Injury Update: Kronwall still out...

[WhiteLightning91 105]

Red Wings Corner

Still no word on whether or not Osgood or Hasek will get the start on Wednesday. From an article I read over at MLive yesterday, Babcock sounded like Ozzie would be starting.

Now the most interesting part of this article:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Franzen - Filppula - Samuelsson/Hudler

Cleary - Draper - Maltby

Drake - Ellis - Downey/Kopecky

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Lilja - Chelios

Kronwall - Lebda

Sooo, looks like Babcock isn't too happy with Hudler, even after his solid 3-game road trip.

Edited November 3, 2007 by WhiteLightning91

[96Homer 0]

What does poor HUdler have to do to impress babs geez. I would start hudler over sammy and ozzie over hasek. Ride ozzie as long as we can like everybody else says.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

If Hudler had trouble scoring on the 2nd line, I can't see how he's going to score on the 4th line playing with Drake, Kopecky, or Downey. Well, maybe we'll at least see the physical side of Hudler if he's playing with Downey.

[SweWings 45]

It's nice to have some guys back...

[Grittzkey 1]

Ellis? Yuck.

I dont mind Hudler being dropped off the 2nd line. he has been solid but not enough to be rewarded the 2nd line

Heck put him on the 4th line with Kopecky and Drake, Anybody but ellis.

[wingnut40 176]

I'd rather have Sammy over Hudler. I think the Defenceive pairing is perfect though!

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

Ellis? Yuck.

I dont mind Hudler being dropped off the 2nd line. he has been solid but not enough to be rewarded the 2nd line

Heck put him on the 4th line with Kopecky and Drake, Anybody but ellis.

Just thought I'd bring this up in response, but Ellis has actually been just as strong statistically as Hudler has this season...actually slightly better:

Hudler: GP - 14, Goals - 3, Assists - 1, Points - 4, Plus/Minus - (+2)

Ellis: GP - 10, Goals - 2, Assists - 2, Points - 4, Plus/Minus - (+4)

Edited November 3, 2007 by Datsyukian Geek

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Ellis? Yuck.

I dont mind Hudler being dropped off the 2nd line. he has been solid but not enough to be rewarded the 2nd line

Heck put him on the 4th line with Kopecky and Drake, Anybody but ellis.

Ellis has earned himself a spot. He plays his ass off every shift and does the little things that in the end make a difference.

As for Rex, he needs to stay in the line up. He's starting to heat up.

Edited November 3, 2007 by HockeyCrazy3033

[ben_usmc 253]

I thought the 2nd line started to look good

[zata40 3]

i'd take Hudler over Downey Kopecky any day, i cant see him out of the line up.

[Offsides 21]

I've just never been a huge supporter of Hudler/Flip playing together, they do better on other lines...Huds always played much better last year with Lang, and Flip was good with Datsyuk. I understand why they can't do that but putting 2 youngins together you can't expect the sun and the moon and the stars.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

yea i really like ellis and think he earned a spot....but i think huds should have one too

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Thats awesome that Downey may be getting back in, surprising for Hudler though, he's playing really well lately.

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

Try this out for fun...

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Franzen - Filppula - Cleary

Downey - Draper - Maltby

Drake - Ellis - Hudler

[WendelClark 0]

Well Hudler has shown the *talent to score, and does... Ellis' goals are not from talent. Thats what seperates them. Now comes the question of work. It appears that Ellis works harder. So its Babs decision (and clearly he likes hard work) but for me, drop Ellis and Kopecky. Kopecky has never really done anything for me.

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

I think we focus too much on talent, actually, because we HAVE the talent to score, now what we need, especially come spring, is the hard working individuals that find us those ugly goals from pile-ups in front of the net and such. Those count as much as any highlight-reel goal, and I want to see the Wings score more of them.

[arnoldbuck 0]

Try this out for fun...

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Franzen - Filppula - Cleary

Downey - Draper - Maltby

Drake - Ellis - Hudler

I absolutely loved Cleary in the playoffs last year, (as I've said before) and I'd be all for giving him more minutes. But if we drop Hudler from the 2nd to 4th line, you might as well just trade him and get it over with. If he gets 4th line minutes with 4th line players, he will get 3 more goals for the rest of the season. Just my thought.

[Viperar 16]

If Hudler had trouble scoring on the 2nd line, I can't see how he's going to score on the 4th line playing with Drake, Kopecky, or Downey. Well, maybe we'll at least see the physical side of Hudler if he's playing with Downey.

trouble scoring? Oh woops i guess his game winner and his goal against calgary don't matter. I wasnt a huge fan of huds before the road trip but i think hes officially earned his place on this roster.

If you deny this, then you deny the concept of earning a place, and therefore cannot claim that ozzie deserves a spot either

I forgot 2 goals in 3 games in crucial situations are considered to have trouble scoring

Edited November 3, 2007 by Viperar

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

I absolutely loved Cleary in the playoffs last year, (as I've said before) and I'd be all for giving him more minutes. But if we drop Hudler from the 2nd to 4th line, you might as well just trade him and get it over with. If he gets 4th line minutes with 4th line players, he will get 3 more goals for the rest of the season. Just my thought.

Those were just the combos, really. If it makes you feel any better, make the 4th line the 3rd, drop down Downey-Draper-Maltby and call them the new Grind Line.

[Feldmarschall 9]

Looks like Hudler will still get PP time, Babs just isn't satisfied with his 5 on 5 play. Apparently he has a ways to go yet to satisfy the defensive needs of that second unit.

[55fan 5,133]

Oh, geeesh, I saw Kronwall and Back in the same sentance and had heart failure.

Good to hear that they're all back and rarin' to go.

[auxlepli 17]

I thought I read Hasek was starting but I could be wrong.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

trouble scoring? Oh woops i guess his game winner and his goal against calgary don't matter. I wasnt a huge fan of huds before the road trip but i think hes officially earned his place on this roster.

If you deny this, then you deny the concept of earning a place, and therefore cannot claim that ozzie deserves a spot either

I forgot 2 goals in 3 games in crucial situations are considered to have trouble scoring

Well, apparently Babcock doesn't agree with you. Also, I didn't say that Hudler hasn't earned a place on the roster, I just don't think that 2nd line duty is that place. As for Osgood, I don't think he should start when Hasek comes back, but that's for another thread.

[TRD604 8]

i read that howard was sent back to the minors...so whos starting? nobody knows

[Datsyukian Geek 2]

i read that howard was sent back to the minors...so whos starting? nobody knows

He was indeed sent back down, so I assume this means that Dom will start. I'm as big a fan of Osgood right now as anyone, but if we don't use Dom, we've wasted a chunk of cash that could've been used elsewhere. I predict that Dom will start for two reasons:

1. Dom NEEDS gametime to get back in the groove.

2. Ozzie starting after such a long break may not be good for him. Let him rest the next game, watch from the bench, and be ready for the next game if Dom still isn't up to par.

Edited November 3, 2007 by Datsyukian Geek