Thoughts on the lines once Hank gets back?

[Guest blueadams]

I hate breaking up Pav and Flip after today's game, but I'm guessing that Hank won't be skating well enough to center his own line...and that poses a problem:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Franzen-Abdelkader-Bertuzzi

Hudler-Filppula-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Miller

Modano

[wings_fanatic 677]

I agree with you, but at the same time I REALLY like our Abs- Cleary-Bert line so that needs to stay. IMO we go with:

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer

Franzen-Filps- Hudler

Bert-Abdelkator- Cleary

Eaves- Helm- Draper/Miller/Modano

- As you said, Hank will not be well enough to play without Pavs. Also, Pavs is playing in a league of his own right now, so he can pick up slack for Z and effectively get more outa an injured Z than anyone else will... they will still be a deadly line, and the best in the playoffs imo.

- Filpulla and Hudler have looked great in both games so far, and with the addition of Franzen, whom has also been great these 2 games, this should be a really good second line for Babs and the Wings

- I love that third line... it has really provided problems for Phoenix and helps set the physical tone for the boys... keep that line together

- The 4th line is again very good, arguably the best 4th line in the NHL so that is good

- Simply put, I think these lines should provide LOTS of success for the Wings and their hopefully long run.

Thoughts?

[stillwater 186]

Blue, your line threads are hilarious, and borderline insane.

I'm having my drinks ... anyone else still playing?

[mjlegend 155]

I agree with you, but at the same time I REALLY like our Abs- Cleary-Bert line so that needs to stay. IMO we go with:

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer

Franzen-Filps- Hudler

Bert-Abdelkator- Cleary

Eaves- Helm- Draper/Miller/Modano

- As you said, Hank will not be well enough to play without Pavs. Also, Pavs is playing in a league of his own right now, so he can pick up slack for Z and effectively get more outa an injured Z than anyone else will... they will still be a deadly line, and the best in the playoffs imo.

- Filpulla and Hudler have looked great in both games so far, and with the addition of Franzen, whom has also been great these 2 games, this should be a really good second line for Babs and the Wings

- I love that third line... it has really provided problems for Phoenix and helps set the physical tone for the boys... keep that line together

- The 4th line is again very good, arguably the best 4th line in the NHL so that is good

- Simply put, I think these lines should provide LOTS of success for the Wings and their hopefully long run.

Thoughts?

This, but I think Draper needs to sit a game or two rather than Miller. Eaves-Helm-Miller gives you all the speed, hustle and desire you want from a fourth line, and they aren't that bad at faceoffs/pk if you need them. I would also hope Z would take Draper's pk shifts in the event of his return.

Unless Filppula get hurt, I really don't see Modano fitting in against Phoenix, and I sure wouldn't have thought that five days ago.

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

Blue, your line threads are hilarious, and borderline insane.

I'm having my drinks ... anyone else still playing?

Is this a drinking game?

[Guest blueadams]

I agree with you, but at the same time I REALLY like our Abs- Cleary-Bert line so that needs to stay. IMO we go with:

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer

Franzen-Filps- Hudler

Bert-Abdelkator- Cleary

Eaves- Helm- Draper/Miller/Modano

- As you said, Hank will not be well enough to play without Pavs. Also, Pavs is playing in a league of his own right now, so he can pick up slack for Z and effectively get more outa an injured Z than anyone else will... they will still be a deadly line, and the best in the playoffs imo.

- Filpulla and Hudler have looked great in both games so far, and with the addition of Franzen, whom has also been great these 2 games, this should be a really good second line for Babs and the Wings

- I love that third line... it has really provided problems for Phoenix and helps set the physical tone for the boys... keep that line together

- The 4th line is again very good, arguably the best 4th line in the NHL so that is good

- Simply put, I think these lines should provide LOTS of success for the Wings and their hopefully long run.

Thoughts?

That's not bad at all...there's something I don't like about that second line though

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Hudler-Filppula-Franzen

Cleary-Abdelkader-Bertuzzi

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Miller

Modano

[VM1138 1,921]

This, but I think Draper needs to sit a game or two rather than Miller. Eaves-Helm-Miller gives you all the speed, hustle and desire you want from a fourth line, and they aren't that bad at faceoffs/pk if you need them. I would also hope Z would take Draper's pk shifts in the event of his return.

Unless Filppula get hurt, I really don't see Modano fitting in against Phoenix, and I sure wouldn't have thought that five days ago.

Faceoffs, faceoffs, faceoffs, Draper needs to stay until he proves he can't handle playing, and he's doing pretty good right now.

[Guest blueadams]

Faceoffs, faceoffs, faceoffs, Draper needs to stay until he proves he can't handle playing, and he's doing pretty good right now.

agreed.

[mjlegend 155]

Faceoffs, faceoffs, faceoffs, Draper needs to stay until he proves he can't handle playing, and he's doing pretty good right now.

Draper was 4/9 in faceoffs Sunday. He took 9 of the team's 59 faceoffs in the game. Even in the regular season, his faceoff win percentage was roughly 1 in 20 (four to six per cent) better than Datsyuk/Helm/Z/Abby. That's based on 9 FO/game, that's an avearge of one extra faceoff won every two games. If he's on his game.

In the series so far, he's 10/18 (55.6 per cent), compared to the other Cs, Dats (64.9), Abdelkader (57.6) and Flipper (44.4). Faceoffs alone ought not be a reason to keep Draper in.

I understand what you're saying but I think I'd rather have the other three for their forechecking tenacity since that's another area to expolit their turnover-prone defence.

This is, of course, once Z gets back and there really seems to be no guarantee of that for Monday.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Draper - Zetterberg - Cleary

Hudler - Bertuzzi - Holmstrom

Abdelkder - Datsyuk - Eaves

Franzen - Filpulla - Helm

Edited April 17, 2011 by GMRwings1983

[Lonewuhf 47]

Draper - Zetterberg - Cleary

Hudler - Bertuzzi - Holmstrom

Abdelkder - Datsyuk - Eaves

Franzen - Filpulla - Helm

BRILLIANT!

[hooon 1,089]

I say we pull Howie and roll 3 lines of 4.

Homer-Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Franzen

Hudler-Flip-Cleary-Bert

Draper-Helm-Eaves-Abby

[thedisappearer 291]

Bench Datsyuk. He hasn't registered a point in almost 2 whole periods.