should we split up datsyuk and zetterberg ?

[RyanBarnes! 293]

I was actually thinking that myself, would any of you guys mind seeing Franzen play with Zetts and Dats instead of Homer?

It would practically render Holmstrom useless, since there would be no spot for him on the second line either.

[OsGOD 3]

I think Zetterberg will be able to jump back into the same routine as before. He's a leader, and leaders seem to be able to step up when there team's need them too .

I'm just saying... I am not getting my hopes all tied up in his performance. Back injuries can destroy even the greatest of leaders.

I hope he is alright, but I am not expecting miracles from him. The rest of the team will need to score many goals to help out.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I was actually thinking that myself, would any of you guys mind seeing Franzen play with Zetts and Dats instead of Homer?

To start the series, that would bother me. The Z-Dats-Homer line was the strongest in the league before Z went down. Why not throw it out there immediately and see if it catches fire again. If it does, the Wings are in great shape. If it doesn't then you can start tinkering.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I'm just saying... I am not getting my hopes all tied up in his performance. Back injuries can destroy even the greatest of leaders.

I hope he is alright, but I am not expecting miracles from him. The rest of the team will need to score many goals to help out.

I agree... I want Z back, and hope to see the chemistry that he and Datsyuk had earlier in the season, but I don't expect Hank to make the difference. Hank at 100% will help, but I have thought all along, we may not get him back before 2nd round.

50 SOG with one or two goals will be a problem, I fear.

[wingsfan40 0]

No, I think I would be a very stupid thing to do in the first round of the playoffs.

[Guest Crymson]

I'm just saying... I am not getting my hopes all tied up in his performance. Back injuries can destroy even the greatest of leaders.

I hope he is alright, but I am not expecting miracles from him. The rest of the team will need to score many goals to help out.

Yet your hopes are "up" for someone returning from a more-severe back injury and a concussion?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I think this line was just too good in the regular season (I realize playoffs are a whole new deal) to not start together. Hopefullly they'll play as great as they were, and you force Calgary to adjust, instead of changing your game plan to fit Calgary from the get go.

[C-TownWing 0]

The Z-Dats-Homer line was the strongest in the league before Z went down. Why not throw it out there immediately and see if it catches fire again. If it does, the Wings are in great shape. If it doesn't then you can start tinkering.

Agree with this...that line was too good to not at least give it a shot, at least initially.

That said, it's crucial to have at least two lines contributing in the playoffs...there was a stretch there where it seemed like 90% of our goals were coming from 40-13-96 (although this was before our deadline acquisitions). If we find that we're not getting the kind of balance we need, I'm perfectly okay splitting them. But you have to give that line a chance first.

Honestly though, I am so in love with our forward depth right now that I'm thinking you really can't go wrong either way.

[Chase 0]

Id keep Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom together. These guys rocked it out.

IF we are having trouble scoring goals, and our other lines arent clicking, then split them up. Probably put Bert up there with Dats.

Edited April 9, 2007 by Chase

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

No, I think I would be a very stupid thing to do in the first round of the playoffs.

Ok, i'm starting to think your not a fan of my idea.lol.

[OsGOD 3]

Yet your hopes are "up" for someone returning from a more-severe back injury and a concussion?

I never said my hopes were up or down with Bertuzzi (if that is who you are refering to in your post). I am not counting on Bertuzzi to be the life saver for the wings... I am however, excited that he was traded to our team and I am happy with what I saw in him so far. Obviously he hasn't been 100% on our team or playing like the Bert many of us hated on the Canucks... Bertuzzi wasn't the single player everyone on here relied the ENTIRE outcome of our season on, like they have with Zeta. If Zeta comes back after missing 1-1/4 months of competitive hockey and jumps back into the scoring lead then more power to him... I just don't see that as a reality right now. Luckily we have had others stepping up and filling in for him continueing on our success while he was out. That will be the key, that the rest of the team has gelled together in his absence.

[OsGOD 3]

Double Post Sorry

Edited April 9, 2007 by OsGOD

[Airborn 0]

It would be a mistake to seperate them, at least for this series, because Calgary's D doesn't match up all that well against them.

Hamrlik and Phaneuf make up Calgary's top D-Line; while they're a great offensive tandem, they are prone to defensive lapses.

They could go with Robin Regehr and Brad Stuart. Regehr is their shut down defender, but he's paired with Stuart who isn't exactly the 2nd coming of Nick Lidstrom (he was a -22 before the trade). Additionaly, Stuart is prone to taking bad penalties, which makes him a liability against two players as quick and creative as Zetterberg and Datsyuk.

They could try to mix up the Defense to get a more solid pairing, but then you've got two guys without the chemistry that comes from playing with each other all year long.

From the forward perpective, Calgary could try to match up with the Friesen, Yelle, and Nilson line (their best defensive line), but that's going to take ice time away from the Tanguay, Conroy, Iginla line.

Either way, I think it actually makes life a little easier for Calgary by seperating them, because I don't see that they have a good answer right now to defend against them (other than Kipper, of course).

Edited April 9, 2007 by Airborn

[datsyuk_13_fan 0]

No, I think people are forgetting just how good they were together..you can't seperate chemistry like that. I think we are going to need their magic in the playoffs

[Elshupacabra 0]

No, I think people are forgetting just how good they were together..you can't seperate chemistry like that. I think we are going to need their magic in the playoffs

Yeah, I think your right...

IMO

[johnny 0]

I don't know...Datsyuk or Hank have both had NO problem solving Kipper.

Splitting them up is GOING to happen...when? I don't know.

I'd like them both set up with someone to take on Iginla's obligatory fight.

[zetterbergfuturemvp 0]

You know the post season is totally different from the regular season. It's not like they haven't been shut down before. I maintain that spreading the wealth is the way to go right from the start, because that's the only way to win in the long run.

i agree with you 100% , if we signed pavel for all that money hes gonna have to prove he can play without zetterberg which he has done so far since zetterberg has been gone , now take it to the next level .......calgary is gonna be really physical with us and take extra shots at datsyuk and zetterberg lets not kid ourselves, and the 2 of them together on the same line without a big man protecting them might make them not play to their potential

that's why id personally wanna see datsyuk surrounded by bertuzzi and franzen , 2 big guys who can punish flames players and protect datsyuk and who can score ....zetterberg im less worried about him , he proved last post season he can score

[Guest LivingtheDream]

The real answer to this question is No.... and Yes!

Having the option to go back and forth between having them together or paried with others will keep the opposing bench hopping. Babcock has an unbelievable set of options here. He needs to play it smart and adapt when he needs to.

[Airborn 0]

i agree with you 100% , if we signed pavel for all that money hes gonna have to prove he can play without zetterberg which he has done so far since zetterberg has been gone , now take it to the next level .......calgary is gonna be really physical with us and take extra shots at datsyuk and zetterberg lets not kid ourselves, and the 2 of them together on the same line without a big man protecting them might make them not play to their potential

that's why id personally wanna see datsyuk surrounded by bertuzzi and franzen , 2 big guys who can punish flames players and protect datsyuk and who can score ....zetterberg im less worried about him , he proved last post season he can score

If Calgary is tries to run around hitting Z and Dats, it's going to take them out of position and plays right into our hands. How many times have we seen Datsyuk and Zetterberg draw multiple players to them, then make the perfect pass to the open guy.

No doubt Calgary will try and play physical by finishing checks, but if they go out of their way, they're going to get burned. Another reason I like keeping them together.

Edited April 9, 2007 by Airborn

[silkyjohnson13 0]

Should they be split?

No. Not against Calgary. Calgary is a physical team that can shut finese players down, so i'm affraid that they wouldn't be able to perform seperately - to where as they could still cause damage together. If you put them together other teams may be able to slow them down and rough them up a little with a top defensive pairing, but they are so good together that they would likely eventually create some offense.

And like previously stated, you need a top line that you can count on. Trying to put together 3 equal scoring lines and 1 checking line is a terrible idea. You need a go to line.

Just look back at our last Cup...

Fedorov-Yzerman-Shanahan

Robitaille-Larionov-Holmstrom

Devereau-Datsyuk-Hull

Maltby-Draper-McCarty

Is there any question to whether we had a #1 line? You need a #1 line, followed by other lines that can contribute significantly.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Bertuzzi should play with Datsyuk and Zetterberg , Homers a great player , but hes not as strong as Bertuzzi , Bertuzzi would make room for Datsyuk to work his magic

[StevieY9802 6]

Bertuzzi should play with Datsyuk and Zetterberg , Homers a great player , but hes not as strong as Bertuzzi , Bertuzzi would make room for Datsyuk to work his magic

I agree with what you say Bert would do. But the main reason they got him was to help out the second line. I mean I could say them starting off the playoffs with them split up, like I said before, but I don't see it happening. Try it the way everyone thinks, which is 40 13 96 and 17 20 44.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

We have a lot of depth upfront and I think we need a bonafide #1 line. In past years we haven't had that one player who has been able to step up and take control of the game. Traditionally, we have just disappeared when crunch time comes. IMO we should have Bertuzzi/Zetterberg/Datsyuk together to cause bigtime problems for the Flames and we can still have productivity out of our second line with something like Lang/Calder/Holmstrom on our second line.

[norrisnick 1]

You know the post season is totally different from the regular season. It's not like they haven't been shut down before. I maintain that spreading the wealth is the way to go right from the start, because that's the only way to win in the long run.

It's still hockey and ZDH is still a well balanced line. They've never been hotter than they were this year. And remember that Bertuzzi and Calder were brought in so we would spread the wealth without having to split up that top line. Without the acquisitions, yes we would have had piss poor secondary scoring, but Kenny fixed that.