4th Line Monster

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

So anyone else notice that Hudler has 11 points in 12 games?

[SweWings 45]

I love the fact that so many guys can contribute offensively... big-ups to rex!!

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

There's no way he should be on the 2nd line if Sammy is also on the 2nd line. That would be a horrible combination. What they could do, however, is put Sammy on the 4th line, because without Franzen making him look good on the scoresheet, Sammy looked like a fool out there shooting way too much again.

I propose a Cleary /Flip/ Hudler line, with Sammy being demoted to the 4th line.

[58Miles2Joe 12]

There's no way he should be on the 2nd line if Sammy is also on the 2nd line. That would be a horrible combination. What they could do, however, is put Sammy on the 4th line, because without Franzen making him look good on the scoresheet, Sammy looked like a fool out there shooting way too much again.

I propose a Cleary /Flip/ Hudler line, with Sammy being demoted to the 4th line.

I like it.

I wonder what a Cleary/Mule/Huds line could do. Prob won't happen, though, Babs sees Cleary and Mule both as front-of-the-net guys.

Anyway, WTG Huds! That 4th line has been rockin

[Rice 42]

The fourth line has been very effective, no reason to separate it. It's odd, because Hudler seems to be more effective with less minutes.

This guy is going to be useless in the playoffs!

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Weird how Rex gets more points with 4th line minutes then he does 2nd line..

Anywho.. Keep him on the 4th, If he produces there thats great, I have to think that its because his killer instincts kick in. He feels like he has to be the man.. But on the 2nd line he feels the need to make the extra pass.

Anywho.. I love the Rex,Helm,Dmac line. and its 1 of our most productive liens

He never got a chance really on the second line besides last year wtih lang and cleary wher ehe racked up 20 points in 25 something games.

[eva unit zero 271]

Weird how Rex gets more points with 4th line minutes then he does 2nd line..

False. He has yet to be given more than a game or two at a time on the second line outside of a stretch at the end of last season where he was the one of the team's two best scorers on the ice most nights.

[Argo 0]

False. He has yet to be given more than a game or two at a time on the second line outside of a stretch at the end of last season where he was the one of the team's two best scorers on the ice most nights.

Here is an idea - why not give the fourth line a bit more time on ice - 12 minutes would be a nice improvement ... :idea:

[egroen 384]

Question is -- are we going to lose him when he becomes an UFA because he is getting next to no ice time, despite proving again and again that he can produce?

[Yemack 1]

Hudler is a offensive machine.

However, a defensive machine, he is not.

It's like a Deveraux, Datsyuk, Hull line from 2002. That line was overflowing with offensive awesomeness. However Bowman was very very selective of when they were on ice.

[eva unit zero 271]

Hudler is a offensive machine.

However, a defensive machine, he is not.

It's like a Deveraux, Datsyuk, Hull line from 2002. That line was overflowing with offensive awesomeness. However Bowman was very very selective of when they were on ice.

Hudler is perfectly competent defensively. On many teams he would be among the better defensive forwards. The fact that he plays on a team that has several highly skilled defensive forwards doesn't mean he is not capable himself. In fact, I would argue that Hudler and Holmstrom, while perfectly capable defensively, are the only guys among the top 10 forwards on the team who wouldn't be seriously considered for the top PK unit of most other teams in the league. Do not forget that of the Wings' top ten forwards, Drake, Malts, Draper, Cleary, and Samuelsson all came to the team as defensive specialists; most of them as veterans. Homer came as a third/fourth line grinder. Only Hudler, Filppula, Z, and Dats were actually EXPECTED to be scorers.

[kylee 727]

Weird how Rex gets more points with 4th line minutes then he does 2nd line..

very true...

the Wings have such a balanced attack right now its very encouring as we all know, generally speaking, you need to roll 4 lines to win a Cup.

[Zata fan 40 6]

I think Hudler does his job on D. I have no complaints with his play there. I'd like him to play with Cleary...seems they have some good chemistry together....

[Opie 308]

There's no way he should be on the 2nd line if Sammy is also on the 2nd line. That would be a horrible combination. What they could do, however, is put Sammy on the 4th line, because without Franzen making him look good on the scoresheet, Sammy looked like a fool out there shooting way too much again.

I propose a Cleary /Flip/ Hudler line, with Sammy being demoted to the 4th line.

Seriously if you are going to do that I would do it with

Maltby Draper Drake

Downey Helm Mac

With Mule

Mule Flip Huds

Cleary Draper Drake

Maltby Helm Mac

Sammy is not a checker (well an aggressive checker) and is not defensively sound enough to play on the fourth line.

But I wouldn't make the move only because that 4th line has so much chemistry going for it. Leave Huds and Helm together and let them develop the way it looked like Huds and Flip would, then you let Flip and Mule play together (next year I am talking about now!)

[RedArmy 4]

I remember how people were calling for Hudler's head most of the season, saying that he was just as useless as Sammy... interesting...

[Kp-Wings 3]

nevermind

Edited May 12, 2008 by Kp-Wings

[Guest nutz2u]

Dump Sammy and Huddles would double his production in Sammys' spot. Samuelsson usually plays smaller than Hudler anyhow. If it was possible to give hudler sammys' body we would have a defencively sound scoring machine.

[Learn2LuvIt 252]

Here is an idea - why not give the fourth line a bit more time on ice - 12 minutes would be a nice improvement ... :idea:

Why...Cause they are the fourth line... and you want your better players/lines on the ice longer. Having a fourth line to roll gives a team a few advantages:

-Creating extra time for your top lines to get there wind and get fresh (although it may be only 20+ seconds...that's a huge advantage..especially toward the 3rd period).

-Creates major match up/line change problems for the opposing team.

-If fourth line is physical, defensively responsible, and has any inckling of offensive potential, can create a damaging force against the other teams lines, which most likely would be players from the opposing team which are equally responsible...(which most teams in the NHL are not that deep that they can match a group/line of responsible players to hold the fourth line in check). Therefore, they are shifting second/third liners out on the ice to neutralize the threat. Forcing opposing teams to double-shift/short shift is extremely effiective.

-Can create a tempo changes that are often needed (fighting, hitting, forechecking, clogging up the nuetral zone, etc...).

Fourth line should be used primarily as a device to enhance your first three lines, not to have a fourth scoring weapon. If it happens....fantastic..if not, they'll pay divends in other ways.

Go Wings-

Edited May 12, 2008 by Learn2LuvIt

[eva unit zero 271]

Dump Sammy and Huddles would double his production in Sammys' spot. Samuelsson usually plays smaller than Hudler anyhow. If it was possible to give hudler sammys' body we would have a defencively sound scoring machine.

If Hudler had Sammy's body, he'd be Sergei Fedorov.

[Zion 93]

With the exception of game 2, I think Samuelsson's been pretty good, lately.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

I remember how people were calling for Hudler's head most of the season, saying that he was just as useless as Sammy... interesting...

I was never one of those people

If Hudler had Sammy's body, he'd be Sergei Fedorov.

I doubt this, Federov had way more speed and defense awarness, but I do agree if you gave huddles a couple inches and 15 pds all star ezly.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Dump Sammy and Huddles would double his production in Sammys' spot. Samuelsson usually plays smaller than Hudler anyhow. If it was possible to give hudler sammys' body we would have a defencively sound scoring machine.

No man alive could possibly possess Sammy's body.

Right, ladies?

[union drone 0]

The fourth line has been very effective, no reason to separate it. It's odd, because Hudler seems to be more effective with less minutes.

This guy is going to be useless in the playoffs!

...just imagine what he could do as a healthy scratch!

[norrisnick 1]

If Hudler had Sammy's body, he'd be Sergei Fedorov.

If Hudler had Franzen's body he'd be a meaner Jagr.

[Rivalred 630]

As long as he is making plays and getting assists.