Euro Twins Pros &... Cons?

[titanium2 867]

I think that for the most part, Pav and Z should be on the same line. They're great when they center their own lines, but they are out of this world when they are together.

But there are always pros and cons for every situation. I don't think I need to mention the pros because for one, it's too hard to explain how they are so great together and two, we've seen it and therefore we just know.

Cons. Why should Babcock ever split these two apart? These are the only ones that I've heard so far.

1. Babs wants two potent scoring lines and while he knows that he has others who can fill in admirably, he believes that the lines should be anchored by elite centermen such as Pav and Z.

2. When Pav and Z are on the same line, more often than not Z plays center and Pav plays LW. Pav believes he is more comfortable and dangerous at center. Fair enough.

3. ...I'm out. Seriously, other than to baffle the opponents with a quick change I see no valid reason as to why #13 and #40 should ever be apart. The primary option should be to keep these two together while they should only center their own lines if desperately needed. If anyone else knows of a reason that I didn't mention, please do so.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I think once more players get available at the end of the season due to minor leagues ending, there's a good chance they will be on the same line. Cap situation when everybody gets healthy again might put a wrench to that plan before then. Unless Helm's play just falls completely in the crapper for whatever reason, I think there's a good chance he'll be a regular late in the season/once the playoffs start, which means more centermen, which means a better bet of keeping Datsyuk and Zetterberg together.

[VM1138 1,921]

I think the "two potent scoring lines" argument has gone out the window with Hossa and Huds and Franzen available. The main reason for keeping Dats and Z separated is simple if you follow a lot of Dats interviews and whatnot. He feels more comfortable at Center. THey are split mostly because of their respective roles.

[brett 1,029]

only reason i could see to split them up is if were not doing so great in a game switch up the lines to get something going. at the beginning of the season i could understand why they were split up but now we can see hossa and franzen can hold their own and dont need dats or zetterberg to set them up. hossa has 6 goals in his last 4 games? and thats with him not playing with zetterberg or datsyuk unless on the PP

[clutchngrab 12]

Having 2 selke finalists on 2 separtate lines might not be a bad idea.

[dat's sick 1,002]

In an article about the game yesterday on Aftonbladet.se, they talked a little bit with Hank about playing with Pav.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hock...ticle4361284.ab

Translation of the Pav-bit:

How about yourself, are you starting to get going?

– Since I came back from my injury I've been doing better and better. I think it's fun to play now. I have the contract-negotiations behind me and I get to play with Pavel again.

Yes, you two looked like the classic duo against Pittsburgh. How did it even come to be that they split you up?

– You don't really know that, what's behind a decision like that. But now we're playing together again and will probably do so for the rest of the season.

Why do the two of you work so well together?

– We have a lot of fun together and know eachother very well. In about 80 percent of the games I've played since I came to Detroit I've had Pavel on my line, so.. yeah, we know were we have eachother. '

[Blaayze 25]

--- double post---- sorry.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Blaayze

[Blaayze 25]

Yes, you two looked like the classic duo against Pittsburgh. How did it even come to be that they split you up?

– You don't really know that, what's behind a decision like that. But now we're playing together again and will probably do so for the rest of the season.

Boo-ya! Euro-twins for the rest of the season! Hopefully this is the spark we need.

[titanium2 867]

They do improvise a lot. I remember Z saying that they both play center and whoever is closest to being the first guy back is the center for that moment. And whoever is having a good day on faceoffs is the one who takes it.

I wish TSN, RDS, ESPN or whoever would make a top ten Pav and Z connections for goals. This would undoubtedly be #1:

It's really awesome to watch them, as the announcers say, "play catch."

[tingnoel 4]

Whenever they are on the ice together...it's pure magic. They create so many chances it's unreal.

http://www.hockeytownstatic.blogspot.com/

[egroen 384]

I think Babcock and Holland did not want Hossa to be just thrown on the second line without the benefit of either Zetterberg or Datsyuk, at least right away. Now that Hossa has meshed with the team, and shown he can produce with the likes of Franzen/Hudler/Filppula/Samuelsson/Leino, and has the confidence to continue doing so, I am all for keeping the Euro Twins together -- they are just too dominant together, and the Wings are certainly not sacrificing the second line to have them together. I had a feeling we would start seeing them together towards the nend of the regular season and I think it has been long overdue.

[titanium2 867]

Back from 2006:

"Babcock said one of the reasons he didn't pair the two together sooner was they both want to play center and control the puck. Datsyuk has adjusted well to playing left wing, though Zetterberg said it doesn't make much difference.

'Whichever guy is first back (defensively) is playing center,' Zetterberg said. 'I think we adjust in the games, too. On paper, I'm the center, but in games we both play center.

'I've been taking the draws lately, but it's good to know that he's right behind me. If you have a bad day, he can step in and take a few, too.'"

http://www.datsyuk13.com/news_13.htm

[under_par_00 45]

Cant they each be much more aggressive on the draws, knowing that the other one is there if they get kicked out? That is a pro to them together.

And a con would be that since they are both very good on the draws, playing them on the same line doesnt make the most of that.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Cant they each be much more aggressive on the draws, knowing that the other one is there if they get kicked out? That is a pro to them together.

And a con would be that since they are both very good on the draws, playing them on the same line doesnt make the most of that.

I feel like Z has a tendency to get kicked out of faceoffs a lot, especially when Pavel is on his line. Maybe that's the reason, he knows he's there to step in.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Having 2 selke finalists on 2 separtate lines might not be a bad idea.

And having 2 selke finalists on 1 line might not be a bad idea either. With our defensive woes, having Datsyuk AND Hank out there against the opponents top line means you dont have the likes of Draper and Maltby getting shifts against the opponents top line. Stick them both on one line, and you have the best shutdown unit in the league. We need that this season.

I'd rather have the best shutdown line in the league than a few decent ones.

At this point, there is no reason to keep them apart. Hank and Datsyuk together are better than Hossa and one of Hank/Datsyuk. Hossa is here to score, and more often than not, his goals are a product of his solitary efforts. Having Hank on his line for so long, honestly, was a waste of Hank's talent. Hossa only needs linemates who will get him the puck and then get out of his way. We have plenty of talent in 5 or 6 other players on this roster who are capable of doing that.

[under_par_00 45]

And having 2 selke finalists on 1 line might not be a bad idea either. With our defensive woes, having Datsyuk AND Hank out there against the opponents top line means you dont have the likes of Draper and Maltby getting shifts against the opponents top line. Stick them both on one line, and you have the best shutdown unit in the league. We need that this season.

I'd rather have the best shutdown line in the league than a few decent ones.

At this point, there is no reason to keep them apart. Hank and Datsyuk together are better than Hossa and one of Hank/Datsyuk. Hossa is here to score, and more often than not, his goals are a product of his solitary efforts. Having Hank on his line for so long, honestly, was a waste of Hank's talent. Hossa only needs linemates who will get him the puck and then get out of his way. We have plenty of talent in 5 or 6 other players on this roster who are capable of doing that.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that last paragraph. Filppula seems to me to be the best fit with Hossa. Fil is always passing (a good passer at that), and Hossa is always shooting. It is a perfect combination. Let Dats and Z do their thing on the first line.

[titanium2 867]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090210/SPOR...etterberg+line+

Red Wings return to reliable Datsyuk-Zetterberg line

BY HELENE ST. JAMES

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Like having an ace up their collective sleeve, the Red Wings know they can put Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on the same line and it's a near-guarantee of positive results.

The two have paired up on a scoring play three straight games, helping the Wings take a four-game winning streak into tonight's game at Nashville. It's the first time all season the two former linemates have been together.

"Even though we've been apart now for almost 50 games, it feels like yesterday and it's fun to be out there together again," Zetterberg said. "I think both me and Pav are really excited."

In the past Datsyuk and Zetterberg, with Tomas Holmstrom on the right side, have formed one of the NHL's top lines, but with Holmstrom sidelined by a hernia, Dan Cleary has fit in nicely as a substitute.

"He's doing really well," Zetterberg said. "He's standing in front of the net and making it harder for the goalie to have the right angle. And he's in the corners, too, going in and getting the puck and then he gives it to either me or Pav and then he goes back to the front of the net again. He's got great vision, too, especially in our own end when we transition from defense to offense. He always makes the right play."

This is a great chance for Cleary to make a dent in his stats. He's coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons but has just nine goals so far this season, most of which have come on the third line.

He's also seen far less power-play time because the Wings are so flush with talented forwards. With Holmstrom gone until mid-March at the earliest, Cleary should benefit from playing with Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

"They work so hard, you just have to work as hard as they do," Cleary said. "They always have the puck offensively and are very creative, so when I get it, I try to hold on to it and give it to them and go to the net, just like Homer does. Good things will happen going to the net. I mean, those guys, they're two of the top forwards in the world, so it's a great opportunity for me."

Cleary also plays on the penalty kill and had one of his best games in that capacity in Sunday's 3-0 victory at Pittsburgh, when he blocked five shots. He even redirected a shot with the back of his helmet during a Penguins' power play in the second period.

"That's just deciding you want to win, that's all that is," coach Mike Babcock said in reference to Cleary's blocks. "Good for him."

[Thunderpriest 8]

I'd even go one step further.

I'd play Hossa on RW with Pavs and Z. That would be the most dominant line in hockey.

I can understand wanting to spread the talent, but I'd love to see how that line would play once they had some time to gel.

It's harder to do that with Franzen sidelined, but once he returned I'd throw them together.

With Homer out of the lineup, I'd like to see this combination:

Datsyuk, Z, Hossa

Hudler, Filppula, Franzen

Cleary, Kopecky, Samuelsson

Maltby, Draper, Helm

Edited February 10, 2009 by Thunderpriest