Franzen out for game 6!

[Zetterberg is the man!! 0]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...e_for_game.html

[Real1 2]

s***! we need him more than ever now!

[Zion 93]

....

[zata40 3]

was anyone expecting him to be back?

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I'd be shocked if he plays another game this year.

The injury is obviously season ending, but they don't want to give out that kind of information.

[Guest MrSandMan]

I think most here knew he wasn't going to be in for game 6. mlive just confirms it.

Cleary will step up. He's so close to breaking out right now that it's not even funny. Maybe Babcock should break up Dats and Zets for a couple shifts to try to ignite Cleary.

[FinWing 26]

Not a surprise. Win game six for the Mule!

[VM1138 1,921]

I wish they'd just say he's out for the season instead of teasing us. I don't think he'll be back.

[Superman54 91]

Awesome...welll Cleary HAS to finally step up because he has been invisible!

[Ontario Wingsfan 0]

I'd be shocked if he plays another game this year.

The injury is obviously season ending, but they don't want to give out that kind of information.

That's the feeling i'm getting too.

I hope i'm wrong.

[marcaractac 3,963]

I really do think Franzen will be back for the finals. They say his headaches have stopped, he just needs to be cleared to play and get a couple practices in.

Cleary is so close to breaking out. He has played great the last few games, coming so close so often to scoring. Once he gets that ice breaker, look out for him. Also, Hank and Dats need to be broken up for game 6. With Franzen out we need to get more of a balanced attack. With Dallas having last change, we need to make it harder for them to get the matchups they want.

[IrishWing19 6]

Well with the headaches gone he can get back on the ice and be ready for the Finals, although if it were forced, he could decide to go in a potential game 7, hopefully it won't be needed.

[marcaractac 3,963]

I could say good bye to my nerves if we go to a game 7

[edicius 3,269]

I really wish Cleary could go back to a normal helmet. I seriously think his mask is screwing with him. But I guess that's the trade-off to even have him back at all from his injury.

The fact of the matter is, we need to play BETTER without Franzen. If a single player means this much to the Wings (Lidstrom notwithstanding), there's a real depth problem with the team.

We know that Dats and Zata can score. We also know that Rex and Cleary can score.

I think part of our problem has been the defense and not necessarily on the defensive end. We haven't been getting the clean defensive breakouts that we need. Rafalski and Chelios have turned into turnover machines and not completing the passes out of the zone that we need. Rafalski's also had problems at the Dallas blue line, either not keeping the puck in or just plain losing it to a Dallas player.

Don't juggle the forwards for Game 6 - juggle the defensemen. Chelios needs to sit, that's for certain. Rafalski can stay out there because I still think he's been more good than bad.

[VM1138 1,921]

I really wish Cleary could go back to a normal helmet. I seriously think his mask is screwing with him. But I guess that's the trade-off to even have him back at all from his injury.

The fact of the matter is, we need to play BETTER without Franzen. If a single player means this much to the Wings (Lidstrom notwithstanding), there's a real depth problem with the team.

We know that Dats and Zata can score. We also know that Rex and Cleary can score.

I think part of our problem has been the defense and not necessarily on the defensive end. We haven't been getting the clean defensive breakouts that we need. Rafalski and Chelios have turned into turnover machines and not completing the passes out of the zone that we need. Rafalski's also had problems at the Dallas blue line, either not keeping the puck in or just plain losing it to a Dallas player.

Don't juggle the forwards for Game 6 - juggle the defensemen. Chelios needs to sit, that's for certain. Rafalski can stay out there because I still think he's been more good than bad.

We need to juggle something. I'm not so sure splitting Dats and Z willw ork, because it hasn't in the past, but at this point we're not scoring anyways. Might as well play half a game with crazy lines to get some spark, just like Dallas did.

[Guest MrSandMan]

I really wish Cleary could go back to a normal helmet. I seriously think his mask is screwing with him. But I guess that's the trade-off to even have him back at all from his injury.

The fact of the matter is, we need to play BETTER without Franzen. If a single player means this much to the Wings (Lidstrom notwithstanding), there's a real depth problem with the team.

We know that Dats and Zata can score. We also know that Rex and Cleary can score.

I think part of our problem has been the defense and not necessarily on the defensive end. We haven't been getting the clean defensive breakouts that we need. Rafalski and Chelios have turned into turnover machines and not completing the passes out of the zone that we need. Rafalski's also had problems at the Dallas blue line, either not keeping the puck in or just plain losing it to a Dallas player.

Don't juggle the forwards for Game 6 - juggle the defensemen. Chelios needs to sit, that's for certain. Rafalski can stay out there because I still think he's been more good than bad.

I'm with you, brother!

[Dano33 41]

We need to juggle something. I'm not so sure splitting Dats and Z willw ork, because it hasn't in the past, but at this point we're not scoring anyways. Might as well play half a game with crazy lines to get some spark, just like Dallas did.

We didn't necessarily split them up, but when Hank and Homer were out Datsyuk, Flip, and Cleary played well together.

[Hank 0]

s***! we need him more than ever now!

That scoring winger Holland promised in July and again in March sure would come in handy now.

And I don't think Chelios needs to be sat. He had a bad game but he's been solid all season long.

Allowing 2 goals doesn't translate into a defense issue. Only scoring 2 goals in 2 games means there's something wrong with the offense.

Many of the top offensive players on this team need to start producing.

Sammy has 2 goals in 15 games and he's on the 2nd line because?

In fact Sammy, Cleary and Homer have a combined 6 goals in 15 playoff games. That's absolutely pathetic for three forwards getting top line minutes.

And we have to wonder why we lost our last two games.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Hank

[MajorWingNut 0]

s***! we need him more than ever now!

Sad to say it but, with the way the refs seem to be up turco's ass "Mule's" game would be as hamstrung as Homer's.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I'd be shocked if he plays another game this year.

The injury is obviously season ending, but they don't want to give out that kind of information.

How it the hell do you get that from what Babcock said, unless he is out and out lying. All the tests have been negative and Babs says he is feeling better and no longer having headaches.

In my book that means the doctors will clear him in a day or two and we will see him back for game 1 against Pittsburgh which will most likely be late this week.

Talk about the glass being half empty...

[IceMunkee 15]

Awesome...welll Cleary HAS to finally step up because he has been invisible!

The truest thing I have heard since yesterday.

[chrisdetroit 189]

That scoring winger Holland promised in July and again in March sure would come in handy now.

We got him, his name is Franzen. Only problem is that he is injured. We could have traded away Flip and Huds and Helm for Hossa, but then if Hossa goes down we have no Flip, Huds and Helm. What then? Hartigan?

Would you have traded away 3 guys from our roster for Hossa? That would have been a hell of a gamble.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I wish they'd just say he's out for the season instead of teasing us. I don't think he'll be back.

????????????

[betterREDthandead 58]

I'd be shocked if he plays another game this year.

The injury is obviously season ending, but they don't want to give out that kind of information.

I don't think so. They wouldn't tell him "go ahead and exercise" if that were true. They'd string us along without that kind of update otherwise.

If this were Game 7 of the Cup Finals, he'd play. If this were January, they'd say "out two weeks" and leave it at that.

[Reds4Life 51]

No surprise. He would be out for potential game7 too.

I still hope we will see him play again though.