stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 per mlive http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/03/dan_cleary_returns_to_the_line.html Cleary will play on the third line, with Drew Miller and Jason Williams. Derek Meech fills in for Eaves on the fourth line with Darren Helm and Kris Draper. The top two lines remain the same: Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom, and Todd Bertuzzi-Henrik Zetterberg-Valtteri Filppula.The defense stays the same for the fourth consecutive game: Nicklas Lidstrom-Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall-Brad Stuart, Jonathan Ericsson-Andreas Lilja. Brett Lebda is a healthy scratch. He dressed the last two games as the seventh defenseman but did not get any ice time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drake_Marcus 890 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Looks good to me. Clearly is most successful in a 3rd line role anyway. He can afford to be inconsistent offensively as a checking line guy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hillbillywingsfan 792 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 thats awesome!!! now lets hope he can get back in it and add to the greatness that we have seen since the olympic break. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redwingfan19 293 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Good to see clears is back. I can see this being the lines for the playoffs if wings get in. Just sub in eaves for meech, scratch miller for Abs, and possibly move clears up to the second line if one of flip or bert is struggling. But overall it looks good Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BamaWing 37 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Hopefully he can step right in and we won't skip a beat. Need every win we can get then add in Eaves soon hopefully Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mmamolo 287 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Personally I think Cleary fits best on the 3rd line (despite his $2.8M/yr hit - which is too high for a 3rd line guy but Cleary brings a lot to the table) because as a 3rd line guy his production looks great. When Cleary plays in the top six his scoring is looked upon as sporatic and inconsistent - which it is. When he's on the 3rd line his scoring is looked upon as above average and timely - which it is. His production doesn't necessarily change all too much depending on his role but what does change is what he can bring in his role. He'll bring leadership and responsibility to that third line and shore them up while if he were playing second fiddle to Zetterberg he was only cast as a supporting guy. If he's able to chip in some points here and there, play responsibly in our zone, and bring intensity to that line then I think he's doing his job. I think he'll bring out the best in Miller and Williams and our 3rd will be that much better for it. He'll do to for Williams and Miller what Zetterberg is doing for Bertuzzi and Filppula. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest mindfly Report post Posted March 24, 2010 I don't wish to start a bashing thread, nor bring about some bad luck, but why is Lebda sitting out this game? Good to hear Cleary will be back in tonight; hopefully he'll have some extra jump in those legs! Because babcock think meech can play forward better than lebda... and it's either ericsson or lebda as the 6th D, they've chosen ericsson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest mindfly Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Obviously they want Ericsson to get er going because they know that he has much more upside and potential than Lebda. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rivalred 630 Report post Posted March 24, 2010 Good to see him back... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites