Line Combos: 2016-2017 Detroit Red Wings

[DB0SS]

Now with Helm, Marchenko & Neilsen signed, with Mrazek, Pulks & DeKeyser to be surely signed soon, what are the line combos going to be this year? Larkin and Neilsen as our top6 centers or Zetterberg? Nyquist and Tatar being used in the top 6, or will Blash bury them on the "greatest 3rd line in the league"? Does AA, Mantha & lil Bert have a chance to crack the lineup, realitically? Lets see your preferred lineups for the upcoming season.

FORWARDS
--------------

Abdelkader - Neilsen - Tatar
Zetterberg - Larkin - Nyquist
Helm - Sheahan - Mantha
Miller - Glendening - AA
Jurco, Pulks, Bert

DEFENSE
-----------

DeKeyser - Green
Smith - Marchenko
Kronwall - Ericsson
Ouellet, Sproul, Russo

GOALIES
-----------
Mrazek - Howard

So much dead weight with little high end talent. We need a trade desperately if our roster is going to be relatively competitive in 2016-2017.

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[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Now with Helm, Marchenko & Neilsen signed, with Mrazek, Pulks & DeKeyser to be surely signed soon, what are the line combos going to be this year? Larkin and Neilsen as our top6 centers or Zetterberg? Nyquist and Tatar being used in the top 6, or will Blash bury them on the "greatest 3rd line in the league"? Does AA, Mantha & lil Bert have a chance to crack the lineup, realitically? Lets see your preferred lineups for the upcoming season.

FORWARDS
--------------

Abdelkader - Neilsen - Tatar
Zetterberg - Larkin - Nyquist
Helm - Sheahan - Mantha
Miller - Glendening - AA
Jurco, Pulks, Bert

DEFENSE
-----------

DeKeyser - Green
Smith - Marchenko
Kronwall - Ericsson
Ouellet, Sproul, Russo

GOALIES
-----------
Mrazek - Howard

So much dead weight with little high end talent. We need a trade desperately if our roster is going to be relatively competitive in 2016-2017.

I'm just curious at this time in his career, Can Nielsen handle the #1 Center spot pretty sure he was the #2 Center in Brooklyn after JT i thought of him or or less as the #2 Center in Detroit but Larkin isn't ready for the #1 spot yet nor should Zetterberg be there at this stage in his career. This should be exciting.

 

[Vladdy84]

AA needs to play in the TOP 9

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I have the feeling Larkin will be back on the wing. It's not what's best for him, but there's no room now. I think they'll keep Zetterberg at center.

 

[Classicnamesup]

Should be drafting about tenth. Trade down to the mid 20s, solid season all around.

 

[Ufahmad]

AA needs to play in the TOP 9

Thank you!!!

 

[XO]

Great depth no edge. Any takers in quantity for quality? Nielsen as the 1st line center is awful. He's good 2nd line center or a great 3rd but...

 

[DB0SS]

I'm just curious at this time in his career, Can Nielsen handle the #1 Center spot pretty sure he was the #2 Center in Brooklyn after JT i thought of him or or less as the #2 Center in Detroit but Larkin isn't ready for the #1 spot yet nor should Zetterberg be there at this stage in his career. This should be exciting.

Completely agree, Neilsen should be our 2C, but we just dont have anyone who can step up yet. Maybe Larkin takes another huge stride this year (which would be incredible), but that's not too common that a 20 year old can come in and take over a 1C role in his second year.

 

[Frk It]

I see Z and Nielsen as most likely being the top 2 centers. Like it or not.

 

[VM1138]

I see Z and Nielsen as most likely being the top 2 centers. Like it or not.

Yup. No opportunity for Larkin or AA to learn center. Once Z, Nielsen and Helm decline we will be scrambling for another patch.

 

[Boomhower]

Great depth no edge. Any takers in quantity for quality? Nielsen as the 1st line center is awful. He's good 2nd line center or a great 3rd but...

He actually played left wing down the stretch on the Tavares - Okposo line.
No guarantee he'll even play centre.

 

[islesfan3913]

I'm just curious at this time in his career, Can Nielsen handle the #1 Center spot pretty sure he was the #2 Center in Brooklyn after JT i thought of him or or less as the #2 Center in Detroit but Larkin isn't ready for the #1 spot yet nor should Zetterberg be there at this stage in his career. This should be exciting.

He played #1 center the year Tavares had his knee injury. He can definitely handle playing in the #1 center role, as well as playing any other role really. Doesn't matter if it's on the first, second or third line or if he's playing center or wing. However, I don't think he's a great option as a number one because he's simply not a high level player like you need in that role.

I obviously don't know your guys team like you do but could something like this work?

Nielsen-Zetterberg-Tatar
Abdelkader-Larkin-Nyquist

I mean on paper that's a really, really solid top 6.

 

[Dead Thing Fan]

Line combos

AA/Larkin/Abby
Ny/Niel/Tats
Zetts/Shea/Mantha
Miller/Glen/Helm
Pulks/Frk

I would love to see this combo to see how successful they would be-

AA/Larkin/Helm. Can't think of a faster line in the league. If they could ever develop any chemistry, their speed would be devastating.

 

[Shaman464]

Yup. No opportunity for Larkin or AA to learn center. Once Z, Nielsen and Helm decline we will be scrambling for another patch.

AA was never going to be a solution at center. He was converted late in his career, and has always projected as a winger.

 

[Winger98]

Zetterberg-nielsen-Helm
Nyquist-larkin-Abdelkader
Tatar-sheahan-Vanek
Miller-Glendening-Jurco
Pulkkinen, Frk (or whoever else the Wings don't want to lose to waivers)

edit: took too long and missed the Vanek signing entirely.

 

[SimplySolace]

I expect them to keep trotting out Z as the 1C:

Larkin/Z/Abby
Nyquist/Nielsen/Tatar
Helm/Sheahan/Vanek
Miller/Glenny/Jurco

+ Mantha, Pulkk, AA...

 

[Wood Stick]

Realistically, I expect much of the same and Mantha in Grand Rapids. My guess of the line-up

Larkin-Zetterberg-Abdelkader
Tatar-Nielsen-Nyquist
Helm-Sheahan-Vanek
Miller-Glendening-AA

My ideal line-up is ****ed as there's no room for Mantha so sadly I'll place him in Grand Rapids until the injuries occur

Tatar-Larkin-Abdelkader
Zetterberg-Nielsen-Nyquist
AA-Sheahan-Vanek
Miller-Glendening-Helm

Time to transition Larkin to the middle and start the move away from Zetterberg. Abdelkader's a safe two-way guy that has a finish of sorts now. Tatar can help with possession and loves to shoot. Tatar needs more to work with.

Zetteberg needs to play the W. Frans Nielsen is that C with speed and a two-way game, and Nyquist should be able to get into scoring areas with these guys.

Third line is big. AA, Sheahan, and Vanek are all 6'2 or so I believe. Should be able to control the boards, and AA has that breakout speed. Catch Sheahan drfiting with that shot, and Vanek is good in front of the net.

Typical fourth line. Playoffs you may switch it up as Helm isn't a great shutdown guy IMO like we saw from Sheahan-Glenny-Abby.

 

[The Geelee]

Zetterberg-Larkin-Gator
Helm-Nielsen-Nyquist
Tatar-Sheahan-Vanek
Miller-Glendening-Ott

Kronwall-Green
Dekeyser-Ericsson
Smith-Marchenko

Mrazek
Howard

I give that roster a very low chance of making the playoffs. The top end talent just isn't there and the defense is vomit inducing.

Terrible offseason. Again.

 

[BinCookin]

I am going to list where players NEED to play, which lines to be useful:

Larkin-Zetterberg-Abdelkader
Tatar-Nielsen-Nyquist
Helm-Sheahan-Vanek-Mantha(AHL)-AA(not a 4th liner)
Miller-Glendening-XXX

Larkin will transition to Center as Zetterberg retires to Wing.
Mantha wont be on the 4th line, so he is in the AHL.

Jurco and Pulkkinen do not even make the team, so one will be traded or waivered for almost no, or no return.

Green-Kronwall
Dekeyser-Ericsson
Smith-Marchenko
Ouellet #7

Sproul and Jensen are both waiver fodder, basically have no value


BTW what players are joining the AHL team this year?
Svechnikov? Sarijaarvi? Hicketts?

 

[Perfect Human]

Z-Larkin-Abby
Nike-Frans-Vanek
Tats-She-Helm
Miller-Glennie-Ott

I say trade Tats and Mantha and Pulkinen for D Bring up AA on third line with She and Helm

 

[Heaton]

Looks like AA and Mantha will be sent down, absolutely no room for either of them. Also with the Ott signing it looks like we'll be waiving Jurco or Pulkkinen.

Larkin - Z - Abdelkader
Nyquist - Nielsen - Vanek
Tatar - Sheahan - Helm
Ott - Glendening - Miller

 

[waltdetroit]

Tatar-Nielsen-Nyquist

don't see this line happening - 3 smallish forwards & no piano mover

 

[Vladdy84]

Gator-Z-Nyquist
Tatar-Nielson-Vanek
Helm-Riley-Jurco
Miller-Luke-Ott
Jurco
Pookie

Mantha,AA and Larkin in AHL

 

[BinCookin]

I give that roster a very low chance of making the playoffs. The top end talent just isn't there and the defense is vomit inducing.

Terrible offseason. Again.

I think this is actually untrue.

This roster has a decent chance to make the playoffs. They will be competitive.

BUT you are right, there is little top end talent, Detroit has built more of "alot" of OK players.

We probably will not win the stanley cup with this team, but I think missing the playoffs will be difficult

 

[waltdetroit]

BTW what players are joining the AHL team this year?
Svechnikov? Sarijaarvi? Hicketts?

Here are the forwards under contract, either DRW or GRG, that could be in GRG (some maybe with DRW or the Walleye):

F Andreas Athanasiou (DET)
F Jack Barre (GR)
F Tyler Bertuzzi (DET)
F Mike Borkowski (GR)
F Kyle Criscuolo (GR)
F Martin Frk (DET)
F Alex Globke (GR)
F Matt Lorito (DET)
F Anthony Mantha (DET)
F Zach Nastasiuk (DET)
F Tomas Nosek (DET)
F Mathew Santos (GR)
F Ben Street (DET)
F Evgeny Svechnikov (DET)
F Eric Tangradi (DET)

Forwards offered contracts but haven't signed:

F Louis-Marc Aubry
F Mitch Callahan
F Colin Campbell

Defencemen signed:

D Matthew Caito (GR)
D Joe Hicketts (DET)
D Nick Jensen (DET)
D Brian Lashoff (DET)
D Xavier Ouellet (DET)
D Nathan Paetsch (GR)
D Dan Renouf (DET)
D Robbie Russo (DET)

unrestricted or unsigned D:
D Joel Chouinard (GR)
D Scott Czarnowczan (GR)
D Derek Docken (GR)
D Steve Spinell (GR)
D Ryan Sproul (DET)