Line Combos: Datsyuk possibly back this weekend | Might play with Zetterberg and Larkin

[Disappointed EP40]

Any news on return date? How's he progressing?

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[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Any news on return date? How's he progressing?

Sounds like by possibly next weekend.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Who gets benched once Datsyuk is back?

 

[DanZ]

Who gets benched once Datsyuk is back?

Hopefully Andersson. Keep Athanasiou up over him.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Hopefully Andersson. Keep Athanasiou up over him.

Then when Richards gets back, AA probably gets sent back down.

 

[DanZ]

Then when Richards gets back, AA probably gets sent back down.

Probably, but at least Richards is better than Andersson too.

 

[Shaman464]

Probably, but at least Richards is better than Andersson too.

Lets not say things we can't take back.

 

[chances14]

hopefully he'll be back for the game on friday. i will be at that game

 

[Mister Ed]

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 2h2 hours ago
Lines:
Larkin-Zetterberg-Datsyuk
Tatar-Sheahan-Nyquist
Abdelkader-Athanasiou-Pulkkinen
Miller-Glendening-Helm

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive
Interesting, Datsyuk skating on line with Zetterberg and Larkin. Abdelkader moved to bottom six. Doesn't mean Datsyuk ready for sure.

Those look like the lines we'll see on Friday, Sunday or Monday when Datsyuk comes back. My guess would be he's in on Monday.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

The thought of Larkin-Z-Datsyuk makes me giddy.

 

[DatsDeking]

Those look like the lines we'll see on Friday, Sunday or Monday when Datsyuk comes back. My guess would be he's in on Monday.

Abby-AA-Pulk could take advantage of some opposing 3rd lines. That's a good sign. Still kinda eh about Sheahan as a 2C but hopefully it causes him to develop his game more. Good to see Dats getting ready to come back and great to see that the lines aren't set in stone.

These sure aren't Babcock lines

 

[Retire91]

Really Really happy to see hints of Abby being in the bottom 6. This all depends on Sheahan of course but hope it works out.

 

[TheMule93]

Larkin-Dasyuk-Zetterberg

2 goats and a kid

 

[TheMule93]

Really Really happy to see hints of Abby being in the bottom 6. This all depends on Sheahan of course but hope it works out.

Agreed. Other than the first two games he hasn't done anything worthy of being in the top 6

 

[Flowah]

Abby-AA-Pulk could take advantage of some opposing 3rd lines. That's a good sign. Still kinda eh about Sheahan as a 2C but hopefully it causes him to develop his game more. Good to see Dats getting ready to come back and great to see that the lines aren't set in stone.

These sure aren't Babcock lines

Who would handle 2C better? Larkin, Richards, or Sheahan? I'd put em in that order, frankly. On the other hand, as long as Sheahan isn't a black hole of suck as 2C it should be fine to load up other lines. Plus that line's actually looked pretty decent for a couple games now. Last game they were consistently generating stuff where all our other lines blew ass.

 

[Retire91]

Larkin-Dasyuk-Zetterberg

2 goats and a kid

Haha brilliant

 

[Actual Thought*]

The thought of Larkin-Z-Datsyuk makes me giddy.

It makes me think "What is the best way to reduce our depth"? Put all our best players on one line. Yup. That should do it.

 

[HisNoodliness]

It makes me think "What is the best way to reduce our depth"? Put all our best players on one line. Yup. That should do it.

If that line dominates you don't need depth... That's what's carried the wings so far... Obviously not the best though. I'd say with the way Goose-Sheahan-Tats has looked that it will definitely be able to step up and produce. They've had good zone time. If Tatar would figure his game out we'd be golden. The third line also will still have some good options.

 

[14ari13]

It makes me think "What is the best way to reduce our depth"? Put all our best players on one line. Yup. That should do it.

3-8 games till Datsyuk is fully ready to go.

 

[Actual Thought*]

If that line dominates you don't need depth... That's what's carried the wings so far... Obviously not the best though. I'd say with the way Goose-Sheahan-Tats has looked that it will definitely be able to step up and produce. They've had good zone time. If Tatar would figure his game out we'd be golden. The third line also will still have some good options.

I would rather be strong throughout the line up and create match up problems for teams. You can always stack up when trailing games or for PPs but putting your top 3 centers on one line is dumb IMHO. You could buy so much space to allow those guys to work if you spread them out. You could be awesome up the middle with Z, Pav, Larks, and Glenda at your centers.

 

[Henkka]

The thought of Larkin-Z-Datsyuk makes me giddy.

I believe that line could be together maybe for a half shift in a real game.

Then Abdelkader is promoted there...

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Who gets benched once Datsyuk is back?

My guess would be Andersson most likely.

 

[Hendricks433]

I would rather be strong throughout the line up and create match up problems for teams. You can always stack up when trailing games or for PPs but putting your top 3 centers on one line is dumb IMHO. You could buy so much space to allow those guys to work if you spread them out. You could be awesome up the middle with Z, Pav, Larks, and Glenda at your centers.

Using Z, Dats and Larkin at Center doesn't help Z much. For the longevity of the year its best to have Z on the wing. My guess is if lines struggle me move to. Either way, might as well try the lines above. They make the most sense as long as Sheahan can handle it, although I have my doubts.

Z, Dats, Abby
Nyquist, Larkin, Tats

 

[Kronwalled55]

If that line dominates you don't need depth... That's what's carried the wings so far... Obviously not the best though. I'd say with the way Goose-Sheahan-Tats has looked that it will definitely be able to step up and produce. They've had good zone time. If Tatar would figure his game out we'd be golden. The third line also will still have some good options.

This season has so far proven that's not true.

Detroit's bottom six is a bunch of plugs and defensive players. They're not going to score you goals. Some nights Tatar/Nyquist/Sheahan are simply non factors. That leaves the Larkin/Zetterberg line... which always creates chances, but if they're not scoring... Nobody else is either. We need depth scoring.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

I would rather be strong throughout the line up and create match up problems for teams. You can always stack up when trailing games or for PPs but putting your top 3 centers on one line is dumb IMHO. You could buy so much space to allow those guys to work if you spread them out. You could be awesome up the middle with Z, Pav, Larks, and Glenda at your centers.

You know the way you create matchup problems? By stacking the **** out of a line. If you spread all of your really good players around, the other team can focus on those really good players and you're left hoping that Riley Sheahan and Teemu Pulkkinen and Luke Glendening are going to be the difference makers.

Whereas, if you stack the top line, you automatically have the matchup problem you want with Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Dylan Larkin being the guys who will make stuff happen. Load the top line to get great matchups for THOSE guys as opposed to hoping that maybe you find one with a third line.

And if the other team stacks its best defensive players to counter that top line, then you have the TSN line facing prime matchups where they should be able to do some damage.

I will never understand this need for balance and uniformity. Utilize good players with good players. Survive the shifts of your bad players. If it doesn't work, you can change it.

I mean, honestly, why are you so beholden to the depth? Haven't they been **** all year? Haven't they been outplayed all season? Why not try something new?