LEINO!

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Maltby - 10 games, 1 assist, -2, 3 shots

Leino - 10 games, 13 pts (3g, 10a), even, 24 shots

someone tell me why he's in the press box??

don't get me wrong, maltby hasn't been bad, he's just not been that effective that the wings would keep leino and his offensive flare out of the lineup in game 7. no salary cap in the playoffs, use all the weapons you can to get to the next round. this guy should have been on the team all year, it's time to give him a shot.

[Broken 16 381]

Maltby - 10 games, 1 assist, -2, 3 shots

Leino - 10 games, 13 pts (3g, 10a), even, 24 shots

someone tell me why he's in the press box??

don't get me wrong, maltby hasn't been bad, he's just not been that effective that the wings would keep leino and his offensive flare out of the lineup in game 7. no salary cap in the playoffs, use all the weapons you can to get to the next round. this guy should have been on the team all year, it's time to give him a shot.

Leino has barely seen the NHL ice, let alone a game 7 against the Ducks.

No.

[Broken 16 381]

Not a game you want to dump on the youth.

Edited May 13, 2009 by Broken 16

[zata20 4]

Not a game you want to dump on the youth.

If Leino was in it would be Abdelkader that is most likely out. Leino is 25 and three years older than him. Having said that I don't think they should take Abby out in favor of Leino.

Edited May 13, 2009 by zata20

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

If Leino was in it would be Abdelkader that is most likely out. Leino is 25 and four years older than him. Having said that I don't think they should take Abby out in favor of Leino.

leave abdelkader in. he's been really good and EFFECTIVE! wait and see what happens when leino doesnt get his shot and ends up signing with the ducks or maple leafs next season and everyone on this site wonders why he's getting 70+ pts on their 1st or 2nd line. dump maltby

[Wombat 26]

This isn't a fantasy hockey roster. Each player has to have a role. And not every player can have the role of "offensive sniper". You need guys like Maltby that will grind and play defensively sound hockey.

[zata20 4]

leave abdelkader in. he's been really good and EFFECTIVE! wait and see what happens when leino doesnt get his shot and ends up signing with the ducks or maple leafs next season and everyone on this site wonders why he's getting 70+ pts on their 1st or 2nd line. dump maltby

I believe I did say NOT to take Abby out. I agree maltby is expendable. People can't argue that he is a good penalty killer beacuse he really isn't anymore and he doesn't get much time on th PK anyway. Our PK sucks now I doubt it would get any worse without maltby.

[zata20 4]

This isn't a fantasy hockey roster. Each player has to have a role. And not every player can have the role of "offensive sniper". You need guys like Maltby that will grind and play defensively sound hockey.

If defensively sound hockey is being a minus player with the worst plus/minus on the team then we're in trouble! (One of only two minus players on the team, other Cheli)

[Shaman 713]

Malts have looked the most out of place ive ever seen him, hes lost a few steps, hes still pisses players off, but theres no McCarty to back him up anymore. His role is fast becoming a void in the roster.

[WhiteLightning91 105]

This isn't a fantasy hockey roster. Each player has to have a role. And not every player can have the role of "offensive sniper". You need guys like Maltby that will grind and play defensively sound hockey.

Outside of Chelios, Maltby is the only one on the team with a minus rating for the playoffs. HE was also -9 in the regular season. How is that "defensively responsible"?

I'm not saying Leino should be brought up for Maltby, but he isn't exactly fulfilling his role on this team as a grinder and aggressive checker while playing smart defense.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Leino would add offensive punch, but would have to fit in the top 6, which he wouldn't. What the Wings need is to start putting puck on pad instead of letting Hiller pick cherries with his glove and blocker. The rebounds are there, Wings need to start getting to them. Need to start playing with the urgency that hopefully Game 7 at home will provide.

Biggest hindrance to the Wings offense right now is Holmstrom in the Top 6. He has looked slow and he has been getting demolished in front of the net. Good if the officiating calls blantant roughing/slashing/crosschecking penalties like they would if it was anyone else; Bad since the refs have chose to look the other way on goonery.

Leino shouldn't be put into a Game 7, period.

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

I believe I did say NOT to take Abby out. I agree maltby is expendable. People can't argue that he is a good penalty killer beacuse he really isn't anymore and he doesn't get much time on th PK anyway. Our PK sucks now I doubt it would get any worse without maltby.

Take him out and watch what happens. That's not a chance I'm willing to take at a time like this.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Without throwing my hat behind any player in particular, you guys are taking the +/- of Maltby way too seriously. The guy is on a line that literally never scores goals (with emphasis on 'literally' and 'never') and isn't even a minus player in the Anaheim series. He's even.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

If defensively sound hockey is being a minus player with the worst plus/minus on the team then we're in trouble! (One of only two minus players on the team, other Cheli)

thank you for researching for your reply. that's the same stats i was looking at before posting. cheli was replaced by meech. young, but capable to provide as much and more than cheli. sometimes you gotta take out a little experience for some youthful exuberance. maltby, like said in another post by someone, is a shadow of himself. helm and abby are the replacements for the legendary draper and maltby. give them props for the years of excellence, and step aside for the new blood. and helm's been one of the best wings this year in the playoffs again, just like he was last year. home ice is gonna be good again in game 7 to get ZDH to shut down the getzlaf line and let hossa and franzen pick up where they left off in game 5. here we go with forward lines now.....it may make more sense if you draw it out

dats-zetterberg-homer

hossa-flip-franze

leino-huds-sammy

cleary-helm-abdelkader (aka. new grind line) and a damn good one!

4 lines that can score and line 4 which played shifts together last game was probably the wings best line yesterday.

roll 4 and wear down the ducks.

[ben_usmc 253]

you know people keep saying we need Leino to be in the top 6 in order to use him, well let's do it then. We could put Cleary on the 4th with Helm and Abby, and Leino in his spot.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Leino would add offensive punch, but would have to fit in the top 6, which he wouldn't. What the Wings need is to start putting puck on pad instead of letting Hiller pick cherries with his glove and blocker. The rebounds are there, Wings need to start getting to them. Need to start playing with the urgency that hopefully Game 7 at home will provide.

Biggest hindrance to the Wings offense right now is Holmstrom in the Top 6. He has looked slow and he has been getting demolished in front of the net. Good if the officiating calls blantant roughing/slashing/crosschecking penalties like they would if it was anyone else; Bad since the refs have chose to look the other way on goonery.

Leino shouldn't be put into a Game 7, period.

good point, crashing the net would have made hiller's night a little tougher last night.

[redwashington2000 42]

Abby is more physical and wears down their D. Offense isn't the problem.

LOL wears what???? The D, there will be no D after tomorrows game, all wings stars will be playing golf, remove Maltby isert Leino into line 3: Sami, Huds and Leino, line 4 Abdi, Helm And Homer

[FinRedWing 172]

leave abdelkader in. he's been really good and EFFECTIVE! wait and see what happens when leino doesnt get his shot and ends up signing with the ducks or maple leafs next season and everyone on this site wonders why he's getting 70+ pts on their 1st or 2nd line. dump maltby

Off topic:

No worries,in an interview (he gave for Finnish sportpages,no linky - sorry) I saw this tuesday, Ville said he believes he'll be a Red Wing next season. "We haven't really discussed about money,but that won't be a problem. I've understood they want to keep me. Can't wait for the 2nd season here."

Edited May 13, 2009 by FinRedWing

[PROBIE4PREZ 58]

dude the Ducks would murder him in the corners and along the boards. He would be as invisable as Hossa and Datsyuk on a score sheet.

Im so fricken happy none of you jackass's have any part of this team besides being cheerleaders. I like it better during the regualr season when all the "sane" people post here. I swear 2/3rd of the topics since playoffs arent really worth starting a new thread for.

"Im sick of your lack of lack Jeramiah."

Edited May 13, 2009 by PROBIE4PREZ

[Wombat 26]

Without throwing my hat behind any player in particular, you guys are taking the +/- of Maltby way too seriously. The guy is on a line that literally never scores goals (with emphasis on 'literally' and 'never') and isn't even a minus player in the Anaheim series. He's even.

Thank you! I love stats, but the +/- stat isn't an end-all-be-all. In watching the games, I think Maltby has been playing his role just fine. He's been a lot better than he was in the regular season. I think Leino has a great future but the future is not now for him. He is not ready to be thrust into top 6 minutes, and if he's going to play in the bottom 6, he needs to be more defensively sound (because he won't be getting any PP or SH minutes as a specialist like 3rd liner Hudler or Cleary).

Even if you love the +/- stat, according to his AHL page, Leino was a 0 in +/- for the AHL playoffs despite scoring 13 points. 2 of his 3 goals and 3 of his 10 assists were on the PP, so he had 8 ES points. To end up even, he needed to be on the ice for at least 8 opponents goals (and more if he was on the ice for some other teammates goals without scoring). And that was against AHL talent.

Leino should be the first guy into the lineup if a bona fide scorer on the Wings gets injured. But in tight checking, low scoring NHL playoff games, you need guys to fill roles and Maltby is doing it right. To me, he passes the eye test (as opposed to Chelios, who looked completely out of place).

[Konnan511 1,736]

Leino would add offensive punch, but would have to fit in the top 6, which he wouldn't. What the Wings need is to start putting puck on pad instead of letting Hiller pick cherries with his glove and blocker. The rebounds are there, Wings need to start getting to them. Need to start playing with the urgency that hopefully Game 7 at home will provide.

Biggest hindrance to the Wings offense right now is Holmstrom in the Top 6. He has looked slow and he has been getting demolished in front of the net. Good if the officiating calls blantant roughing/slashing/crosschecking penalties like they would if it was anyone else; Bad since the refs have chose to look the other way on goonery.

Leino shouldn't be put into a Game 7, period.

Why would you say that. WHen he was put on our fourth line for the handful of games he produced at an equal level of everyone on the team, all while having one of the best plus/minus during that span. Sounds like we need him. He has unbelievable experience when it comes to pressure pack games, look at his record in Finland and down in grand Rapids. Leino>1/2 of the Red Wing forwards.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Thank you! I love stats, but the +/- stat isn't an end-all-be-all. In watching the games, I think Maltby has been playing his role just fine. He's been a lot better than he was in the regular season. I think Leino has a great future but the future is not now for him. He is not ready to be thrust into top 6 minutes, and if he's going to play in the bottom 6, he needs to be more defensively sound (because he won't be getting any PP or SH minutes as a specialist like 3rd liner Hudler or Cleary).

Even if you love the +/- stat, according to his AHL page, Leino was a 0 in +/- for the AHL playoffs despite scoring 13 points. 2 of his 3 goals and 3 of his 10 assists were on the PP, so he had 8 ES points. To end up even, he needed to be on the ice for at least 8 opponents goals (and more if he was on the ice for some other teammates goals without scoring). And that was against AHL talent.

Leino should be the first guy into the lineup if a bona fide scorer on the Wings gets injured. But in tight checking, low scoring NHL playoff games, you need guys to fill roles and Maltby is doing it right. To me, he passes the eye test (as opposed to Chelios, who looked completely out of place).

Well against NHL talent, during his 10 game span on the Wings he compiled a top 3 +/- on the Wings' roster. It's easier for Europeans to play on an NHL team and dominate than it is with less skilled payers that don't think the same way they do.

[hossa8181 0]

OP....you are 100% right. I have no idea why these people think we need a role player against 3rd and 4th line players that we've never heard of before this series. I would rather have Lieno score against their 3rd and 4th lines than Maltby check their 3rd and 4th lines. We don't even have to use statistics, the fact is that Lieno is flatout better than all of our 4th line. Thats why he should be playing.

[CenterIce 83]

This isn't a fantasy hockey roster. Each player has to have a role. And not every player can have the role of "offensive sniper". You need guys like Maltby that will grind and play defensively sound hockey.

This is one of the best posts I have seen in a while.

[shoe 165]

Dont be surprised to see Draper cleared to play tomorrow that bumps Leino further down the depth chart.