Do we finally have our best lineup?

[Zeke 5]

Assuming Lilja will not be back for the playoffs,is this our best possible lineup?

Helm is here to stay (no arguments I hope).

Draper in for Maltby is an upgrade on speed and faceoffs.

If Rafalski stays healthy,that keeps Chelios and Meech out.

The only question is Abdelkader. I thought he was very effective against the quacks,being a bigger body and he likes to hit,but now we will face a younger,faster and more skilled team.

Is it the time to bring in our ace in the hole?

Do we unleash our secret offensive weapon yet?

Is it time for Leino now?

Or do we play it old school and never change a winning lineup?

[thedisappearer 291]

Or do we play it old school and never change a winning lineup?

If something goes wrong, maybe Leino in for offense. But if not, don't screw with success.

[zata20 4]

Keep what we have. Abby has been great in the little time he has played! I don't know how long these lines will be together though.

[clayjoh 3]

We'll hear again from Maltby before this run is over

This may well turn into a swan song for him and Draper

If we were to complete the mission as it were would there be pressure from management for Maltby and Draper to consider a new "role" for the team in 09-10 season ??

On a related topic will Holland ever break up the Swedish mafia via trade Doubtful in my opinion

[titanium2 867]

I'd really like for them to get Datsyuk going. I make minor changes to these seemingly by the hour but I'd really like to see:

Filppula-Datsyuk-Franzen

Cleary-Zetterberg-Hossa

Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson

Abdelkader-Draper-Holmstrom

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Depending on how the PK plays against the potent PP of the Hawks I'd drop Abdelkader for Maltby. But it all depends on how we fend off their scorers when down a man.

[titanium2 867]

PK

Nick-Big E

Junior-Stuie

Drapes-Z for the first defensive zone faceoff

Z-Bear

Fil-Mule

Pav-Hoss

Drapes-Helm

Edited May 16, 2009 by titanium2

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

We'll hear again from Maltby before this run is over

This may well turn into a swan song for him and Draper

If we were to complete the mission as it were would there be pressure from management for Maltby and Draper to consider a new "role" for the team in 09-10 season ??

On a related topic will Holland ever break up the Swedish mafia via trade Doubtful in my opinion

I feel this to be true and I do so love Maltby. No reason to bring in Leino when he's not needed. I think we've got a pretty good squad as it is, just gotta get Datsyuk going again.

Love your goalie.

[Z and D for the C 712]

If we're going to split the big three. I'd like to see Filpulla with Hossa and Helm. That's 3 really fast skaters on one line. Then the great Franzen Z Cleary line and any combo after that.

[danijel 0]

i'd like to see franzen on a line with datsyuk

[redwingsandspartans 0]

I'd love to see Abdelkader play with Draper and Homlstrom. Just like Lidstrom made Ericsson better by playing with him in the defensive pairing, Draper and Holmstrom will bring out the best in my fellow Spartan Mr. Abdelkader.

[Thunderpriest 8]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

I've seen people on here calling for him to be inserted into the lineup as though he's the answer to a scoring drought.

How many actual NHL games has he played? Can you count them on more than one hand yet?

Let's get a full season under his belt and see how he develops.

He's an offensive player and will take longer to season than a role player.

And I still don't like splitting up Z and Pavs. They need to be kept together.

I am glad that Uncle Mike did some line juggling to throw off Anaheim, but I'd like to see the following lines kept together for the duration:

Dats, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Hudler, Helm, Cleary

Maltby, Draper, Samuelsson

This is how you'll begin getting more production from Pavel and Homer.

The second line is a monster and would continue to be so.

And you couldn't pay me to put Kopecky back in for Helm.....even if he were 100% healthy.

The D is easy:

Lidstrom, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lebda

Man, I wish that Lilja were ready to play. I'd love to see him out there with Ericsson.

Lebda & Chelios need to go next season. (trade + retire)

Maltby & Draper need to retire after winning their 5th Stanley Cups each.

Bring up Leino next year......Re-sign Hossa (somehow)

Pavs, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Cleary, Hudler, Samuelsson

Leino, Kopecky, Helm (This sounds like a nice combo)

Abdelkader

Lids, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lilja

Osgood

Conklin

I wonder if that lineup would fit under the damn cap.

[titanium2 867]

i'd like to see franzen on a line with datsyuk

So would I just so Datsyuk can get going.

But actually, if CHI is going to have a top line of Sharp-Toews-Kane then I want Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary to shadow them every time.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

If we're going to split the big three. I'd like to see Filpulla with Hossa and Helm. That's 3 really fast skaters on one line. Then the great Franzen Z Cleary line and any combo after that.

Leave Helm on the third man. He's not a top six player- he's there to make the top six of the Blackhawks have a very rough night. If he scores a goal- bonus! But his real job is to be a human pinball. (And f*** yeah- he's been playing like a human pinball!)

[Vladiator 116]

Just amazed how Babs split Dats, Z, and Hossa on to 3 different lines. Obviously worked. Yeah they were all double shifted at times. Just shows the depth of this team. Babs will get the lines right against the Hawks.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Abdelkader has played good, and the 4th line looked great in Game 7 with Draper back. So I see no reason to mess with the lineup.

That said, I think Chicago could be the kind of team that Leino could really do some damage against. He is a real scoring threat even on the 4th line.

But I doubt he'll see any ice-time unless things aren't going very well, or if say Draper's injury flares up again.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

I've seen people on here calling for him to be inserted into the lineup as though he's the answer to a scoring drought.

How many actual NHL games has he played? Can you count them on more than one hand yet?

Let's get a full season under his belt and see how he develops.

He's an offensive player and will take longer to season than a role player.

And I still don't like splitting up Z and Pavs. They need to be kept together.

I am glad that Uncle Mike did some line juggling to throw off Anaheim, but I'd like to see the following lines kept together for the duration:

Dats, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Hudler, Helm, Cleary

Maltby, Draper, Samuelsson

This is how you'll begin getting more production from Pavel and Homer.

The second line is a monster and would continue to be so.

And you couldn't pay me to put Kopecky back in for Helm.....even if he were 100% healthy.

The D is easy:

Lidstrom, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lebda

Man, I wish that Lilja were ready to play. I'd love to see him out there with Ericsson.

Lebda & Chelios need to go next season. (trade + retire)

Maltby & Draper need to retire after winning their 5th Stanley Cups each.

Bring up Leino next year......Re-sign Hossa (somehow)

Pavs, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Cleary, Hudler, Samuelsson

Leino, Kopecky, Helm (This sounds like a nice combo)

Abdelkader

Lids, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lilja

Osgood

Conklin

I wonder if that lineup would fit under the damn cap.

I agree with pretty much all of this exept Drapes and Malty, however, I was a little worried about Babs changing the lines all the time which caused us almost goals because guys weren't sure who was going out. I hope that doesn't happen against the Hawks with their speed and such.

[RedWings 79]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

We could have said the same with Helm not so long ago.

I rather see Leino than Malts, which is invisible and is not exactly the future of our franchise. He's going to cheliosize next year

[Donzi 0]

So many possibilities!!!

[Hank Dats 'N Homer 81]

Id like to keep abdelkader in just because i like his aggression and ability to dig deep in the corners and hit some guys. Him and Helm definetly gave the wings some charge when they needed it. The only thing that worries me is that im affraid that if Leino doesnt see some playoff time, he may walk at the end of the season. If im not mistaken he was only signed on a one year contract and i think he was banking on making the roster out of training camp. Is he ready for playoffs? Maybe not, but i really dont want to lose him next season, because hes a great goal scorer and if we do get to sign hossa we might be losing some of our starters and there will be room for guys like abdelkader helm and leino on the roster next season.

[VM1138 1,921]

I think Abdelkator might be switched out for Leino, but maybe not game 1. Only because we have Helm but we're going to need offense. THen again, with Hossa, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg finally able to score we might not need Leino to overpower Chicago and could use Helm and Abdelkador to bust some heads.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

I totally agree. I'm a huge Leino fan already. But it's his first year over here. I don't see how he's going to go in the playoffs and make a huge impact at this point. I'd love to see him stick with the Wings next year and be ready for playoffs. It's hard to believe his total game is ready at this point though to be much of a playoff impact.

[Zeke 5]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

I've seen people on here calling for him to be inserted into the lineup as though he's the answer to a scoring drought.

How many actual NHL games has he played? Can you count them on more than one hand yet?

Let's get a full season under his belt and see how he develops.

He's an offensive player and will take longer to season than a role player.

And I still don't like splitting up Z and Pavs. They need to be kept together.

I am glad that Uncle Mike did some line juggling to throw off Anaheim, but I'd like to see the following lines kept together for the duration:

Dats, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Hudler, Helm, Cleary

Maltby, Draper, Samuelsson

This is how you'll begin getting more production from Pavel and Homer.

The second line is a monster and would continue to be so.

And you couldn't pay me to put Kopecky back in for Helm.....even if he were 100% healthy.

The D is easy:

Lidstrom, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lebda

Man, I wish that Lilja were ready to play. I'd love to see him out there with Ericsson.

Lebda & Chelios need to go next season. (trade + retire)

Maltby & Draper need to retire after winning their 5th Stanley Cups each.

Bring up Leino next year......Re-sign Hossa (somehow)

Pavs, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Cleary, Hudler, Samuelsson

Leino, Kopecky, Helm (This sounds like a nice combo)

Abdelkader

Lids, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lilja

Osgood

Conklin

I wonder if that lineup would fit under the damn cap.

I think that Leino gives us another offensive weapon that nobody would anticipate,especially the Hawks.

He would have lots of room to manuevre since he would probably face their 4th line.Let them focus on Dats,Hossa,etc,and I'll be happy taking a goal or 2 from our 4th line.

The only question is,do we take out Abdelkader,who gives us grit and hitting?

Tough call,as I'd like to see them both in.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

What happened to the Flip - Franzen - Hossa line?

It seems like they had their 2 games of fame, and then Babcock decided not to use them again.

I'd keep that line together, and play Datsyuk with Hank and Cleary.

Holmstrom being taken off the top 6 will make him utterly useless, but at this point there's no choice. He doesn't deserve top 6 minutes. Sammy has outplayed him.

Edited May 16, 2009 by GMRwings1983

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

Okay, what's the fascination with Leino?

Don't get me wrong, I think he's going to be a solid player for us, but he's just not ready for the NHL playoffs in my opinion.

I've seen people on here calling for him to be inserted into the lineup as though he's the answer to a scoring drought.

How many actual NHL games has he played? Can you count them on more than one hand yet?

Let's get a full season under his belt and see how he develops.

He's an offensive player and will take longer to season than a role player.

And I still don't like splitting up Z and Pavs. They need to be kept together.

I am glad that Uncle Mike did some line juggling to throw off Anaheim, but I'd like to see the following lines kept together for the duration:

Dats, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Hudler, Helm, Cleary

Maltby, Draper, Samuelsson

This is how you'll begin getting more production from Pavel and Homer.

The second line is a monster and would continue to be so.

And you couldn't pay me to put Kopecky back in for Helm.....even if he were 100% healthy.

The D is easy:

Lidstrom, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lebda

Man, I wish that Lilja were ready to play. I'd love to see him out there with Ericsson.

Lebda & Chelios need to go next season. (trade + retire)

Maltby & Draper need to retire after winning their 5th Stanley Cups each.

Bring up Leino next year......Re-sign Hossa (somehow)

Pavs, Z, Homer

Franzen, Filppula, Hossa

Cleary, Hudler, Samuelsson

Leino, Kopecky, Helm (This sounds like a nice combo)

Abdelkader

Lids, Rafalski

Kronwall, Stuart

Ericsson, Lilja

Osgood

Conklin

I wonder if that lineup would fit under the damn cap.

Totally with you on the Leino issue... we don't need him just yet... We need our goal scorers to score some friggin' goals... also... OMG.. I totally thought I was the only one who thinks Lebda blows. Maybe you don't think he blows... but yeah... I do. Maltby & Draper probably should retire but I friggin love Malts. I hope he has 1 more year left in the tank.

Love your Goalie!