Your Thoughts on Best......

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

McCarty - Kopecky - Downey

only line i want.

[Shaman 713]

First and foremost, Sammy needs to be gone, he brings nothing that other player dont, and as ive pointed out before Hudler had the same number of points last season averaging 1/2 the time as sammy, its time to get rid of the dead weight

How is Samuelsson dead weight? He's a consistent 40-point player, and is very respectable defensively. You have Kopecky (who has proven nothing) on the third line, but you want to get rid of a proven point producer? I don't see the logic there, other than Samuelsson being the scapegoat for everything on this board.

Well, first, hes had 2 forty point seasons his whole carrer, not really a 40-point player, hes dead weight because hes holding other players who score the same amount of points to less time per game, like hudler who played 1/2 the minutes as sammy but had the same point production.

Second, this might get me killed, its time to drop Homer out of the top 2 lines, Franzen is starting to prove his worth and I believe given the chance on the top like between Hank and Pasha he will be a 30+ goal scorer year in and out, and with Hossa being here this year and maybe (I hope) years to come should be on the line with our 2 best young offensive forwards, like Hull was with Z&D to help them step up their game.

This is a horrible idea. Homer needs to play with either Z, Pav, or both. Looking at your lines, I'm not sure if you did this intentionally, but you have Homer centering the third line. There is absolutely no way Holmstrom could play center. Moving Holmstrom away from the Euro-Twins basically removes all of Holmstrom's effectiveness.

Here you sacarfice the better line combos for induvidual production of a hometown favorite, I love homer and swinglish too, but, we have other players who can crash the net and provide more scoring touch who deserve to be up on the first line. Also to say that Homer is ineffective without the eurotwins is retarded, he was here and part of the team long before we drafted either.

Third, I think that Homer would be a good fit with Kopecky and Cleary because they all are abit gritty and willing to goto the net, it gives our third line some teeth and people in games that we have in the bag that can kill time without giving fans heart attacks (see sammy and mccarty).

That line is a disaster waiting to happen. I would have a heart attack seeing Kopecky and Homer play together honestly. My sympathies to Dan Cleary if this line ever actually happened.

Why? because you say so? They are all good in their own end, I mean honestly is there any wing other than mccarty and downey that are liabilties in the defensive zone? Besides the whole idea is that Homer is on the back side of his carrer, and its time to let other players cut their teeth, I really cant see how this line is a disater.

Fourth Defense, Get rid of Lilja, if the SCF didnt prove how slow and out of postion he can be to this board I dont know what will. He is a big cap hit for his ability and we have a log jam kids who need NHL time and WILL (mark my words) bite us in the ass if we let them go.

I wouldn't mind seeing Lilja go, but he's not a liability like you make him out to be. Lilja blocks shots and kills penalties - what do you expect from a bottom pairing d-man? I have no problem with the kids getting a roster spot, but only if they outplay Lilja in training camp. How do you know for sure Kyle Quincey or Derek Meech will be better than Lilja anyways?

Lilja does the same thing everyother decent defensemen does, blocks shots and kills penalties, but the problem is in a system that has so much young talent in D that need playing time you cant keep 2 million dollar shot blocking cap hits on the team, besides you cant tell me through out last year that Meech and Quinecy didnt out play him and Lebda, check the stats when Raffy and Lids were down.

Finally, it dont break up Zetts and Dats, espeically to put Z on the second line with Sammy, thats like putting Gordie Howe with your neighbors half retarded son, ofcourse Gordie will make the kid look better, but, it would also make Gordie look alittle special...if you catch my drift.

[Spinner 6]

I'd like to keep Dats and Z together. After that, almost any combination is going to kick azz!!!

[Dabura 12,207]

1. Sammy is not dead weight. A guy like Mac (bless him) fits much more comfortably into that category. Sammy's a checking-line center who's been asked to overachieve (e.g. play on the second line, man the point on the PP). While, yes, he has pissed off every member of the LGW community at one point or another, he has also proven his overall worth and established himself as a tremendous bargain. You may not like his game, but consider what he's getting paid and what Babs gets out of him -- that is, a guy who can competently hold down a top-6 spot and, if need be, step down into the bottom-6 and be a quality checking-line guy (see Drake - Draper - Sammy). Seriously, juxtapose his salary with his numbers -- not bad for "dead weight."

2. You want to talk about useless? That's Homer without at least one -- preferably both -- of Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Seeing as how ZDH is the most dominant line in the NHL, I'm very much for keeping it together. If it absolutely must be broken up (and it mustn't, but who knows -- Babs may get itchy), keep Homer with one of the twins. His net-crashing game is tailor-made for the twins, and the twins' game complements him perfectly. It's a great relationship.

3. I'm not crazy about Lilja, but he does bring some good things to the table -- namely, his size, strength, and willingness to scrap. Let Lebda go before Lilja.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Dabura

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Well, first, hes had 2 forty point seasons his whole carrer, not really a 40-point player, hes dead weight because hes holding other players who score the same amount of points to less time per game, like hudler who played 1/2 the minutes as sammy but had the same point production.

Sammy is also better defensively than Hudler. You seem to keep overlooking that fact.

Here you sacarfice the better line combos for induvidual production of a hometown favorite, I love homer and swinglish too, but, we have other players who can crash the net and provide more scoring touch who deserve to be up on the first line. Also to say that Homer is ineffective without the eurotwins is retarded, he was here and part of the team long before we drafted either.

That's absurd. I'm sacrificing better line combinations? You are the one suggesting putting Homer with Kopecky and Cleary, not me. As Dabura pointed out, ZDH is the best line in the NHL. How is that protecting a hometown favorite? It seems more like common sense to me. Homer's speaking has nothing to do with anything, so that's a weak argument by all accounts. For the record, compare Homer's stats (especially goals) before and after he started playing with one or both of the Euro-Twins. Did you notice the "retarded" difference? Holmstrom needs either Pav or Z on a line, or he is pretty much useless at even strength.

Why? because you say so? They are all good in their own end, I mean honestly is there any wing other than mccarty and downey that are liabilties in the defensive zone? Besides the whole idea is that Homer is on the back side of his carrer, and its time to let other players cut their teeth, I really cant see how this line is a disater.

You are kidding, right? Holmstrom is terrible defensively, and Kopecky hasn't proven anything at the NHL level. Cleary is the only solid defensive player on that line. Besides, where is the playmaker? Holmstrom can't skate or pass, Kopecky can't do much at all, and Cleary is a goal-scorer. There won't be much offensive production on that line, and not just because I say so.

Lilja does the same thing everyother decent defensemen does, blocks shots and kills penalties, but the problem is in a system that has so much young talent in D that need playing time you cant keep 2 million dollar shot blocking cap hits on the team, besides you cant tell me through out last year that Meech and Quinecy didnt out play him and Lebda, check the stats when Raffy and Lids were down.

I'm all for getting rid of Lebda.

Finally, it dont break up Zetts and Dats, espeically to put Z on the second line with Sammy, thats like putting Gordie Howe with your neighbors half retarded son, ofcourse Gordie will make the kid look better, but, it would also make Gordie look alittle special...if you catch my drift.

This is worth keeping in the post just because you use the term retarded repeatedly. It kind of takes away your credibility using the word constantly. It's in poor taste, and is something I would expect a 13-year old to say.

Edited August 18, 2008 by GoWings1905

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I'm all for trying Datsyuk and Zetterberg apart since we have a little more offensively leeway and depth with the addition of Hossa. However, completely taking Holmstrom away from one or both of them is a bad, bad idea I think. I love Holmstrom, he's one of my favorite players for the game he plays and abuse he takes to score/help out on goals, and I will never come close to saying he is utterly useless without Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but he is simply a better player with at least one of them.

And I know Samuelsson is a favorite whipping boy on here, but for those who say he isn't that good defensively, true he doesn't kill penalties, but he wouldn't be playing the point on a powerplay as a forward if he wasn't defensively responsible. Just sayin'...

I am all for trying him out on a 3rd/checking line role with Draper and Cleary, since we now have some more offensively depth for him to give it a go in such a role on a regular basis.

[Booster313 138]

I am looking forward to seeing Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Hossa on the same forward line at some point.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I'm all for trying Datsyuk and Zetterberg apart since we have a little more offensively leeway and depth with the addition of Hossa. However, completely taking Holmstrom away from one or both of them is a bad, bad idea I think. I love Holmstrom, he's one of my favorite players for the game he plays and abuse he takes to score/help out on goals, and I will never come close to saying he is utterly useless without Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but he is simply a better player with at least one of them.

And I know Samuelsson is a favorite whipping boy on here, but for those who say he isn't that good defensively, true he doesn't kill penalties, but he wouldn't be playing the point on a powerplay as a forward if he wasn't defensively responsible. Just sayin'...

I am all for trying him out on a 3rd/checking line role with Draper and Cleary, since we now have some more offensively depth for him to give it a go in such a role on a regular basis.

Good post. I don't think Holmstrom would be completely useless without one or both of the Euro-Twins, but he certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as productive playing without them. I guess I should clarify that since my previous post might have came across as bashing Homer. That wasn't my intent - I was just trying to make the point that playing Holmstrom with Cleary and Kopecky isn't the best idea.

I think Homer will pretty much always play with at least Datsyuk as his center, and then obviously Z as well when Babcock decides to keep the three together. I am somewhat conflicted because ZDH are so effective together, but I also think not playing Hossa on one of Datsyuk's wings would be a mistake. It's a damn good "problem" to have and I'm sure we'll see plenty of line juggling depending on the situation from Babcock this season.

Edited August 19, 2008 by GoWings1905

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I don't know if this has been said, but Hank is guy who's one of the league leaders in shots taken. It would be pointless to have both him and Hossa on the same line, since Hossa is also a guy who loves to shoot. One guy would inevitably have to give in somewhat.

Funny thing is that I originally stated that Hossa should play with Hank, but I overlooked this critical fact.

If we put Hossa and Datsyuk together, that would be better off, since Pavel doesn't take many shots.

I guess all in all, it doesn't make a big difference, because the lines will be juggled constantly as they usually are. But I guess there's nothing else to talk about during the offseason.

[Dabura 12,207]

What I don't get is why anyone would want to split up ZDH. Historically, Babs has only broken up that line in order to coax more production out of the secondary scoring unit. I think I've talked about this before, but whatever -- having Hossa means the secondary attack can be beefed up considerably while still keeping the league's most dominant primary unit intact. Mule's coming off a monstrous performance, Flip's been locked up, Sammy proved he was born to be a checker -- so bump Sammy down to the third and give his spot to Hossa. Then the opposition has to face the 1-2 punch of ZDH (aka The Best Line in Hockey) and a second line anchored by Marian Hossa.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Hossa - Franzen - Filppula

Cleary - Draper - Samuelsson

Maltby - Hudler - Downey

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Kronwall - Stuart

Quincey - Meech/Chelios

That 4th line is really unappealing, but now with Hossa here, there's nowhere else to put Hudler, unless you switch him out with Samuelsson on the 3rd line.

3. I'm not crazy about Lilja, but he does bring some good things to the table -- namely, his size, strength, and willingness to scrap. Let Lebda go before Lilja.