reunite the HZD line?

[hardcoretom21 71]

Maybe this move will have to wait until Franzen is healthy again, but how about re-uniting Zetterberg with Datsyuk and Homer?

You got two snipers, and with a solid presence in front of the net maybe that could give the team some timely goals?

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

May as well try something different.

On the bright side, we'd never have to see that godawful 4th line ever again.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Homer is the most useless player in the NHL. If you're going to reunite Dats and Z, put Nyquist on the line. Don't anchor it down with a guy that can't keep up and that can't even deflect the puck in front of the net anymore. Homer needs to hang em up and i hope he spends all of the playoffs in the press box. if not Nyquist, then put bert or Abdelkader on the line.

One last time so it sinks in, Homer sucks.

the Wings can have a press box line of Homer, Cleary and Franzenfloat

[cnot19 191]

I would be against reuniting that line, I think Homer's career is simply over. Hes been a great wing, but this year was just one too many. I would rather see one of the younger guys given more top line minutes than Holmstrom who isnt going to get better.

[hardcoretom21 71]

Well he's been dubbed a powerplay specialist.. But you can't blame the Wings' powerplay woes onto him alone.. I just thought maybe reuniting him with a couple of sniper would help out the team's production, although this is assuming the 2nd line (Flip+Franzen+Hudler or Bert) can follow suit!

[wings_fanatic 677]

I agree! Hank and Pasha should for sure be together imo. I would like to see them with Bert though at this point because he uses his size really well to create open ice for Pasha and can also chip in with some nice passes and stuff...

[Lonewuhf 47]

The Z, Flip, Hudler line has been the best, BY FAR, for the last couple of months, why they tear apart that chemistry on power plays is beyond me. And if they do want to do that, Flip, Z and Dats would be infinitely better than Z, dats and Homer.

[jroc86 90]

Homer is the most useless player in the NHL. If you're going to reunite Dats and Z, put Nyquist on the line. Don't anchor it down with a guy that can't keep up and that can't even deflect the puck in front of the net anymore. Homer needs to hang em up and i hope he spends all of the playoffs in the press box. if not Nyquist, then put bert or Abdelkader on the line.

One last time so it sinks in, Homer sucks.

the Wings can have a press box line of Homer, Cleary and Franzenfloat

Couldnt agree more. There isn't a roster player on ANY team in the NHL that looks more out of place and utterly ineffective on a night by night basis. Homer was the worst skater in the NHL in his 20's in the clutch and grab era ... the only thing Homers does with consistency is take penalties every game because of a) his reputation in front of opposing goalies or b) hook/hack/hold somebody that's outskating him.

If Lids retires this year and we cant snag a bonifide stud UFA on D we are going to be in for a long year next year. Hopefully SuperLids and Franzen is back by the end of the week.

On a positive - Nyquist didnt look out of place at all tonight. He is a good fit in the top 6 if Huds or Franzen s***s the bed - I hope he stays up here.

Edited March 20, 2012 by jroc86

[GSBrooks13 204]

I hate to say it but I agree with the Homer summary that's being given. I think at this point it's hard to send Nyquist back down, he looked good with Dats and I think given a couple more games with Dats he could really break out heading into the playoffs. When Franzen comes back I think Homer needs to sit so Nyquist can stay in and then (hopefully) the Wings are left with 2 legit scoring lines again.

[Guest irishock]

HDZ with Hudler instead of Homer I'd try.

Or even Bert with Dats/Zets and a Flip/Hud/Franzen 2nd line would be better

Edited March 20, 2012 by irishock

[Majsheppard 203]

Honestly, the biggest problem remains in my mind the fact we can only have one scoring line at a time. So might as well make it a great one.

I would like to see if Zetter Pav and Fil could be a god line. Failing that I wouldn't mind seeing Zetter Pav and Franzen together.

I would most likely wish to make the second line a checking line to negate the scoring... maybe have abs and helm when he returns there. (obviously this would only work with last change.) Use the depth to make the third and forth as good as possible.

I think Nyquvist is good enough to play now on the second line as well. Maybe Gustav Abs Franzen.

Mursak Miller Bert

Homer Emmerton Cleary

EDIT: just realized I left Hudler off... I guess Hudler could take the place of Cleary... or Homer.

I have to agree, now that everytime homer gets on the ice he gets a penalty... I am getting tired of him. I still think he is better than Cleary this year though. Maybe on the fourth line he can provide that spark again.

Unfortunately the d is screwed up bad as well...

Edited March 20, 2012 by Majsheppard

[thegerkin 189]

Just can't agree. Homer gives to this team what he is asked. Terrible skater? Not in his role. Clutch and grab? Not in his role (anymore). Penalties (In everyone's role, but way down this year as to previous seasons - 60, 62, 32 so far this year). Provides the distraction in front of the net that Detroit needs. Like it or not, he's not a sniper, grinder, hitter, fighter, etc... he's a wall meant to be in front of the goalie and tip shots. That is Tomas Holmstom's role.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Holmstrom doesn't belong in the lineup right now let alone on a line with the top two players.

[atodaso 279]

All of this Homer hate in here is just pathetic. You are all sad people.

[wings_fanatic 677]

One thing about Homer is that he is on the 4th line, which is not a good 4th line to begin with. After thinking about it last night, I think Homer would still be effective playing on the top line with Pavs and Hank. On the 4th line he has to skate a lot more and try to play plays with the puck a lot more... that is not his game at all. Playing with Pavs and Hank on the top line would allow him to play his game... which is retrieving pucks (he is still very good at this) and pass it right off to Pavs or Z and then go to the front of the net... that is his game and he is still good at that.

Overall I just feel that Babcock is not using his players properly enough this year... usually he is a lot better at making line decisions but not this year. The 4th line is bad because Homer is on it and Homer is bad because he is on the 4th line. There is no reason that, the lines should look like this:

Zetterberg- Datsyuk- Homer

Franzen- Filpulla- Hudler/ Bertuzzi

Miller- Abdelkaor- Hudler/ Bertuzzi

Cleray- Emmerton- Mursak

I think the top 2 lines would be able to both produce and control play, the 3rd line would be able to do hard work and chip in some offence, and the small addition to Cleary on the 4th line makes it a little more defensively responsible. I feel that these lines would provide the best chance for the Wings.

[VM1138 1,921]

This has been tried. For whatever reason Zetterberg and Datsyuk don't have the same chemistry they used to. I think that ever since they became superstars in their own right they became too used to carrying their lines. I wouldn't be opposed to putting them together, but if they don't click right away the experiment needs to stop.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

All of this Homer hate in here is just pathetic. You are all sad people.

As sad as his game has gotten

[wings_fanatic 677]

I think babcock should experiment with this for 2 games and if it works then great.. if not then switch it up... at this rate we have nothing to lose. Simply put, if it works than babs will look like a genius and all the fans whining about Babs, and Kenny, and so on will forget about this skid by the end of the season. But I say 2 games because they have to get used to each other again... and from the times that they have been together this season, there have been times where you could see the chemistry (Hank pass to Pavs against the Preds).

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Honestly, the biggest problem remains in my mind the fact we can only have one scoring line at a time. So might as well make it a great one.

I would like to see if Zetter Pav and Fil could be a god line. Failing that I wouldn't mind seeing Zetter Pav and Franzen together.I would most likely wish to make the second line a checking line to negate the scoring... maybe have abs and helm when he returns there. (obviously this would only work with last change.) Use the depth to make the third and forth as good as possible.

I think Nyquvist is good enough to play now on the second line as well. Maybe Gustav Abs Franzen.

Mursak Miller Bert

Homer Emmerton Cleary

EDIT: just realized I left Hudler off... I guess Hudler could take the place of Cleary... or Homer.

I have to agree, now that everytime homer gets on the ice he gets a penalty... I am getting tired of him. I still think he is better than Cleary this year though. Maybe on the fourth line he can provide that spark again.

Unfortunately the d is screwed up bad as well...

I was thinking the same thing with a Z-Dats-Flip line which would be insane at this point as they're all playing really good, but then we have Helm at centre, but he's injured...Abby can play centre if needed, Hudler and Franzen used to be centre, but both lack speed and really i'd probably puke if i saw either play centre these days. Maybe Miller can move over, but with the top 3 centremen all on 1 line, even with Z and Flip normally playing together, it depletes the Wings down the middle. Nyquist could probably learn centre pretty quick, but leave that for after the Wings try to get back to 4th place.

[The Greek 323]

I think it would be a better idea to move Hudler down to the third line (maybe the fourth once Helm returns). Meanwhile, we should keep Z and Fil together. Let Holmer play on either of the top two lines.

I'm thinking something like this

Fil-Z-Homer

Bert-Dats-Nyquist

or

Fil-Z-Nyquist

Bert-Dats-Homer

With either of these line combos Holmstrom will either be providing an effective screen or attracting the attention of at least one defender. This will result in either better quality scoring chances or more space to make plays in the offensive zone. At the same time, Holmer's defensive lapses are compensated for by being on a line with defensively responsible players. Once Franzen and Helm come back there will be even more options. When we're healthy we could potentially ice a third or fourth line with Hudler-Mule-Cleary. Meanwhile, the line of Abby-Helm-Miller can be reunited. Guys like Mursak, Emmerton, Brunnstrom, and Conner give us even more flexibility. Either way, I'm liking our depth down the road, especially once our defense gets healthy.

Edited March 20, 2012 by The Greek

[dirtydangles 1,328]

homer is done guys. lets be honest. he doesn't have the effect he used to. his reputation gets him in trouble and his ailing body can't handle the pace of the game.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

Just can't agree. Homer gives to this team what he is asked. Terrible skater? Not in his role. Clutch and grab? Not in his role (anymore). Penalties (In everyone's role, but way down this year as to previous seasons - 60, 62, 32 so far this year). Provides the distraction in front of the net that Detroit needs. Like it or not, he's not a sniper, grinder, hitter, fighter, etc... he's a wall meant to be in front of the goalie and tip shots. That is Tomas Holmstom's role.

This is it. His whole career has been based on it. When he plays with guys like Dats and Z he's that sort of guy. When he plays with bottom line guys, he's useless. It's very much a case of both situations. Play him with Z and D, or don't play him at all.

Also, play Dats with Z or Flip, but not both I don't think. Too similar. Dats, Flip, Bert would be good.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Definitely worth a shot, very little is working right now.

As for the Holmstrom disliking, it's a bit much. He's my favorite player so my answer will obviously be pro-biased, but I just simply want to see something, anything shake this team up for the better.

If it's Homer-Datsyuk-Zetterberg, great. If it's somebody else with those two, great. If it's those three all on separate lines, great.

The trio has been successful in the past. I get that Holmstrom is probably all but retiring after this season or next, but again just about anything is worth a shot right now.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Homer is the most useless player in the NHL. If you're going to reunite Dats and Z, put Nyquist on the line. Don't anchor it down with a guy that can't keep up and that can't even deflect the puck in front of the net anymore. Homer needs to hang em up and i hope he spends all of the playoffs in the press box. if not Nyquist, then put bert or Abdelkader on the line.

One last time so it sinks in, Homer sucks.

the Wings can have a press box line of Homer, Cleary and Franzenfloat

This is what I think of this post :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

All of this Homer hate in here is just pathetic. You are all sad people.

I couldn't agree more.

[Krayzie_Bone 58]

I think its a good idea maybe its just me but Homer has something left in the tank IMO.