If the season started today

[TheOtherOne]

Well, that's the problem of the f***ing forwards and defensemen then. It's not the goalie's fault that they have the mental fortitude of Walmart lawn furniture. That shows me that you've got a team of low character pieces of trash rather than it being an indictment on the goalie. Like I can understand dejection from giving up a bad goal... but at some point... you're a damn professional yourself. I saw a bunch of "defensemen" who left Bernier and Howard to their own devices. Bernier would make FANTASTIC saves to keep his stats a bit better and Howard wouldn't make those ones. Just like how you remember what you do... I remember a bunch of times seeing Bernier out there balling out in a game which they'd end up losing 3-1.

Howard was definitely bad... but Howard wasn't uniquely bad last year. Eric Comrie and Calvin Pickard got games and put up the same stats. Look at the stats and Braden Holtby's GSAA was -16 something. Not as bad as Jimmy's abysmal goaltending... but that's a guy that a team happily tossed several years and 4 million plus at.

Dude you can call it whatever you want but just because these guys are professionals doesn't mean they're not human.

I'm a terrible but ultra-competitive amateur athlete known for making stupid diving saves in meaningless pickup games. But I can still tell you, when you're in the midst of a hopeless season and you watch an inept teammate give up a garbage goal, it makes it damn hard to play your balls off the way you'd like to.

Think of it this way. You KNOW every player in the NHL has a "playoff gear". You could reasonably argue, we're paying them millions of dollars, they should be using their playoff gear all the time. But they're not. Why? Because they're motivated by the same things as everyone else. If there's a Cup on the line, you play your hardest. If the regular season standings is on the line, you play less hard. If a meaningless goal is on the line in a hopeless game in a hopeless season? Walmart lawn furniture sounds good.

 

[lilidk]

Draft Week: Hooray! New prospects!
Free Agency: Hooray! New players!
48 Hours Later:

Yes we do ,but only till 21-22 season

 

[lilidk]

Yes.

We only have to find a way to lose a bit less ugly so we do not lose too many fans.
And basically that is the agreement between Yzerman, Blashill and the players.
We need another top 5 draft pick.

You mean 5 more seasons like this one . I don't think I can take it

 

[raymond23]

If we get a decent center then we'll actually be watchable this year.

So if we don't land Tyler Johnson it's probably going to be very unwatchable.

 

[jkutswings]

You mean 5 more seasons like this one . I don't think I can take it

No. One more season in the basement. Then 2-3 years of climbing towards the playoffs.

 

[Gniwder]

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Namestnikov-Ryan
Gagner-Fabbri-Filppula
Helm-Glendening-Svech/Timashov

Nielsen/Erne

Brome stays in Sweden, all the kids stay in Europe until TDL.

I think Blash starts Fabbri at 3C not 2C, and eventually he gets moved back to 2nd line winger or center depending on how Namestinikov and Ryan play.

Still a bottom 5 team, but at least it's a team that isn't going to get blown out every game.​

 

[14ari13]

You mean 5 more seasons like this one . I don't think I can take it

I think this season will be much better, but we still have to finish bottom 3.
After that, we will see.

 

[KJoe88]

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Namestnikov-Ryan
Gagner-Fabbri-Filppula
Helm-Glendening-Svech/Timashov

Nielsen/Erne

Brome stays in Sweden, all the kids stay in Europe until TDL.

I think Blash starts Fabbri at 3C not 2C, and eventually he gets moved back to 2nd line winger or center depending on how Namestinikov and Ryan play.

Still a bottom 5 team, but at least it's a team that isn't going to get blown out every game.​

I like and agree with this a lot.

 

[Henkka]

Going with 11 forwards and 7 defencemen:

Ryan - Larkin - Mantha
Bertuzzi - Fabbri - Zadina
X - Namestnikov - X
X - Glendening - X (defenceman)

This is the MAIN CORE always playing, others will rotate:

Rotating:
Timashov - Namestnikov - Erne
Gagner - Namestnikov - Svechnikov

Filppula - Glendening - (defenceman)
Hirose - Glendening - Nielsen (playes for 10 games to meet the expansion draft clause, then healthy scratch for rest of the season.

Defence:
Nemeth - Hronek
DeKeyser - Stecher
MStaal - Merrill
Cholowski (7th defenceman playing, rotating with either Staal or Merril here and there)

Alex Biega as an injury extra 8th D.

Goalies:
1a - Greiss
1b - Bernier

Goalies will split 50/50. Maybe Greiss few games more. Or the hot guy.

 

[datsyukfan]

Bert- Larkin- Ryan
Zadina- Haula- Mantha
Svech- namestnikov- Fabbri
Timashov/ helm- Glenny- Fil

DD- Hronek
Nemeth- Stecher
Cholo- Merrill
Staal

Greiss
Bernier

grabbing Haula on a 2 year deal would be great for both sides. Help us down the middle and give him a top 6 role

 

[jkutswings]

I don't mean to pick on any individuals, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But I've seen several lineups with Mantha on the second line in favor of Bobby Ryan, and I think that would be a terrible idea, unless the main goals are to rival last year's record and minimize opportunities for Mantha to earn a good contract.

Ryan and Namestikov are middle six additions. Neither belongs anywhere near the top line. Not to mention that the BLM line was the one combination that had any regular contributions on offense.

If Zadina takes off to the point of earning a top spot, that's one thing. But the days of having a scrub paired with two of our best players need to be over.

 

[steafo]

I don't mean to pick on any individuals, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But I've seen several lineups with Mantha on the second line in favor of Bobby Ryan, and I think that would be a terrible idea, unless the main goals are to rival last year's record and minimize opportunities for Mantha to earn a good contract.

Ryan and Namestikov are middle six additions. Neither belongs anywhere near the top line. Not to mention that the BLM line was the one combination that had any regular contributions on offense.

If Zadina takes off to the point of earning a top spot, that's one thing. But the days of having a scrub paired with two of our best players need to be over.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

I don't mean to pick on any individuals, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But I've seen several lineups with Mantha on the second line in favor of Bobby Ryan, and I think that would be a terrible idea, unless the main goals are to rival last year's record and minimize opportunities for Mantha to earn a good contract.

Ryan and Namestikov are middle six additions. Neither belongs anywhere near the top line. Not to mention that the BLM line was the one combination that had any regular contributions on offense.

If Zadina takes off to the point of earning a top spot, that's one thing. But the days of having a scrub paired with two of our best players need to be over.

Yes. This is my lineup. This is what I want running out there.

Nielsen-LGD-Brome
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Erne
Larkin-Filppula-Ryan
Mantha-Rasmussen-Namestnikov

This is my secret weapon lineup. Nobody else better copy it.

 

[lilidk]

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Namestnikov-Ryan
Gagner-Fabbri-Filppula
Helm-Glendening-Svech/Timashov

Nielsen/Erne

Brome stays in Sweden, all the kids stay in Europe until TDL.

I think Blash starts Fabbri at 3C not 2C, and eventually he gets moved back to 2nd line winger or center depending on how Namestinikov and Ryan play.

Still a bottom 5 team, but at least it's a team that isn't going to get blown out every game.​

Zadina is RW, Fabbri lw/c, I'd rather have
Bert-larkin-Mantha
Fabbri-Namestnikov-Zadina
Gagner- Fillpula-Ryan
Helm-Glendening- Svechnikov

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Yes. This is my lineup. This is what I want running out there.

Nielsen-LGD-Brome
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Erne
Larkin-Filppula-Ryan
Mantha-Rasmussen-Namestnikov

This is my secret weapon lineup. Nobody else better copy it.

can’t believe you forgot cleary smh

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Zadina is RW, Fabbri lw/c, I'd rather have
Bert-larkin-Mantha
Fabbri-Namestnikov-Zadina
Gagner- Fillpula-Ryan
Helm-Glendening- Svechnikov

Zadina has been playing LW in europe for what it’s worth

 

[Henkka]

Zadina has been playing LW in europe for what it’s worth

Would be nice to see him as the "nyquist" for Larkin-Mantha.

 

[Ezekial]

It would at least be more exciting if some of the top young guys were playing next year, but I think Zadina will be the only one.

Only until the SHL season is over. Midway through the season I imagine Seider and Veleno will join the team.

 

[Gniwder]

Zadina is RW, Fabbri lw/c, I'd rather have
Bert-larkin-Mantha
Fabbri-Namestnikov-Zadina
Gagner- Fillpula-Ryan
Helm-Glendening- Svechnikov

The whole point is to try Fabbri at center starting at 3C and moving him up to 2C if he's better than Namestnikov. Playing Fabbri at wing during a throw away season doesn't accomplish much. Give him a few games at 3C, show that he can handle the defensive responsibilities of a center and win some faceoffs, then promote him.

I put the lefty on the left and the righty on the right, but Ryan has played on the left side since Corey Perry was also a righty (and so was Getzalf, but he was the center). Plus your lines have 2 lefties playing 2W and 2 righties playing 3W.

 

[odin1981]

Given Steve's history with Tampa not many kids start in the NHL. He prefers outside of stud prospect's to play in the minor's. I would guess Smith and Svech forward wise and maybe Lindstrom start in Detroit on D. Granted I view Cholo as a bust.

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

I like the idea of -
Zadina - Larkin - Mantha
Bertuzzi - Fabbri - Ryan
Svechnikov- Namestnikov - Gagner
Timashov - Glendening - Smith

 

[MBH]

Would be nice to see him as the "nyquist" for Larkin-Mantha.

I think Larkin/Mantha can do a lot of heavy lifting without a big gun on their left wing.
And I'm not sure we have enough skill elsewhere in the lineup if Zadina joins them

Svech-Larkin-Mantha
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Zadina
Timashov-Namestnikov-Ryan
Helm-Glendening-Erne
(Flip/Nielsen/Gagner)
Defense
Dekeyser-Hronek
Nemeth-Stecher
Cholo-Merril
(Staal)

Won't happen. Flip/Nielsen/Gagner will bump these kids out.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

can’t believe you forgot cleary smh

Well I had to give the rest of the league a chance.

 

[Oddbob]

Only until the SHL season is over. Midway through the season I imagine Seider and Veleno will join the team.

Yeah, but that will be after so much crappy Wings hockey, we will be deflated by then!

 

[Mister Ed]

Beruzzi - Larkin - Mantha
Namestnikov - Fabbri - Ryan
Timashov - Filppula - Zadina
Helm - Glendening - Gagner

Rotating : Nielsen, Erne, Svechnikov
First callups : Smith, Rasmussen

Dekeyser - Hronek
Nemeth - Stecher
Merrill - Staal

Rotating : Biega
First callup : Cholowski

Bernier
Greiss

Goalie is a 1A/1B

I'm not so sure if Seider stays in Europe the whole year. I would substitute Merrill for him in that case.