Abbys in!

[cmonster 11]

we can give them HEC tomorrow and DAM them as well!

Helm/Eaves/Cleary

Draper/Abdelkader/Miller

[dirtydangles 1,328]

thank god. i posted that this should happen on at least four different occasions.

[AIK'91 22]

I'll pay Abby's salary if he comes out tomorrow night and lays the **** outta Doan.

Luckily for you, the players don't make any money in the playoffs.

But regarding the roster change, I think that's exactly what we need. Even at only 8-10 minutes, Abdelkader should help set a more physical and grinding tone that might rub off on the other forwards.

Most importantly, we don't have to see Williams attempt to play hockey.

Edited April 15, 2010 by AIK'91

[FedorovMan91 1]

I like Abby being in the roster but as I and some others said last night, changing specific players do not bring up super different result unless the Wings wake up. More than considering how terrible Williams was yesterday, the Wings must come out with far better special team and effort. If not, Babcock will punch their faces during the intermission tomorrow for sure.

[cjm502 165]

Abdelkader has 152 hits in 50 games, ranking third behind Brad Stuart's 206 in 82 games and Darren Helm's 188 in 75 games. Imagine if he played all 82, was on pace for 245 hits.

We need grit, the kind of old school hockey that makes players fear the big hit.

Line on Abby's hits in Game 2......... over/under 6

Im taking the over.

Imagine if he played all 82 and got as much ice time as either of those two.

[hooon 1,089]

Yesss. Abby scores goals in the playoffs as well. Sorry that it didn't work out for Williams but... well, it didn't work out.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Didn't Abby score a goal in his last two playoff games before he was benched?

Edited April 15, 2010 by GMRwings1983

[deetroit dario 27]

i have seen the future...

jason williams stars in the remake of "the cutting edge". hockey pundits everywhere exclaim "its like he was born for the role. really a metaphor for his whole career".

meanwhile, abby brings some edge that cuts doan's alleged sac. 4-game tear, and we're resting up for the semi's...

GMR: yes, a goal in each of his last two. honestly, much as i love dats, i wondered what the wisdom in benching abby (who was playing like a man possessed) for (babs' own words) "80% dats" could possibly've been...

then again, what the hell do i know? i can only predict the sad, sorry future of williams. not so much a 3rd eye...more like a fake 3rd nipple.

Edited April 15, 2010 by deetroit dario

[gcom007 1,465]

As much as I've restrained my negativity towards the Williams signing all year, this is precisely why I don't get why we bothered to bring him back. What does he really bring to this team? I'd love to be proven wrong by him, but the guy has never been one to show up in the post-season, and he's certainly not a guy who you can count on to bring the physical level of play up in the grittier playoffs.

Siging Eaves made all the sense in the world and some at the price. Bert was totally worth the gamble at the price and I still say it's been a good deal for the Wings at $1.5 million.

But Jason Williams at $1.5 million? Really? I never got it...

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

As much as I've restrained my negativity towards the Williams signing all year, this is precisely why I don't get why we bothered to bring him back. What does he really bring to this team? I'd love to be proven wrong by him, but the guy has never been one to show up in the post-season, and he's certainly not a guy who you can count on to bring the physical level of play up in the grittier playoffs.

Siging Eaves made all the sense in the world and some at the price. Bert was totally worth the gamble at the price and I still say it's been a good deal for the Wings at $1.5 million.

But Jason Williams at $1.5 million? Really? I never got it...

I never liked it either but we needed goals and he was the best "goal scorer" left for the money. That said, he appears to be a second line AHL-er at best this season.

[cupforwings 138]

But Bertuzzi turns it over way more than Cleary, and puck possesion is so essential on those top two lines...cleary can hang on to the puck, and let's be honest he was good the last two regular season games, 1+1 and 1+2 or something I think he would get going even better playing with skilled players

100% agree with you.. Cleary has played great the last 3 games. Yesterday, he was definalty one of our best players.. He backchecks great and has more offensive ability than anybody else on the bottom 2 lines... If they did:

Cleary-Zetterberg-Franzen

Flip-Datsyuk-Homer

You could arrange the bottom 6 in different ways with Abby either on the 3rd or 4th line...

Edited April 15, 2010 by cupforwings

[cjm502 165]

Basically Williams "is lazy & he sucks".

[brett 1,029]

i def expect miller-abby-draper line to start the game friday and just check every coyote in site.

as said above i would like to see bert and cleary to switch

Edited April 15, 2010 by brett

[Guest Lidstromboli]

would rather have draper center that line. he's better at faceoffs

[bdavis 28]

I bet that was Williams last game wearing a winged wheel.

[Superman54 91]

I think Helm will come out flying tommorow,hopefully Eaves too, and Abs knows he has just gotta go out there and throw his weight around, so hopefully this team can show some urgency tommorow night, and dominate the way we are capable of doing. Franzen and Zetterberg need a better game 2 as well. Flippula just has to be careful he doesn't get hit too hard out there right now (knock on wood).

edit: spelling

Edited April 16, 2010 by Superman54

[Guest mindfly]

I bet that was Williams last game wearing a winged wheel.

Let's all hope so.

[wings_fanatic 677]

I don't know why there are so few people who want to see the line that the Wings play best with... IMO the top lines had NO chemestry yesterday at all during the game. To be honest, it was not just yesterday's game its been for the last few games of the season. I think Babs has to go to a format that won him the Cup 2 years ago...

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer: Pavel was amazing in game one and seemed to be the only forward, besides Homer, who possessed energy and a compete level, however Hank has not been himself. Filpulla is not good enough to feed Hank and Franzen is not cutting it with the feed Dats give him; Franzen is not finishing. So, why not play the best line together because, even on an off tonight, this line cannot be controlled by Phoenix.

Bertuzzi- Filpulla- Franzen: Franzen and Filpulla seem to work well together on the second line and are able to pick up points together. I put Bert on this line over Cleary because he has a bit more offense to him and Cleary is more defensive responsible and is needed on the 3rd line. I think this would be a great 2nd line.

Eaves-Helm- Cleary: This line has been great; nothing else to say other than it is a solid 3rd line.

Abs- Draper- Miller: This will be a good energy line also and will be able to hit with the addition of Abs. I'd put draper at center because he can win faceoffs and clearly the Wings need that. This is a solid 4th line. Simply put, Williams better not play again.

What does everyone think about these lines? Personally I think these are the lines Babs needs to go with down the stretch... Pavs and Z are magic together

[Hockey God 9]

May should be in

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

would rather have draper center that line. he's better at faceoffs

Yeah, but Z and Dats seem to get booted out of the faceoffs alot.

[crotty99 302]

Happy thread makes me happy.

[titanium2 867]

I think Helm will come out flying tommorow,hopefully Eaves too, and Abs knows he has just gotta go out there and throw his weight around, so hopefully this team can show some urgency tommorow night, and dominate the way we are capable of doing.

Everyone wondered how Jimmy Howard would handle his nerves in a playoff game. We all forgot that this is probably the first playoffs for Helm and Eaves where they are the #1 PK forwards. I wouldn't be surprised if they needed a game to shake off some nerves. Hopefully they can fight through it better tomorrow.

[VM1138 1,921]

Tomorrow night will be awesome. I think not only will 'Kader knock some people around but his physical play will excite the Wings and make them more likely to hit, meaning Bertuzzi, Stuart, Kronwall and Ericcson.

[Zenith 2]

I don't know why there are so few people who want to see the line that the Wings play best with... IMO the top lines had NO chemestry yesterday at all during the game. To be honest, it was not just yesterday's game its been for the last few games of the season. I think Babs has to go to a format that won him the Cup 2 years ago...

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer: Pavel was amazing in game one and seemed to be the only forward, besides Homer, who possessed energy and a compete level, however Hank has not been himself. Filpulla is not good enough to feed Hank and Franzen is not cutting it with the feed Dats give him; Franzen is not finishing. So, why not play the best line together because, even on an off tonight, this line cannot be controlled by Phoenix.

Bertuzzi- Filpulla- Franzen: Franzen and Filpulla seem to work well together on the second line and are able to pick up points together. I put Bert on this line over Cleary because he has a bit more offense to him and Cleary is more defensive responsible and is needed on the 3rd line. I think this would be a great 2nd line.

Eaves-Helm- Cleary: This line has been great; nothing else to say other than it is a solid 3rd line.

Abs- Draper- Miller: This will be a good energy line also and will be able to hit with the addition of Abs. I'd put draper at center because he can win faceoffs and clearly the Wings need that. This is a solid 4th line. Simply put, Williams better not play again.

What does everyone think about these lines? Personally I think these are the lines Babs needs to go with down the stretch... Pavs and Z are magic together

Anything is possible but it must be too late to re-unite ZDH line back since Babcock has been trying to separate Zetterberg and Datsyuk to strengthen two lines. Since they have not played together for a long period, it could turn even worse.

[crotty99 302]

Anything is possible but it must be too late to re-unite ZDH line back since Babcock has been trying to separate Zetterberg and Datsyuk to strengthen two lines. Since they have not played together for a long period, it could turn even worse.

I'd love to see ZDH back together if things were going completely down hill. Just not so sure about a Mule Flip Bert line.