Should Pavel and Hank stay on the same line?

[Opie 308]

While yes I agree they are more of a threat together, the team doesn't have the talent to keep them together. Last Year Lang got a lot of points on the second line and that allowed the team to keep them together.

Not trying to knock the Flames, but playing against a team with a better 1-2 defensive punch will be able to slow that line down considerably.

I think Babs should save the combo until times of trouble.

[bringback91 2]

Maybe Mike Richards? or someone like him, just a true 2nd line center with decent scoring 60 pts or so a year.

Sounds like Robert Lang to me. I'm not mad he's gone at all, just sayin.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

While yes I agree they are more of a threat together, the team doesn't have the talent to keep them together. Last Year Lang got a lot of points on the second line and that allowed the team to keep them together.

Not trying to knock the Flames, but playing against a team with a better 1-2 defensive punch will be able to slow that line down considerably.

I think Babs should save the combo until times of trouble.

Please come back Bobby! We miss you and we're sorry for everything we said about you on LGW.

[Opie 308]

Don't get me wrong I don't want Lang back, just another player who can put up some offensive numbers, and have a few less turnovers!!!

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Is there something I don't know about

yes. I'm not very smart.

obviously that should be Pavel and Zetterberg.

EDIT: and as much fun as they are to watch on the same line, I think the fact that they're playing together this early in the season is a bad sign for the Wings offense.

Edited October 11, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[2probert4 8]

Are we really talking about what pace guys are on after three whole games?

As for Pavel and Dats, it's great to watch them together, but through the course of the season the Wings need to figure out some other line combos so we actually have two scoring lines come playoff time.

Otherwise it'll be like this last playoffs. Dats and Z will be good at home, but prone to getting shut down on the road as the opponent matches lines against them.

We need another legitimate scoring threat, whether that's them separated, or by bringing in a sniper.

I think he's just looking to see if other players can mesh with Dats or Zetts because when the Wings go out looking to obtain someone in a deal , the price goes up.

[Guest LivingtheDream]

Not to sound like a smart aleck, but I along with quite a few people here have been saying this for two years or more. It is a complete no brainer to some of us. Search the old posts and recognize those who get the obvious - these two were fricking made to play together. Alone they are elite, but together they are out of this world. Seperate, they each need a couple of better wingers than we can possibly find, together with Homer they simply destroy other teams. So please, for God's sake cut the knee jerk "better to spread them around" thing.

So, should they be a line every single game? Of course not, but when you have the most powerful deadly weapon around why hesitate to use it.

[RedWingedKitten 9]

It's times like this I regret calling lang lazy.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Problem with Forsberg as we all know is how long will he play before he's injured :nonono:

He'll need another 3 to 4 months of rest/rehab before he's ready; have him playing in February which would give him adequate time to get into game shape when the playoffs begin.....If not him then # 91.

In all reality, the Wings may not desperately need another sniper such as Forsberg until February, but the point again is that he's an FA and will cost the Wings nothing as far as draft picks/players goes. Bringing back #91 *will* cost draft picks or players. In the new NHL as most of us know, you can't just give up draft picks left and right the way the Wings did pre-lockout.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Not to sound like a smart aleck, but I along with quite a few people here have been saying this for two years or more. It is a complete no brainer to some of us. Search the old posts and recognize those who get the obvious - these two were fricking made to play together. Alone they are elite, but together they are out of this world. Seperate, they each need a couple of better wingers than we can possibly find, together with Homer they simply destroy other teams. So please, for God's sake cut the knee jerk "better to spread them around" thing.

So, should they be a line every single game? Of course not, but when you have the most powerful deadly weapon around why hesitate to use it.

Because it covers up a weakness that will be exposed come playoff time.

It's great watching Dats and Z together. But it makes the Red Wings a one line threat. That's good enough to get through their (relatively) weak division, but not good enough come playoff time.

Edited October 11, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Because it covers up a weakness that will be exposed come playoff time.

It's great watching Dats and Z together. But it makes the Red Wings a one line threat. That's good enough to get through their (relatively) weak division, but not good enough come playoff time.

My point exactly.

[arnoldbuck 0]

I personally liked Lang. Especially his stare-down. Pretty much the scariest thing on earth. But for what kinda cash he got from the Hawks, I dont think so.

[Guest jaytan]

They're usually pretty good together, but I don't want to see them together on a regular basis. I'd put 'em out early in the game or every once in a while to give the team a boost, but each guy needs to center his own line.

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

I love to watch them together, it's poetry in motion. However, I would rather have the threat of them playing on different lines. I think in order to make that work, Kenny needs to work the phones and get a top six winger on this team.

[Guest LivingtheDream]

Then you use the top 6 new winger to boost a second line. In the mean time score lots of goals with just one line - nobody has figured out how to stop them. You guys kill me with this "logic." Splitting them up is just dumb when they ALWAYS produce with Homer.

[Opie 308]

There have games and will be games when they do not score.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

I personally liked Lang. Especially his stare-down. Pretty much the scariest thing on earth. But for what kinda cash he got from the Hawks, I dont think so.

i watched the hawks vs the sharks the other night and after seeing lang turn the puck over about 20 times in the neutral zone and across the blue line i remembered very vividly why i'm glad he's gone.

Then you use the top 6 new winger to boost a second line. In the mean time score lots of goals with just one line - nobody has figured out how to stop them. You guys kill me with this "logic." Splitting them up is just dumb when they ALWAYS produce with Homer.

and when they don't produce? balanced scoring is important. when you're a one line team and that one line hits a dry spell you're screwed. i don't know what the answer is with the players we have, but we need another scoring forward.

[hockey&beer 16]

I don't know why but I think Babs has a larger plan in mind. For some reason I see him setting up the team so that possibly 4 forwards or so can mesh easily with either or both D and Z. Apparently both can log major minutes so it is possible to run the D-Z-H line, then follow that with back-to-back combinations of each individually with different wingers, then back to D-Z-H. Babs has been getting close to this on the PP and I can easily seeing this happen through out the season. That will give the Wings the advantage of essentially rolling up to 6 lines totally wiping out the top defensive duo of the opposition, especially at home. I realize this is a lot of ice time for the Euro-twins but this scenario will not be necessary on most nights but may come in handy during our nice long playoff run.

Personally, I'm looking forward to Franzen coming back so that the two may be split up and the Wings can win how it should be done... rolling 4 lines all night. (pending a little more offense from the Drake, Maltby, Kopecky line)

[Smjello05 0]

I think they are pretty amazing together. They are almost the best line I think in the league. That is just wat I think though. I think that if they need to get some action from another line move one of them. That should get a spark going, but then put them back together. Why change wat is working though. If it works keep it.

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

Then you use the top 6 new winger to boost a second line. In the mean time score lots of goals with just one line - nobody has figured out how to stop them. You guys kill me with this "logic." Splitting them up is just dumb when they ALWAYS produce with Homer.

That's what I was getting at. But the Problem is the Wings don't have a second line. Seriously folks, Franzen? Sammy? Flip? Rex? Let's be realistic here, those are third line guys.

The Euro twins produce with each other, having Homer on that line is meaningless. You put Franzen there, the production is quite similar.

However, here is the logic in splitting them up. You can't win a Cup with one line. Just won't happen. And with the guys currently on the roster, the Wings have no real scoring depth for the playoffs. What they have is a great first line, 2 solid third lines and a great fourth line. That isn't going to bring the Cup back to Detroit. Guys like Rex, Flip, Sammy, Franzen, and Draper can't be counted on to put up second line numbers, especially in the playoffs.

So yes, having the twins together is great, but when you split them up, you force opponents to choose which one to play the top pairing against. Without a legit threat on the second line, the Wings can't bring home the Cup. Scoring a ton in the regular season is fine and dandy, but at the end of the summer, I want to see the boys in red, lifting silver.

[jenova0 0]

A bit O/T. But it has been amazing to see Homer develop into a 30 goal scorer from an 8 goal a year guy. Truly amazing.

[Lidstromrules16 7]

should peanut butter and jelly be split up???

Peanut butter on crackers works......jelly on anything is yummy.

Should Peas and Carrots be alone?

Jenny died and Forrest still ran.

should pavel and hank play without eachother?

hell, they are capable of it, but it is nice to always come back with them on the PP

[wingslogo19 281]

There one of the NHL's best one two punch in my view

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

There is not a yes no answer to this question. The real answer is that we need two lines that can consistently get points for us every game. If that means splitting Dats and Z up, then so be if. HOWEVER, if splitting them up leads to two dud lines, then put them back together.

The loss of Franzen hurt the team in that the line of Homer-Dats-Franzen, which was clicking pretty well was broken up. I personally think a Dats-Zetts-Homer line as line number 1 with a Hudler-Filp-Sammy combo could work decently.

[Superman54 91]

Stay together, Our whole offense is playing well so it doesn't effect us not separating them apart.