Best possible red wing lineup come playoff time?

[Guest mindfly]

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmström (The only line at the moment that's a no brainer)

Hossa-Franzen-Cleary (But who should Hossa play with? Franzen and Cleary? that's three big bodies but not much chemistry)

Leino-Filppula-Hudler (Should Leino be on the third?)

Helm-Draper-Samuelsson (Samuelsson bumped to 4th, helm and draper provide speed)

Maltby, Kopecky etc healthy scratches (if they can forget about loyalty etc for once? did i forgot someone btw lol)

The defense pairing's are easier imo

Lidström-Rafalski

Kronwall-Ericsson (Ericsson isn't even healthy atm and still he looks better than some D's on this team)

Lilja-Stuart (Would be awesome to have two's D's that could be top2 and top4 on some teams as your 3rd pairing)

Meech, Chelios etc healthy scratches

What do you think? I know the forwards are more difficult but those Dmen pairings are solid...

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

i think lebda has earned his spot this year over kronwall and stuart.... but i know its different in the playoffs... just wouldnt scratch him thats all

[lets go pavel 2]

I think I prefer the forwards like this ...

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmström

Hossa-Hudler-Leino

Franzen-Filppula-Samuelsson

Helm-Draper-Cleary

Maltby, Kopecky

[Guest mindfly]

i think lebda has earned his spot this year over kronwall and stuart.... but i know its different in the playoffs... just wouldnt scratch him thats all

Lebda over kronwall? :S naaah

[Datsyerberger 279]

ZDH

Franzen - Flip - Hossa

Leino - Hudler - Sammy

Helm - Draper - Cleary

(or

Hudler - Helm - Sammy

Leino - Draper - Cleary

)

Kopecky

Maltby

Downey

Aces

Raffi - Lids

Kronwall - Ericsson/Stuart

Lilja - Stuart/Ericsson

Lebda

Chelios

Meech

There's so many different ways each line could be arranged with this team it's just ridiculous. Babs is probably gonna shuffle a lot with the options we have to keep the other teams guessing.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Datsyerberger

[OsGOD 3]

whatever we had last night... inserting The Hoss and Homer in for the weakest links... Loved the energy and defensive effort put forth.

[Zetterbeard40 0]

Here are what I would like to see as the Lines...

1st - Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Holmstrom (No brainer pending Holmer can stay healthy playing 1st line minutes)

2nd - Hossa, Franzen, Hudler (2 scorers, Hudler a great playmaker = devistating second line)

3rd - Samuelsson, Filppula, Cleary

4th - Leino, Draper, Helm (Awesome 4th Line)

Scratch - Maltby, Kopecky

Defense

1st - Lidstrom, Rafalski (No brainer)

2nd - Kronwall, Stuart (Hitting Line)

3rd - Lilja, Ericsson (Another Hitting Line)

Edited March 4, 2009 by Zetterbeard40

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom

Hudler - Franzen - Hossa

Cleary - Filppulla - Sammy

McCarty - Lilja - Downey

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Kronwall - Stuart

Ericsson - Chelios

Osgood/ Conklin

[dat's sick 1,002]

1st: Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

2nd: Franzen - Filppula - Hossa

3rd: Hudler - Helm - Sammy

4th: Leino - Draper - Cleary

Lids, Raffy

Kronner, Ericsson

Lilja, Stuart

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Here are what I would like to see as the Lines...

1st - Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Holmstrom (No brainer pending Holmer can stay healthy playing 1st line minutes)

2nd - Hossa, Franzen, Hudler (2 scorers, Hudler a great playmaker = devistating second line)

3rd - Samuelsson, Filppula, Cleary

4th - Leino, Draper, Helm (Awesome 4th Line)

Scratch - Maltby, Kopecky

Defense

1st - Lidstrom, Rafalski (No brainer)

2nd - Kronwall, Stuart (Hitting Line)

3rd - Lilja, Ericsson (Another Hitting Line)

My 4th line is better!

[Z and D for the C 712]

Z Dats Homer

Leino Flip Hossa (that line was sweet when they played together for a couple games)

Franzen Huds Sammy

Kopey - Draper - Cleary

Lids Rafski

Kronner Ericsson

Lilja Stuart

PP:

Hossa Datsyuk Homer

Franzen Z Huds

I hate having cleary on the 4th line but it just shows how incredibly deep we are. With Kopy playing so well that line should kick ass. Franzen and Hossa on the same line sucks so Franzen gets put in with Hudler. Huds ATM is a better passer than flip so he should be put with Franzen who can sometimes benifit from a nice pass but after that doesn't do anything, which further justifies his place on the third line. Hossa doesn't need a great passer because he does a lot on his own but Leino has a lot of skill and Flip and Hoss are both skaters (and it's not like Flip can't make great passes) so that line is a great matchup. And obviously ZDH.

As for the PP lines, Franzen should absolutely be on the PP, as well as Huds but again I hate having Hossa and Franzen on the same line so we go back to earlier in the season with Hossa and Dats on the PP and then the second line should play well as well.

With those lines, we win the Stanley Cup.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Z and D for the C

[Casey 145]

I'd have to see Ericsson and Kronners together before putting them together. As it is, I'd say Lids-Kronners, Rafi-Stuart, Ericsson-Lilja. Lids balances out Kronner's relative inexperience, Rafi and Stuart play well together, and Lilja-Ericsson would be a power pairing.

[Carman 387]

1st: Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

2nd: Franzen - Filppula - Hossa

3rd: Hudler - Leino - Sammy

4th: Helm - Draper - Cleary

Lids, Raffy

Kronner, Stuart

Lilja, Ericsson

Eh, not too bad. Leino was a pretty good center in Finland /shrug.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

Zette - Dats - Homer

Franzen - Val - Hossa

Cleary - Helm - Sammy

Kopecky - Draper - Hudler

Lids - Raffi

Kronner - Stuart

Lilja - Ericsson

OZZIE

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

Hossa - Franzen - Leino

Hudler - Fillpula - Samuelsson

Helm - Draper - Cleary

Lidstrom - Kronwall

Rafalski - Stuart

Lilja - Ericsson

Conklin

balance the attack on 1-3 and drop the hammer on the other teams d with 4, same with the d-pairings. conklin's earned the #1 spot in goal. maltby, kopecky, lebda and meech come in as reinforcements if needed. all capable. leino can play on any of the top 3, so he can be put anywhere, i just like him on a line with hossa.

[RedSea 31]

Zette - Dats - Homer

Franzen - Val - Hossa

Cleary - Helm - Sammy

Kopecky - Draper - Hudler

Lids - Raffi

Kronner - Stuart

Lilja - Ericsson

OZZIE

Switch Sammy and Hudler and you have mine.

[Datsyerberger 279]

No matter how you arrange the forwards, you end up with:

2 star players and a utility 1st liner on the 1st line.

A star player, a 1st/2nd liner, and a 2nd liner on the 2nd line.

3 2nd liners on the 3rd line.

A couple of 3rd liners and a 2nd liner on the 4th line

2 3rd liners in reserve.

Freakin' sweet, imo.

[dallas27 7]

Quite frankly I'm surprised with the amount of people having Flip center Hossa. I would have figured six months into the season people would realize he has proved that he has no reason to be out there with Hossa while Hudler (averaging 3 minutes less than the untouchable Filppula) has proved he should be out there with Hossa. Flip is an upgraded Draper while Hudler's offensive awareness and hands rival that of Datsyuk's (to an extent). Although Flip did score a cake goal last night so that gives him immunity for at least another season. I know it sounds like I'm ragging on Flip but man does everyone give him too much credit while they throw Hudler under the bus.

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Homer

Hudler - Leino - Hossa

Franzen - Filppula - Sammy

Maltby - Draper - Cleary

Lidstrom - Kronwall

Rafalski - Stuart

Lilja - Ericsson

Osgood

Edited March 4, 2009 by dallas27

[FunkedUp 29]

ZDH

Mule-Fil-Hossa

Leino-Hudler-Cleary

Helm-Drapes-Sammy

Lids-Raffy

Kronwall-Stu

Lilja-Big Rig

[r0bert8841 0]

Z-D-H

Hudler - Filp - Hossa

Franzen - Helm - Cleary

Leino - Kope - Sammy

Reserves: Draper Malty Dmac Abdekader

Lids - Rafi

Kronners - Lilja

Eric - Stuey

On offense, we have 4 offensively potential lines. Everyone knows why ZDH works. The 2nd line consist of 2 playmakers and an elite shooter. The 3rd line conists of a power forward and 2 grinders in cleary and helm. The 4th line consist of Leino and Kope, who seem to have great chemisty together, and Sammy. On defense, each pair has 1 solid defensive player and either a puckmover or hitter.

[norrisnick 1]

Hudler - Datsyuk - Hossa

Franzen - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

Cleary - Filppula - Samuelsson

Kopecky - Draper - Helm/Maltby/Leino

Abdelkader/Ritola/etc...

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Kronwall - Stuart

Lilly - Ericsson

Chelios/Lebda/Meech/Kindl/etc...

Osgood

Conklin

Howard

[MotorCityMadness 388]

Holmstrom - Datsyuk - Cleary

Leino - Zetterberg - Hossa

Franzen - Hudler - Flip

Helm - Draper - Sammy

Kopy - Scratch, Maltby

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Kronwall - Ericsson

Stuart - Lilja

Chelios - Scratch

Osgood/Conklin

I think these lines could work because the top 2 are deadly and the bottom 2 can be scrappy somewhat and create some energy. As far as the D go, keep the top 2 together, but then you can put a big hitter with a solid supporter with some size and then we can hope that Stuart fills in nicely with Lilja, which I think is a good possibility since Lilja tends to be a little more stay at home.

Edited March 4, 2009 by MotorCityMadness

[Guest mindfly]

One thing for certain is that Ericsson must be on this team... if that's not the case come playoff time something is seriously wrong in the red wings management

[Dano33 41]

Z-D-H

Hudler - Filp - Hossa

Franzen - Helm - Cleary

Leino - Kope - Sammy

Reserves: Draper Malty Dmac Abdekader

Lids - Rafi

Kronners - Lilja

Eric - Stuey

On offense, we have 4 offensively potential lines. Everyone knows why ZDH works. The 2nd line consist of 2 playmakers and an elite shooter. The 3rd line conists of a power forward and 2 grinders in cleary and helm. The 4th line consist of Leino and Kope, who seem to have great chemisty together, and Sammy. On defense, each pair has 1 solid defensive player and either a puckmover or hitter.

There is absolutely no possible way Draper will ever be a healthy scratch. Do you realize the importance of faceoffs? Playoff experience? Draper will center our 4th line until he retires, no doubt about that.

That said, I agree with the rest of your lines.

[redwing_sparty 0]

why is everyone so high on ericsson? i'm not saying he sucks, or that he screwed up but what is it that makes everyone here so willing to put the cup run in his hands?