Babcock splitting up Filppula line in Practice

[b.shanafan14 733]

Apparently Babcock isn't tired of wasting his best players by making them center Bertuzzi. Mlive says he switched Draper and Filppula putting Draper with Leino and Williams and Filppula gets to help Cleary drag around Bertuzzi.

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

I have to get to class, discuss.

[RedSea 31]

I doubt this changes anything...but I hope I'm wrong.

[kylee 727]

im not in the group that the OP is in (that Bertuzzi is a slob and pretty much useless)

but i do agree with this possible change.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

wings need more GOOD CANADIAN KIDs

[thedatsyukian 7]

Five minutes into the game and babcock will have already put the old line back together. Those lines look ugly.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Better, I think.

[Buppy 1,720]

They already use Cleary-Flip-Bert most of the time for the 2nd PP unit (at least the last few games).

[rick zombo 3,739]

Bert's been playing well.

[ilmickeyli 40]

needs less ericcson-lebda D pairing

[stevkrause 1,247]

Bert's been playing well.

this.

I think these line changes will help get us back into a groove, if for no other reason than putting ZDH back together...

I still would have rater seen Leino-Flip-Bert - 2 guys that love to pass first and one true shooter and a big body to go to the dirty areas that Leino seems to shy from... but I like these changes...

[b.shanafan14 733]

this.

I think these line changes will help get us back into a groove, if for no other reason than putting ZDH back together...

I still would have rater seen Leino-Flip-Bert - 2 guys that love to pass first and one true shooter and a big body to go to the dirty areas that Leino seems to shy from... but I like these changes...

I haven't seen Bert doing well in the dirty areas so far this season. Now Leino-Flip-Cleary on the second line and I'm sold. I think a Bertuzzi-Draper-Williams 3rd line could cause some damage and I think Cleary should be getting more minutes with better linemates.

[The Secret 304]

wings need more GOOD CANADIAN KIDs

This... and This again... how about some more of THIS!

[stevkrause 1,247]

I haven't seen Bert doing well in the dirty areas so far this season. Now Leino-Flip-Cleary on the second line and I'm sold. I think a Bertuzzi-Draper-Williams 3rd line could cause some damage and I think Cleary should be getting more minutes with better linemates.

I can agree with Cleary needing better minutes, I guess my biggest problem with Bert being out there with Williams and Draper, is the speed differential, right now Fil has to gear it back to play with Leino in this scenario anyway, as he isn't as quick, so it made more sense to move Bert to that line to me... either way, I don't like the idea of spitting up Leino and Fil as their chemisty has been really good, they just need a finisher on their line... if we hadn't lost Franzen, that line would be cooking right now...

[stevkrause 1,247]

This... and This again... how about some more of THIS!

god I hope you're being sarcastic....

[The Secret 304]

god I hope you're being sarcastic....

No I am not being sarcastic at all...watch the Olympics this year and see for yourself! But the Good Canadian Kids we speak of are drafted high and we haven't been close to one in a very long time.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

I haven't seen Bert doing well in the dirty areas so far this season. Now Leino-Flip-Cleary on the second line and I'm sold. I think a Bertuzzi-Draper-Williams 3rd line could cause some damage and I think Cleary should be getting more minutes with better linemates.

agree 100%

[stevkrause 1,247]

No I am not being sarcastic at all...watch the Olympics this year and see for yourself! But the Good Canadian Kids we speak of are drafted high and we haven't been close to one in a very long time.

I think it has nothing to do with country of origin and that's a very myopic way of looking at things... it all has to do with team chemistry and that is developed by individuals, not where they were born...

Speaking of the Olympics, I don't see Canada winning the Gold, maybe not even the Silver, as Russia, US and Sweden all have VERY strong teams... don't get me wrong, I root for US and Canada 1 and 2... but I still don't see them winning, so this doesn't really prove your point and one of the biggest reasons NA players have been getting drafted higher lately, is due to the risk of no IIHF transfer agreement causing teams to lose picks, along with the emergence and money offered in the KHL and the fact that college players don't lose eligibility, I don't think this automatically means the best players are coming out of NA, they're just better investments in most cases...

[Echolalia 2,961]

He can keep juggling lines all he wants, but I think the issue is that each line needs time to develop chemistry. We have such a huge dynamic between the vets and the rookies, its going to take time to get them all on the same level.

[stevkrause 1,247]

He can keep juggling lines all he wants, but I think the issue is that each line needs time to develop chemistry. We have such a huge dynamic between the vets and the rookies, its going to take time to get them all on the same level.

compound that with the fact that 5 of our starting 12 forwards on any given night weren't here last year, or were here less than a handful of games and you have an even bigger chemistry issue... they need time to gel, but we also need lines that have a good dynamic to gel properly - one of the biggest reasons I am a heavy proponent of reuniting ZDH

[Carman 387]

So the OP sounds like a stubborn Bertuzzi hater... Sweet haven't seen those before, the guy can create the most scoring chances on the team and still get bashed.

I'm wondering why Holmstrom is still on the first line for 5v5 he just keeps committing penalties and not helping Z/Dats get on the scoreboard get Cleary/Bert up there with Z and D, keep Holmstrom fresh for PP so he can be used to 100% effectiveness.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Carman

[stevkrause 1,247]

So the OP sounds like a stubborn Bertuzzi hater... Sweet haven't seen those before, the guy can create the most scoring chances on the team and still get bashed.

I'm wondering why Holmstrom is still on the first line for 5v5 he just keeps committing penalties and not helping Z/Dats get on the scoreboard get Cleary/Bert up there with Z and D, keep Holmstrom fresh for PP so he can be used to 100% effectiveness.

Holmstrom hasn't been on the first line for all but 1 game... it was Bert before that and he wasn't very effective with Dats and Z...

[jenova0 0]

we REALLY REALLY miss franzen right now.

[Carman 387]

Holmstrom hasn't been on the first line for all but 1 game... it was Bert before that and he wasn't very effective with Dats and Z...

I know Babcock usually sits Holmstrom towards the end of games, but unless Holmstrom's sucking is making me see more of him then there really is, I could of sworn he has been playing with Zetterberg 5v5 for the last few games.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Holmstrom hasn't been on the first line for all but 1 game... it was Bert before that and he wasn't very effective with Dats and Z...

This. I'm not a "stubborn Bertuzzi hater", but I'm definitely not a fan. Bertuzzi has been playing with skillful, creative centers so far this season and has yielded poor results. When Holmstrom got onto the first line, it really became apparent how poor Bertuzzi was at retrieving the puck in the corners and the puck seems to refuse to stay on his stick.

I'm all for giving Bertuzzi time to find his game and we've seen instances where he can take control, but most of those instances have happened when he has been demoted. Last game was Bertuzzi's best game and he was on the third line. I think thats his spot until he really turns it around. Other players control the puck better, are better in the corners, and overall seem to work harder than Bert, and until that changes I actually seem him working really well with Draper on the third line, causing problems, mucking it up.

Babcock has the tendency to try to force chemistry between players who have none, and Bertuzzi does not fit the style of play with our skilled, European centers. He should earn his spot on the third line, instead we've been giving him chance after chance on the first/second.

[Carman 387]

I know goal posts don't count, but I really think Bertuzzi has been one of our strongest player 5v5 in getting the puck to the net. He's created a lot of scoring chances by himself. That said I don't think Babcock should force him to work, but I'm certainly not against trying it.

Also Holmstrom has been just awful 5v5. There is no consistent pressure in the O-zone for our first line, his speed is killing the chemistry that was once there. He is fine off a face-off win or when Datsyuk dangles around 2 people to create space(The only way he has 2 goals ES), but if we have to dump it in we have been having trouble retrieving the puck with him out there. I certainly don't think Holmstrom is helping Datsyuk and Zetterberg's numbers 5v5.