Zetterberg credits his linemates with his surge

[cupforwings 138]

I don't really see that. The number of points D and Z produce apart is greater than the number they produce together. The only way Babcock will put them back together is if no one else is playing at that time. Really, splitting them up seems to be more effective

[ben_usmc 253]

remind me why Williams has to be in the line up daily? Isn't he being paid farely cheap also couldn't he just as easily be watching from teh press box?

[Theophany 110]

This team is at it's best with Zetterberg and Datsyuk together.

Is that an objective observation, or is it just a feeling you have?

I realize that seeing the Euro Twins together is awesome (trust me, I love seeing them play on the same line), but I don't think that the Wings have any more success with them on the same line.

I'm with Marcus on this one; I'd put the lines like...

Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Leino-Zetterberg-Cleary

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Williams

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Mainly because I don't think that anyone else is ready to center the third line but Filppula (if we want to keep our energy line together, which I think has been tied for our best line all season with the current Z line).

I also want to see Franzen in Bertuzzi's current spot, since he makes the current Bertuzzi look like a complete joke on the first line, from a scoring perspective.

With those lines, the third line is easily our weakest link, which says something.

[skyphoenix 153]

This team is at it's best with Zetterberg and Datsyuk together.

Wrong. Having one producing line is not a benefit for us. We are deeper and more balanced with them separated. Our depth is what makes us a great team.

[Echolalia 2,961]

why would they split up Z and cleary when they consistently work well together? If anyone is the odd man out of that line it is Leino, not Cleary. Plus, that first line could be greatly improved with Franzen... He's like Bertuzi, except better at everything, especially scoring.

Because Franzen and Zetterberg provide more potential than Cleary and Zetterberg. Cleary is also more defensively responsible than Leino and can put up numbers without being surrounded by talent, thus he is more eligible to man a third line than Leino. And I would rather see Franzen and Zetterberg together than Franzen and Datsyuk, but that's just my opinion.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Is that an objective observation, or is it just a feeling you have?

I realize that seeing the Euro Twins together is awesome (trust me, I love seeing them play on the same line), but I don't think that the Wings have any more success with them on the same line.

I'm with Marcus on this one; I'd put the lines like...

Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Leino-Zetterberg-Cleary

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Williams

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Mainly because I don't think that anyone else is ready to center the third line but Filppula (if we want to keep our energy line together, which I think has been tied for our best line all season with the current Z line).

I also want to see Franzen in Bertuzzi's current spot, since he makes the current Bertuzzi look like a complete joke on the first line, from a scoring perspective.

With those lines, the third line is easily our weakest link, which says something.

This. Switching Franzen in for Bertuzzi gives the 1st line a HUGE boost. Like someone said above-- Franzen is better than Bertuzzi at everything (yes, even when it comes to growing beards).

Datsyuk is FAR more effective when he has an elite scorer to pass the puck to. This team only has two guys who fit that description-- Zetterberg and Franzen (while you can argue that Franzen's not a truly "elite" scorer during the regular season he certainly is in the playoffs).

[Theophany 110]

Franzen is better than Bertuzzi at everything (yes, even when it comes to growing beards).

I don't know if I'd go that far.

But yes to the rest of it.

[cupforwings 138]

Because Franzen and Zetterberg provide more potential than Cleary and Zetterberg. Cleary is also more defensively responsible than Leino and can put up numbers without being surrounded by talent, thus he is more eligible to man a third line than Leino. And I would rather see Franzen and Zetterberg together than Franzen and Datsyuk, but that's just my opinion.

I do think Zetterberg and Franzen have potential and play really well together. However, then you leave Bert playing with Datsyuk which is only effective to a certain point. He is more of a 3rd line player these days. Zetterberg will produce with Clearyl, and Franzen will produce with Datsyuk. In pre-season i think Babcock had Datsyuk and Franzen and they were playing really well with each other, so we will see. I guess it seems to make more sense to balance the lines with equal scoring threats.

But I defiantly wouldn't be upset if they put Franzen with Zetterberg. Like you said, a ton of potential

[Icesurfer 75]

Other forwards around the league with very similar (or exact) contract numbers to Williams (which only makes sense if the Wings try to trade him) and also similar stats are:

Steve Ott -Dallas

Mike Comrie - Edmonton

Jarkko Ruutu - Ottawa

Scottie Upshall - Phoenix

Pascal Dupuis - Pittsburgh

Jay McClement - St. Louis

Travis Moen is still the best choice for me.

The lines will look the best to me when Williams is traded.....LOL. Wings have 8 weeks to figure it out.... LOL.

If Williams is no better than a third line player and only useful on the PP.... which is doing better without him btw..... why bother hanging on to him????..... he is a lousy checker.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Icesurfer

[Z and D for the C 712]

Wrong. Having one producing line is not a benefit for us. We are deeper and more balanced with them separated. Our depth is what makes us a great team.

We have an incredibly deep team regardless. Our top six is better with Filppula than without. Unfortunately that does leave a small weakness in the third line center, but that is why I said maybe the Wings could shop for one.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I don't know if I'd go that far.

But yes to the rest of it.

Lilja's beard pwns both of them anyway.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

We have an incredibly deep team regardless. Our top six is better with Filppula than without. Unfortunately that does leave a small weakness in the third line center, but that is why I said maybe the Wings could shop for one.

How so? Filppula is an average 2nd line centre at best (if we're talking solely about point production). On the other hand, he's one of the best 3rd line centres in the league. So what's better? Having an awesome 3rd centred by Filppula or an average 2nd? The only time there's any justification for having Filppula in the top six is if Dats and Z are together. (and no, I'd never put Val on the wing on this team-- his defensive and face-off contributions are too important to justify that)

Edited November 16, 2009 by Drake_Marcus

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Lilja's beard pwns both of them anyway.

Lilja's beard is fantastic, but lets not kid ourselves, Bertuzzi's beard in any of the past 2 runs would've been ridiculous.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Lilja's beard is fantastic, but lets not kid ourselves, Bertuzzi's beard in any of the past 2 runs would've been ridiculous.

Bert's beard would be hanging lower than his chin-strap after 2 months without shaving.

[Z and D for the C 712]

That's what I'm saying, Datsyuk and Z should be together.

To rank our forwards:

1/2. Z/Pav (Un-respectively)

3. Franzen.

4. Filppula

5. Cleary (I'm sure there are people who think that Cleary is better than Flip, but Cleary has played with Zetterberg and Datsyuk A LOT and his point totals represent that, Flip basically never plays with either)

Put all of them in the top 6 and pop Holmstrom in with Z and Pav. That is out best top 6, period. We can get by with what we have on our bottom six without Filppula pretty well, but a trade for a defensively-solid third line center would be good.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Z and D for the C

[CMatt89 63]

Bear, haha

[Icesurfer 75]

3rd line:

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Moen

or

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Ruutu

or

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Upshall

or

Bertuzzi-Filppula-Dupuis

In 8 weeks TRADE WILLIAMS PLEASE for any one of those 4 forwards... Any one of those lines would be one heck of a physical checking line that would dig the puck out of the corners and agitate the other team. They may not score as much as Williams..... the Wings have the first 2 lines for that. Those 4 have very similar cap numbers.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Icesurfer

[cupforwings 138]

That's what I'm saying, Datsyuk and Z should be together.

To rank our forwards:

1/2. Z/Pav (Un-respectively)

3. Franzen.

4. Filppula

5. Cleary (I'm sure there are people who think that Cleary is better than Flip, but Cleary has played with Zetterberg and Datsyuk A LOT and his point totals represent that, Flip basically never plays with either)

Put all of them in the top 6 and pop Holmstrom in with Z and Pav. That is out best top 6, period. We can get by with what we have on our bottom six without Filppula pretty well, but a trade for a defensively-solid third line center would be good.

The point is, splitting Z and Pav up gives us amazing depth. Depth is why they have been so successful over he years: 4 lines coming at the other team consistantly, wearing them down over the course of the game. Leaving our 3 line weak doesn't make sense when putting Filpula there would make it stronger.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg APART=more points than datsuyk and zetterberg together

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Bert's beard would be hanging lower than his chin-strap after 2 months without shaving.

He'd have to get a new helmet with a lower hanging chin-strap because the beard would be so big, that it would be too tight for him to stand, goodness I hope we go deep this year, the beards will be even better. Eaves is no slouch either, and someone has to convince Lids to grow the goatee again

[titanium2 867]

The Draper-Helm-Eaves line currently averages nearly 14 minutes a game. I like what they're doing out there for those 14 minutes. They bring tenacity, skating and tough forechecking for quality minutes. The third line hasn't had that since Drake-Draper-Cleary line from 2008. If I had to pick between Bert-Fil-Willy and Draper-Helm-Eaves for those 14 minutes I would definitely go with the latter. To replace the speed line with games like Bertuzzi's and Willy's seems foolish. I really want the third line to have the same elements as it does now.

If you're going to have Fil as the third line center then why not have Helm and Eaves as his wingers? Maybe Fil as the center would make that speed line even better.

[Z and D for the C 712]

The point is, splitting Z and Pav up gives us amazing depth. Depth is why they have been so successful over he years: 4 lines coming at the other team consistantly, wearing them down over the course of the game.

You do realize we won a cup when Datsyuk and Zetterberg were playing together and Filppula was centering the second line, right? I guarantee we have just as much depth, if not more, than that cup winning team.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Z and D for the C

[Icesurfer 75]

The Draper-Helm-Eaves line currently averages nearly 14 minutes a game. I like what they're doing out there for those 14 minutes. They bring tenacity, skating and tough forechecking for quality minutes. The third line hasn't had that since Drake-Draper-Cleary line from 2008. If I had to pick between Bert-Fil-Willy and Draper-Helm-Eaves for those 14 minutes I would definitely go with the latter. To replace the speed line with games like Bertuzzi's and Willy's seems foolish. I really want the third line to have the same elements as it does now.

If you're going to have Fil as the third line center then why not have Helm and Eaves as his wingers? Maybe Fil as the center would make that speed line even better.

Drapes skates faster than Fil and Draper has regained a scoring touch playing the wing. ..... that's an added bonus to the DHE Express line. I think Filppula can get knocked off the puck easier than some other guys. Fil tries to play like Datsyuk. When you think about it in four years Filppula has not meshed with anyone in particular.... what does that tell you???

[Z and D for the C 712]

I think Filppula can get knocked off the puck easier than some other guys. Fil tries to play like Datsyuk. When you think about it in four years Filppula has not meshed with anyone in particular.... what does that tell you???

That you don't know much? Filppula is better at holding on to and retrieving the puck than 80% of the league.

[Statts 4]

Drapes skates faster than Fil and Draper has regained a scoring touch playing the wing. ..... that's an added bonus to the DHE Express line. I think Filppula can get knocked off the puck easier than some other guys. Fil tries to play like Datsyuk. When you think about it in four years Filppula has not meshed with anyone in particular.... what does that tell you???

It tells me that you watch games with your eyes closed. Filppula was one of the Wings best players before he got injured.

[titanium2 867]

When you think about it in four years Filppula has not meshed with anyone in particular.... what does that tell you???

What in the world makes you think that?