GDT: Game #31 | Sabres @ Wings | 7:30 PM EST

[Frk It]

VS.

December 14th, 2015
7:30 p.m., FS-D

Place:

Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, Michigan

Lines:

Left Wing | Center | Right Wing
Justin Abdelkader|Henrik Zetterberg|Dylan Larkin
Darren Helm|Pavel Datsyuk|Brad Richards
Tomas Tatar|Riley Sheahan|Gustav Nyquist
Joakim Andersson|Luke Glendening|Tomas Jurco

Left Defense | Right Defense
Niklas Kronwall|Mike Green
Danny Dekeyser|Jonathan Ericsson
Brendan Smith|Alexey Marchenko

Starting Goaltender
Petr Mrazek

Left Wing | Center | Right Wing
Jamie McGinn|Ryan O'Reilly|Sam Reinhart

Matt Moulson|Jack Eichel|Evander Kane

Zemgus Girgensons|Johan Larsson|Brian Gionta

Nicolas Deslauriers|David Legwand|Marcus Foligno

Left Defense | Right Defense
Josh Gorges|Rasmus Ristolainen

Jake McCabe|Zach Bogosian

Mike Weber|Cody Franson

Starting Goaltender
Chad Johnson

​

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[Hammettf2b]

Another rookie no show or will they come out swinging???

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

Still hate that 2nd line.

 

[Eggberto]

I have high hopes for the next few games, especially since we could have been better against NJ.

I wouldn't complain about a regulation win tonight. If anyone in Buffalo -has- to score I'd like to to be Eichel as he's on my fantasy squad and my team was god-awful last week.

 

[Kronwalled55]

Still hate that 2nd line.

With the way Datsyuk looks, it's really a 3rd line disguised as a 2nd line.

 

[Classicnamesup]

Dats isn't able to carry two passengers at the moment, isn't yet back to his level and it is hurting his offense big time. Give him some skill so he can get going, then put the skill back on the 3rd and 4th and give Dats the scrubs.

BRichards has been so disappointing after preseason. This is what I expected from him but preseason gave me hope that has been dashed.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I have high hopes for the next few games, especially since we could have been better against NJ.

I wouldn't complain about a regulation win tonight. If anyone in Buffalo -has- to score I'd like to to be Eichel as he's on my fantasy squad and my team was god-awful last week.

As long as Kane and Risto assist and it is a power play goal. Yup, I have all three on my team!

 

[Kronwalled55]

Dats isn't able to carry two passengers at the moment, isn't yet back to his level and it is hurting his offense big time. Give him some skill so he can get going, then put the skill back on the 3rd and 4th and give Dats the scrubs.

I'm more inclined to believe he's a declined 37 year old with a lot of miles on a banged up body. I need to see something from him before I start blaming his linemates. Not to mention Helm has looked damn good out there lately.

 

[ap3x]

Regulation win would be pretty nice. Asked for too much?

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

I'm more inclined to believe he's a declined 37 year old with a lot of miles on a banged up body. I need to see something from him before I start blaming his linemates. Not to mention Helm has looked damn good out there lately.

I'm right there with you. I don't think Datsyuk has that extra level anymore. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

 

[lilidk]

Still hate that 2nd line.

is it because Pavel is 37 years old?

 

[detredWINgs]

I'm more inclined to believe he's a declined 37 year old with a lot of miles on a banged up body. I need to see something from him before I start blaming his linemates. Not to mention Helm has looked damn good out there lately.

Yeah, this isn't the Datsyuk that we saw as recently as last season. I'm willing to wait (read: desperately hoping) and see if its just a matter of an older body taking a longer time to recover from considerable surgery, but I'm also not holding my breath. Anyone blaming Datsyuk's linemates is in denial, IMO. Ignoring what the stat sheet says, he's not looking like himself. (Although thats not to say I like that line right now.)

I also don't buy that Datsyuk is the reason our possession numbers have made a sizeable jump. If I'm not mistaken, we had a great record without Datsyuk last year. I'm more inclined to believe that the improvement comes from the players getting used to a new system and coach. I love Datsyuk as much as the next guy, but I don't think its any mistake that the improvement has come when a lot of players have simply looked better of late, particularly the defenseman.

 

[Heaton]

The Datsyuk line should be considered our 3rd line at this point.

 

[odin1981]

I don't think he is done but not having a off season plus training tops we can expect from him is Z last year. Though speaking of Z though if everyone is trying to wring dats out for only .6 ppg why is Z not getting ****?

He had a healthy off season and full training but he is .76ppg? Not to mention abby/larkin or abby/nyquist is 10 times better than Richards/Helm.

 

[hyduK]

Wouldn't mind seeing Larkin center his own line as some point. Put Z/D back together and try and shake up the offense a bit.

 

[TheMule93]

Wouldn't mind seeing Larkin center his own line as some point. Put Z/D back together and try and shake up the offense a bit.

They've done that like 3-4 times already. Every time D and Z are together they are too slow to do anything, so they promptly split them up again

 

[hyduK]

They've done that like 3-4 times already. Every time D and Z are together they are too slow to do anything, so they promptly split them up again

Don't think they've tried it for long enough but you're probably right on the slow part anyway.

What about getting Sheahan as a winger and letting Larkin have a line?

Something like:

Abby/Z/Gus
Tats/Dats/Richards (Helm)
Sheahan/Larkin/Jurco
Andy/Glen/Helm

 

[detredWINgs]

I don't think he is done but not having a off season plus training tops we can expect from him is Z last year. Though speaking of Z though if everyone is trying to wring dats out for only .6 ppg why is Z not getting ****?

He had a healthy off season and full training but he is .76ppg? Not to mention abby/larkin or abby/nyquist is 10 times better than Richards/Helm.

Not sure what you're talking about. He's gotten plenty of **** this year from folks on this board.

 

[Vladdy84]

I'd like to see Dats reunited with Tats ASAP.

 

[Syckle78]

Pavs has always taken awhile to get going after coming back from injury. Don't know why people are acting like this is new. The guy was one of the best players in the league last year when healthy outpacing the vast majority of the league including prime toews and having crazy possession numbers. So yea im going go ahead and assume that he's not fallen off a cliff until proven otherwise and not the other way around.

 

[Ricelund]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are 35 and 37 years old. It's not like they're not trying.

 

[Marky9er]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are 35 and 37 years old. It's not like they're not trying.

I'm 35, I wish I could say 'that isn't old'.... but I can't even stay awake for the entire game at this point, I'd be a hypocrite.

 

[TheMule93]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are 35 and 37 years old. It's not like they're not trying.

I don't think a single person has criticized their work ethic/ effort.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make.

 

[Flowah]

I don't think a single person has criticized their work ethic/ effort.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make.

At least a couple have said Datsyuk looks "indifferent" out there. Someone even used the word "apathetic."

That certainly implies a lack of effort.

 

[Syckle78]

At least a couple have said Datsyuk looks "indifferent" out there. Someone even used the word "apathetic."

That certainly implies a lack of effort.

Which is beyond ridiculous. Dudes been the consummate professional his entire career. He never would of been the defensive beast he became without a tremendous work ethic.