.

That's really the only blemish on this lineup. It's just incredible how Nyquist's presence seems to have changed things. They look like they're having fun again. They don't seem to be laboring through the game.

This is one of the better periods they've played all season. This is why this team has frustrated me so much. Because they have shown the ability to have periods like THIS.

DUHHHHH DUH DUH DUHHH

Send him down now, Ken.

Bad break losing Jimmy to the flu for tonight. Hopefully Gus can play a good game.

I doubt Cleary will last long on the top line. Babcock has a track record of separating the top two lines very quickly if he doesn't like what he sees. And I can't imagine he's going to like what he sees from Cleary.

The only problem I have with the lineup is Cleary on the first line. Everyone else seems to be in the right place.

Saw it, too. She then tweeted for us to "expect Nyquist to be in the lineup." I don't care if we're all wrong. This is much more positive than hearing about DeKeyser's injury all day.

If it were me, this is what I would go with. No trades or desperation FA signings needed, just in-house roster moves. Also, keep in mind when reading that I'm assuming a full, healthy roster. Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Bertuzzi Alfredsson - Weiss - Franzen Nyquist - Helm - Tatar Miller - Andersson - Abdelkader Ericsson - Kronwall DeKeyser - Smith Kindl - Quincey Howard Gustavsson Line 1 has been great all year, no reason to split them up. Line 2 was never really given a chance to work through their struggles and develop chemistry. Line 3 can work hard, forecheck, create offensive chances and score goals. Line 4 is a solid defensive line that is willing to go to the dirty areas and make life tough on the other guy's defense. Defense pairing 1, again, has been pretty good and does not warrant change. On pairing 2, DeKeyser, when he returns, can make up for Smith's defensive follies. Also, Smith had a strong game against Nashville and that will be something he can build on going forward. The third pairing is this lineup's biggest weakness, but I still believe Kindl is better than what he shows and Quincey's play has improved...marginally...lately. Howard is, and should be, the starter. He has earned that much, as hard as I have been on him. Gustavsson, as per usual, backs Howard up and provides spot-start relief.

There just aren't a plethora of top-4 defenders available. Del Zotto is a nightmare in his own end. Considering how we treat Smith and Quincey, Del Zotto would be right there with them. Kulikov has potential, but has been very underwhelming to this point. Those are really the only two who seem to be readily available for a decent price. More than likely, Ouellett or Almqvist will be brought up to fill the hole. Or...*gulp*...Quincey, Kindl and Smith will be asked to pick up DeKeyser's minutes. DeKeyser was the buffer between our decent top-3 and our abysmal bottom-3 along the blue line. After him, there's a STARK drop-off. None of our bottom-3 defenders would likely make it much of anywhere on any other team.

We can't afford to make any moves, really. No cap space and we don't have the extra pieces that teams want that we don't need. Mrazek should not be available, nor should Jake Patterson. The Panthers are going to want the prospects we're going to need very soon.

I'm more inclined to blame Holland but I certainly lay some blame at Babcock's feet. Cleary coming back, apparently, was both of their doing. But Sammy with a NTC? Andy being kept up over more deserving youngsters? The Quincey disaster? Waiving Eaves and Tootoo when Cleary and Sammy were FAR better waiver options? All of those fall on Holland. I didn't mean to make it sound like Babs is totally blameless, but for the most part, Holland's sideshow has crippled his ability to ice the best lineup. Our best young player is still in Grand Rapids.

The bad part about all this is, with almost no change and no discernable rush to enact it...this is pretty much what we're stuck with.

I'm less inclined to blame Babcock for this as I am to blame Holland. Holland signs the players. He's the one who has tirelessly held into useless old plugs instead of opening roster spots for valuable young players that can provide secondary scoring. This team should be one of the better ones in the league. Instead, we are one of the most inconsistent at best, and at worst, we have been the one of the worst teams in hockey over the past 7 games. With a few roster moves, we could improve vastly. Instead, we are forced, as fans, to accept the same ridiculous status quo that has been established by Holland's over-loyalty and complacency.

2008-2009 (our last remotely worthwhile season) is becoming longer and longer ago. As a result, the Holland apologists have gotten quieter and quieter. His recent run of utter foolishness has helped that along, as well. He has horribly...and I mean HORRIBLY...mismanaged this team. Last offseason's general positive effort cannot offset the monkeyshines of recent years. Too many mistakes all over the organization right now. No one is doing anything right in any facet of NHL hockey. Playing the game, coaching the game, managing the team, it's all bad.

Much, much better from Smith tonight. He was one of the lone positives for us.

Holland used to be the best GM in hockey. Stan Bowman and Peter Chiarelli are dueling for that spot now. Holland has fallen FAR from where he used to be. He continues to hang onto useless old farts like Cleary and Samuelsson for absolutely no reason. He lied every time he said we we're going to "go with the kids" last season. He has stocked this team with plugs that wouldn't make ANY other NHL roster. Most of our bottom-6 wouldn't even get on the ice most other places. He has failed miserably for several seasons now. Weiss and Alfredsson were solid signings, but those do not excuse his consistent run of utter stupidity for the past several years. The worst part about all of this? Both he and Babcock are going nowhere because of the same poisonous loyalty that haunts this roster currently. This team is a complete failure in everything they set out to do. They cannot score, make many stupid defensive mistakes, and have shoddy goaltending.

Just to get it out of the way...3-1 Canes on Thursday night.

9-6-7...God, I can't even stand to look at that pitiful record.

If he weren't as classy as he is and didn't love it here so much...he would've asked for a trade and been gone by now.

Got into a make-out session with Stalberg and wouldn't even drop the gloves to fight him. Just say there and held him like a 15-year-old at prom.

Good luck in Toronto on Thursday.No need to be sorry. You guys took advantage of a lost and bite-less Wings team and got two very important points. You played a great game.

I do. The team ******* sucks and isn't going to get any better anytime soon.