Ansar Khan: Khan thinks Zetterbergs done. Zadina, Rasmussen and Hronek to make the season-opening roster

[JoesuffP]

I think Rasmussen tears it up in camp and starts in the top six over Zadina

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Rasmussen-Nielsen-Nyquist
Abdelkader-Anthanisou-Zadina
Helm-Glendening-Frk

Dekesyer-Green
Ericsson-Daley
Kronwall-Hronek

 

[lilidk]

I think Rasmussen tears it up in camp and starts in the top six over Zadina

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Rasmussen-Nielsen-Nyquist
Abdelkader-Anthanisou-Zadina
Helm-Glendening-Frk

Dekesyer-Green
Ericsson-Daley
Kronwall-Hronek

There is Vanek , he should be second line with Nielson . Adding Zadina to that line would be awesome euro line
Bert is not first line even thou he was there last year .
Rasmussen-Larkin-Mantha - should be dominating line , were Mantha is finisher
Zadina -Nielson- Vanek
Abdelkader AA-Bert- defensive line with AA always ready for breakaway
Helm-Glendening- Turgeon - good defensive players ( time killers)
Frk , Nyquist should be traded , to have more openings for kids in GR and RW
Zadina should fight with Svechnikov for 2nd line spot , it all depends how Svechnikov is progressing .

 

[Lampedampe]

Bert-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Nielsen-Nyquist
Vanek-Rasmussen-AA
Abby-Glenny-Helm

I'd like watching this lineup a lot, I think

I realize this is nothing new, but it just hit me that our 4th line's cap hit is pretty much equal to our first line, and those were actual lines last season.

 

[newfy]

Reading the tea leaves from the various insiders around the team, it would appear that if Hronek is ready and nobody is hurt in training camp that Jensen will be dealt. I expect Daley to be dealt at the deadline and Cholowski, Sulak or Hicketts to come up then.

Sulak wont be a call up. He either makes it or goes back to Europe for a year I read. So itll be Cholowski or Hicketts getting the call up.

Really they should just deal Jensen if they can and play Sulak as the 7th/spot duty and see what he has. Hes old enough that its not like theyre going to ruin him, hes already at that age where its time to piss or get off the pot as long a he has a half decent preseason. If he ends up completely sucking, play Witkowski the odd game on D or call up Hicketts/Cholowski whenever you need someone. Witkowski is fine for a 6/7 D when a team is this bad. He'll provide some entertainment and protect a lineup that will have a lot of rookies in it compared to what we're used to with the wings

I doubt they do it, but it would make sense to do something like that. Sulak is old enough as it is

 

[KJoe88]

Bert-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Nielsen-Nyquist
Vanek-Rasmussen-AA
Abby-Glenny-Helm

I'd like watching this lineup a lot, I think

I concur (I love that word - idk why).

 

[TatarTangle]

I concur (I love that word - idk why).

It's a great word. Just never use per se. Under any circumstance. Even if there is a fire.

 

[SCD]

I don't believe they will ever start Rasmussen between Vanek and AA. To give that defensive responsibility to a new kid seems crazy.

Unless AA has had a lobotomy over the summer and is now willing to follow Blashill's directions, he won't play center very long or very much.

Helm is the only real choice right now for 3C, and he does provide some defensive capability.

 

[jkutswings]

It's a great word. Just never use per se. Under any circumstance. Even if there is a fire.

What about if the fire is started by a cat? Does it then become purr se?

 

[InjuredChoker]

If Z is gone, all bets are off. 4th line would be ~15+ minute per game shutdown line though. 3rd line might be actual 4th line.

they would shutdown our offense. none of those guys are great puck handles or distributors so they would play most of the time in the dzone and likely get scored.

 

[marcmadsen]

He is done...

In hindsight, I almost now get the feeling that the DRW probably anticipated Zetterberg not coming back next season.

 

[Shaman464]

Custance just posted an article that seems to point to Z being done as well. His agent confirmed Holland's grim assessment, and the Detroit media machine is building the 'what to expect next season without Z ' story

 

[Hammettf2b]

Custance just posted an article that seems to point to Z being done as well. His agent confirmed Holland's grim assessment, and the Detroit media machine is building the 'what to expect next season without Z ' story

 

[Flowah]

Based on these reports, I think it would be a major mistake if Z continues to play. I feel the same way about Kronwall and Kesler on Anaheim.

Sacrificing your quality of life for a few million bucks and a rebuilding team isn't worth it. I understand this is their life and livelihood, but they have kids now and while I'm sure they've already thought about all that and more, I worry about the team pressuring him to come back.

It would be so silly for the team to pressure him to come back.

Even a prime Z would have real trouble getting this team into a wild card spot. He's got no Datsyuk and no Lidstrom, hell not even a prime Kronwall, to help him carry the load.

They'd be pressuring him to sacrifice his health for.... another lottery finish? Why?

If they are pressuring him, Z needs to ignore them completely.

That's only because of the D core. I don't mind this forward group at all. (for being a rebuilding team) Zetterberg playing just means Zadina or Ras isn't playing.

I guess it's possible it's not the worst forward core in the league, but it's definitely no contender. We don't have anything that even begins to resemble the 1-2 punch real contenders have.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

It will be sad to see Z go but without him Zadina probably makes the team.

Bert-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Nielsen-Nyquist
Vanek-Helm-AA
Rasmussen-Glendening-Gator
Witkowski/Frk

Green-DeKeyser
Daley-Ericsson
Kronwal-Jensen/Hronek


The pessimist in me sees Blash burying either Ras or Zadina on the 4th line to start.

 

[Wyzer Plan]

It will be sad to see Z go but without him Zadina probably makes the team.

Bert-Larkin-Mantha
Zadina-Nielsen-Nyquist
Vanek-Helm-AA
Rasmussen-Glendening-Gator
Witkowski/Frk

Green-DeKeyser
Daley-Ericsson
Kronwal-Jensen/Hronek


The pessimist in me sees Blash burying either Ras or Zadina on the 4th line to start.

I don’t see that happening. Zadina is ahl eligible and Rasmussen is not. Zadina getting top line minutes in the ahl is worlds better than 1 of the 2 getting buried on the 4th line with stone hands luke.

 

[Winger98]

If Z isn't playing, I don't see why we wouldn't put Rasmussen at center with someone like Nyquist and Gator (or Zadina, hell, why not?) and just watch his match-ups and zone starts a bit more closely. In general, put his line out for offensive zone draws and throw Glendening's out there for defensive zone draws. Then don't worry about when/where Larkin and Nielsen are starting from, as they're just better lines.

 

[newfy]

If Z isn't playing, I don't see why we wouldn't put Rasmussen at center with someone like Nyquist and Gator (or Zadina, hell, why not?) and just watch his match-ups and zone starts a bit more closely. In general, put his line out for offensive zone draws and throw Glendening's out there for defensive zone draws. Then don't worry about when/where Larkin and Nielsen are starting from, as they're just better lines.

I bet he gets some minutes there if Zetterberg doesnt play. He might not be a pencilled in stone center and play a good amount of wing but I'm sure he'll take some faceoffs and play center if he has a decent adjustment. I'm not really sure whats better though, 3rd line center mins with some PP time or top 6 wing mins with PP time.

While the team is bad does he take his lumps at center and hope he can battle through them, or have a bit easier transition on the wing and take that confidence into next season playing center?

 

[Wyzer Plan]

I bet he gets some minutes there if Zetterberg doesnt play. He might not be a pencilled in stone center and play a good amount of wing but I'm sure he'll take some faceoffs and play center if he has a decent adjustment. I'm not really sure whats better though, 3rd line center mins with some PP time or top 6 wing mins with PP time.

While the team is bad does he take his lumps at center and hope he can battle through them, or have a bit easier transition on the wing and take that confidence into next season playing center?

I like what it did for Larkin. I think it’s a pretty good method. Gives him some time to adjust to the nhl speed and grind with a little less responsibility. I think stress and confidence wise it does wonders for young developing players.

 

[vladdy16]

If Z isn't playing, I don't see why we wouldn't put Rasmussen at center with someone like Nyquist and Gator (or Zadina, hell, why not?) and just watch his match-ups and zone starts a bit more closely. In general, put his line out for offensive zone draws and throw Glendening's out there for defensive zone draws. Then don't worry about when/where Larkin and Nielsen are starting from, as they're just better lines.

I'd be comfortable with the Red Wings trying to duplicate the results they achieved with Larkin. Larkin and Rasmussen are both guys that project more as 45-70 pt two way centers, than they do as gamebreaking weapons, and I think Larkins time riding shotgun at wing really helped him get an idea of how to best translate his offensive capabilities in the NHL.

Or maybe I'm totally wrong, and Rasmussens size and knack on offense are in the bag, and he should be spending his formative years here entrenched at center, figuring out how to navigate around his slightly limited foot speed to become a proficient defensive center.

 

[newfy]

I like what it did for Larkin. I think it’s a pretty good method. Gives him some time to adjust to the nhl speed and grind with a little less responsibility. I think stress and confidence wise it does wonders for young developing players.

Yeah I agree. Like I said, play him on wing and see how he does. There will be injuries (Helm will get hurt for sure), and then let him play a bit of center here and there. He'll get a feel for it but not have a tonne of responsibility because he'll be moved back to wing. Unless he does really well at center then just leave him there.

I dont think theres an exact formula for it but I do like how it worked for Larkin. Might be different for Rasmussen though

 

[Henkka]

I still think we should try Athanasiou as first option at center, if Z is missing.

He has that easy skating for 200-feet game. Now it's time to start executing that.

 

[Shaman464]

I still think we should try Athanasiou as first option at center, if Z is missing.

He has that easy skating for 200-feet game. Now it's time to start executing that.

He doesn't have the IQ or the ethic.

 

[SCD]

Rasmussen seems to have great hand-eye coordination and thrive in front of the net. Something we have not had since Holmstrom.

Larkin appears to be a 1 or 2C, and Veleno probably a 3C. We really need another 1 or 2C. I don't think Rasmussen projects to fill that. Develop him at wing, with the idea he is going to be the net front person. Less responsibility and less chance of failure starting his career. Long term he is likely to end up there anyway.

 

[Konnan511]

The more and more I read about Rasmussen, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually becomes our next captain to be honest. The dude is a leader through and through. I think they go with three A's this season and the next couple years after that Abby gets the 'C' (yuck) and then Ras gets the 'C' after that. Again, this is all my own uninformed opinion.

 

[Winger98]

I bet he gets some minutes there if Zetterberg doesnt play. He might not be a pencilled in stone center and play a good amount of wing but I'm sure he'll take some faceoffs and play center if he has a decent adjustment. I'm not really sure whats better though, 3rd line center mins with some PP time or top 6 wing mins with PP time.

While the team is bad does he take his lumps at center and hope he can battle through them, or have a bit easier transition on the wing and take that confidence into next season playing center?

I just don't have a big worry about these guys being destroyed by having a rough first year, provided they're ready for the NHL at all. Also, we have the depth to make it work. We're not going to have to throw him over the boards with Helm and Glendening next to him. We put Nyquist out there with him. We can figure out the other wing from our options. If we didn't have the options at wing to still put together a good third line, I wouldn't be as for it, but we strangely have the depth for it.

If we keep Ras at wing, I think I'd lean towards giving Athanasiou a look at center to start the season rather than putting Helm there. We have a better idea of what we'll get from Helm every day, but I'm not real thrilled with that knowledge.