Who should sit?

[themcityblues 249]

After tonight's game with SJ, we can confidently say that the team is in disarray and that they are playing terribly. Cole and Datsyuk are out but they may return soon. When they return, who sits? I think this is a hard question to answer because the obvious choices are playing well: Pulkinnen and Weiss. Knowing Babs, it's probably going to be Weiss and Jurco. Maybe it is hard to pick healthy scratches when the entire team is not playing with accountability. I do think playing Cleary is an option (something I'd like to see), but again, who can reasonably be scratched at this point? Curious to see all your thoughts.

Edited March 27, 2015 by themcityblues

[nawein 324]

My guess is Weiss and Andersson. I think we'll run something like

Tatar-Pav-Helm

Cole-Z-Abby

Gus-Sheahan-Pulkkinen

Miller-Glendening-Jurco.

I'd love to see Ericsson healthy scratched on the back end and replaced with Kindl or Marchenko. Kindl has played well in his few appearances lately and Ericsson has been a dumpster fire. I would try running

Kronwall-Dekeyser

Kindl-Quincey

Smith Zidlicky

With the top pair getting around 25 minutes and the others getting around 17 each.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

My guess is Weiss and Andersson. I think we'll run something like

Tatar-Pav-Helm

Cole-Z-Abby

Gus-Sheahan-Pulkkinen

Miller-Glendening-Jurco.

I'd love to see Ericsson healthy scratched on the back end and replaced with Kindl or Marchenko. Kindl has played well in his few appearances lately and Ericsson has been a dumpster fire. I would try running

Kronwall-Dekeyser

Kindl-Quincey

Smith Zidlicky

With the top pair getting around 25 minutes and the others getting around 17 each.

I agree about the forwards.

Kindl is food for a couple games then looks like he should be in Toledo when his bad habits resurface. Ericsson looks like he needs a night or two off though.

[Dave 324]

Holland should call up Blashill for a couple of games, see what he has in him. Sit Babcock in the pressbox.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Big E should but that would make the team and defense even softer. I also think Nyquist should just to let him see the game from a different perspective.

[Wings_Toledo 233]

I'd like to see Ericsson sit and bring in Marchenko. With the forwards I know Babcock will sit whoever he doesn't like but Weiss shouldn't be scratched every game and only play on the 4th when he finally gets a chance...

[gcom007 1,465]

Weiss will stick if he has another couple good games, though he should stick either way. It's stupid to have him sitting in the press box all the time.

E needs to sit for a game or two.

And honestly, I wouldn't mind Nyquist getting a game off to think about his troubles. If you're willing to do it to someone like Weiss for turnovers, why should Nyquist be exempt? He's got to get those terrible habits out of his system and learn fast that the giveaways won't fly. This will never happen though, so whatever...

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Andersson and Jurco should sit. Jurco doesn't score goals and Andersson doesn't do anything. He might be the most useless 4th liner in the league and the greatest example of modern day Nihilism, in that he serves no purpose.

[Crashnburnluder 385]

I'm all for playing anybody that can win a face off, when we get destroyed in the dot, we usually get destroyed in the game. You can't play puck possession if you can't start with the puck...

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Andersson and Jurco should sit. Jurco doesn't score goals and Andersson doesn't do anything. He might be the most useless 4th liner in the league and the greatest example of modern day Nihilism, in that he serves no purpose.

I still hope they can trade Jurco - Pulkinen - + 1/2nd for Phaneuf in the summer.

The whole fourth line is a joke they don't scare anyone, aren't hard to play against and still cost the team points. Something is really of and t hey'll need to figure it out in a hurry.

[kipwinger 8,522]

I think realistically we'll see this:

Tatar-Pav-Helm

Abby-Z-Cole

Nyquist-Sheahan-Pulkkinen

Miller-Glendening-Andersson/Jurco

I'd add that this lineup is dumb, and won't do a whole lot of anything. But that's what we'll see, because Mike Babcock (for the time being) is the coach of the Red Wings.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I think realistically we'll see this:

Tatar-Pav-Helm

Abby-Z-Cole

Nyquist-Sheahan-Pulkkinen

Miller-Glendening-McGrattan/McIntyre/Lesnar

I'd add that this lineup is dumb, and won't do a whole lot of anything. But that's what we'll see, because Mike Babcock (for the time being) is the coach of the Red Wings.

Fixed.

[kipwinger 8,522]

Fixed.

Lol. I'd take Lesnar. He's a Paul Heyman guy.

[wings4thecup06 504]

I think realistically we'll see this:

Tatar-Pav-Helm

Abby-Z-Cole

Nyquist-Sheahan-Pulkkinen

Miller-Glendening-Andersson/Jurco

I'd add that this lineup is dumb, and won't do a whole lot of anything. But that's what we'll see, because Mike Babcock (for the time being) is the coach of the Red Wings.

What would you suggest instead Kip?

Personally I've liked that top line of Pav/Helm/Tatar. They've got good chemistry and excellent speed, playmaking ability, scoring touch (when Tatar isn't slumping) and a bit of physicality in Helm.

If it were me I think though I'd actually put Sheahan back with Tatar and Jurco. There was a shift in the Phoenix game when they were back together and they look as energised as they did last season where every shift you could see them terrorising the opposition.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

The better question is, who sits when Johan Sebastian Franzen comes back?

[kipwinger 8,522]

What would you suggest instead Kip?

Personally I've liked that top line of Pav/Helm/Tatar. They've got good chemistry and excellent speed, playmaking ability, scoring touch (when Tatar isn't slumping) and a bit of physicality in Helm.

If it were me I think though I'd actually put Sheahan back with Tatar and Jurco. There was a shift in the Phoenix game when they were back together and they look as energised as they did last season where every shift you could see them terrorising the opposition.

Z-Dats-Abby

Tatar-Sheahan-Cole

Nyquist-Helm-Jurco

Miller-Glendening-Andersson

[wings4thecup06 504]

Z-Dats-Abby

Tatar-Sheahan-Cole

Nyquist-Helm-Jurco

Miller-Glendening-Andersson

I like it, although Andersson really needs to go.

Anyone else wondering whether we should insert Cleary for a game and see what happens?

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I like it, although Andersson really needs to go.

Anyone else wondering whether we should insert Cleary for a game and see what happens?

He'll play better than Andersson, I already know that much. I think if we inserted Mark Mowers, he'd play better than Andersson.

[kipwinger 8,522]

I like it, although Andersson really needs to go.

Anyone else wondering whether we should insert Cleary for a game and see what happens?

I mean, I'm not in love with Andersson (nor would I hate Cleary either), but he's not costing us games. He's a plug, sure. But pretty much every team has a cheap guy on the fourth line who's easily replaceable. Not really an issue as far as I'm concerned. Again, Andersson isn't the reason we're in a slide.

That said, I never want to seem him doing anything other than being a fourth line winger. If your third line center is hurt, move Hem or Weiss to that spot. Don't promote Andersson (as Babs has been doing).

On my team he's either a fourth line winger, or he's on the bench. We've got better options everywhere else.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I mean, I'm not in love with Andersson (nor would I hate Cleary either), but he's not costing us games. He's a plug, sure. But pretty much every team has a cheap guy on the fourth line who's easily replaceable. Not really an issue as far as I'm concerned. Again, Andersson isn't the reason we're in a slide.

That said, I never want to seem him doing anything other than being a fourth line winger. If your third line center is hurt, move Hem or Weiss to that spot. Don't promote Andersson (as Babs has been doing).

On my team he's either a fourth line winger, or he's on the bench. We've got better options everywhere else.

On my team, a 4th line winger is a goon. You've basically admitted that Andersson is useless. May as well have a guy that is good at his job and putts butts in the seats.

[sleepwalker 512]

Knowing Babs, probably Weiss. Like Tootoo, Babs just does not like him and doesn't seem to even want to give him a chance to play in the role he excels at.

[GoWings! 179]

I think the 4th line is pretty bad. Andersson doesn't have an ounce of offense in him but God Miller is useless besides the penalty kill. I'd roll:

Z-Dats-Abby

Cole-Franzen-Weiss

Tatar-Sheahan-Nyquist

Glendening-Helm-Pulkkinen

This obviously is if Franzen would play. I think Z has never looked slower and the only way to get him going would be to put him out there with Datsyuk. I wouldn't mind swapping Pulkkinen with Abby if we have trouble scoring or if that 4th line was too wimpy.

Edited March 27, 2015 by GoWings!

[evilmrt 636]

Jurco should be sent down to GR for a while. I don't see the point in him being a healthy scratch when he is waiver exempt. Makes no sense.

[number9 3,297]

On my team, a 4th line winger is a goon. You've basically admitted that Andersson is useless. May as well have a guy that is good at his job and putts butts in the seats.

Mcgrattan isn't good at his job

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Mcgrattan isn't good at his job

Ha. He's the best in the world at what he does.