What is the Status of Draper and Lilja

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Anyone know what the chances are these guys go in the next series?

Also, will Babcock meddle with the lineup even if these two players are healthy?

Personally, I'd love to see Lilja play against a bigger and more physical Anaheim team if we do play them. Draper can take Kopecky's spot as far as I'm concerned. I don't think that would have any negative effect on the team.

[Reds4Life 51]

Lilja is not going to play this year imho even if doctors cleared him to play he would have to train for few weeks to get in shape plus another time before he gets his timing and positioning back

Draper isn't a loss at all imho, but he might be better than Kopecky but I don't really care if he plays.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Reds4Life

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Lilja is not going to play this year imho even if doctors cleared him to play he would have to train for few weeks to get in shape plus another time before he gets his timing and positioning back

Draper isn't a loss at all imho, but he might be better than Kopecky but I don't really care if he plays.

We could be playing the toughest team in the league, and we'll be without Lilja? He would thrive on such a situation. I guess this is good news for Parros.

Draper isn't that good anymore, but I still think he'd be an improvement over Kopecky. Drapes always plays better in the playoffs.

[VM1138 1,921]

I guarantee you if we play the Ducks Leino is going to be playing. We'll need our fourth line to actually have talent in order to stem off Anaheim matching their top line against it.

Of course, on the bright side, all four of our lines could beat their bottom three. And our top 2, and maybe the third line, could handle their top line.

It'll be a tough series.

[Spinner 6]

Lilja is not going to play this year imho even if doctors cleared him to play he would have to train for few weeks to get in shape plus another time before he gets his timing and positioning back

Draper isn't a loss at all imho, but he might be better than Kopecky but I don't really care if he plays.

I'd like to see Lilja back in the line-up too but Ericsson has been very impressive. Tho' a Lilja/Ericsson line would be better.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

Im bummed about Lilja may not be able to play this year in the playoffs.

He played great all year.

Draper needs to get healthy, im tured if watching Maltby doing nothing.. WDF i backed him up all year, saying he'll turn it on during playoffs.. and sure nuff,, He didn't.. Draper on the other hand would be a better trade off.. Kopecky has been solid.. i guess..

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I'd like to see Lilja back in the line-up too but Ericsson has been very impressive. Tho' a Lilja/Ericsson line would be better.

If Lilja comes back, Lebda sits. Ericsson is already our #5 Dman. Lebda is #6. Ericsson plays 2 minutes more than Lebda does per game.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

In regards to Draper - faceoffs became an issue with the Jackets in the last 2 games. I'd like to see Drapes back for that reason alone.

[Guest E_S_A_D]

We could be playing the toughest team in the league, and we'll be without Lilja? He would thrive on such a situation. I guess this is good news for Parros.

Draper isn't that good anymore, but I still think he'd be an improvement over Kopecky. Drapes always plays better in the playoffs.

Lol... Yes, because Parros was scared of Andreas Lilja.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I'd like to see Drapes and Chelios in against Anaheim, they have scores to settle.

[Zion 93]

In regards to Draper - faceoffs became an issue with the Jackets in the last 2 games. I'd like to see Drapes back for that reason alone.

Why did it take 2 pages to get to this post? Well said, YoungGuns. Faceoffs, people... faceoffs.

As for Lilja/Ericsson, that would be crucial against the Quacks, but I'm all for Chelios/Ericsson in round 2.

[JPT 26]

Its too bad Lilja seems done for the year. He had a good season and really would have helped against a tough Anaheim team. Lebda has performed ok though. Cheli should not play over him!

[rage 24]

They had an article somewhere saying Lilja won't be back this year.

Did anybody see this? I'll have to look around.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I've basically written off Lilja. I don't think he'll be back - if he does, bonus. I'm just expecting the current six to be the pairings for the entire playoff run, barring injury.

Draper's another matter. It'd be nice to have him out there to win faceoffs. It'd be a big help for our defensive efforts. I think Kopecky's played well, though, and other than faceoffs I don't think there'd be a major upgrade.

[puckbags 863]

Physical the Ducks may be but like the BJ's and every other team we destroy if we are moving the puck like we can and playing a puck possession style they can chase the puck around the ice and try to hit us. When they do catch us and hit us we will skate away as usual and play disciplined and they will fill the box, we will go to the PP and the rest is history I love my perfect world scenarios !!

[nkuehnl 0]

I'd rather not give Lilja the chance to repeat his last Anaheim playoff performance.

Draper in for Malts or Kopecky is the only change I'd make unless the Griffins drop out, at which point I would go with a Helm-Draper-Abdelkader/Leino line and sit both Maltby and Kopecky.

[Doggy 130]

Doctors may never clear Lilja to play ever again. Certainly not this season, so forget about him.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Doggy

[ashenhigh 9]

The fact is, as of last week Lilja still had a vein bleeding in his head cause him great distress. He hasn't been able to do ANYTHING physical. If he was to heal all of a sudden, he would need to go through some extreme conditioning to get him back in shape. He has been taking it really easy for the last month, which means he just won't have enough time to get back playing. Plus the way Ericsson has been playing.... we don't really need him right now. Its best for him to heal 100%.

Edited April 24, 2009 by ashenhigh

[wingnut40 176]

I'd rather not give Lilja the chance to repeat his last Anaheim playoff performance.

I would. The man scored the only Wings' goal in the game, but nevermind that, the bad far out weighs the good. If he wasn't playing the Neidermayer goal IIRC would have put the Ducks up 1-0 and Wings would have lost anyway. With him playing that game he gives it away and Selanne gets the GW. Either way, Wings lose.

Doctors may never clear Lilja to play ever again. Certainly not this season, so forget about him.

Well aren't you a bundle of sunshine?

I love the Pain Train, but I'd rather him not play so he can heal 100%. Ericsson's play has filled the gap, but when Lils comes back I'd like to see Lebda sit and Lilja paired with Ericsson. Poor little thing, sitting and watching your team play without you must be torture.

[Doggy 130]

Well aren't you a bundle of sunshine?

I didn't say anything that wasn't a fact. Why do you have a problem?

[LivoniaGrinder 37]

It's sad, I read an article (might have been on mlive) about how Lil's longest headache-free stretch at a time is only like 9 hours. I can't imagine how bad that would suck. He also said that anything that requires him to focus intently triggers the headaches, like driving or even just trying to watch a game. Said he couldn't do it. I don't know if that has changed or what. I guess it has been a couple weeks since I read that article. Hopefully he's feeling a lot better. I believe in the same article he said it would only take him a couple of practices to get his timing and hockey feeling back, but that it would take a little longer to get his conditioning up to snuff. Right now he literally can't do anything but sit around and suffer through the headaches. Rafalski said he had a concussion too and the hardest part of the recovery was the sitting around and waiting for the symptoms to subside so he could start working out and practicing again.

I hope Lilja takes his time and recovers 100%. We'll be back in the playoffs again this time next year! That said, it would be awesome to see him play again this year.

As far as Drapes goes I've got my #33 hanging in plastic in the closet and I'll be breaking that out as soon as he gets a shift!

[Konnan511 1,736]

I didn't say anything that wasn't a fact. Why do you have a problem?

Without a source of citation it is an opinion, not a fact. Show me where any doctor or medical personnel says he may never play again.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

We don't need Lilja right now. Sure he played great this season, but Ericsson has takin his spot fine. Even if he does get clearance he won't just be thrown into a playoff series. Lebda has played fine as well.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Without a source of citation it is an opinion, not a fact. Show me where any doctor or medical personnel says he may never play again.

A vein has been bleeding in his frickin head for more then 2 and half months, I'd say it's a fair assesment for Doggy to say. Lilja probably wont be near the ice for the rest of the year, nor should he.

[skacore 2]

It's like the Wings are destined to not have any big, physical defensemen. Konstantinov (yeah, not too big), Fischer.... Lilja? Stay healthy, Jonathan.