Draper optimistic he will play in game 6

[HockeytownRules19 902]

Good news!

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...r_optimist.html

[Guest Four]

Awesome news! I like how Carlyle isn't confident in Hiller anymore either..!

[Reds4Life 51]

Coming back from injury means Draper will not be as good as he usually is (and he isn't very good anymore), but he is still better than Kopecky or Maltby I guess.

[Doggy 130]

Coming back from injury means Draper will not be as good as he usually is (and he isn't very good anymore), but he is still better than Kopecky or Maltby I guess.

Is that a little-known rule or something? I hope he doesn't give away any 2-minute penalties for "being as good as he usually is".

[EuroTwin 240]

Good news for Draps.

Carlyle is trying to be coy.

The Lilja-Kindl pairing on D makes me hope Lils is feeling better.

Edited May 9, 2009 by EuroTwin

[VM1138 1,921]

You know, I'm glad Draper is returning, but in a way, I'm not. We've been playing well overall. Draper this season has been a bit touch and go and I'm nervous about injecting the team with a player with that recent history, who has been injured for a substantial amount of time, in an absolutely critical series. Part of me would almost have him wait until Game 1 of the next round.

Whenever we play the Ducks (as we have seen) each game is very tenuous. A freak accident or luck or bad reffing can alter the game. Now that we have momentum and each game is a must-win from here on out, I'm a little nervous about changing the formula too much, at least at forward. I really want Rafalski back, though.

[drfnr14 0]

would be nice if he came back !

[Vincanni 1]

Coming back from injury means Draper will not be as good as he usually is (and he isn't very good anymore), but he is still better than Kopecky or Maltby I guess.

His timing will be off a bit initially, but he'll also be fresher then any other player on our team. As long as Babs eases him into the line-up and we don't see his first shift coming off of injury on a Duck's surge, I see nothing but upside with getting Draper back.

[RedWings 79]

I think Draper is a improvement over Maltby, but it does not have much of an impact... 3 years ago Draps was still a key in our system, this is not any more the case since he is skating really slow right now

I want Rafalski in... The Kronwall / Stuart line sucks under high pressure

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Wouldn't even put Draper in this series if he was able to play.

It'll be "good news", when Rafalski is optimistic he can play.

[Zeke 5]

Good news!

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...r_optimist.html

Its only good news if he replaces Maltby,and Helm and Abdelkader stay in the lineup.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Its only good news if he replaces Maltby,and Helm and Abdelkader stay in the lineup.

He'd be replacing Abdelkader.

[clutchngrab 12]

The only thing Draper is good for anymore is face-offs. He's a minus player who takes a ton of bad penalties. Who does he play instead of? Maltby?

[Rivalred 630]

Link states Stuart did not practice... hmm

[brett 1,029]

wtf kindl and lilja pairing?

[jvxp 0]

Its only good news if he replaces Maltby,and Helm and Abdelkader stay in the lineup.

I was thinking the same thing! Get Maltby out and put Draper in.

[FUUFNF 1]

Drapes will help us win some faceoffs, so it's a good thing.