Babcock's coaching

[gowingsgo 3]

Memo to Mike Babcock, when the team is struggling to generate actual goals, shuffle the lines up just a little bit. Move Holmstrom off the top line and put Franzen in there with Dats and Hossa. Shake things up just a little bit.

And of course the big one, don't dress Chelios anymore.

[ScubaV 1]

I like Babcock a lot, but he is getting outcoached in this series so far. If the team's not playing with passion and intensity, it's his job to make that happen and he's failing to do so. From someone who picked Bowman's brain for 3-4 years you'd think he would be more willing to shuffle lines to spark some energy.

[Echolalia 2,961]

His interview after the game had me worried. He felt everything was fine and that the bounces we're going to start coming our way. I'm still seeing it as getting outplayed three out of four lines and two out of three periods.

Datsyuk Zetterberg Homer

Hossa Filppulla Franzen

Cleary Sammuelson Hudler

Kopecky Helm Leino

He also needs to address the Wing's difficulty at establishing the Ducks' zone. They're boxing off our player with the puck, and have two defense back waiting for the dump in. I would like to see a quick drop pass to a defensman at this point who can slide the puck to the center or far side to a Wing rushing in without turning the puck over.

They also really need to work on the power play and winning the one-on-one battles down low: ie SUPPORT

[gowingsgo 3]

If Babcock doesn't shuffle the lines I fear our season will be over very soon

[dat's sick 1,002]

Datsyuk Zetterberg Homer

Hossa Filppulla Franzen

Cleary Sammuelson Hudler

Kopecky Helm Leino

He should give the current lines 1 or 2 periods in Game 4, but if things don't look significantly better than they have up until now, he needs to put together the above lines.

Leino should definitely be brought in if we lose the next game. I don't think he'll be some magic saviour of the team, but he could be a good wild-card on the 4th line.

Maltby and Kopy haven't looked terrible by any means, just kind of irrelevant for the most part.

[titanium2 867]

I really don't understand Babs' obsession with familiarity.

In other words, 96-13-81 as well as all the other lines have to be together during 5-on-5, the power play and the (13-81) penalty kill. For the most part except Sammy on the point and Huds on the left of Z on the PP, it doesn't matter what the situation is, you have the same units playing together over and over and over and over....

I mean, doesn't that make them too predictable? And from an internal perspective, doesn't that make it stale and boring? Wouldn't they benefit from a change up on a daily basis?

Edited May 6, 2009 by titanium2

[Chris L 0]

I like Babs too, but I miss Bowman dearly.

He made shuffling lines a matter of habit, that's (one of the many reasons) the wings were so successful under him. Opponents could never predict who was coming out when. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

It was a brilliant strategy -- tinker till it works. Bowman is the best ever.

Babs only shuffles when things are looking really bad. At least he makes changes, which was better than Dave Lewis who just stuck to his lines no matter what the hell happened.

[dat's sick 1,002]

I really don't understand Babs' obsession with familiarity.

In other words, 96-13-81 as well as all the other lines have to be together during 5-on-5, the power play and the (13-81) penalty kill. For the most part except Sammy on the point and Huds on the left of Z on the PP, it doesn't matter what the situation is, you have the same units playing together over and over and over and over....

I mean, doesn't that make them too predictable? And from an internal perspective, doesn't that make it stale and boring? Wouldn't they benefit from a change up on a daily basis?

Agreed. Why can't he atleast go with ZDH on the PP? And Franzen, Fil, Hossa as the 2nd unit.

[Zeke 5]

He should give the current lines 1 or 2 periods in Game 4, but if things don't look significantly better than they have up until now, he needs to put together the above lines.

Leino should definitely be brought in if we lose the next game. I don't think he'll be some magic saviour of the team, but he could be a good wild-card on the 4th line.

Maltby and Kopy haven't looked terrible by any means, just kind of irrelevant for the most part.

Shuffling should be done when things aren't working ,ie losing.

We didn't shuffle after our first loss,and probably not after our second loss. Coaches are susposed to adapt to new situations and motivate players.The old adage is never make a lineup change after a win,but now its imperative.

A simple shuffle may not be enough,lets inject some new blood,and give the Quacks a new look.

Bring up Leino and Abdelkader,enough of Maltby and Kopecky.

Do it now,because at 3 games to 1,its over.

[titanium2 867]

13-40-11

93-51-81

26-43-37

96-82-18*

*I honestly don't think it's realistic to demote Homer to the 4th line. But I considered the idea of 26-43-96 on the 3rd line and it's just stupid to have Huds & Homer, two average skaters, on the same 3rd line and have them go against ANA's third line of "pure energy guys."

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Just a little point here:

Who was the best line going in the league going into this series? Ryan-Getzlaf-Perry

What happened to "the best line in the league" in game 2? It was switched up, and Ryan was demoted to the 2nd line.

What happened in Game 2? We had 4 goals scored against us.

Babcock is flat out being outcoached. Its broken, Babs. FIX IT!

[gowingsgo 3]

Babs just needs to juggle things. He doesn't need to make permanent line changes. Throw Hank out there with Hossa and Dats. Let him double shift when his line comes out. Throw Franzen out there in front of the net with Dats and Hossa. Familiarity of lines makes it easier to defend against us. It will also provide a spark for the guys to have a new line mate to work with.

[VM1138 1,921]

Memo to Mike Babcock, when the team is struggling to generate actual goals, shuffle the lines up just a little bit. Move Holmstrom off the top line and put Franzen in there with Dats and Hossa. Shake things up just a little bit.

And of course the big one, don't dress Chelios anymore.

Sigh. Babcock has been nothing but dynamite for us since he came here. Everyone thinks line shuffling works. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. He's never let us down before. We shook things up earlier this season and nothing happened. He did a little line shaking last night, but the Wings were already playing good at that point in the game and Hossa and Dastyuk had stepped up their games.

He knows what he's doing. He's been in this situation more than most coaches in the league.

[NGKEIB 32]

I'd just like to say that I think that our 4th line and 1st line (CZF) have been playing well enough not to merit tampering. I don't think that Maltby and Kopecky have been 'irrelevant'. They haven't made any big mistakes, haven't been scored on (they're a checking line, not a scoring one, so that is what matters) and have hit a lot. Maltby has had a great series in my opinion (when you compare it to his regular season play.

While I would like to see ZDH on the PP, I think that getting Rafalski back would make a bigger difference, but I understand that that isn't likely to happen until game 5.

And Chelios had by far the best game of his playoffs last night (I'm not saying it was great, but I was angrier at Lebda than I was at him for the goal, and he drew some penalties and even spent a bit of time on the PK I believe).

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

Sigh I just heard on 97 1 that he is not going to change the lines. Seriously babs you are a great coach but mix it up.

Edited May 6, 2009 by MTU_Huskies963

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Why is Babcock so unwilling to actually coach and change things up?

I'm a firm believer in the theory that when it's broke, you must fix it.

I don't think that changing lines qualifies as panic. It's just part of coaching and making adjustments in a playoff series before your team is eliminated.

[Outsider 42]

Ya know.....

You kinda have to admire his "stick-to-it-iveness". Seriously.

This IS the Team who posted 100+ points during the regular season while coming off a Cup Win.

This IS the Team that led the League in goals for, by a tidy margin.

What is he supposed to do? Panic? Send a statement reverberating through the lockerroom that he's lost faith in the guys who led the Team to the Cup just last Spring/Summer?

He's GOT the horses. He knows it. THEY know it. WE know it.

They just have to produce. They either will, or they won't.

If they don't, then HE will be no more to blame than THEY will be.

EXECUTE, gentlemen. The Ducks, with what has been WIDELY acknowledged to be LESS to work with, are managing it. Somehow. Some way.

Imagine that....

You want it?

TAKE it.

Or have it taken from you. Plain and simple.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Ya know.....

You kinda have to admire his "stick-to-it-iveness". Seriously.

This IS the Team who posted 100+ points during the regular season while coming off a Cup Win.

This IS the Team that led the League in goals for, by a tidy margin.

What is he supposed to do? Panic? Send a statement reverberating through the lockerroom that he's lost faith in the guys who led the Team to the Cup just last Spring/Summer?

He's GOT the horses. He knows it. THEY know it. WE know it.

They just have to produce. They either will, or they won't.

If they don't, then HE will be no more to blame than THEY will be.

EXECUTE, gentlemen. The Ducks, with what has been WIDELY acknowledged to be LESS to work with, are managing it. Somehow. Some way.

Imagine that....

You want it?

TAKE it.

Or have it taken from you. Plain and simple.

Read my post above. It's not panic, it's simple coaching and making adjustments.

I don't remember us posting 100 points in the regular season by playing the exact same line combos the whole 82 games.

[Outsider 42]

Read my post above. It's not panic, it's simple coaching and making adjustments.

I don't remember us posting 100 points in the regular season by playing the exact same line combos the whole 82 games.

With all due respect, I read your post.

I still disagree with you.

Babcock knows what he's got on that bench. He knows what he's got in the lockerroom.

He knows these players, and they know each other, better than you, or I, or ANY of us, can begin to think we "know" them.

To think otherwise is foolish and arrogant.

If you truly believe that you see something from your couch/barstool/seat that is somehow NOT being seen by not only the man who has made NHL History with this Team in front of him, but all of his support staff, too?

You're fooling yourself.

And besides that......

Who's to say he WON'T change things up, once they're on the ice?

Why should he tip his hand to the Press, and allow his enemy to think he's got him on the run?

Edited May 7, 2009 by Outsider

[Wingsallwin 0]

With all due respect, I read your post.

I still disagree with you.

Babcock knows what he's got on that bench. He knows what he's got in the lockerroom.

He knows these players, and they know each other, better than you, or I, or ANY of us, can begin to think we "know" them.

To think otherwise is foolish and arrogant.

If you truly believe that you see something from your couch/barstool/seat that is somehow NOT being seen by not only the man who has made NHL History with this Team in front of him, but all of his support staff, too?

You're fooling yourself.

And besides that......

Who's to say he WON'T change things up, once they're on the ice?

Why should he tip his hand to the Press, and allow his enemy to think he's got him on the run?

I think you are right but isn't it too obvious that Babcock must know more than us about the Wings' locker-room

But, regardless of what I just said, the Wings have to wake up and the core of ringing up players is coach, Mike Babcock. The thing I really do not like about his stragedy this season is he does not test any other line combo but he consistently uses only SAME COMBO. For example, we have seen Datsyuk and Hossa have zero chemistry when they play on the same ice time by watching three games. However, what I was complaining is that Babcock's interview: "I am a big believer if you keep something blah, the result will come out" <<<--- he does not seem to change anything. If we see the last season, he was stubborn of keeping Hasek on the net. What happened? After the series was tied up, he changed to Osgood. Samething happened to 2007. He was stubborn of line combo both offense and defense; and at the end, he realized it is serious and changed and the Wings scored. Same thing.

[Outsider 42]

I think you are right but isn't it too obvious that Babcock must know more than us about the Wings' locker-room

<<<--- he does not seem to change anything. If we see the last season, he was stubborn of keeping Hasek on the net. What happened? After the series was tied up, he changed to Osgood. Samething happened to 2007. He was stubborn of line combo both offense and defense; and at the end, he realized it is serious and changed and the Wings scored. Same thing.

Bit of a difference here.....

When Babcock made the 'tender switch last year, Dom appeared to be getting weaker and weaker the longer he was kept in. It culminated in a 2-2 tie.

Dats seems to be getting better and better as the Series goes on. I have no comment on #81, but Dats appears to be getting stronger.

And again....

Who's to say he WON'T make any changes. But why should he TELEGRAPH them to the Ducks?

[Zeke 5]

Just a little point here:

Who was the best line going in the league going into this series? Ryan-Getzlaf-Perry

What happened to "the best line in the league" in game 2? It was switched up, and Ryan was demoted to the 2nd line.

What happened in Game 2? We had 4 goals scored against us.

Babcock is flat out being outcoached. Its broken, Babs. FIX IT!

Totally agree.

The ducks are comfortable with our lines,and our guns have been silenced.

Do you remember when the Devils beat us for the cup in 4 straight? Well,coach Lemaire made one or two lineup changes every game,AFTER a victory,to inject new blood and energy for the next game.

We are lacking tempo,chemistry,and seem complacent.

Mix it up,add a player or two,(Leino,Abdelkader) and wake up!

[Wingsallwin 0]

Bit of a difference here.....

When Babcock made the 'tender switch last year, Dom appeared to be getting weaker and weaker the longer he was kept in. It culminated in a 2-2 tie.

Dats seems to be getting better and better as the Series goes on. I have no comment on #81, but Dats appears to be getting stronger.

And again....

Who's to say he WON'T make any changes. But why should he TELEGRAPH them to the Ducks?

I do not think so. When I heard the Babcock said he would put Dom in the net, I was "what?" because I though Osgood would get a job because both goalies have same much of experience.

The thing is, while Datsyuk looks to step up to his playoff level, Hossa is not doing any effective work. That is why we need the line change here. As YoungGuns said the Ducks' best line is playing with too much comfort again ALL WINGS LINES, there is no way we can win the series unless either way happens: our top lines suddenly burst up and play awesome hockey, or we test other line combos to change the chemistry.

[redwings8831 40]

Ok, Grand Rapids got swept tonight. Is there any chance that any of those players (especially Leino) are in Anaheim tomorrow night?

[Wingsallwin 0]

Ok, Grand Rapids got swept tonight. Is there any chance that any of those players (especially Leino) are in Anaheim tomorrow night?

If it happens, I think it will be game 5. Leino is not a big deal we are falling behind the Ducks in this series. Every Wings ******* have to wake up. Playing heartless and not playing hard enough EVERY PERIOD is the reson why we are down right now.