Ladies and gentlemen, your 2011 Detroit Red Wings

[TNBT]

OK, so you guys know the deal. This is where we can discuss any player signings, who we would like to see signed and what lines/pairings you want to see and what you expect Babcock to use.

[ajaX82]

Here is what i would like to see

Hudler Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Bertuzzi
Cleary Helm Eaves
Holmstrom Abdelkader Miller
*Draper Ritola

Looking at the forward combo's, we have too many. Injuries should insure time somewhere but we have 14 legitimate forwards right now. Honeslty i was not a big fan of the Bertuzzi signing. Would have rather played Cleary on the 2nd, Draper on the third and had Ritola ready to fill in where needed.

Lidstrom Rafalski
Stuart Kronwall
Ericsson Kindl
*Meech

Might have to split up the third pairing with Kindl going with Lidstrom and Rafalski with Ericsson to balance them better. Big thing this year is the development of that third pairing...hopefully Kindl is the real deal

Howard
Osgood

No kidding

[Rodya]

Hudler/Datysuk/Franzen
Zetterberg/Modano/Filppula
Cleary/Helm/Bertuzzi
Draper/Abdelkader/Holmstrom

Lidstrom Rafalski
Stuart Kronwall
Ericsson Kindl

Howard
Osgood

Depends on Modano really.

[TNBT]

I don't see Hudler bumping Hank from the 1st line, and Babcock has already said that he is going to use Hank and Pavel on the same line. He has also said that Abdelkader will center the 3rd line, and Helm will center the 4th line. This is assuming that Modano doesn't sign with us, I assume. I'm picturing something like:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Franzen
Hudler - Filppula - Bertuzzi
Cleary - Abdelkader - Eaves
Miller - Helm - Holmstrom


With the defensive pairings, I liked the Lidstrom/Rafalski and Kronwall/Stuart pairings. However, that leaves us with Ericsson and Kindl as the 3rd pairing, and I'm not really sure about that. Both are still pretty young and inexperienced. I'm thinking maybe we break up the other pairs and pair a more experienced guy with Ericsson and Kindl. Something like:

Lidstrom - Ericsson
Kronwall - Rafalski
Stuart - Kindl


Obviously that leaves us with Jimmy Howard as our starting goalie, and Osgood as the backup.

[Piston Pete]

Any way we make a run at Niemi now that he's an UFA?

[Rodya]

With only $1.6 million in cap space, I doubt we could afford him. But to be honest, why would you want him? Much rather go after Adam Foote with the remaining doe.

[Rodya]

Better yet...wait towards the center point of the season and sign Scott Niedermayer out of retirement.

[ajaX82]

Any way we make a run at Niemi now that he's an UFA?

No

Howard is the future in net, and Ozzie is the backup. And with Larsson and McCollum in the system, our need for a goalie like Niemi is non-existent.

[ajaX82]

oh and with the Modano signing, the rumor is he becomes third line center between Hudler and Cleary. Updated forward lines i feel are as follows

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen
Holmstrom-Filppula-Bertuzzi
Hudler-Modano-Cleary
Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves
*Miller, Draper

Depends if Hank goes back to LW and if Homer can play second line. Ritola seems likely to be traded, Maltby to be released

[Rodya]

Holstrom and Bertuzzi on the same line? Seems a little redundant, because of their on net skills.

[ajaX82]

Holstrom and Bertuzzi on the same line? Seems a little redundant, because of their on net skills.

I know right? But who else goes there? Move Hank down and Homer up to even out lines? I can't figure it out

[Rodya]

Zetterberg/Datysuk/Franzen
Hudler/Filpulla/Bertuzzi
Helm/Modano/Cleary
Miller/Abdelkader/Holmstrom
*Draper, Eaves

???

[ajaX82]

Zetterberg/Datysuk/Franzen
Hudler/Filpulla/Bertuzzi
Helm/Modano/Cleary
Miller/Abdelkader/Holmstrom
*Draper, Eaves

???

I think they want to keep Helm at Center and reports say the third line is Modano/Cleary/Hudler. Otherwise i would move up Hudler as well. Thats what makes it tricky

[Rodya]

God's strength Babcock

Love this quote.

I've worn No. 9 since I was about 9, but I wasn't about to ask Gordie to take his number out of the rafters for me," Modano told the AP. "I'm going to wear No. 90 for the Wings."

[TNBT]

This Modano signing really does mess with the lines a bit. The last things that I heard on this other Wings message board that I post on are that Babcock plans on using these two top lines:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom
Franzen - Filppula - Bertuzzi

That gives us Modano at C on the 3rd line, and you would have to think Hudler and Cleary would be on his wings. That gives us Abdelkader, Helm, Eaves and Miller fighting for the last 3 spots, with Draper and Ritola as depth guys. What do you guys think?

[Rodya]

This Modano signing really does mess with the lines a bit. The last things that I heard on this other Wings message board that I post on are that Babcock plans on using these two top lines:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom
Franzen - Filppula - Bertuzzi

That gives us Modano at C on the 3rd line, and you would have to think Hudler and Cleary would be on his wings. That gives us Abdelkader, Helm, Eaves and Miller fighting for the last 3 spots, with Draper and Ritola as depth guys. What do you guys think?

I like that. I was hesitant about having Holmstrom logging top line minutes, but I guess he doesn't have to be there all three quarters.

Off Topic: We really need to make a push for Kaberle, with our offense stacked as it is, we have to have some expendable prospects on that side of the ice.

[TNBT]

I agree with the Kaberle suggestion. If you look at our defensemen this season, we have 4 experienced guys in Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall and Stuart, and then two kids with very little experience in Ericsson and Kindl. After that, we have another kid in Brendan Smith who is waiting to come into the lineup. When you look at that, it doesn't look all that bad. However, you have to remember that Lidstrom will probably be gone after another season, Rafalski and Stuart are both well over 30 and Kronwall isn't that far behind at 29. If you look forward another year or two, we could potentially be without a couple of those guys (Lidstrom is almost a certainty), and we would be left with at least 2 pairings being made up of inexperienced kids. I know Kaberle isn't young, but he would give us more depth now and hopefully be able to take over that role of smooth, offensively-skilled defensemen that Lidstrom has played for so many years.

As you also said, we can afford to make a trade for Kaberle given the amount of depth we have at forward. Whereas we basically only have Smith coming through on defense, we have some really skilled looking kids coming through at forward in guys like Tatar, Ritola, Nyquist, Mursak, etc. which means that we can afford to move a forward or two in a deal for Kaberle without really lowering the quality of our forward lines very much at all.

[Mr Swagtastic]

Who would we give up for Kabrle? Toronto needs depth and yes we have that but I doubt we have the amount of depth they want. I have a feeling a team will overpay for him giving up a 1st round pick average prospects.

[Rodya]

Not as familiar with NHL trades or exactly why Toronto is trading Kaberle and what they'd want in return. Nonetheless allow me to pull something out of my ass. Filppula + Brendan Smith for Kaberle?

[TNBT]

Not as familiar with NHL trades or exactly why Toronto is trading Kaberle and what they'd want in return. Nonetheless allow me to pull something out of my ass. Filppula + Brendan Smith for Kaberle?

I'm a bit of a Toronto fan (but then again, I'm a bit of a fan of most teams), but I'm not exactly sure why they are trading him either. It's not like he's not a good player anymore. He can obviously still contribute, otherwise no one else would want him either. From what I can tell, it's simply that the Leafs have quite a bit of talent on defense, and are very thin at forward. Because of this I think they are hoping to give up some of that defensive strength to balance out their forward lines.

As for what we would have to give up for him, I really have no idea. From everything I have read and heard, Babcock is very high on Filppula, so unless he feels that Nyquist or someone like that can take over second-line center duties soon, I doubt Filppula gets traded.