Which Players Must Lift?

[DaKineMaui 8]

Been a HUGE Cleary supporter since last playoffs. He's my favorite Red Wing.

(Behind Datsyuk, and Hank....oh and Nick........oh oh and........nevermind.)

Anyways. Danny is my fav. He's got the Yzerman heart for the game.

BUT - I'd swear by watching him now - He is not 100% still. Timing is off. Same goes for Mac.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Lidstrom need to voice himself in the locker room by slapping Sammy in front of everybody and yelling at him in Swedish to shoot less and not be so lazy.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Lidstrom need to voice himself in the locker room by slapping Sammy in front of everybody and yelling at him in Swedish to shoot less and not be so lazy.

Is that possible?

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

I'm telling you, it's Cleary's freaking jaw guard/helmet that is screwing him up. It has to be! He hasn't been the same since.

Chelios needs to step up big time.

Cleary and Flip need to start generating some offense and get the puck in the net.

I think it's time to split up Hank and Dats. That way you have two great lines and they both can help their other line mates get back on track.

Perhaps..

Flip/Datsyuk/Homer

Cleary/Hank/Huds

Mac/Drapes/Malts

Drake/Helm/Sammy

Or switch lines three and four.

I'm thinking having the Grind Line reunited will spark D-Mac's play.

Edited May 18, 2008 by HockeyCrazy3033

[DaKineMaui 8]

I think it's time to split up Hank and Dats. That way you have two great lines and they both can help their other line mates get back on track.

Tempting, but I hafta disagree. They've had WAY too many chances. Just happens the puck wasn't getting burried into the back of the net is all. Or if it was, it was ruled a no-goal.

Keep those two tethered together at the neck with that rope Babs uses.

(Oh - and at the risk of a thread-jack, Datsyuk is clearly the best player in the league right now.)

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Tempting, but I hafta disagree. They've had WAY too many chances. Just happens the puck wasn't getting burried into the back of the net is all. Or if it was, it was ruled a no-goal.

Keep those two tethered together at the neck with that rope Babs uses.

(Oh - and at the risk of a thread-jack, Datsyuk is clearly the best player in the league right now.)

I agree that Hank and Pav are great together and a line that rarely should be messed with, but I think just for Game 6 they should be split up. See if it helps spark the likes of Clearly, Flip, etc..

[DaKineMaui 8]

I agree that Hank and Pav are great together and a line that rarely should be messed with, but I think just for Game 6 they should be split up. See if it helps spark the likes of Clearly, Flip, etc..

OK. I'll allow it. One period only. 1st or 2nd. You pick.

(Hurry up and answer, I'm awaiting Babs' phonecall)

[Mikeal 60]

I agree that Hank and Pav are great together and a line that rarely should be messed with, but I think just for Game 6 they should be split up. See if it helps spark the likes of Clearly, Flip, etc..

I bet they are split not because we want them, but because we get last change. Dallas has been effective shutting that line down at home so we will need to break them up.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

OK. I'll allow it. One period only. 1st or 2nd. You pick.

(Hurry up and answer, I'm awaiting Babs' phonecall)

Okay, fine. 1st period. See how it meshes. BUT if the lines are clicking they must stay that way for the entire game. Fair?

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

Maltby and Draper need to do something offensively. They're doing great defensively, but to desisively get out of this series, they're going to need to put up some points, simple as that.

Holmstrom also needs to get that call from game 4 out of his head, I don't think he played his game yesterday, and thats a big reason the wings lost.

The league isn't going to mess up on a goaltender intereference call again, Homer's absolutely GOT to get in turco's face tomorrow.

[DaKineMaui 8]

Okay, fine. 1st period. See how it meshes. BUT if the lines are clicking they must stay that way for the entire game. Fair?

1st 6 full strength shifts. Deal?

(Why hasn't he called?)

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

Maltby and Draper need to do something offensively. They're doing great defensively, but to desisively get out of this series, they're going to need to put up some points, simple as that.

Holmstrom also needs to get that call from game 4 out of his head, I don't think he played his game yesterday, and thats a big reason the wings lost.

The league isn't going to mess up on a goaltender intereference call again, Homer's absolutely GOT to get in turco's face tomorrow.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

1st 6 full strength shifts. Deal?

(Why hasn't he called?)

Deal.

He better call soon.

[OsGOD 3]

HOLY CRAP i could of sworn i talked about CLEARYS play as of late and EVERYONE on here started actin like cry babys i know the guy had his jaw shut and everything but still last year he played SO HARD and he played with such passion and this year it just seems like he isn't giving it his all.

you most likely did... its a new day... the sheep are migrating to a different pasture hehe

[Zion 93]

Draper and Maltby need to score?

Seriously? Wow...

[Echolalia 2,961]

EVERYBODY needs to step it up, right now. Cleary, Sammuelson, Hudler, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, everybody. They're playing against a deperate Dallas team, and twice, now, they have outplayed us to stay alive. If they expect to close this out and get to the Stanley Cup Finals, they need to start acting like they want it, because quite frankly, Dallas has looked hungrier for that Finals spot than us.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Draper and Maltby need to score?

Seriously? Wow...

This annoys me. I know they're not in the team to score, but how many have they scored between them this playoffs? 2, maybe 3 goals. Sure they're in for their defensive work but to completely let them off the hook for a lack of offensive production is just wrong IMO.

[eva unit zero 271]

There are six forwards on the team with offensive capability scoring this playoffs as well as they should or better; Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hudler, Holmstrom, Franzen, and Samuelsson. Defensemen who have been scoring as or better than expected are Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Kronwall.

Guys who are not up to par who should be scoring more points include Filppula, Cleary, Draper, and Stuart.

As far as defense is concerned, guys who haven't been playing up to par defensively include Cleary, Samuelsson, Holmstrom, McCarty, Chelios, and Lebda

Guys who have been playing much better than expected defensively include Hudler, Filppula, Kronwall, and Stuart.

So ultimately, the list of guys who need to step up or sit out can be summed up in this order, for regular skaters. 1 means 'needs to step up the most' and 18 means 'has the least stepping up to do' in that players at the high end are already likely playing at or above expectations, which much of the roster has fallen short of.

1) Cleary

2) Draper

3) Chelios

4) Lebda

5) McCarty

6) Filppula

7) Holmstrom

8) Stuart

9) Samuelsson

10) Maltby

11) Rafalski

12) Helm

13) Lidstrom

14) Datsyuk

15) Zetterberg

16) Franzen

17) Kronwall

18) Hudler

[Third Man In 2,091]

The third and fourth lines have produced 9 goals in 15 games (including Cleary's goal before he moved up to fill in for Mule). We could always hope for more, but that's solid production.

Cheli and Lebda don't need to provide scoring, but they inevitably are the ones on the ice when the Wings are pinned in their own end. They need to simplify their game, improve their puck support, and get pucks out of the zone.

ZDH have been great, but in game 5 they had it all wrong--rather than having Homer creating turnovers in the offensive end, getting the puck to Z and Dats, and getting in front of the net, Homer had the puck on his stick way too much. Don't stray from the formula.

We won't have the old Cleary until he loses the shield and puts on the 15 lbs he lost (i.e., next year), but he still needs to chip in. Same for Flip, who is playing hurt. Sammy needs to step up or give up his spot to Huds. Lids has only two goals--he's due.

[RyanBarnes! 293]

Filppula and Cleary must step it up a notch.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

There are six forwards on the team with offensive capability scoring this playoffs as well as they should or better; Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hudler, Holmstrom, Franzen, and Samuelsson. Defensemen who have been scoring as or better than expected are Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Kronwall.

Guys who are not up to par who should be scoring more points include Filppula, Cleary, Draper, and Stuart.

As far as defense is concerned, guys who haven't been playing up to par defensively include Cleary, Samuelsson, Holmstrom, McCarty, Chelios, and Lebda

Guys who have been playing much better than expected defensively include Hudler, Filppula, Kronwall, and Stuart.

So ultimately, the list of guys who need to step up or sit out can be summed up in this order, for regular skaters. 1 means 'needs to step up the most' and 18 means 'has the least stepping up to do' in that players at the high end are already likely playing at or above expectations, which much of the roster has fallen short of.

1) Cleary

2) Draper

3) Chelios

4) Lebda

5) McCarty

6) Filppula

7) Holmstrom

8) Stuart

9) Samuelsson

10) Maltby

11) Rafalski

12) Helm

13) Lidstrom

14) Datsyuk

15) Zetterberg

16) Franzen

17) Kronwall

18) Hudler

Great post, enjoyable read. That list looks about right to me. Let's hope those towards the front step up tonight.

[NHLrules? 32]

Frankly, Rafalski has been a defensive liability the last two games.

He has been weak on the puck in his own end and has made HORRIBLE clearing attempt.

[VM1138 1,921]

I'm sorry, how does Datsyuk need to step it up? He's been the best player on the team night in-night out. He always gives 110%.