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kickazz

Mike Babcock Line swapping.. Too much?

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Seriously, the past three years and especially this year the line swapping have been at a maximum. I feel like there's no opportunity for any chemistry being built. Don't get me wrong , I like Babcock, but how are you supposed to let team chemistry build if you just keep swapping guys back and forth ? He started the year with Z, Dats and Brunner, it wasn't doing good for a few games and he completely gave up on it? I mean, at some point you've got to realize that there simply isn't enough offense available right?

In any case, does it logically make sense as a coach to swap lines so much? It takes time to built chemistry in a line.. You're at the end of the season and you haven't built any good chemistry at all.. Maybe he shouldn't have swapped around cuz it sure didn't make a difference at this point in the season.

What are you thoughts?

Edited by kickazz

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In a short season, you have to swap all these lines, because you don't have time to let them gel together.

He's done it frequently because the offense has been terrible and the lines haven't mixed well for the most part.

It's a catch-22 in many ways.

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Guest DeGraa55

In a short season, you have to swap all these lines, because you don't have time to let them gel together.

He's done it frequently because the offense has been terrible and the lines haven't mixed well for the most part.

It's a catch-22 in many ways.

Pretty much what I was going to say...

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Guest irishock

He had 82 games to work with last season so lines like Franzen-Dats-Bert, Miller-Helm-Danny and Flip-Z-Hudler were able to stay permanent.

Edited by irishock

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Letting Hudler go was a huge mistake. At least the guy knew the system and could put up points. You develop a player for almost a decade, and right when he's reaching his potential, you let him go. I'm afraid the same thing might happen to Flipulla. Unless Holland buys out Quiency and another significant player, there is no way out roster is going to be any better on paper than this year.

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In a short season, you have to swap all these lines, because you don't have time to let them gel together.

He's done it frequently because the offense has been terrible and the lines haven't mixed well for the most part.

It's a catch-22 in many ways.

I get that but , in Babcocks case I feel as though he's overdone it compared to other teams. And at this point in the season there's absolutely no chemistry at all...

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I get that but , in Babcocks case I feel as though he's overdone it compared to other teams. And at this point in the season there's absolutely no chemistry at all...

Line combos don't matter if the forwards are lazy and don't have much talent. We have a few great players (who aren't scoring goals) and a bunch of scrubs surrounding them.

It's the players that make the lines work, not the coaches. I do think the players have tuned out Babcock the last few years, but changing lines isn't going to fix that.

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Guest Crymson

Letting Hudler go was a huge mistake. At least the guy knew the system and could put up points. You develop a player for almost a decade, and right when he's reaching his potential, you let him go. I'm afraid the same thing might happen to Flipulla. Unless Holland buys out Quiency and another significant player, there is no way out roster is going to be any better on paper than this year.

I can't even imagine the explosion that would have occurred had Holland given Hudler $4m for four seasons. It would have been thermonuclear.

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I can't even imagine the explosion that would have occurred had Holland given Hudler $4m for four seasons. It would have been thermonuclear.

I will take hudler for 4 mill over Sammy for 3 mill with a NTC. Hudler is in his prime and had great chemistry with hank and fil. As much flack as he took the guy can slow down the play and make things happen. Oh and even being a small guy he did a hell of a job in front of the net.

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Guest The Axe

There was another coach who swapped lines even more than Babcock has.

He goes by the name Scotty Bowman.

Dave Lewis and Cujo were my favorite times...

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There was another coach who swapped lines even more than Babcock has.

He goes by the name Scotty Bowman.

Yes but those line swappings actually produced chemistry man.. Wings had some legitimate players in the mid to late 90s and early 2000s. I remember when he put Federov on defense, it actually worked. But nothing Babcock has done this season has worked.

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Guest The Axe

Yes but those line swappings actually produced chemistry man.. Wings had some legitimate players in the mid to late 90s and early 2000s. I remember when he put Federov on defense, it actually worked. But nothing Babcock has done this season has worked.

We have a few gaping holes at forward. Can you imagine if we removed our 2 goal scoring wingers from the cup teams?

McCarty - Yzerman - Cleary

Kozlov - Larionov - Abdelkader

Come on. Cleary and Abdelkader with Datsyuk says it all. That's simply bad management. And note to Babcock: spreading talent only works if you have some. Put Flip, Days, and Hank together and hope.

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We have a few gaping holes at forward. Can you imagine if we removed our 2 goal scoring wingers from the cup teams?

McCarty - Yzerman - Cleary

Kozlov - Larionov - Abdelkader

Come on. Cleary and Abdelkader with Datsyuk says it all. That's simply bad management. And note to Babcock: spreading talent only works if you have some. Put Flip, Days, and Hank together and hope.

Yessir, I agree with you, and the point im tryin to make is. Mr. Babcock,: you shoulda just stuck to Z, Dats, and Brunner and by now it wuda been a good chemistry after 43 games are done. But... they never happened, and abdelkader is still on line 1, with no chemistry >.>

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Guest The Axe

Yessir, I agree with you, and the point im tryin to make is. Mr. Babcock,: you shoulda just stuck to Z, Dats, and Brunner and by now it wuda been a good chemistry after 43 games are done. But... they never happened, and abdelkader is still on line 1, with no chemistry >.>

I would not complain.

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The problem with having a top line of Z - Dats - Brunner is that if the opposing team shuts down that line, they pretty much shut down the entire team.

If Z and Dats are separated, then there's a least a chance that something could happen. There just isn't enough offensive talent on this team to keep them together for the entire short season.

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The problem with having a top line of Z - Dats - Brunner is that if the opposing team shuts down that line, they pretty much shut down the entire team.

If Z and Dats are separated, then there's a least a chance that something could happen. There just isn't enough offensive talent on this team to keep them together for the entire short season.

Yea but when they get separated they get double teamed lol. It's a catch 22.

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Z and Datsjuk need to be separated, otherwise this team will not be able to create offense over several lines. But Datjuk has to play with Franzen and Z has to play with Brunner. Otherwise the offense will not work, too. Z isn't a goal scorer and will never be one, so he needs snipers on his line who can score goals. I'd prefer Tatar and Brunner. Datsjuk needs someone who can create space, who wins the board battles and who can drive to the net. Abby is a guy for just 10min a game, so Datsjuk has to go with Franzen. That's the reason why other lines didn't work and it's also the reason why we're still fighting for a playoff spot. Remember the time when Quincey was injured and Lash played with Kronwall, Tatar was in the roster instead of Nyquist and Brunner played with Z. Wings won a lot of games and played very successfully. I really don't understand why Babs changed everything.

Also remember who the team stepped up after a terrible 1st period against the Flames when Babs reunite Datsjuk with Franzen and Z with Brunner. That's exactly what I say all the time. Even I blind can see it but Babcock's obviously too stubborn to admit that...

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Normally I am against line-swapping too but really Babs hands are tied here. He has tried almost everything this season and nothing seems to be working.

Playing Datsyuk and Zetterberg on one line= opponents are going to focus on that line because they know, other lines will be just that normal lines.

Seperate both = they have to carry each line by themselves so in the end less firepower but a more balanced lineup.

Looking at the state of this roster, there aren't many other options for Babs right now. Other players have to step it up and provide some help to Z and D otherwhise the line-swapping will continue, because like I said Babs doesn't have a lot to work with.

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Normally I am against line-swapping too but really Babs hands are tied here. He has tried almost everything this season and nothing seems to be working.

Playing Datsyuk and Zetterberg on one line= opponents are going to focus on that line because they know, other lines will be just that normal lines.

Seperate both = they have to carry each line by themselves so in the end less firepower but a more balanced lineup.

Looking at the state of this roster, there aren't many other options for Babs right now. Other players have to step it up and provide some help to Z and D otherwhise the line-swapping will continue, because like I said Babs doesn't have a lot to work with.

Tatar proved that he could help the team with his goals, his moves and his hard work. Lashoff proved that he's able to play big minutes with Kronwall. Brunner worked well with Z and Franzen worked well with D. There's just no reason for Babs lineswapping.

Edited by poel

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Guest The Axe

Z and Datsjuk need to be separated, otherwise this team will not be able to create offense over several lines. But Datjuk has to play with Franzen and Z has to play with Brunner. Otherwise the offense will not work, too. Z isn't a goal scorer and will never be one, so he needs snipers on his line who can score goals. I'd prefer Tatar and Brunner. Datsjuk needs someone who can create space, who wins the board battles and who can drive to the net. Abby is a guy for just 10min a game, so Datsjuk has to go with Franzen. That's the reason why other lines didn't work and it's also the reason why we're still fighting for a playoff spot. Remember the time when Quincey was injured and Lash played with Kronwall, Tatar was in the roster instead of Nyquist and Brunner played with Z. Wings won a lot of games and played very successfully. I really don't understand why Babs changed everything.

Also remember who the team stepped up after a terrible 1st period against the Flames when Babs reunite Datsjuk with Franzen and Z with Brunner. That's exactly what I say all the time. Even I blind can see it but Babcock's obviously too stubborn to admit that...

We are scoring one or 2 goals a game and losing. Does it matter at this point if our 2nd and 3rd lines are stinky?

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We are scoring one or 2 goals a game and losing. Does it matter at this point if our 2nd and 3rd lines are stinky?

Wings played more successfully at this time. That's what matters. It's just this terrible coaching style of Babs which brought us in trouble.

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I think part of it has been because of all the injuries. He has done to much of it with the healthy guys. I think it is time to send the kids down to G.R. and let them try to win an AHL Championship. Lets face it if the Wings get into the playoffs they are going out in the first round.

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My whole point in making this post, ladies? and gentleman, is that Mr. Babcock has not realized that his swapping has done absolutely nothing for him. Had he kept the lines the way they were, we could have ATLEAST had lines with better chemistry after 45 games are done. If Z and Brunner had kept playing, they could have had an amazing chemistry by now. If Dats and Franzen were kept together, they could have had a good chemistry by now. But none of that happened cuz he changes the lines up every damn game. I don't know why he doesn't just realize that swapping is not better than just sticking to it.

Tell me what the hell was the point of Zetterberg going to swiss and playing with brunner on EV Zug if babcock was just going to split them up? Nothing. If anything, we have now a Zetterberg whose running on fumes due to an extended season. While most players got a rest during the fall, Z was playing overseas, and now he's pretty much out of gas.

Edited by kickazz

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