Hasek out/Osgood in, but....

[DSM 114]

The goalie change might be enough to shake things up, but I see some other places that could be changed.

On Offense:

Hartigan has been useless, and other than the goal in game 2 McCarty has been invisible and looks slow. Filppula hasn't been great in the playoffs, and if you remember last season Babcock didn't have a problem sitting Hudler. I'd like the see AT THE LEAST Hartigan pulled for Helm or Abdelkader. My choice would Abdelkader, he's bigger, faster and more physical than Hartigan which are 3 things that could be of great use to this team.

And On defense:

The Lebda for Lilja swap did absolutely zilch. The "awesome speed" that Lebda has, was useless and he was caught a couple of times out of position. He also couldn't handle the puck for s*** in our own zone. Put in Meech, he definately played better than Lebda and probably better than Lilja down the stretch, and he could probably do the same in the playoffs.

Any other thoughts?

[OsGOD 3]

we need to get un-soft...

Downey for D-mac

[FrozenPuck 0]

I suspect the goaltending move is a pretty good start. That's wake the boys up and let them know that anyone is vulnerable. They'll come out flying.

[Rivalred 630]

Any word on Lilja/Lebda debacle?

[puckloo39 5,686]

I suspect the goaltending move is a pretty good start. That's wake the boys up and let them know that anyone is vulnerable. They'll come out flying.

too bad that is what it took to wake them up. They'll be a different team tomorrow night, thank God.

I hope Mac is in, and scores a goal with one hand, while wringing 2-2's neck with the other.

I didn't see any effect sitting Lilja. He couldn't have been any worse than the rest of them for the first 40 minutes. Put him back in, at least he's got size if he will use it.

Is Kopay out injured still, or just sitting? And where is Maltby in terms of returning?

Edited April 18, 2008 by puckloo39

[OsGOD 3]

we need to get un-soft...

Downey for D-mac

as an example... we need MORE OF THIS:

And way less of these plays:

[DSM 114]

Kopecky is done for the playoffs with an MCL/ACL injury and will be out 4-6 months, unfortunately. Maltby won't be back for this round.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Kopecky is done for the playoffs with an MCL/ACL injury and will be out 4-6 months, unfortunately. Maltby won't be back for this round.

oh, that's right (Kopay). I am really tired, working too hard, I guess. Thanks... I miss Maltby, was hoping he was able to come back sooner than later, like Homer did.

Wonder if Kronner is mad enough to do his Crazed Swedish Viking hit on a Pred. watch the elbow, Nik, but take it to some Pred tomorrow night, willya?

Mule, "accidentally" step on 2-2.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I don't think Abdelkater or Meech would do any better than anyone that we already have. At the very least the players we have now are proven nhl players; something neither Abdelkator nor Meech have proven they are yet.

I just think our team needs to calm down and play with a little more confidence and hunger. With the series down to 3 games, hopefully that isn't something the Wings will be lacking.

[Rivalred 630]

I wonder if we are missing Markov...

[DSM 114]

I don't think Abdelkater or Meech would do any better than anyone that we already have. At the very least the players we have now are proven nhl players; something neither Abdelkator nor Meech have proven they are yet.

I just think our team needs to calm down and play with a little more confidence and hunger. With the series down to 3 games, hopefully that isn't something the Wings will be lacking.

At some point being a "proven NHL player" doesn't mean dick. A year ago Babcock sat "proven NHL player" Kyle Calder eventually in favor of 29ish game veteran Tomas Kopecky. It's the playoffs, the players who play the best play. Period. Hartigan's a "proven NHL player" and he's not proving s*** in this series. We might as well dress Larry Murphy for Lilja/Lebda, he's a "proven NHL player".

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

I wouldn't mind seeing Ericsson in for Lebda. Other than that, Hartigan out for Helm/Abracadabra would be an option. Move Flip to the 4th line.

Dats-Z-Homer

Cleary-Stein-Rex

Helm/Abby-Draper-Sammy

Mac/Downey-Drake-Flip

Lids-Raf

Kronner-Stewie

Big E- Cheli

[umredwing11 2]

At some point being a "proven NHL player" doesn't mean dick. A year ago Babcock sat "proven NHL player" Kyle Calder eventually in favor of 29ish game veteran Tomas Kopecky. It's the playoffs, the players who play the best play. Period. Hartigan's a "proven NHL player" and he's not proving s*** in this series. We might as well dress Larry Murphy for Lilja/Lebda, he's a "proven NHL player".

Haha, funny--but it is a real good point. Everybody begins with a clean-slate in the playoffs. Hartigan has played in the nhl, Abdelkader/Helm, not so much. I personally think Abdelkader would make the fourth line less useless and at least you know he'll go in hard for the hit.

Also, I'd put Lilja back in and take Lebda out--for the very fact that Lebda has always failed to impress me, even with that speed. Lils will hopefully be pissed about his benching and have his head more in the game.

Bottom line though: Lets Go Ozzie!

[clayjoh 3]

The goalie change might be enough to shake things up, but I see some other places that could be changed.

On Offense:

Hartigan has been useless, and other than the goal in game 2 McCarty has been invisible and looks slow. Filppula hasn't been great in the playoffs, and if you remember last season Babcock didn't have a problem sitting Hudler. I'd like the see AT THE LEAST Hartigan pulled for Helm or Abdelkader. My choice would Abdelkader, he's bigger, faster and more physical than Hartigan which are 3 things that could be of great use to this team.

And On defense:

The Lebda for Lilja swap did absolutely zilch. The "awesome speed" that Lebda has, was useless and he was caught a couple of times out of position. He also couldn't handle the puck for s*** in our own zone. Put in Meech, he definately played better than Lebda and probably better than Lilja down the stretch, and he could probably do the same in the playoffs.

Any other thoughts?

Related to the big picture thing here does anyone out in cyberspace bring into question AT ALL the leadership of Lidstrom in this current sticky situation? I know for most of us he wlks on hallowed ground but is he physically all right and is he saying much of anything behind closed doors or is Babcock having to try to pull all the right strings?

I wonder if Scotty still speaks to the team ever or just has private strategy sessions with the coaching staff

They better come out with the eye of the tiger tomorrow and play like the big dogs of this league and truly teach Nashville a lesson in all aspects of the game No more BS to be tolerated

Lots of other contender teams are getting clipped and the table would be nicely set if we can get our act together !

[russianswede919293 95]

In my opinion the offense is not in need of change other than possibly Hartigan out for Downey/Abdelkader/Helm

On Defense I am not upset about Lilja out, but if he is going to be out, at least play Ericsson instead of Lebda.

[Statiklullaby87 0]

Put in Ericsson and Abdelkader, they still have LOTS to prove so they will play with lots of intensity...

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Lilja + Downey > Lebda + Hartigan.

It's that simple.

[Zion 93]

Lebda sucks.

I'm all for Meech, and don't know why he didn't play more games towards the end of the season.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Meech would be fine for Lebda/Lilja, but I still think they should go back to Lilja. As long as its not Lebda, I'm fine either way.

[russianswede919293 95]

Meech would be fine for Lebda/Lilja, but I still think they should go back to Lilja. As long as its not Lebda, I'm fine either way.

How do you feel about Ericsson in? I think he could do well in there on the 3rd pair.

[KillerB14 2]

Lebda sucks.

I'm all for Meech, and don't know why he didn't play more games towards the end of the season.

I thought Meech was phenomenal in the reg season. He read plays so well he always knew when to pinch or go backdoor. They moved him to forward and he just didn't know how to read it as well and he didn't do anything there and was benched when guys got healthy.

I would love to see Meech in there for that 6th spot. He adds physicalness too. I don't care about the fact he never played in the playoffs yet. Anyone remember how well Quincey filled in last year when Schneider went down? I think that would help.

As for our fourth line I dunno how much it matters, they aren't gonna play in close games after the halfway point. Regardless, I would like to see Downey in there, he played all season and gets benched for McCarty.

They also have plenty of problems within their set roster. Flip's trying but just getting out-muscled to everything. If Sammy brings the puck in the zone one more time then spins along the boards while 4 preds close in on him and then he just keeps spinning until he loses it instead of throw it along the boards i am just gonna lose it. I think our powerplay should switch Franzen and Holmstrom. Franzen has shown he can play with Dats and Zetts and Homers a much better grinder along the boards to get pucks to Huds and Flip, he works more then half the rest of the team.

Just a couple ideas I would like to see happen. It's always weird how much we can all say what they should do even though they are the hockey minds and we're just fans.

3-0 Win! Whose with me? GO WINGS!!!