Roster Changes For Game 4

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I'd put Downey or Abdelkader in for Hartigan, and Lebda in for Lilja. More toughness up front, and more speed on the back end.

[gcom007 1,465]

I guess I don't have so much of a problem with Lilja as everybody else. As much as he bothers me, I wouldn't pull him in favor over lots of speed, but no offensive abilities Lebda.

Like I said before, no offense to Hartigan but putting Abdelkadar on that fourth line totally changes the feeling of that line...Abdelkadar will go into the corners hard, throw his body around, and I want to see him in this kind of hard-hitting, grinding situation. He was great at the end of the season, and he deserves a shot based on that now. Worst case scenerio: he is invisible like Hartigan and we move on.

I'm hardly a Lilja hater. I think he's capable of a lot more and I think a game off with Lebda wouldn't hurt us as a team and might help get Lilja a little pissed to come back strong in game 5. I think he just needs a reminder of sorts...nothing permanent and nothing "hate" oriented. Getting Lebda some time wouldn't hurt either incase we need him down the stretch due to injury.

[VM1138 1,921]

They don't really NEED to change anything, though I think Hartigan has been useless. If they can put someone else in his place who might do better, then I say go for it. I'd also like to see someone better placed with Drake and McCarty. Maybe Draper?

Cleary has to go up to the 2nd, and Sammy has to be bumped down, but I guess that doesn't really matter.

Oh, and Dats and Z have to be put together. So what if Nashville matches them? We match their top line and then the game is a battle of the 2-4th lines, of which ours are MUCH better.

[Chuk 0]

I'm sorry, if are you saying Downey or Abdelkader are tougher than McCarty, you are mistaken my friend. Also throwing a kid right out of college into the playoffs over a guy who has won 3 stanley cups and has improved every game he's played isn't the smartest option. No Dis to Justin, but I'll take the experience over him, and as for Downey, the man is a part time enforcer that loses all his fights and never scores. He doesn't help in these tight games. Maybe take out Hartigan for Abdelkader but leave Mac in.

Mac hasnt been playing tough at all, I like the guy but its hard to play tough when you can barley keep up with the play. As for Hartigan he kinda reminds me of Bert just without the skill(that he used to have).

Edited April 16, 2008 by Chuk

[Wildwings44 5]

Get Sammy off the 2nd line!! Keep Franzen, Flip, and Cleary

[umredwing11 2]

Get Sammy off the 2nd line!! Keep Franzen, Flip, and Cleary

OMG, most intelligent thing posted in this thread.

[Booster313 138]

The only thing Detroit needs to do to win is to match Nashville's intensity.

[gcom007 1,465]

The only thing Detroit needs to do to win is to match Nashville's intensity.

Sure. But there's 3 more series on way to the Cup. They're not getting past the 2nd if they ice the team they've played the last 3 games, that is, if they play in a similar manner. Nashville doesn't matter. It's totally negligible. This is about holes that will be wildly exploited by a good team in Round 2 if they don't get worked out.

I love how people are so content with close games against the Predators as if they've even played great playoff hockey against us let alone the fact that they're just not that good of a team. Like, yay, we beat Nashville! That's like hitting a home run in a little league field.

[Lidsyukerberg 0]

as for Downey, the man is a part time enforcer that loses all his fights and never scores.

This sentiment is getting old and played out. What games have you been watching all year? In his fight card (which you can see for yourself here) he has not lost one fight this entire year. He has had an almost equal amount of draws and wins. If you really wanted to you could even go to YouTube and do a search for Downey, I think you'll find your statement to be way off base.

As for scoring, his job is not to score. It would be nice to see him score, but that is not his role here. His role is to shake up the other team and take them off their game. And if you don't think he's done a good job of that go back and watch some games from earlier this year and just listen to Mickey and Ken go on about how every time he hits the ice the other team hits panic mode and are always looking over their shoulder for him. Unless of course you don't think Mickey and Ken know what they're talking about.

Personally I would love to see Mac and Downey on the same lineup for a lot more games. I would sit Hartigan in a minute for Downey, and I would absolutely bring in Downey over Abdelkader any day. We have an unbelievable scoring core, what we need are more guys to protect them and let them do what they do best. I wouldn't put Mac and Downey on the same line though, I would split them up so that we can protect two lines. I like the idea of prevention over retribution.

I'm sorry for the rant but it is getting a little old hearing people say "Downey hasn't won a single fight all year." It really makes me think that either people are totally biased against Downey and are not willing to look at the facts/stats, or that they are totally ignorant to what they have been watching, or that they haven't been watching at all and have just been mimicking something they heard somebody else say. It can only be one of those choices, because facts and stats are facts and stats, you can't change them and they are not subjective or biased, they are what they are.

Granted Downey is not a scorer, and not much of a skater, but he makes up for those things by doing what he does really well. Can we finally get off the whole "Downey never wins fights" topic and base our assessments on facts and stats? Opinions are fine, and I don't even care if you don't like him, it's no skin off my back. But at least base your arguments on facts not feelings.

[redwings56 1]

These are the lineups I would use:

Dats - Z - Homer

Cleary - Franz - Hudler

Flip - Drapes - Sammy

Drake - Hartigan - Mac

Lids - Raf

Kronner - Stu

Chelios - Lebda

I totally agree with that lineup although putting Fil on the 3rd might totally crush his confidence, BUT Draper will straighten him out

Edited April 16, 2008 by redwings56

[sinbin 3]

OMG, most intelligent thing posted in this thread.

I second this.....other than that,play 60 minutes of Red Wing hockey!

[sinbin 3]

The only thing Detroit needs to do to win is to match Nashville's intensity.

I agree...I've yet to see it in this series. It seems they are toying with them!

[vangvace 12]

I'd put Downey or Abdelkader in for Hartigan, and Lebda in for Lilja. More toughness up front, and more speed on the back end.

Downey for energy!

[ttbrunke 0]

I don't see why putting in Ozzie is such a bad Idea?

What did Hasek do to earn the job in the first place? He was pulled in 2 of his last 8 starts. the goals scored by Suter and Arnott were very soft and should be saved escpecially given the timing.

Ozzie earned the #1 job He played in more games had a better save % and a betterr GAA and a better finish to the season. Anywhere else that gets you the playoff start.

[Nev 1,085]

Get Sammy off the 2nd line!! Keep Franzen, Flip, and Cleary

I agree, but not for your reasons That 3rd line of Sammy-Huds-Drapes has actually been playing pretty well, so I would keep them together.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I'd do Abdelkader for Datsyuk, Helm for Zetterbeg, and Ericsson for Lidstrom... Who wouldn't?

[Opie 308]

I'd do Abdelkader for Datsyuk, Helm for Zetterbeg, and Ericsson for Lidstrom... Who wouldn't?

I agree I am so pissed the wings lost, they should send the whole team down and just dress the griffins!!

ARGH!!!

Well before people freak out I picked up on your sarcasm and was adding some of my own.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Opie

[russianswede919293 95]

Lebda is in for Lilja tonight per MLive.

Was it one turnover too many by the Pain Train?!?!?!

[96warrior 11]

http://redwingscorner.blogspot.com/

POST-PRACTICE UPDATE: Lebda confirmed that he's back in the lineup. Lilja is out.

"It's been a tough couple of games here just watching," said Lebda. "All you can do is just be a cheerleader for the guys. It's hard. But it's a role that I had to accept. I'm going to get my chance tonight to play."

Lebda said that last year's playoff run had him eager for more this spring: "I got a taste of a long run last year. I was anxious to get back in there and get another taste of it. When I sit and look back, that was what was the most disappointing thing. But those first two games, we played really well and got the wins. We should have had the win last game."

Here's the line combinations that the Red Wings are using at practice this morning ...

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Franzen-Samuelsson

Hudler-Draper-Cleary

Drake-Hartigan-McCarty

Lidstrom-Kronwall

Stuart-Rafalski

Lebda-Chelios

Lilja-Meech

Hasek

Osgood

I'll update after practice and hopefully coach Mike Babcock will let us know if Brett Lebda is in and Andreas Lilja is out.

The fact that Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are together in the morning skate means that they'll play on the same line for considerably longer than the two seconds they did at the start of Game 3. But splitting Datsyuk and Zetterberg onto separate lines could happen at any point in tonight's game.

[96warrior 11]

http://info.detnews.com/redesign/blogs/win...FTOKEN=62252451

Lebda in; Lilja out

Brett Lebda will replace Andreas Lilja in the Red Wings line up Thursday in Game 4. Lebda's puck-moving ability and quickness was an ingredient the Wings were lacking in Game 3. "We thought last game we weren't as quick," Babcock said. "Lebs can push the puck up the ice. Our penalty kill has been good and Lils can block shots as good as anybody. You sacrifice something to get something." There could be one other change. Babcock indicated one forward was potentially going to sit out depending on how the player felt after warm ups. If someone had to sit out, Babcock said Darren Helm would go in the line up.

[96warrior 11]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/

Update from Wednesday's morning skate: Looking for more speed tonight in Game 4 vs. Nashville, the Wings made one lineup change and are contemplating another. On defense, Brett Lebda is in for Andreas Lilja. Coach Mike Babcock also said that rookie forward Darren Helm might play, depending on the status of an unidentified player who has a minor injury. Everybody, however, practiced, so it can't be anything significant. For Nashville, center David Legwand will play his second straight game, after returning from a foot injury. Coach Barry Trotz said he was making no lineup changes.

Said Babcock about Lebda, who'll be paired with Chris Chelios: "We thought last game we weren't as quick. Hockey is a simple game, if you spend too much time in your zone, you spend no time in the offensive zone, so they're wearing on your D intead of you wearing on their D. We feel Lebs can push the puck up the ice.''

[2probert4 8]

Detnews.com is reporting that head coach Mike Babcock may make some roster changes for Game 4. Just wanted to gage people's opinions on what changes they think should take place if any. In my opinion I would like to see the roster stay the same, I just wish Babcock would leave Zetterberg and Datsyuk together for most of the game. I know he splits them up on the road to avoid Nashville from matching up their checking line, but I just think having them on the same line is crutial. Also 97.1 had a topic regarding playing Osgood instead of Hasek in Game 4. I think this is ridiculous. Anyone that watched Game 3 knows the Wings just got outplayed, and beyond Arnott's goal, I think Hasek is playing well.

outplayed??? whatever.. that stretch at the end was what beat them, rest of the time you could hear a pin drop in that trailer park

[2probert4 8]

I'm sorry, if are you saying Downey or Abdelkader are tougher than McCarty, you are mistaken my friend. Also throwing a kid right out of college into the playoffs over a guy who has won 3 stanley cups and has improved every game he's played isn't the smartest option. No Dis to Justin, but I'll take the experience over him, and as for Downey, the man is a part time enforcer that loses all his fights and never scores. He doesn't help in these tight games. Maybe take out Hartigan for Abdelkader but leave Mac in.

Lets see, I seem to remember Downey winning some fights

Downey over McLaren

Downey over Parros

Downey pummells LaPierriere

Downey and Shelley was close

Downey beat Walker of St Louis.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Lets see, I seem to remember Downey winning some fights

Downey over McLaren

Downey over Parros

Downey pummells LaPierriere

Downey and Shelley was close

Downey beat Walker of St Louis.

Yeah, I'm not quite sure what the hell the poster you responded to was thinking in that analysis.

[Zion 93]

"as for Downey, the man is a part time enforcer that loses all his fights and never scores."

Yeah, I, too, am getting sick of idiots posting s*** like this.

Yes, I said it: you're an idiot if that is your opinion of Aaron Downey.