Maltby is leaning towards surgery

[HockeytownRules19 902]

http://freep.com/article/20100216/SPORTS05...-toward-surgery

[stevkrause 1,247]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

[Guest mindfly]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

Switch places with Bertuzzi&Cleary

[Finnish Wing 110]

Switch places with Bertuzzi&Cleary

To have a defensively weak 3rd line?

I think that Swedish line could work. Also would like too se Filppula playing on the wing more often, with Datsyuk of course.

[stevkrause 1,247]

To have a defensively weak 3rd line?

I think that Swedish line could work. Also would like too se Filppula playing on the wing more often, with Datsyuk of course.

I was absolutely sold on Fil-Dats-Bert when Babs played them together about 2 weeks ago for about a game and a half and they pretty much got all of our points over that span... they compliment each other very well and I really think they should be back together... those top 2 lines would provide a TON of offense too...

[wings7 62]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

Eh, not great. You need Filp as your third line center.

Bertuzzi - Dats - Holmstrom

Franzen - Z - Cleary

Williams - Filps - Miller

Drapes - Helmer - Eaves

May

[Guest mindfly]

To ger more out of datsyuk you can't have him playing with holmstrom and bert

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

First of all, I have no idea why you'd have Zetterberg as the 1st line centre over Datsyuk. Next I'd shy away from two choices you made there:

1. Splitting Datsyuk and Zetterberg up. Neither is playing strong enough on their own to justify that yet (although I agree with the decision to split them up in principle).

2. Having Franzen and Holmstrom on the same line. I'd rather have those two split up and ask Franzen to play a Holmstrom-like role on a line.

Here's how I'd play things:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Kronwall

Rafalski-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

That's right-- I'd split Lidstrom-Rafalski up. I feel like Rafi plays more recklassly with Lidstrom there to back him up. I'd rather see him play a more conservative role on the 2nd pairing and split the top two pairings times evenly.

If Lilja is shaky out there I'd break the pairing with Ericsson up and do this:

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Ericsson

Stuart-Lilja

That'd give each pairing a strong defensive presence and keep the weaker guys apart. Lilja will likely need a steady partner out there early on and that guy isn't Ericsson right now.

On the other hand I do like the idea of an Ericsson-Lilja pairing next season when E could play an offensive role and be able to rely on Lilja to cover his up for his defensive mistakes as he learns when to pinch and nails down his NHL game. Right now Lebda just isn't that guy. At this point Ericsson's being forced to play a game that isn't his own. He really isn't a stay at home defenseman. When you ask a hockey player to play someone else's role you rarely see them play their best.

[rage 24]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

I actually really like those lines!! Good job!

[Finnish Wing 110]

I've actually wanted that top4 on defense to look like Drake_Marcus suggested. Of those 4 guys Rafalski is the most offensive and Stuart is the most defensive while Lidstrom and Kronwall are more balanced. The pairings should be like that to get the balance there.

[wings7 62]

To ger more out of datsyuk you can't have him playing with holmstrom and bert

This doesn't make any sense considering this is the line that carried us all season long. Filps would be better suited on the third line in the center position. Showcasing our depth and strength down the middle. Plus he'd be more likely to score against weaker line assignments. Like at the beginning of the season...when his line was rolling with chances...no coincidence ther...

[dragonballgtz 273]

This doesn't make any sense considering this is the line that carried us all season long. Filps would be better suited on the third line in the center position. Showcasing our depth and strength down the middle. Plus he'd be more likely to score against weaker line assignments. Like at the beginning of the season...when his line was rolling with chances...no coincidence ther...

THats because there was no one else for him to play with really. I would rather have Franzen on his wing since he has better finish ability.

[Vladifan 680]

Anybody hear anything more about Lilja? I assume he's gonna be cleared but you never know in this bidness. Thanks in advance.

[Guest mindfly]

To think of it, I think it could be worth having Lilja with either Meech or Lebduh because Ericsson is just way too brutal at the moment.

[Guest zackmorris]

Take one for the team Kirk!

Red Wings

- Maltby to the IR

+ Activate Lilja

- trade/waive Lebda

+ Re-call May

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Miller-Williams-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Lilja-Ericsson

Meech

= PLAYOFF BOUND.

Agree with this.

Maybe keep Lebda as the 7th defenseman. He's not been as bad as he's made out to be lately at all.

I would also just for a couple of games, try Stuart with Lidstrom. I think those two would work really well together 5 on 5. Rafalski, while not nearly as bad as this board makes him out to be, has lost a slight step. Stu is lock down when he's on his game and has been our second best defender all season. Maybe Raf could do with not having to see the other teams top line every night, and with Kronwall at his side, it's not like he's playing with some bum. It might make things alot easier on everyone involved. It might also allow Nick to play a little more offensively.

Edited February 17, 2010 by zackmorris

[NEEDMOREGRIT 12]

Wave his useless ass already and call up MAYDAY

[Konnan511 1,736]

Wave his useless ass already and call up MAYDAY

Wouldn't that put us back over the cap? And wouldn't we not have enough room for him as well?

[BigTex 1]

Don't forget that for our playoffs lines we'll be putting Abs back in there.

things are looking up... :-)

[drumnj 459]

Franzen-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-Kronwall

The Swedish Five!!

Come on Babs, make it happen

[titanium2 867]

Babs won't ever play Z with Homer unless Datsyuk is on that line as well.