Line Combos: Helm to start on wing with Datsyuk

[Hammettf2b]

My prediction of the opening night lines (for a couple of shifts at least)

Helm - Datsyuk - Abby
Nyquist - Z - Mule
Tatar - Weiss - Cleary
Miller - Sheahan - Glendening

Alfie is going to take one look at this roster and realize he should just retire now because he aint going nowhere with this team.


But hey, at least were Realgud down the middle

 

[Bench]

Helm generates lots of scoring chances and he scores well at even strength. His offense is being sold short. He also draws a lot of penalties. Its worth a shot.

A speed injection to a Datsyuk line could pay off. I get the thinking. Defenders will have to be very honest with his speed and Days playmaking.

It also frees up a center spot for Sheahan.

 

[DatsDeking]

I'm not sure of Helm's Corsi #s or other advanced statistics but does anyone else think this move may be a result of them crunching some numbers and giving that a chance?

 

[Frk It]

I'm not sure of Helm's Corsi #s or other advanced statistics but does anyone else think this move may be a result of them crunching some numbers and giving that a chance?

No. I think it was mostly a structure/system decision. Hockey strategy, not advanced stats, I believe drove this move.

 

[Vladdy84]

Look on the bright side, at least we have something new to argue about.

 

[InjuredChoker]

I'm not sure of Helm's Corsi #s or other advanced statistics but does anyone else think this move may be a result of them crunching some numbers and giving that a chance?

datsyuk has good corsi, no matter who with he plays. he needs someone who can finish of that possession and shots.

helm can drive possession on his own so having him with someone who is not as good at it (say weiss) would make more sense.

 

[Henkka]

Babcock wants to build a shut-down line what's based on two strong defensive players. Datsyuk and Helm. People should stop thinking our lines in a top6/bottom-way. We could be a deep four-line machine just like LA Kings was where every line is important if our guys will stay healthy.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Babcock wants to build a shut-down line what's based on two strong defensive players. Datsyuk and Helm. People should stop thinking our lines in a top6/bottom-way. We will be a deep four-line machine where every line is important if oir guys will stay healthy.

Here we go again.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been playing a shut down unit for 8+ years now.

You want a shutdown unit? You put those two together and the other team doesn't touch the puck. As has been the case for years when they're healthy.

 

[SirloinUB]

So much for Mantha playing with both Pav and Z.....


I honestly wouldn't mind something like:

Helm - Datsyuk - Mantha
Nyquist - Z - Franzen
Tatar - Sheahan - Alfie/Jurco
Miller - Glendening - Abd
Cleary, Andersson

Why did you think that was even remotely a possibility?

Holland's quotes and a fool's dreams.

 

[DatsDeking]

Is Z-D-Helm a possibility? That would be something, plus Helm could easily be swapped for a kid or any other player down the road. Would be neat to see Jurco get those minutes. Wishful thinking though.

 

[odin1981]

Is Z-D-Helm a possibility? That would be something, plus Helm could easily be swapped for a kid or any other player down the road. Would be neat to see Jurco get those minutes. Wishful thinking though.

It might not be bad but the minute one other center goes down it ends. With 3 centers all on one line it just isn't a recipe for sustainability. And Weiss and his groins of impenetrable steel are my bet on first getting hurt.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Is Z-D-Helm a possibility? That would be something, plus Helm could easily be swapped for a kid or any other player down the road. Would be neat to see Jurco get those minutes. Wishful thinking though.

helm isn't net front presence or anything so i don't see why they wouldn't have someone who can score like jurco or sheahan there instead.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Jurco/Mantha
Nyquist - Helm - Franzen
Tatar - Sheahan - Pulkkinen
Miller - Andersson/Glendening/Weiss - Abdelkader

Would love to see something like this. That's a pretty sick forward corps besides Helm at 2C which I'm unsure about.

 

[Henkka]

Here we go again.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been playing a shut down unit for 8+ years now.

You want a shutdown unit? You put those two together and the other team doesn't touch the puck. As has been the case for years when they're healthy.

Yep. They play against opposite top line and in best case, will outscore them. Best defence you can get. At same time our other lines are outscoring other lines (in theory).

Recent years, Helm has sucked on the faceoff dot so I don't mind him as a winger.

 

[Roy S]

I'm not sure of Helm's Corsi #s or other advanced statistics but does anyone else think this move may be a result of them crunching some numbers and giving that a chance?

His Corsi stats are really good, and he's always scored well at even strength and drawn penalties at a high rate. The top 5 corsi forwards are D, Z, Nyquist, Tatar and Helm with Franzen and Alfie probably 6th and 7th w/o enough data on Jurco and Sheahan away from Tatar.

 

[hot dog]

Having a feeling we will see Z be the third piece on this line to start and Weiss, Sheahan, and Glendening starting down the middle the rest of the way. I think Babs wants Luke as the 4C.

 

[Frk It]

Having a feeling we will see Z be the third piece on this line to start and Weiss, Sheahan, and Glendening starting down the middle the rest of the way. I think Babs wants Luke as the 4C.

I hope so.

That would mean Zetterberg, Nyquist, Franzen, Helm, Tatar, Abdelkader are top 9 wingers.

Leaves no room for Clears.

 

[Bench]

His Corsi stats are really good, and he's always scored well at even strength and drawn penalties at a high rate. The top 5 corsi forwards are D, Z, Nyquist, Tatar and Helm with Franzen and Alfie probably 6th and 7th w/o enough data on Jurco and Sheahan away from Tatar.

People have wanted good corsi players with Dats for some time. This is a step in the right direction away from the Abby Cleary situations.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

For the record, I don't completely hate the idea of Helm with Datsyuk. I've actually mentioned it in the past. Helm's speed, forechecking, and ability to cycle can all beneficial to Datsyuk IMO. He's a better possession player than Abdelkader and he can be more effective at winning puck battles.

With that being said, why now? Babcock has the ability to keep 13 and 40 together and to run 4 lines that can really skate:

Datsyuk/Zetterberg
Nyquist
Tatar
Helm

Those 4 units should start the season on 4 different lines as they each have a piece that can really drive possession and bring quickness up and down the lineup.

And I've said it many times, but there doesn't have to be a "4th line." With that lineup you could potentially run all 4 units and just feed whatever unit is going more ice. It would be easy to limit 13 and 40's ice time when you want to and you can really feed the other units minutes.

But in regards to Helm and Datsyuk, that 3rd winger also matters. If it's Alfie or Z or Nyquist I like it. If it's a player like Abby or Cleary, ugh.

 

[splot]

Am I the only one who thinks that a Dats/Helm/Alfredsson line could work very well? Datsyuk gets a great scorer on his line and Helm helps with his speed and tenacity. Alfredsson and Helm showed some good synergy last season as well.

 

[Flowah]

@jtbourne
Will write this up down the road, but chatting w/ Babcock made me rethink the role of the winger in the D-zone. W/ biggers zones, and all

Bigger zones? Are they changing the rinks or something?

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Am I the only one who thinks that a Dats/Helm/Alfredsson line could work very well? Datsyuk gets a great scorer on his line and Helm helps with his speed and tenacity. Alfredsson and Helm showed some good synergy last season as well.

When Datsyuk returned late last season, that was what I wanted. You would have been able to keep the chemistry of:

Nyquist-Legwand-Franzen
Jurco-Sheahan-Tatar
Glendening-Miller

And just replaced Bertuzzi with Abdelkader on the checking line.

But Babcock was too impatient and quickly blew the whole thing up.

Helm-Datsyuk-Aflie would work if given a proper chance, I have no doubt.

I really hope Alfie comes back.

 

[DB0SS]

Alfredsson - Datsyuk - Helm
(Alfie and Datsyuk work well together, plus with this line you have Helm's speed, Pavel's hands, and Alfie's RH shot. Seems like a winning combo to me.)

Nyquist - Zetterberg - Franzen
(Self explanatory, good overall line with Nyquist and Z driving Franzen and his big body/shot.)

Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco
(Kid line. Worked great together last year.)

Miller/Cleary - Weiss/Glendening - Abdelkader
(Weiss will need to prove himself i guess. If Helm is gonna be on Datsyuk's wing FOR SURE, there is no room for Weiss, unless Babcock goes Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Helm. Then the second line would be probably Nyquist - Weiss - Franzen.)

 

[Henkka]

Nyquist - Zetterberg - ?
Helm - Datsyuk - ?
Franzen - Weiss - ?
Tatar - Sheahan - ?

That would be so damn deep. Great duos to build around.

 

[DatsDeking]

Alfredsson - Datsyuk - Helm
(Alfie and Datsyuk work well together, plus with this line you have Helm's speed, Pavel's hands, and Alfie's RH shot. Seems like a winning combo to me.)

Nyquist - Zetterberg - Franzen
(Self explanatory, good overall line with Nyquist and Z driving Franzen and his big body/shot.)

Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco
(Kid line. Worked great together last year.)

Miller/Cleary - Weiss/Glendening - Abdelkader
(Weiss will need to prove himself i guess. If Helm is gonna be on Datsyuk's wing FOR SURE, there is no room for Weiss, unless Babcock goes Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Helm. Then the second line would be probably Nyquist - Weiss - Franzen.)

That 4th line jumble is the issue with the team atm. Cleary will start and play, Babs loves Luke so he's playing, Abby will play, and Miller/Weiss won't be sat if they're healthy. ANNNNDDDD that's all without Joker, who I'm assuming you have as traded or waived, which doesn't seem like it will happen.