Babcock's line shuffling was brilliant.

[redwinger4747 6]

I feel this deserves a thread. Babcock's line juggling was nothing short of genius. Simply look at 3 of our 5-on-5 goals:

11:09 of 1st: Franzen from Samuelsson & Zetterberg

3:17 of 2nd: Bertuzzi from Cleary & Lang

3:34 of 2nd: Holmstrom from Filppula & Datsyuk

Its safe to say the lines of

Franzen-Zetterberg-Samuelsson

Bertuzzi-Lang-Cleary

Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Filppula

were a huge success!!

[hockeysattva 8]

I want to disagree, but really -- I can't. You are correct; the lines were brilliant.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Fantastic job by Babs. He deserves all the credit in the world.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I watched the presser (on NHL.com if anyone else is curious) and Mike talked about this being there plan from the get go, to split up Hank and Pavel on the road if they started to struggle so teams couldn't get the match ups.

Now I wonder if he'll stick with it for home games - if they remain successful, obviously - or if he'll go back to the ZDH power line?

[union drone 0]

I must admit, those are some nice line combinations. I remember a big issue in '05-'06 was Datsyuk's apparent lack of chemistry with anyone not named Hank. I see Filppula as the kind of linemate that would complement Dats really well. It's a combination that I'd like to see more of. Having Homer on the same line makes sense too: Homer has played with Dats a lot this season and Homer brings the grit and garbage goal-scoring ability that the other two can use to their advantage.

As for Franzen-Zetts-Sammy... all three are Swedes and all three can play a sound two-way game...and playing with Franz and Zetts will only make Sammy look better.

And as for Bert-Lang-Cleary... Cleary can serve as an example of how not to be lazy and suck! Sorry, couldn't resist. Seriously, though, this line combination has a lot of potential.

[Dabura 12,232]

In all honesty, that was one of the most exciting things I've seen all season. Changing three whole lines? Ballsy, but it definitely worked out.

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

It also got Bert a goal, granted it was a deflection but maybe this is all he needs to get his offence rolling.

[#19forPresident! 1]

It also got Bert a goal, granted it was a deflection but maybe this is all he needs to get his offence rolling.

The best part about it was, coach said in the postgame that it was all part of the game plan to do this, they had it set in their minds to play these lines on the road to combat the so so numbers from our stars in away games. Babs would make a hell of a poker player, could have fooled me having that all laid out, worked out great for us tonight.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Good thread. Babs really did a terrific job shuffling the lines and they were all extremely effective. I think this team is a lot deeper when we have Hank centering one line and Dats another. It certainly helps when Filppula played as well as he did tonight!

[Dabura 12,232]

The best part about it was, coach said in the postgame that it was all part of the game plan to do this, they had it set in their minds to play these lines on the road to combat the so so numbers from our stars in away games. Babs would make a hell of a poker player, could have fooled me having that all laid out, worked out great for us tonight.

That is, in a word, badass.

[ultrapail 0]

worked well tonight, but if you remember in the regular season, he did this several times, and it never paid off as well as tonight

[Getzlaf15 0]

That is, in a word, badass.

Babcock did a lot of homework and it showed. Splitting up Datsyuk and Zetterberg, the 4 lines, a way to attack Jiggy, getting rolling early on the road, and completely changing the style of play was amazing. From the first two games in Detroit, the Wings were slow and moving the puck along the boards. This played into our hands as we just forechecked and grinded out the play and Detroit couldnt get out of their zone. Then they were flipping and chasing and never really had control of the puck in either game. They made a complete form reversal tonight on all those things.

[pavyaz19 1]

speaking of babcock being a thinker... i'm not sure if this is common practice, but while i was down by the ice for warm-ups tonight, i looked at the coaches for a second, saw what they were doing, but didn't think much of it and watched the boys warm up on the ice instead. anyway, i just looked at some pics i took and it's more obvious and relevant to me what the coaches were doing... each of them had their eyes glued on the Ducks end of the ice, watching everything very intensely, each coach had a pencil / paper and were jotting down notes.

I hope I can go to game 4, I'd like to pay more attention to the coaches. I wonder what exactly they were looking for.

[RedRum #1 0]

Babcock doesnt want to play Datsyuk and Zetterberg together. He's always wanted them centering their own lines. Still dont understand why some Wings fans want to spend money on a #2 center this summer. We've got one of the top 2 one-two punches down the middle in the league.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Here's a question for fans, I'm going to play devil's advocate here...

The Wings have had former coaches who rolled different lines very frequently.

Bowman was notorious doing it, and he was successful in his tenure in Detroit more often than not obviously.

Former coach Lewis did it a lot as well, especially in the 2004 early playoffs exit, and he wasn't really too successful when he needed to be in the postseason.

Babcock did it a ton last night, and it worked, giving some uncertainty to the Ducks.

When do you think constant line juggling is bad or is counterproductive? Is it just a "guessing game"? Sometimes you roll the dice and guess right, or wrong?

[RedRum #1 0]

Here's a question for fans, I'm going to play devil's advocate here...

The Wings have had former coaches who rolled different lines very frequently.

Bowman was notorious doing it, and he was successful in his tenure in Detroit more often than not obviously.

Former coach Lewis did it a lot as well, especially in the 2004 early playoffs exit, and he wasn't really too successful when he needed to be in the postseason.

Babcock did it a ton last night, and it worked, giving some uncertainty to the Ducks.

When do you think constant line juggling is bad or is counterproductive? Is it just a "guessing game"? Sometimes you roll the dice and guess right, or wrong?

What was different is the fact that Babcock had a plan as to who he'd play together if he broke up Datsyuk and Zetterberg. He wasnt just throwing crap at the wall hoping it would stick...like Lewis did in '04 changing up lines, bringing Steve Thomas in and out of the line-up. So I would call it "constant" line juggling in that respect. Babcock essentially went back to 3 pairs of players who played well together during the regular season...Dats-Flip, Hank-Sammy and Lang-Cleary. He deserves a ton of credit.

[union drone 0]

Here's a question for fans, I'm going to play devil's advocate here...

The Wings have had former coaches who rolled different lines very frequently.

Bowman was notorious doing it, and he was successful in his tenure in Detroit more often than not obviously.

Former coach Lewis did it a lot as well, especially in the 2004 early playoffs exit, and he wasn't really too successful when he needed to be in the postseason.

Babcock did it a ton last night, and it worked, giving some uncertainty to the Ducks.

When do you think constant line juggling is bad or is counterproductive? Is it just a "guessing game"? Sometimes you roll the dice and guess right, or wrong?

Well, there's a lot more to it than simply "mix" and "roll". It requires a lot of insight, creativity, and cleverness to get it right, not to mention being able to read and anticipate the other team's plans.

Babcock is adpet at mixing and rolling. Bowman was masterful at it. Lewis got it wrong as often as he got it right.

My problem with Lewis is that he seemingly would get fixated on questionable ideas that didn't pan out. For instance against Calgary in '04, he insisted on putting the Grind Line out against Iginla's line. The concept was that Draper and Maltby would shut down Iginla and therefore shut down the Flames. Although Iginla was somewhat contained by this stategy, the Wings offence disappeared...most likely because the Grind Line was on the ice way too much. If he had come up with a more balanced set of lines that could have matched up well against any of Calgary's lines and rolled them, the outcome might have been better.

[Systemfel 33]

I've been calling for a Franzén-Zetterberg-Samuelsson combo all season because of their great play at the 2006 Worlds. Love that line.

Edited May 16, 2007 by Systemfel

[Zion 93]

Flipper was terrific out there last night. Bertuzzi and Langer also had pretty strong games. Those three impressed me most.

Dats and Z continue to impress. And Homer is the man. 'Nuff said.

[Guest jaytan]

Really, it's about time Zetterberg got off Datsyuk's line. Datsyuk messes up his play, and Henrik ought to be centring a line anyway. He's not a winger.... Anyway, it paid off, they both finally got road points and looked good doing it.

[Guest jaytan]

I've been calling for a Franzn-Zetterberg-Samuelsson combo all season because of their great play at the 2006 Worlds. Love that line.

Heh, forget the Russian Five. Now we've got the Swede Five (if you throw Lilja and Lidstrom there too).

Um, plus Homer, and Kronwall.... Do we even start seven players from this continent? :!:

[motorcitykid 42]

Gotta love it. Babcock has made adjustments this year, as opposed to last year, when he simply didn;t or nothing worked. He's definitely done a great job this season, win or lose the Cup. Well we know we're gonna win the Cup, but yknowhatimean.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

There have been plenty of people in the past that have slammed Babs for his inaction when the line combos/ice time of certain players just don't seem to be working. I've always felt like Babs has had a plan and a reason for doing what he does, but after reading this I now realize just how smart this guy is and how prepared he was for the playoffs.

These statement from The Detroit News.

Q . So what did Babcock do?

A . He split them up, replacing Zetterberg with Valtteri Filppula on the line with Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. Zetterberg centered Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson.

"We knew we were going to do that before the series started," Babcock said. "We've kind of been prepared for that all playoff. If what we were doing wasn't going to work, we were prepared - we'd kind of scripted what we thought would work."

Brilliant! Being proactive rather than reactive. These lines clicked from the get-go not because they got lucky, but because they've been working on it since the playoffs began if the situation ever arose that they'd need a shake-up. Beyond great coaching is you ask me.

He didn't stop there, breaking up the checking line and putting Dan Cleary in Samuelsson's old spot with Robert Lang and Todd Bertuzzi. Tomas Kopecky, inserted into the lineup in place of Kyle Calder, took Cleary's place alongside Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby.

Q . It worked, didn't it?

A . Did it ever. Zetterberg's new line teamed up for the first goal of the night, as Franzen scored on the rush off a pretty, cross-ice pass from Samuelsson, who got the puck from Zetterberg. Nick Lidstrom and Andreas Lilja were the defenseman on the ice at the time.

Just call them the Swedish Five, I guess.

Lang and his new linemates scored the third goal to chase Jean-Sebastien Giguere at 3:17 of the second period. Bertuzzi got credit after a rebound went in off his skate, but it was the cycling work down low by Lang -- yes, Lang -- and Cleary that set it up.

Then 17 seconds later, it was Datsyuk's new line that turned it into a rout after Filppula, reprising the role he played with Zetterberg hurt late in the season, nearly scored on a wraparound attempt. Holmstrom -- who else? -- was there to put in the rebound for a 4-0 lead.

The point of this thread isn't to ask those of you that have ripped Babs in the past to now come here and eat your crow, but rather to applaud Babs for his great coaching.

for you Babs, and the phenomenal coaching you've done this playoff year.

Edited May 16, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

There have been plenty of people in the past that have slammed Babs for his inaction when the line combos/ice time of certain players just don't seem to be working. I've always felt like Babs has had a plan and a reason for doing what he does, but after reading this I now realize just how smart this guy is and how prepared he was for the playoffs.

These statement from The Detroit News.

Brilliant! Being proactive rather than reactive. These lines clicked from the get-go not because they got lucky, but because they've been working on it since the playoffs began if the situation ever arose that they'd need a shake-up. Beyond great coaching is you ask me.

The point of this thread isn't to ask those of you that have ripped Babs in the past to now come here and eat your crow, but rather to applaud Babs for his great coaching.

for you Babs, and the phenomenal coaching you've done this playoff year.

[rick zombo 3,739]

Love that guy