Insight on top line

[Din758 371]

the last few games franzen, dat-sick, and homer have been playing together. needless to say they are playing pretty well.

i was wondering if anybody understood the logic with homer and mule on the same line.

i agree that datsyuk and franzen should be together but why wouldnt they put bert or filps up there. it seems to me that homer and mule have the same style with a gritty top of crease play and it kinda sounds dumb to have 2 of the same on the ice at the same time...

what do you guys think?

[Hossa4Life 4]

just dont split up the second line. zet, bert, and filp have been on fire lately.

[Rice 42]

For whatever reason, Holmstrom and Datsyuk seem inseparable to Babcock. No point in changing the top two lines now when both are playing really well.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

the last few games franzen, dat-sick, and homer have been playing together. needless to say they are playing pretty well.

i was wondering if anybody understood the logic with homer and mule on the same line.

i agree that datsyuk and franzen should be together but why wouldnt they put bert or filps up there. it seems to me that homer and mule have the same style with a gritty top of crease play and it kinda sounds dumb to have 2 of the same on the ice at the same time...

what do you guys think?

with homer standing in front of the net it makes it so franzen can work the cycle more with dats and hang out in the slot more keeping himself open to let his lethal shot go. franzen is a sniper and doesn't belong in front of the net. and flip is playing lights-out with Z right now, so thats not gonna be changed anytime soon.

[McAwesome 754]

Franzen and Holmstrom are not as similar as it seems. Holmstrom is definitely at his best when standing with his rear end in the goalie's face, and while Franzen has scored a lot of goals that way, especially during stretches when Holmstrom has been injured, he (Franzen) is about the closest thing the Red Wings have to a true sniper, someone who can find the voids in defensive coverage and accurately fire the puck to spots where the goalie is not. I actually like this line because of that very fact, Franzen has probably been the best fit to put with Datsyuk and Holmstrom so far.

[wingsdiehard13 33]

Franzen and Holmstrom don't have the same style of play. Franzen is a big, strong, power-forward type player who can skate and handle the puck. Holmstrom can't skate nor handle the puck nearly as well as Franzen. The Mule brings so much to the more to the table then Homer (not that I'm anti-Holmstrom).

Also, Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom played together most of the season last year, and I believe they were voted the top line (or very close to it) in the league by TSN.ca.

[titanium2 867]

Franzen is too good of a shooter to be a 5-on-5 net-front presence. With Homer in front of the net and Mule hovering around the slot or wherever, you have two guys that in theory create a lot of space for Pav to work his magic.

The line though hasn't made as much noise as of late. I wonder if it's because Zetterberg's line gets to play with Nick and Rafi much of the time or if Homer is banged up again or maybe teams have found a way to neutralize the line's effectiveness by harassing Datsyuk at every opportunity or something.

[Guest mindfly]

Eaves for topline IMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw when was the last time franzen scored with his ass up the goalies face deflecting a puck... must have been in the 08 playoffs.. now he just use his size and nice hands and sniper ability on all goals...but franzen has an amazing underrated deflecting ability which he doesn't use enough imo

Edited March 26, 2010 by mindfly

[DirtyD 38]

Franzen and Holmstrom don't have the same style of play. Franzen is a big, strong, power-forward type player who can skate and handle the puck. Holmstrom can't skate nor handle the puck nearly as well as Franzen. The Mule brings so much to the more to the table then Homer (not that I'm anti-Holmstrom).

Also, Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom played together most of the season last year, and I believe they were voted the top line (or very close to it) in the league by TSN.ca.

I'm not sure that was the case. I could be wrong but I thought that Babs had Datsyuk and Hossa (with Homer) pretty much attached at the hip for most of last season.

I digress. Although Franzen is capable of playing a "Homer" type game (not as effectively, mind you), but he is at his best when he is working the cycle and using his skill to make plays. He also gives Datsyuk a consistent, deadly sniper while Holmstrom continues to do his thing. I am hoping to see that line get on the scoreboard tonight. Although I agree that they have been playing well, I`d obviously like to see the top two lines firing on all cylinders. Of course, the win is all that really matters.

[titanium2 867]

I'm not sure that was the case. I could be wrong but I thought that Babs had Datsyuk and Hossa (with Homer) pretty much attached at the hip for most of last season.

Not really. The started out the season together for a significant amount of time but the Wings didn't start to play particularly well until Babs put together the Homer-Pav-Mule line. I remember reading that the stats on that line were incredible last season. If only I could find them.

[DirtyD 38]

Not really. The started out the season together for a significant amount of time but the Wings didn't start to play particularly well until Babs put together the Homer-Pav-Mule line. I remember reading that the stats on that line were incredible last season. If only I could find them.

I`ll take your word for it. I might just be thinking of the top lie I rolled all year in NHL 09. That line did some work.

I remember going to a preseason game (Wings v Leafs) at the Joe prior to last season and Franzen-Dats-Homer were the top line. Even then the line showed some streaks of greatness. I remember them just ripping the Leafs apart that game and thinking that could be a legitimate scoring line for a long time. I`m confident that they`ll break this mini-scoring slump any day now.

Edited March 26, 2010 by DirtyD

[king_malice 17]

The line of Z-Flip-Bert is red hot right now and should not be split and for the Mule-Dats-Homer line you can't ask for a better line Dats is the craziest playmaker in the game everyone knows Homer spends 90% of his shift with his ass in the goalies face and the Mule is just alot more mobile then Homer. I don't see any need to change these top 2 lines at all. If you were to change who would you put in. All year ive been saying when they get healthy Flip,Z and Bert should play together. These top 2 lines we have right now have to be at the top of the league. Bertuzzi ive always liked since he came into the league, and im actually very pleased with big Berts play this season from playing most 3rd and 2nd lines and with all the injuries and the mixing and mashing of different players all season 42 points is awsome. I think once Bert actually playing with Z,Dats and Mule his play has gotten even better, he seems to play alot better when he is with these guys. I don't mean his stats but his actual corner play, his skating and hitting he seems to want to elevate game.

Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Zetterberg-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Eaves-Hudler-Ritola

Draper-Helm-Abdelkader

id like to see this happen for line ups might be a LOOONG shot though. Probably only would happen if Lids is gone.Someone know what this would cost ?

Edited March 26, 2010 by king_malice

[ceebs 2]

I think they should leave the top line as it would make no sense to break up the 2nd line atm. However it would be nice if they wcould change the pp units. I believe franzen should be playing in front of the net on the 2nd unit. Run ZDH first then franzen-flip-cleary/bert as a 2nd unit. I recall him scoring a bunch of goals on the pp and in front of the net in past years and am just not seeing it this year... maybe that would get him going. Starting to miss hudler as a legit playmaker on the 2nd unit.

[king_malice 17]

PP1

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-Rafalski

PP2

Franzen-Filpulla-Bertuzzi

Williams-Kronwall

[egroen 384]

I think they should leave the top line as it would make no sense to break up the 2nd line atm. However it would be nice if they wcould change the pp units. I believe franzen should be playing in front of the net on the 2nd unit. Run ZDH first then franzen-flip-cleary/bert as a 2nd unit. I recall him scoring a bunch of goals on the pp and in front of the net in past years and am just not seeing it this year... maybe that would get him going. Starting to miss hudler as a legit playmaker on the 2nd unit.

Agreed - stick with ZDH on the 1st PP and let Franzen set up in the crease on the 2nd PP unit... which has been a virtual nothing all year for the Wings.