Pre-Game Talk: Wings at Sharks, Thursday

[SoupNazi]

Sharks: 27-10-6, 60 points, 4th in Western Conference.
Wings: 19-14-10, 48 points, 5th in Eastern Conference

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[SoupNazi]

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 37m
Assistant coaches Tom Renney and Bill Peters running practice while Mike Babcock is at Team Canada Olympic press conference.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 27m
Datsyuk is standing on the side for most of the drills as Abdelkader remains at center with Miller and Bertuzzi.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 23m
Datsyuk is practicing on first power play unit with Zetterberg and Bertuzzi up front and Kronwall and Alfredsson at points.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 21m
Second power play unit has Cleary, Tatar and Nyquist up front and Kindl and Eaves at the points.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 11m
Datsyuk, Helm and DeKeyser taking part in sprint drill at end of practice.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 1m
Ericsson took the ice near the end of practice.

Helene St. James ‏@HeleneStJames 28m
#RedWings Johan Franzen has landed in Phoenix, but running late to skate. May just join Wings as they move on to San Jose, practice Wed.

 

[Frk It]

Hopefully one of the injured guys gets put in and take Cleary off the PP

My blood pressure can't handle another game of Dan Clearys PP shenanigans.

 

[Vladdy84]

Hopefully one of the injured guys gets put in and take Cleary off the PP

My blood pressure can't handle another game of Dan Clearys PP shenanigans.

But he stands in front of the net and gets knocked down and gets back up! Seriously have no idea why Joker can't do or Gator can't do that...

 

[joe89]

But he stands in front of the net and gets knocked down and gets back up! Seriously have no idea why Joker can't do or Gator can't do that...

Actually they can't get knocked down like Cleary.

 

[Frk It]

But he stands in front of the net and gets knocked down and gets back up! Seriously have no idea why Joker can't do or Gator can't do that...

Reason why=

"there’s no one who’s a bigger fan of Dan Cleary than Mike Babcock."- Mike Babcock

 

[SoupNazi]

Forgotten:

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 1h
Wings skating with these lines: Nyquist-Zetterberg-Alfredsson, Miller-Abdelkader/Datsyuk-Bertuzzi, Tatar-Andersson-Samuelsson (more)

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 59m
Lines continued: Cleary-Glendening/Helm-Eaves.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 58m
The only defenseman not skating yet is Ericsson, who's still out about 2 more weeks with broken ribs.

 

[SoupNazi]

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 1m
DeKeyser said he is ready to play Thursday. Datsyuk not sure about his status but said he feels better.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

What's up with Dats? Groin?

 

[SoupNazi]

What's up with Dats? Groin?

According to HSJ, yes.

Helene St. James ‏@HeleneStJames 1h
#RedWings groin-impaired practicing include Pavel Datsyuk, Danny DeKeyser, and Darren Helm. No Franzen, no Gustavsson.

 

[hot dog]

Hoping we can get both Datsyuk and Helm back. Going to be tough with or without them.

 

[Kronwalled55]

Why in the world is Kindl still on the power play? Smith isn't just the hot hand, he's the better option.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

When Datsyuk and Helm return I'd like to see 13 and 40 back together again. I think they need it just so they don't have to chase the puck as much. And before anyone suggests that it doesn't work that's crap. They played very well together to start the season but no other line could score thus they were broken up. That was, of course, before Helm and Nyquist were up though.

Z-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi
Abdelkader-Helm-Alfie
Nyquist-Andersson-Tatar
Miller-Glendening-Cleary

And when Franzen returns swap him with Bettuzzi. For one, Bertuzzi is scoring line or bust at this point in his career. He has no use in a bottom 6 role. And two, have we ever seen Franzen get an extended look alongside both Datsyuk and Zetterberg? I think we could have the depth to allow for it assuming Helm is healthy.

 

[Soft Rock Renegade]

When Datsyuk and Helm return I'd like to see 13 and 40 back together again. I think they need it just so they don't have to chase the puck as much. And before anyone suggests that it doesn't work that's crap. They played very well together to start the season but no other line could score thus they were broken up. That was, of course, before Helm and Nyquist were up though.

Z-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi
Abdelkader-Helm-Alfie
Nyquist-Andersson-Tatar
Miller-Glendening-Cleary

And when Franzen returns swap him with Bettuzzi. For one, Bertuzzi is scoring line or bust at this point in his career. He has no use in a bottom 6 role. And two, have we ever seen Franzen get an extended look alongside both Datsyuk and Zetterberg? I think we could have the depth to allow for it assuming Helm is healthy.

nyquist-andersson-tatar hasn't worked that great and franzen in the middle of those two wingers worked very well this year ... then just bump andersson down and send down glendening (would prefer to bench cleary but we all know that ain't happenin)

 

[Bench]

I dread Sharks games.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

nyquist-andersson-tatar hasn't worked that great and franzen in the middle of those two wingers worked very well this year ... then just bump andersson down and send down glendening (would prefer to bench cleary but we all know that ain't happenin)

Nyquist and Tatar have barely played together this year and when they have there's been injuries right? In my scenario they're finally playing a 3rd line role, which many of us have hoped for since the summer.

And Andersson gets exposed without 2 skaters. Cleary and Andersson spells trouble. Glendening adds speed which helps hide Cleary's lack of speed.

 

[Chance on Chance]

Eaves on the point? Smith should really be getting some PP time

 

[Bench]

Eaves on the point? Smith should really be getting some PP time

It's a head scratcher. Right handed shot, I suppose, but that's been so overrated.

 

[Heaton]

It's a head scratcher. Right handed shot, I suppose, but that's been so overrated.

If Babcock is to remain as coach, Holland's #1 target this offseason should be a RH defenseman.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

But he stands in front of the net and gets knocked down and gets back up! Seriously have no idea why Joker can't do or Gator can't do that...

If anything, I find the problem to be that Cleary doesn't do that stuff enough. He's always been a guy who feels the need to hang onto the puck a little too long. He hasn't embraced the fact that he's being used a lot like Holmstrom, and that's a shame. He'd be better at it if he was willing to keep it simple and just get the puck to better players.

 

[Chance on Chance]

It's a head scratcher. Right handed shot, I suppose, but that's been so overrated.

The right hand shot theory just like the net front presence theory. I don't see Smith as a PP qb but more as a sneak in guy/can make a back door pass but even as a lefty he should be getting a chance.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

If Babcock is to remain as coach, Holland's #1 target this offseason should be a RH defenseman.

Or Babcock and staff could just finally learn to adjust their 2nd PP unit instead of constantly throwing players like Samuelsson and Jason Williams on the ice. Even Brunner shouldn't have been on the point.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

The right hand shot theory just like the net front presence theory. I don't see Smith as a PP qb but more as a sneak in guy/can make a back door pass but even as a lefty he should be getting a chance.

Detroit let Nyquist, Tatar, and Jurco have a PP shift against Florida (I believe it was) a couple weeks ago. It was beautiful. The puck control and offensive zone time was great, yet they never seen another PP shift again. I believe this shift occured when Cleary was have his teeth looked at.

Why is it impossible for Babcock to adjust? Is it illegal to have 3 skilled forwards up front at the same time?

 

[Heaton]

Or Babcock and staff could just finally learn to adjust their 2nd PP unit instead of constantly throwing players like Samuelsson and Jason Williams on the ice. Even Brunner shouldn't have been on the point.

While true, having no RH defensemen severely hampers the team's ability to be as effective as they can be. There's a reason team canada made it a point go have 4 L and 4 R.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

While true, having no RH defensemen severely hampers the team's ability to be as effective as they can be. There's a reason team canada made it a point go have 4 L and 4 R.

I agree. But it just seems like a constant square peg/round hole theme in terms of the 2nd unit PP among other things.