Pre-Game Talk: Wings @ Canucks, Wednesday at 10:30 (Franzen out with injury, Glendening Recalled)

[Heaton]

How much of the problem though is too much juggling? Like you said that line didn't do Jack ****. Bit there's n chance given to build chemistry and learn to work with one another. At some point he's gotta decide on something and just give it a chance. I suppose its still really early and now is the time to experiment ...

No question. I'm pretty sick myself of seeing different lines every period.

 

[SoupNazi]

How much of the problem though is too much juggling? Like you said that line didn't do Jack ****. Bit there's n chance given to build chemistry and learn to work with one another. At some point he's gotta decide on something and just give it a chance. I suppose its still really early and now is the time to experiment ...

I agree. With one combination or another, Babcock needs to settle on lines and give them at least a few games to work.

 

[Chance on Chance]

How much of the problem though is too much juggling? Like you said that line didn't do Jack ****. Bit there's n chance given to build chemistry and learn to work with one another. At some point he's gotta decide on something and just give it a chance. I suppose its still really early and now is the time to experiment ...

Yup, give guys a 3-4 games with the same linemates. We switch lines almost every period. At this point I don't think bert has the legs to play all the minutes on the top line

 

[InjuredChoker]

“There’s a right way to play and a wrong way to play,’’ he said. “We’re cheating the system and we’re paying for it. We don’t spend enough time in the O-zone because we’re too light on the puck. We don’t get enough shots because we won’t shoot the puck. We don’t get through the neutral zone good because we don’t execute.’’

That’s not a lot of positives, but he added, “When I go through the tape, rewind it, fast forward and back and forth, we’re not that far away, but we’re a million miles away if we don’t execute, and that’s us right now.’’

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/10/mike_babcock_on_slumping_red_w.html

 

[The Geelee]

Farhan Lalji ‏@FarhanLaljiTSN 2h
Babcock asked how he will handle the #canucks top line with Kesler in the mix: "we'll see who's handling who" #RedWings @NHLonTSN

 

[BinCookin]

Am I missing something with Cleary? Does anyone think hes looked good? I've watched 9.5 games and havent seen anything from him to think we need him in the top 6 or even on the team

In a no BS, no hate serious answer to this question.

I followed and tracked cleary , tatar, franzen and datsyuk one game
start to end.

(SJ vs Det 0-0) game.

In that game cleary made no major errors or giveaways. He also did nothing at all offensively. That type of play is called "solid defensively" i suppose, he did save a wrap around goal in that game, but that is more than usual. A player that has little speed, little offensive help, but makes little to no errors is a good 4th liner or maybe 3rd liner on an offensively challenged team or on a checking line. Only cleary is not on a checking line, he is just on the 2nd/3rd line.

I would say he has been boring and uninspired, and uninteresting BUT not making some of the horrid giveaways bertuzzi made that game, or quincey/lashoff did.

Tatar on the other hand also did not have any Horrible giveaways, but he had some. BUT he also made some sweet passes in the game and made the game interesting to watch, and created some offence even though the puck didnt go in.

If cleary is a "safe" 4th liner, he is fine.
If cleary is there to create offense... he is not good and should be replaced by younger talent (Tatar) right now.

 

[theYman]

Amazing Babcock has actually anchored every scoring line and defensive pairing with a pylon.

Tatar Dats Pylon
Alfredsson Z Pylon

Kronner Pylon
Dekeyser pylon
Pylon Kindl

Awesome!! Looks realgud!

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Its amazing were all for the young guys playing over vets, but most people seem to have given up on Smith already.

 

[InjuredChoker]

vid of babs interview.

 

[BinCookin]

Its amazing were all for the young guys playing over vets, but most people seem to have given up on Smith already.

yes the hate is reactionary and a product of HFBoards. He will get at least 1-2 more seasons before we determine if he is a "bust"

 

[Syckle78]

I'll give up on Smith when or if I see him fail outside Babcock's system. That and it's entirely possible he follows a fairly common defenseman development trajectory and takes a few years to find his game.

That said and all reasoning aside. It's a little disconcerting to see him produce nothing. Especially when there seems to be a lot of really young defensemen on other teams playing very sound defense and producing.

 

[Bench]

Its amazing were all for the young guys playing over vets, but most people seem to have given up on Smith already.

Because he's not that young and he doesn't look that good.

All hope is not lost, I can think of a few late bloomers, but he's a liability thus far and it's costing the team.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Its amazing were all for the young guys playing over vets, but most people seem to have given up on Smith already.

to me it's not about playing the young guys. couldn't give a **** about tatar or nyquist or smith or whoever rotting in the minors if it's best for the club. short and/or long-term. well maybe fell little bad but that's about it.

but i think bringing up nyquist now and other kids sooner would have helped this team.

it's about having the best possible roster to compete and/or while thinking the long-term status of the club.

i haven't given up on smith yet.. this is just his first full season.

but he isn't on very long leash, though.

 

[The Zermanator]

Its amazing were all for the young guys playing over vets, but most people seem to have given up on Smith already.

I'm done making excuses for Smith. He's had a decent number of games already. He's not scoring points and he's not stopping them. If he was putting up points but bad defensively, that's one thing. If he was a rock defensively without putting up points, still ok. But he's neither of those.

And Quincey's not a good enough excuse anymore. I haven't given up on Smith entirely yet but he's quickly losing the benefit of the doubt. I'm just seriously tempering expectations.

 

[Bench]

I'm just seriously tempering expectations.

He wouldn't be the first college stud to not translate to the NHL. It's happened plenty. Remember the big fuss over Gilroy?

 

[SoupNazi]

He wouldn't be the first college stud to not translate to the NHL. It's happened plenty. Remember the big fuss over Gilroy?

When I think of college guys who didn't live up to the hype, he's the top one on the list.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

He wouldn't be the first college stud to not translate to the NHL. It's happened plenty. Remember the big fuss over Gilroy?

Did you really just compare him to a defensive free agent that was still older than Smith when he hit the league, with none of his real tools?

I mean that is a stretch there if that is the first guy you can think of. Probably a better one is going with his teammate in College McBain. I also thought he was going to be a heck of a player but he is struggling in Buffalo after a pretty miserable tenure in Carolina.

Smith isn't being asked to play in his comfort zone, we will see if he can overcome that, but we have placed significant obstacles in his way. I think patience is in order with him and deploying him in a position to be successful. Actually don't think he has looked nearly as bad when paired with Ouellet and Kronwall, so that seems to be a start.

Unfortunately for Smith he is now a hunted man, much like Ericsson he is going to have to put together long stretches of more consistent play to get people off his back. Since he is supposed to score as well that should be interesting to watch just what it takes to get some faith back. I am glad he has this two weeks with Kronwall hopefully, you know the guy he put 7 points up in 14 games with to start his career and hasn't seen a partnership with since. Big opportunity for him here, especially with some of the poor teams out west on this trip.

 

[Chance on Chance]

In a no BS, no hate serious answer to this question.

I followed and tracked cleary , tatar, franzen and datsyuk one game
start to end.

(SJ vs Det 0-0) game.

In that game cleary made no major errors or giveaways. He also did nothing at all offensively. That type of play is called "solid defensively" i suppose, he did save a wrap around goal in that game, but that is more than usual. A player that has little speed, little offensive help, but makes little to no errors is a good 4th liner or maybe 3rd liner on an offensively challenged team or on a checking line. Only cleary is not on a checking line, he is just on the 2nd/3rd line.

I would say he has been boring and uninspired, and uninteresting BUT not making some of the horrid giveaways bertuzzi made that game, or quincey/lashoff did.

Tatar on the other hand also did not have any Horrible giveaways, but he had some. BUT he also made some sweet passes in the game and made the game interesting to watch, and created some offence even though the puck didnt go in.

If cleary is a "safe" 4th liner, he is fine.
If cleary is there to create offense... he is not good and should be replaced by younger talent (Tatar) right now.

Fair enough. Agree if he's gonna be in the team should be on the 4th line, but when it's between him and Nyquist I think the answer is clear

 

[PullHard]

Farhan Lalji ‏@FarhanLaljiTSN 2h
Babcock asked how he will handle the #canucks top line with Kesler in the mix: "we'll see who's handling who" #RedWings @NHLonTSN

LOL Babs and Torts are going to have a fight at the flagpole after the game. That is what that sounds like.

 

[InjuredChoker]

though smith's skating looks better this season, imo he's not as agile and as explosive as he was in 11-12.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

hahaha wow, keep it up Babs

with decisions like this if team canada should not win gold I hope you have a good hiding spot...

hmmm, lets put sidney on a checking line, hmmmmm

it's hilarious because we Canadian Pens fans are saying the exact same thing about Bylsma and Team USA. lol

It's going to be very interesting.

 

[Bench]

Did you really just compare him to a defensive free agent that was still older than Smith when he hit the league, with none of his real tools?

Gilroy was a talented puck mover in college. I don't care if he went undrafted, they left college with around the same pomp: one a Hobey Baker winner, the other a finalist.

And it was just off the top of my head, which as you know, is often being blocked by my classy top hat, so you'll forgive me.

 

[Bench]

LOL Babs and Torts are going to have a fight at the flagpole after the game. That is what that sounds like.

So many great Torts gifs out there. Hard to pick one.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Gilroy was a talented puck mover in college. I don't care if he went undrafted, they left college with around the same pomp: one a Hobey Baker winner, the other a finalist.

And it was just off the top of my head, which as you know, is often being blocked by my classy top hat, so you'll forgive me.

Only if you had on a monocle with the top hat while that was happening will there be forgiveness.

Gilroy never had the tools that Smith possesses. Smith reminds me a lot of Matt Carle still to this day and he was a college dynamo and second round pick, some started expecting a #1 D-man and he isn't at this point that is kind of clear. But if he was placed in the right position with the right partner and told to be offensive I think you would see a similar player.

 

[Bench]

Only if you had on a monocle with the top hat while that was happening will there be forgiveness.

Gilroy never had the tools that Smith possesses. Smith reminds me a lot of Matt Carle still to this day and he was a college dynamo and second round pick, some started expecting a #1 D-man and he isn't at this point that is kind of clear. But if he was placed in the right position with the right partner and told to be offensive I think you would see a similar player.

*polishes monocle* Jolly good, ol' bean.

Like I said before, I haven't given up on him. He could be a late bloomer rather than a guy that rushes out of the gate. Rafalski is a pretty extreme example of that and a Wisconsin boy to boot, so there's time for Smithy to bring the heat.

My only issue is, as of this moment, he's kind of a sore spot on the ice. I'm hopeful, though.