Blashill tinkering with lines after Tampa loss

[HockeytownRules19 902]

Blash made some big adjustments

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 2m2 minutes ago

3 different lines in #RedWings practice:
Athanasiou-Nielsen-Zetterberg
Tatar-Larkin-Sheahan
Nyquist-Helm-Vanek
Abdelkader-Glendening-Miller

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 2m2 minutes ago

Ott rotating in on fourth line.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 2m2 minutes ago

One switch in #RedWings defense pairs in practice:
DeKeyser-Green
Smith-Marchenko
Ericsson-Ouellet
Kronwall (knee) and Sproul extras

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

I think I like those lines. Vanek and Nyquist showed some pretty good chemisty and Z needs someone with speed to do some leg work for him.

Reuniting Z-Lark-Abby (with larkin now at center) could be a good idea and Abby shouldn't be on the 4th long term, but those are good from what I saw in last night's game.

Helm wasn't very good, but I'll give him more than 1 game to get reaccustom to the center position. Gendening was the only centerman above 50% on faceoffs (he had 60) and we need to get guys winning face-offs. Helm was a good faceoff guy in the past when he played center.

Good to see Ott out and AA in.

Edited October 14, 2016 by PavelValerievichDatsyuk

[krsmith17 7,191]

Awesome to see Athanasiou in for Ott. Not sure how I feel about the line combinations, but a huge improvement for sure.

I would say that I wish Sproul were in, and even though I'm not Ouellet's biggest fan, I think he had a very strong game, so unless Ericsson is coming out (he's not), Sproul's going to have to wait it out...

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Anything with Helm on a scoring line is bad.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

1 hour ago, krsmith17 said:

I would say that I wish Sproul were in, and even though I'm not Ouellet's biggest fan, I think he had a very strong game, so unless Ericsson is coming out (he's not), Sproul's going to have to wait it out...

The only problem with this is the teams biggest weakness is the defensive play of its defenders. Sproul's defensive play is what has kept him from making the NHL earlier. Sproul is at his best with a good shutdown partner and the Wings dont have anyone that fits that mold right now to partner with.

19 minutes ago, DickieDunn said:

Anything with Helm on a scoring line is bad.

Or Sheahan in the top 6

[Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453]

Why is Abdelkader on the fourth? I think he's shown to be a capable top sixer.  I would put Sheahan on the fourth, I don't think he belongs in the top six yet and he would make the fourth line much better. Also at this point I'd keep Ott in over Miller. Miller to me looked the most out of place on the ice.

Ericsson doesn't look like an NHL defenseman to me right now. His slow skating really showed last game with how often he was beat on the outside. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by Wheelchairsuperhero

[kickazz 5,459]

Blashill seems a bit stubborn on certain things. 

Like dude, Sheahan is not a 2nd liner, just realize that. He wasn't even that good on the 3rd line last year. Move on. 

Why is Abdelkader on the 4th and why is Miller still in. 

He didn't really solve any problems except maybe made us happy by putting AA into the line up. Yayyyy.

Sheahan and Abby need to be swapped. 

 

Edited October 14, 2016 by kickazz

[LeftWinger 4,959]

I think Sheahan should move down and replace Miller on the 4th. 

Zetterberg-Larkin-Abby

Nyquist-Nielsen-Vanek

Tatar-Helm-Athanasiou

Sheahan-Glendening-Ott

If you want AA in the top 6, maybe switch him and Abby.

Edited October 14, 2016 by LeftWinger

[brett 1,029]

i ******* love that you have nyquist 4.75 mil and abs 4.25m on third and 4th lines

but its nice to have AA on top line

wonder how long until he realizes Z is a 3rd liner and helm is a 4th liner

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Elite Penalty Killer ™ Drew Miller will never be scratched. How Blashill watched the game last night and thought "yeah, Ott was the problem" baffles me. Who was on the ice for both Tampa PP goals? Oh yeah, Miller. (And All Time Great Fourth Line Center ™ Luke Glendening)

But it is good that AA is back in, and Dekeyser is with Green. So, progress.

[Echolalia 2,961]

This looks like Blahsill drew names from a hat.  Whatever.  I try not to comment on how lines should or should not be because they rarely seem to work in reality how I feel they should work in theory.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Just need to play more than 20 minutes of hockey, regardless of who is out there in what line configuration.  Until they do... we get last night's game.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Abdelkader is on the 4th line because he's really not that good.  He's fairly big, he skates reasonably well, and he hits and crashes the net.  That doesn't make him a top 6 winger.

[derblaueClaus 1,668]

Not keen on the defensive pairs. Smith and Green were too good in my opinion to break them up. Marchy/DeKeyser had some problems for sure but they were our top pair and I think they looked surprisingly decent for that. At least it is not a problem fixed with changing Marchenko for Green.

Why Ott is out is also beyond me. I thought him the best of the OMG line.

[Dabura 12,207]

4 hours ago, HockeytownRules19 said:

Blash made some big adjustments

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 2m2 minutes ago

3 different lines in #RedWings practice:
Athanasiou-Nielsen-Zetterberg
Tatar-Larkin-Sheahan
Nyquist-Helm-Vanek
Abdelkader-Glendening-Miller

I...

• had been hoping for Tatar-Larkin-Sheahan
• had expected AA to draw in, but not on the top line. I'll absolutely take it, though. It seems to suggest Blashill and/or Holland realize(s) Z's legs are gone
• don't like Helm as our 3C. I don't really like him in the top nine, tbh
• am glad to see Abby and Larkin aren't necessarily a set "forward pairing," as I feel Abby holds Larkin back. If Abby's taking Ott's spot on the fourth line, well, it's an upgrade for that line

Overall...not ideal, but, in my opinion, it's better than what we iced last night and a step in the right direction. I'm hoping we get to see these lines tomorrow night.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Dabura

[Buppy 1,720]

1 hour ago, Detroit # 1 Fan said:

Elite Penalty Killer ™ Drew Miller will never be scratched. How Blashill watched the game last night and thought "yeah, Ott was the problem" baffles me. Who was on the ice for both Tampa PP goals? Oh yeah, Miller. (And All Time Great Fourth Line Center ™ Luke Glendening)

I'd rather see our 4th liners on the ice for two PP goals against from the opponents top players than see our top line on the ice for two EV goals against from the opponents 4th line. No, Ott wasn't "the problem", but neither were Miller or Glendening. 

6 minutes ago, DickieDunn said:

Abdelkader is on the 4th line because he's really not that good.  He's fairly big, he skates reasonably well, and he hits and crashes the net.  That doesn't make him a top 6 winger.

No, but scoring 42g and 86p over the last two years does. I'm sure he'll be back in the top 6 before long. 

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

I like the lines.  I'm sure things will get mixed up again.  At least it's something different instead of the same thing over and over and expecting a different result even though it's only the 2nd game.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

 Lapointe scored 44 goals and 97 points over a two year period, never came close to 20 goals or 40 points again.

[Dabura 12,207]

Ah, just saw that Khan confirmed these are tomorrow's lines and pairings.

[Jesusberg 1,256]

My guess is that Athanasiou is going to have to make an impact fairly quickly/avoid any glaring mistakes, otherwise I can picture Blashill pushing him down a couple of lines. And when that happens... *steps away from LGW for the night*

[kickazz 5,459]

31 minutes ago, DickieDunn said:

 Lapointe scored 44 goals and 97 points over a two year period, never came close to 20 goals or 40 points again.

What's your point? It hasn't been year 3 for yet. What if Abby scores 19-21 goals and 40+ points again? Will you concede? 

Edited October 15, 2016 by kickazz

[DickieDunn 2,571]

11 minutes ago, kickazz said:

What's your point? It hasn't been year 3 for yet. What if Abby scores 19-21 goals and 40+ points again? Will you concede? 

 

in the unlikely event he does, yes.  But he won't.  His career year was a product of his linemates, not his sudden jump in ability.

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

35 minutes ago, DickieDunn said:

 Lapointe scored 44 goals and 97 points over a two year period, never came close to 20 goals or 40 points again.

First of all, Lapointe had 3 40pt. seasons in a row.

Also, if you want to use that comparison, and just look at goal scoring, Lapointe had only 1 year significantly above his usual 15 goals, in 00-01 with 27 goals.

Abby already has a year with 23, 19, (and maybe you count 10 in the 48 game lockout shortened season) so there's more of a track record for higher goal totals.

[Dabura 12,207]

26 minutes ago, Jesusberg said:

My guess is that Athanasiou is going to have to make an impact fairly quickly/avoid any glaring mistakes, otherwise I can picture Blashill pushing him down a couple of lines.

Prob'ly.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

2 minutes ago, PavelValerievichDatsyuk said:

First of all, Lapointe had 3 40pt. seasons in a row.

Also, if you want to use that comparison, and just look at goal scoring, Lapointe had only 1 year significantly above his usual 15 goals, in 00-01 with 27 goals.

Abby already has a year with 23, 19, (and maybe you count 10 in the 48 game lockout shortened season) so there's more of a track record for higher goal totals.

So Lapointe had a better track record for scoring 40+ points than Abdelkader, and that means Abdelkader has a better chance of maintaining that pace than Lapointe did?

I was counting his 27 goal season and the following year for his 2 year totals, since the Abdelkader argument was a two year period.