Lines I'd roll at 100%

[Guest blueadams]

I never said it was stupid. "also in the way that their the exact same lines babs started the season with" wtf? I don't get your point, please elaborate....

a lot of people did insinuate that it was stupid - as they do with all my line proposals, without really even taking them into consideration.

and i was just making a joke man, i didn't think you'd take it so harshly. in these line threads most people have a creative little twist in their heads that they'd like to see tried out on the ice. your lines were just, the exact same lines we started the season with. obviously babcock liked them at some point too, so i'm not saying that their bad. just poking a little fun at your lack of creativity. take it easy though. i'm not looking to start an internet fight or anything.

This coming from the guy who only starts one type of thread and does its repeatedly.

Not that it was my argument to get into though....just sayin.

i just posted a babcock video that everyone seems to like, i make a lot of off-season threads, and some random-non-lines threads here and there as well.

idk where that puts me on the LGW totem pole (nor do i care), i'd imagine pretty low, but for a beer-leaguer who just started playing hockey after college and who has loved the red wings since birth, i think i'm doing okay.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Here are some lines I like:

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Epic post. I love it!

You never learn do you?

I need to find my Aaron Downey 200 point season post.

Franzen hasn't scored in 5 or so games? So he's on a 0-goal per season pace then! Let's not forget that! This is just another of an endless example by eva unit zero that stats are not the end all to be all determination of how a player will perform.

This is sad.

Filppula and Hudler homers arguing about which player is better.

Like two *** decorators arguing about which one is tougher.

^ This.

Hudler or Flipper or *insert player's name* haters are pretty damn annoying, but the favorite player apologists are just as annoying as well, if not more. You all know who you are. I long for the day when you all realize that you are never really going to change the opinions of others who might not like the favorite player no matter how much or how hard you try and how blue your face might get. Only the athlete performing and what he does or doesn't do is going to change the "haters" mind. If you want to call them that.

a lot of people did insinuate that it was stupid - as they do with all my line proposals, without really even taking them into consideration.

and i was just making a joke man, i didn't think you'd take it so harshly. in these line threads most people have a creative little twist in their heads that they'd like to see tried out on the ice. your lines were just, the exact same lines we started the season with. obviously babcock liked them at some point too, so i'm not saying that their bad. just poking a little fun at your lack of creativity. take it easy though. i'm not looking to start an internet fight or anything.

i just posted a babcock video that everyone seems to like, i make a lot of off-season threads, and some random-non-lines threads here and there as well.

idk where that puts me on the LGW totem pole (nor do i care), i'd imagine pretty low, but for a beer-leaguer who just started playing hockey after college and who has loved the red wings since birth, i think i'm doing okay.

Irony is a funny thing sometimes.

Anyways, given that the team is playing as good as it can be lately, keep things intact for the time being, although I think Zetterberg and Datsyuk will play together again once everybody is fully healthy or the team hits a rough patch potentially. Flipper-Modano-Homer will be interesting, never really envisioned all three of them playing together.

Edited February 23, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[HankthaTank 1,100]

A line that they skated with in practice today:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary

Excited to see how this one pans out. I feel like it has potential to be very productive to have Clears surrounded with players that are actually willing to work and backcheck with the same intensity that he does. Now not too sure about Franzen-Flip-Bert but hopefully anything can get those 2 wingers cracking again. Still no Raf and Eaves either.

Edited March 8, 2011 by HankthaTank

[robb himself 143]

how about these combos

Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hudler

Franzen, Filppula, Holmstrom

Bertuzzi, Modano, Cleary

Draper, Helm, Eaves

Abdelkader

Miller

works for me

[eva unit zero 271]

Known working player/player combos in the top nine:

Zetterberg: Datsyuk, Franzen, Cleary, Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Filppula

Datsyuk: Zetterberg, Holmstrom, Hudler, Cleary, Franzen, Bertuzzi

Franzen: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Filppula, Hudler, Bertuzzi, Cleary

Filppula: Franzen, Hudler, Bertuzzi, Holmstrom

Hudler: Datsyuk, Franzen, Filppula, Cleary, Bertuzzi

Cleary: Everyone

Bertuzzi: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Hudler, Cleary

Holmstrom: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary, Filppula

Modano: Cleary

Note: Modano is only included because he will be on the top three lines due to his inability to play on a checking line; I don't consider him among the team's top nine forwards.

We have two basic line setups. Z/Dats together and Z/Dats apart. So what is needed is to assemble the ideal combination involving each setup.

With Z/Dats together, we have to use Filppula as the second line center. The other options are Franzen and Hudler. Neither come close to Flip in skating, and Flip is the best of the three on faceoffs. Following the sniper/playmaker/net presence model, we can define Z and Dats in the first two roles for their line, and Flip as the playmaker for his line. Bertuzzi and Holmstrom fall into the 'net presence' category as that is by far their most useful role, so we'll work on assembling lines based on that. Franzen and Cleary can fill both net presence and sniper roles, and Modano and Hudler can fill both playmaker and sniper roles. Franzen and Modano serve the team best as snipers, leaving Cleary and Hudler in the net presence and playmaker roles respectively. Based on the "model" and ideal chemistry, this would work out to the exact top-three lines Babcock started the season with, which are as follows:

Z/D/H

Franzen/Filppula/Bertuzzi

Hudler/Modano/Cleary

I personally don't like these lines, even though they follow the "model" because while the first two have had success, the third one displayed a clear lack of chemistry between Hudler and Modano, not only due to coinciding slumps but also due to playing styles. Using Hudler or Modano as the "playmaker" had little success because the two have such drastically different playing styles it harms the overall line. Switching Hudler for Bertuzzi puts Cleary in the sniper role and Franzen in the net presence role, but the second line of Franzen/Filppula/Hudler, as it has been used in the past, has worked more as a "two shooter" line than the DZH line works, and it also provides two highly skilled playmakers in Flip and Huds.

With Dats and Z split, it means you have to either put Flip on the wing, the third line, or even both. Recently we saw an extremely effective line in Huds/Dats/Cleary which followed the model. Based on that line, we can jump to this setup:

Franzen/Z/Holmstrom

Hudler/Dats/Cleary

Bertuzzi/Filppula/Modano

Why is left-handed Hudler on the left side yet left-handed Modano is on the right side? Because Hudler, despite being intended as the sniper, has served as a VERY effective playmaker for that line. Modano, on the other hand, would be the shooter, receiving passes from left-handed Filppula. A left-handed shooter on the right-side taking passes from a left-handed center can be very dangerous and could give Modano a huge kick-start.

So I would most likely roll the split lines I just mentioned, because I feel that would provide the most dangerous and well-rounded Wings team.

Oh, and for the D?

Lidstrom/Kindl

Kronwall/Stuart

Ericsson/Rafalski

Salei can play in Rafalski's spot until he gets back. But seriously; Nick is the best partner for Kindl in terms of style, and I'm not talking "Kindl sucks" either. Kindl is a good skater and skilled with the puck. He can bring it offensively, he just needs to learn some defense and to bring his game together a little bit. He's been improving every day and if he's given the opportunity to play with someone he actually fits well with, he'll get moving up at a much more rapid rate.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Bump. Suggestions?