Reading this article ------ http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=37937...mp;service=page ------------ about the wings prospects really makes me feel happy to be a wings fan. I was just scrolling through the forums and no one has talked about the line combos next year for a while. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity not only to bring this up again, but also to help everyone realize how much depth we have and will continue to have for a long time.
So if i were deciding what to do with the lines I would do this:
(for explanations scroll farther down)
Holmstrom-Zetterberg-Datsyuk
Hossa-Filppula-Franzen
Cleary-Draper-Maltby
Kopecky-Hudler-Samuelsson
Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Lilja
Osgood
Conklin
1st Line: Not much needs to be said explaining this line. Arguably the most dominant in hockey (even though we all know that they are). With the Hossa pickup I would leave this line together permanently.
2nd Line: Hossa is a pretty obvious choice with the 1st line set the way it is. Filppula should hopefully be blossoming into a new zetterberg. Franzen is the biggest question mark (if he can be called that). No one expects him to preform as well as he did in the playoffs and second half, but on this line he could be a big time producer.
3rd Line: Might get some crap for this one but i really like it when i see all three of their names on the page. Although Maltby brings little offensively, he is a solid two way player that can pk and still has some gas left. Draper and Cleary both bring speed and talent to this line. They could be the energy line that pitches in now and then but is best at stifling whoever they are matched up with and making a good mess of things.
4th Line: As much as I would love to get Hudler some more minutes, there is no room. Same goes with Sammy. They are solid NHL players but with a team this talented these guys could become an extremely productive fourth line.
1st Defense: No comment
2nd Defense: Again, if Stuart continues to play well and Kronwall stays healthy, No comment.
3rd Defense: I made these assuming that Chelios would not be back. Although I hate Lebda and Lilja together (they both scare the crap out of me.. but mostly Lilja) I think that the Brass will want to keep Ericsson and Kindl down, although probably look out for Quincey.
Goalies: Pretty obvious but Howard might challenge conklin.
As for the prospects, they have all shown that they are solid players that have bright futures, however we just have no room for the younger guys. It would be better for them to play in grand rapids then to sit the bench in detroit. I am sure there will be a couple of injuries that will allow the the Ericssons and the Helms and so on to show they have what it takes. That is what is nice about being so good.. there are always people in our farm system that have had enough professional experience to play well when they come to the NHL.
To finish it all off, this thread was typed purely out of excitement for next season and the next decade of wings hockey. Any objections are encouraged and I hope to see some other peoples ideas for line combos or prospects playing time.
