Changes for Game 5

[SuperNovaXll 124]

I'd sit Abby and Hudler for Modano and Miller.

This.

I would also put Kindl in for Big E.

[Guest blueadams]

I've been looking at the TOI and thinking about these lines for a while now...here's what I'd roll - even strength - in game 5:

FORWARDS:

Filppula-Datsyuk-Cleary

Franzen-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi

Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves

Modano-Miller-Holmstrom

DEFENSEMEN:

Lidstrom-Stuart

Kronwall-Rafalski

Ericsson-Salei

...The way mlive reports 'practice lines' (and who Babcock puts out there together for the first set of shifts) is one thing...but the way the actual (even-strength) time on ice breaks down is quite another. Babs is essentially rolling three lines, with the top six being some combination of pav, mule, cleary, hank, bert and flip...and the 'third line' being abby, helm and eaves (Huds, Homer and Draper aren't getting much even-strength ice time at all). If I'm Babs, for the next three must-win games, I'm scratching the 4-line format altogether and going straight with 3-lines + subs (and on defense I'm going with two pairings + subs).

I like Flip-Pav-Clears, Mule-Hank-Bert, and Abby-Helm-Eaves. I'd use the 4th line that ends up getting put together very, very sparingly in even strength situations. Homer needs to be on there for the PP, that's a no-brainer, but the other two spots aren't. If this 4th line has to go out on the ice together at some point, and it's Hudler-Draper-Holmstrom, it's going to be a complete disaster. Those are, by far, our three worst defensive players. So I'd at least get Miller in there. Then it becomes a question of Hudler, Draper or Modano. Hudler's an easy out, I think. He's brought nothing to the table aside from horrendous defense this series (and Stuart can man his point on the second PP). So it becomes a question of Draper or Modano. And for me, Draper's an easy out at that point. The only thing he's brought to the table thus far has been faceoffs - and he hasn't done well enough in that regard to merit a roster spot over Modano imo (and don't kid yourself about him playing good defensively, because he's not). Modano's probably better than Draper defensively, and he's probably better than Hudler offensively. Plus, it could be his last game ever. He's going to play his f-ing arse off. And you know the boys are gonna be excited to have him in there...and to not let it be his last game. Spark factor. He's in for sure.

Edited May 7, 2011 by blueadams

[Danglesyuk05 3]

I was kind of upset we didn't sneak in Kindl for game for against Pheonix..I thought that would have been a low risk time to get him a bit of experience.

I hope something happens with Hudler in the offseason. He isn't worth what we are paying him...Going to Russia set him back IMO.

Franzen isn't himself..I don't know how bad that ankle or leg is but its clearly hindering him. I wouldn't be completely shocked to see him sit and Mike or Miller dress instead.

[matt198913 932]

You all do realize that Abby is driving Clowe insane and was a huge part of the winning goal tonight right ? I'm watching the whole game over right now because I can't sleep... A couple of observations. Ericsson just ran away from a hit instead of taking the body. Franzen appears to be skating like the Mule we all know and love. Pavel is being Pavel. These Gieco commercials are freaking hilarious. Mike Babcock looks intense when we are up 3-0. We finally threw a puck at Niemi's skates and a huge rebound popped out. Holmstrom looks like a complete defensive liability. Filpula is looking like mini Datsyuk again. Kronwall has a chance to be really good. Maybe will win a Norris one day, if some other guy ever decides to hang it up. That other guy looks like he could play another 2 years at least. Maybe we should go after Bogosian if he doesn't want Lidstrom killing penalties any more. Salei had a massive hit. Ya he actually had a hit. Good God Helm can kill penalties. I'm wondering how Chris Cuthbert called the game for TSN, was Feraro with him? Pavels beard looks pretty darn impressive for a guy who barely could grow hair in 02. Ericsson just completely lost his stick somehow. He really needs to start playing like he's 6'4. Seriously we need Pronger to show him how to play not Lidstrom. He's never going to be confused with a great playmaker but he could be a heck of a hand at playing a defensive game, and the timely blast(see 2009 stanley cup run)... Anyway I have to work at 6 am so I'm going to attempt to get some sleep goodnight LGW and Go Wings.

[Guest Grayne Wetzky]

There was one game in Phoenix when one of the Detroit centers got hurt and Datsyuk ended up double shifting. He had the best game I had ever seen him play. I wish Babcock would switch out Hudler for Kindl, bench Holmstrom and Rafalski and only play them during the first minute of each power play. Then roll the lines like so:

Datsyuk-Filppula-Cleary

Bertuzzi-Zetterberg-Franzen

Helm-Datsyuk-Eaves

Zetterberg-Draper-Abdelkader

Holmstrom on bench for pp time only

Lidstrom - Kindl

Kronwall - Ericsson

Stuart - Salei

Rafalski on bench for pp time only

Howard

McDonald

Swtich it around in the 2nd period if the players get too tired double shifting. Every single one of the Wings forwards outside of Bertuzzi can play center, so it's not like giving Helm and Filppula the double shifting duties in the 2nd period would be a big deal. Mix it up.

[Nev 1,085]

Babcock admitted in the press conference he was basically rolling 3 lines. Last time we did that was 2007 when Calder & Bertuzzi spent entire games riding the pine. So much for our much vaunted depth....

Still, at least we've got lines other than Pavel's creating offence now.

[Guest Heaten]

Hudler was the bad defensively. If anyone should sit, should be Hudler.

Helm had a bad giveaway that led to a goal, Howard was below average, and Hudler was on drugs or something. Zetterberg was a beast and Datsyuk, surprisingly, was not the firecracker he normally is.

Howard will need to be better if this series is going to be prolonged. I'm all for sitting Hudler in favor of Modano.

[Sprsquirt7 45]

The thing is withbour current line up, you have nearly unlimited possibilities of line changes. Helm can move up, holmstrom can move down as the game goes on. There are a lot of possibilities with this line up. If we can keep certain people on sj nulified we will be fine. Let our lines out play theirs. We need to continually confuse mclellean(sp). Im confident we can push it to 6.

[Berry 2]

Hudler has to stay out, He was simply awful. Modano has to take his place, even if he is not 100% but he'll come out big, because these are his last days as a professional player.

Lines combos: Flip-Dats-Franzen

Homer-Z-Cleary

Modano-Draper-Berts

Abby-Helm-Eaves

[MGreenberg 105]

What is the point of these threads? Babcock hasn't made a change since game one so I don't see him making a single change this series.

[Hey man nice shot! 144]

I'd sit Abby and Hudler for Modano and Miller.

this i agree with 100%

[sinbin 3]

I'd sit Abby and Hudler for Modano and Miller.

I like this......I'm concerned about the Mule...... why play when you are injured....we have great back up that can cover!

[WorkingOvertime 536]

this i agree with 100%

Reasons Abby should sit? The last two SJ goals were due to Helm and Huds being out of position, while the first was lucky. Abby drew two penalties last night, and managed to get under Clowe's skin. Abby was also a part of the game winning goal. Please tell me why how Miller is an improvement.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Holmstrom is not going to sit, he's one of the leading producers this playoffs so far (and save your keystrokes, I get that he's with Datsyuk most the time and that is a factor), and his role on the powerplay is too important.

Holmstrom's fine out there. Abdelkader is fine out there. Etc. etc.

They don't need to overly tweak the roster, just play desperate and not have just that 1 or 2 heart-breaking defensive gaffes. It's not like they are being blown out of the water here.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

What is the point of these threads? Babcock hasn't made a change since game one so I don't see him making a single change this series.

I guess we're trying to coach to compensate for Babcock's lack of doing so in this series.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

Abby is not going to sit that's a fact. Abby has played pretty well except for a couple of boneheaded dumb high sticking penalities and such. However his playing style is exactly the type of player we need to beat the Sharks now and in the future. If Abby could somehow find a scoring touch he could be amazing.

On another note Flip has been playing pretty good as well too. Creating turnovers and forechecking like no other imo. Franzen is obviously hurt and should not be playing if he is imo, let Modano get in there.

This team did pretty darn good without Hank in the first round, let it be so with Franzen then if he's hurt is my say.

[LeftWinger 4,958]

You guy don't know how much I love seeing all these projected lineups WITHOUT Hudler in there! Edited May 7, 2011 by LeftWinger

[LeftWinger 4,958]

SO, here's what we have come to, most people say Hudler and Draper should be out, and about half say if Franzen is that hurt, then he should sit. Of course, we are all glad that Scotty didn't sit Stevie in 2002, but then again Franzen is no Yzerman. So:

Hudler out for Modano?

Draper out for Miller?

Franzen out for Mursak?

What about Tatar? Think he could add some mystery to the game? Sharks have never seen him, maybe he could surprise them? I dunno....

That would be a big lineup change, 3 guys out. If you had to make ONE change and ONE change only, who would sit and who would play?

Edited May 7, 2011 by LeftWinger

[Guest Grayne Wetzky]

If you had to make ONE change and ONE change only, who would sit and who would play?

I think this is a pretty good point. You can't get too wild with the line-up. I think I would take out Holmstrom and put in Kindl.

Cleary-Datsyuk-Filppula

Franzen-Zetterberg-Hudler

Abdelkader-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Eaves-Draper-Helm

Lidstrom-Ericsson

Kindl-Kronwall

Stuart-Salei

Rafalski for Power Plays

Howard

McDonald

I don't know about trying something out at this point, but if I was I was Babcock, I would have tried putting Ericsson up front with Datsyuk/Cleary or Zetterberg/Franzen a long time ago. Ericsson seems to do pretty well on the forecheck and not so well on the backcheck!

[DyingAlive 27]

Does anyone else seriously get petrified when Stuart handles the puck in our own zone?

Because last night he was on the verge of some horrendous turnovers. And it seems to be a bit of a problem at times for him.

[Guest Grayne Wetzky]

Does anyone else seriously get petrified when Stuart handles the puck in our own zone?

Because last night he was on the verge of some horrendous turnovers. And it seems to be a bit of a problem at times for him.

It's not just him, though. I'm hoping the rest of the team settles down now that the series is in full swing, but Filppula, Hudler, Holmstrom, Rafalski, and Stuart have all been EXTREMELY weak on the puck. Z, D, Helm, Eaves, Draper, and Abdelkader are playing with determination and poise. Ther rest of the team needs to get their skating vectors straightened out a little bit more towards the net and A LOT less towards the corners, behind the net, and boards.

Also, Is anyone else sick of Bertuzzi's one handed play? He scored a goal last night with a nice spin and deflected backhand, so I'm not knocking him shooting the puck. I'm just knocking his one-hand stick handling behind the net and in the corners. Doesn't seem to be very effective most of the time.