wingsfan4795 552 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 I think that had to do more with him being injured though then just being bad. I could be wrong but IF he is healthy I think he is number 2 no matter what.It's probably worth noting that legwand was demoted to the fourth line due to poor performance. I don't see why Babcock wouldn't demote Weiss if he doesn't play well as the 2C 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number9 3,297 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 (edited) I think that had to do more with him being injured though then just being bad. I could be wrong but IF he is healthy I think he is number 2 no matter what. I also think Abby would be fine in the top 6. He haut needs to go to homer school. Learn how to deflect and handle the luck better in front of net. And me wanting helm on the fourth isn't so much with his ability cause I agree he is a great defensive center and has lot so speed. It's more so of him being injury prone. If he can play 8 mins a night or whatever the fourth line gets maybe he can stay healthier by playing less. Zetterberg will slot in as #2 if Weiss can't perform. Homer school let out 2 years ago. Abdelkader is who he is. A good 3rd line checker. Would you play Zetterberg on the 3rd line bc he has had injury problems? Weiss has had injury problems, yet you slot him into the #2 no matter what. Why is Helm for some reason a special case where he can only play 8 minutes a night? Edited August 18, 2014 by number9 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DeGraa55 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Zetterberg will slot in as #2 if Weiss can't perform. Homer school let out 2 years ago. Abdelkader is who he is. A good 3rd line checker. Would you play Zetterberg on the 3rd line bc he has had injury problems? Weiss has had injury problems, yet you slot him into the #2 no matter what. Why is Helm for some reason a special case where he can only play 8 minutes a night? Except the difference is z is one of the best players on the team helm isn't. He is a 3rd or 4th liner. My thought on Weiss is what I think the wings will do. To me he is still in the injury prone group so we will see how much he will play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krsmith17 7,191 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 With Alfredsson... Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Alfredsson Nyquist - Franzen - Tatar Helm - Weiss - Sheahan Miller - Glendening - Abdelkader Cleary - Callahan That top line may be up there in age, but when healthy (and I expect a much healthier year out of all three) they would be extremely effective. I actually love Franzen playing center, that along with playing with two balls of energy is exactly what could get this old mule going. (Two Kids and a Mule Line?...) I realize having Weiss on the third line isn't exactly ideal, however, I do think this could possibly be one of the best third lines in the league... I really want Callahan to get action on the forth line, but who comes out? Glendening? And slot Abby in at center? Or move one of the three centers on the third line (Sheahan) down and move Abby up?... Without Alfredsson... Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Franzen Nyquist - Weiss - Tatar Helm - Sheahan - Abdelkader Miller - Glendening - Cleary Callahan - Andersson I don't like these lines nearly as much as the ones with Alfie on the team, but still not terrible. I still think it is very likely that Alfredsson comes back for one more season. Before anyone says it, no Jurco, Mantha, or Pulkkinen are not on my opening night roster. They are down where they should be, in the minors, getting huge minutes, playing in all situations, gaining experience and confidence before they make the Wings full time. Whether that's in November or to start the 2015-16 season depends on injuries and how well they do down in Grand Rapids... On Defense... Kronwall - Ericsson DeKeyser - Smith Quincey - Kindl Lashoff I still really like Kronwall and Ericsson paired together. I think they complement each other quite well. Same goes for DeKeyser and Smith. There are so many people swapping those pairs to have Kronwall - Smith and DeKeyser and Ericsson and I just don't get that. Why pair your two best offensive defensemen and your two best defensive defensemen? Why not balance them out with one of each?... If there is any way to trade Kindl away for a mid to late round draft pick, we do it and let one of the kids play on the third pairing. 2 T.Low and jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nawein 324 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 (edited) Z-Pav-Gus (Euro Triplets? Z-pav is an amazing duo and Z-gus was also) Franzen-Weiss-Tatar (Remember when Mule and Tats played together last year? It was good. Alfie-Sheahan-Jurco (2 kids and a goat v2.0) Miller-Helm-Abdelkader (because it might be the best shut down line we can make) Kronner-E DK-Q Smith-Marchenko/Backman (Hopefully Backman. I see Marchenko topping out at poor mans Brad Stuart and Backman topping out a little worse than Kronner is now.) The D pairings were hard. Our D sucks. Edited August 18, 2014 by nawein 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Checking is something a player need to learn too and especially the Wings could use a forward with some grit. Mantha got the tools so yeah if he doesn't make the top 6, let him try a bottom 6 role and then send him down after 9 games.there is really no harm in that. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheXym 2,606 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 I think Z-D-Alfie could be huge if they're healthy. The two kids and a mule line idea intrigues me, and it could actually spark Franzen. Kr, I get your point about pairing Ericsson with Kronwall and Smith with DeKeyser makes sense, and eventually I'd go that way as well, but I really liked the chemistry Smith was showing with Kronwall towards the end of last season, and having a vet with DeKeyser in case of a sophomore slump makes sense to me to at least start the season. On the plus side, I think the top four of Kronwall, Ericsson, Smith, and DeKeyser would work well in any combo, and we may see that on the PP. 2 jimmyemeryhunter and krsmith17 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,788 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Checking is something a player need to learn too and especially the Wings could use a forward with some grit. Mantha got the tools so yeah if he doesn't make the top 6, let him try a bottom 6 role and then send him down after 9 games.there is really no harm in that. I cringe at every lineup you guys are posting, because of how obviously soft this team looks on paper. Other than Sheahan or Abby, this team has very little grit at forward. Glenfiddich is gritty, but not sure how much he'll play this season. I understand that we're not the 1987 Flyers, but we need to be a little tougher to play against physically. That whole "team speed" garbage didn't help us against Boston last year. And yeah, Boston is bigger than we could ever be, but that didn't help them against Montreal much. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 I cringe at every lineup you guys are posting, because of how obviously soft this team looks on paper. Other than Sheahan or Abby, this team has very little grit at forward. Glenfiddich is gritty, but not sure how much he'll play this season. I understand that we're not the 1987 Flyers, but we need to be a little tougher to play against physically. That whole "team speed" garbage didn't help us against Boston last year. And yeah, Boston is bigger than we could ever be, but that didn't help them against Montreal much. That's why I've said you need a top 6 bottom 6 approach with the third line being the kid line the fourth line (ideally), should be the one from hell, kicking ass if it needs. But that being said I just don't see it happening the team will for sure be one of the softest again, last in FMs ( again ) but Mantha has the size to do some checking so why not let him learn that too. My personal preference would be to go slowly with the kid, don't rush him and let him develop at his own pace maybe work out with McKee. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Son of a Wing 1,644 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 That's why I've said you need a top 6 bottom 6 approach with the third line being the kid line the fourth line (ideally), should be the one from hell, kicking ass if it needs. But that being said I just don't see it happening the team will for sure be one of the softest again, last in FMs ( again ) but Mantha has the size to do some checking so why not let him learn that too. My personal preference would be to go slowly with the kid, don't rush him and let him develop at his own pace maybe work out with McKee. You seem to think that having a 4th line of enforcers makes you a "tough team". I can assure you it doesn't. Boston is considered tough because their best players either are very physical or play with an edge. (Chara, Lucic, Bergeron, Marchand) Nobody's talking about Boston being any weaker since they lost Thornton. 2 krsmith17 and number9 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,788 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 You seem to think that having a 4th line of enforcers makes you a "tough team". I can assure you it doesn't. Boston is considered tough because their best players either are very physical or play with an edge. (Chara, Lucic, Bergeron, Marchand) Nobody's talking about Boston being any weaker since they lost Thornton. Are we physical? I don't think so. Do we play with an edge? Not really. We need some guys that are tough and unpleasant to play against in a 7 game series. Yeah, it's nice to have fast Euros who have nice hands, but you need something else as well for balance. If someone thinks Sheahan, Tatar and Abby can provide all the grit and unpleasantness that we need in a 7 game series, then I guess their opinion differs from mine. 1 number9 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Son of a Wing 1,644 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Are we physical? I don't think so. Do we play with an edge? Not really. We need some guys that are tough and unpleasant to play against in a 7 game series. Yeah, it's nice to have fast Euros who have nice hands, but you need something else as well for balance. If someone thinks Sheahan, Tatar and Abby can provide all the grit and unpleasantness that we need in a 7 game series, then I guess their opinion differs from mine. I completely agree but we need those guys in the top 6/9 not the on 4th line playing 6min a night. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number9 3,297 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Well we have Bertuzzi, Callahan, and McKee on the way. Though I wouldn't a few more grinders than just just those 3. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nawein 324 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Well we have Bertuzzi, Callahan, and McKee on the way. Though I wouldn't a few more grinders than just just those 3. Why does it seem like everyone here thinks McKee is going to make it? Have any of you watched him play? He's brutally bad right now. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number9 3,297 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Why does it seem like everyone here thinks McKee is going to make it? Have any of you watched him play? He's brutally bad right now. I don't think he will. He's just really the only true enforcing type we have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Why does it seem like everyone here thinks McKee is going to make it? Have any of you watched him play? He's brutally bad right now. McKee is overly impressive at the job we've drafted him fore and he will only get better at it, so that's more than good enough for me. McIlrath, Bordelaux, Gazdic and McKee will be the new blood in terms of young enforcers :-) Well we have Bertuzzi, Callahan, and McKee on the way. Though I wouldn't a few more grinders than just just those 3. Bertuzzi seems like an agitator and a good one at that can't wait to see him making the lineup. Other teams will for sure hate him just hope he doesn't turn into a complete rat like Marchand. Boston is considered tough because their best players either are very physical or play with an edge. (Chara, Lucic, Bergeron, Marchand) Nobody's talking about Boston being any weaker since they lost Thornton. Boston lost way more than just toughness in Thornton. Bergeron, Lucic and him were the top jersey sellers, guy brings honesty, leadership and is absolutely loved in that city. Watch Marchand playing a cleaner game now because sure as hell Lucic won't fight all the battles for him neither will Chara. I think a guy like Luke Schenn would be great, plays a steady defensive game and hits like a truck everything that moves Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number9 3,297 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 McKee is overly impressive at the job we've drafted him fore and he will only get better at it, so that's more than good enough for me. McIlrath, Bordelaux, Gazdic and McKee will be the new blood in terms of young enforcers :-) Bertuzzi seems like an agitator and a good one at that can't wait to see him making the lineup. Other teams will for sure hate him just hope he doesn't turn into a complete rat like Marchand. Boston lost way more than just toughness in Thornton. Bergeron, Lucic and him were the top jersey sellers, guy brings honesty, leadership and is absolutely loved in that city. Watch Marchand playing a cleaner game now because sure as hell Lucic won't fight all the battles for him neither will Chara. I think a guy like Luke Schenn would be great, plays a steady defensive game and hits like a truck everything that moves You do know L. Schenn is a whipping boy in Philly right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 You do know L. Schenn is a whipping boy in Philly right? Well if they don't have a good season every player there is a whipping boy except for Claude Giroux so I'm not surprised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Son of a Wing 1,644 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Luke Schenn makes pylons look quick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 This is what I see facing Boston for Game 1 Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Abdelkader Nyquist-Weiss-Franzen Tatar-Sheahan-Alfredsson Miller-Helm-Cleary Glendening/Andersson Kronwall-Ericsson DeKeyser-Quincey Smith-Kindl/Lashoff/Marchenko Pretty, eh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 This is what I see facing Boston for Game 1 Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Abdelkader Nyquist-Weiss-Franzen Tatar-Sheahan-Alfredsson Miller-Helm-Cleary Glendening/Andersson Kronwall-Ericsson DeKeyser-Quincey Smith-Kindl/Lashoff/Marchenko Pretty, eh. I like how it looks, actually, given the roster we have. I would switch Nyqvist and Alfie, though. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number9 3,297 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 This is what I see facing Boston for Game 1 Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Abdelkader Nyquist-Weiss-Franzen Tatar-Sheahan-Alfredsson Miller-Helm-Cleary Glendening/Andersson Kronwall-Ericsson DeKeyser-Quincey Smith-Kindl/Lashoff/Marchenko Pretty, eh. you're pretty much spot on I think. Except Marchenko has to go down to get under the roster limits. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 This is what I see facing Boston for Game 1 Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Abdelkader Nyquist-Weiss-Franzen Tatar-Sheahan-Alfredsson Miller-Helm-Cleary Glendening/Andersson Kronwall-Ericsson DeKeyser-Quincey Smith-Kindl/Lashoff/Marchenko Pretty, eh. I think this is pretty much right but I'm not too thrilled about it. I can't stand Abdelkader in the top 6. 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DeGraa55 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 I think this is pretty much right but I'm not too thrilled about it. I can't stand Abdelkader in the top 6. I agree let's all sign a petition cleary on top line with euro twins!!! 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyemeryhunter 2,747 Report post Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) Z-helm-d Tats-Sheahan-jurco. ...2a/2b Nyquist-weiss-franzen..2a/2b Miller-glendenning-abby Andersson, Cleary(ha) 1st line-let me preface this explanation by saying i know this wont happen, but id love to see it: as long as he can be physical and durable, helm would pull the piano up the hill, push it down, beat it to the bottom then pull it back up to meet up with everyone else. but seriously, it would be nearly impossible to score against them, or even touch the puck. (But it'll most likely end up being z-d-abby) 2a/2b-(kids)young, fast, aggressive, skilled, and they compliment one another so damn well. (Start them as the 3rd line and if/when they start dominating like they did last year then move them up to the 2nd) 2a/2b-if Weiss isn't healthy or can't cut it then move franzen to center and insert Alfie, or mantha, or pulks, or (gag)cleary. 4-what our checking line should be. Its honestly hard to find places for Glendenning and miller sometimes because of the glut of forwards, but miller is a damn good 4th line winger, and I really really like Glendenning. He gets under peoples skin, he's fast, physical, and he's not a liability playing against other teams top lines, I just hope to hell he finds a scoring touch. And obviously I don't want cleary to be on the roster, and Andy deserves to be traded to a place where hell be able to play every day. I'd like to have a much cheaper Alfie but I don't see why they'd sign cleary if they thought his back was going to be well enough to play. And I know he'll end up in the lineup eventually regardless, but I won't be happy if Jurco isn't playing opening night...hes so effing versatile and I'd love to see those three left together for as long as we have them, the things they did together was incredible. It still baffles me why they weren't put together at all in the playoffs. Edit. Forget everything I said. Step 1.Resign Alfie Step 2. rotate Abby, cleary, alf, and franzen on the top line with z&d, and pick the rest of the lines out of a hat after every period, because chemistry scares Bike Mabcock.. Step 3. Every tenth regular season game AND every playoff game is Dan Cleary bobble head night. Step 4. Have fans throw Dan Cleary b-heads at opposing teams top players and goalie until injured or distracted enough to be useless. Step 5. Win Stanley cup. And somewhere around step 8 the conn Smythe trophy is changed to the Dan cleary bobblehead trophy. Which looks exactly how you think it would. Just a foot taller. Edited August 19, 2014 by jimmyemeryhunter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites