From what I can see, Hartigan is taking up space based on wishful thinking.

At this point, my guess would be that Babcock wants to do two this by using Hartigan instead of Downey. (1) He wants to see more of what Hartigan can do…just in case he’s needed during the playoffs. And (2), he wants to keep the focus of Friday’s game on getting ready for the playoffs, instead of having the Blues spend their time chasing Downey around the ice.

Personally, I think it’s in the Wings best interests to have the Blues play as well as they possibly can. (Okay, I know there are a ton of jokes right there, but never mind.) The bottom line is the Wings don’t need the win. They need the competition.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/27/08 at 01:41 PM ET

OTC:  I agree with your assessment that: 

he wants to keep the focus of Friday’s game on getting ready for the playoffs, instead of having the Blues spend their time chasing Downey around the ice.

But, after watching the last tilt, even my 9 y/o daughter was aware the ‘Notes were playing more to physically punish the Wings than win the game.  So, I don’t think it matters what Babs would like to see in the game—it is apparent to me Friday’s tilt will be more about “staying healthy” than anything else.

I’d play Downey, Mac and Drake; each one on a top line—just to send a clear message.  You know, the Teddy Roosevelt adage “carry a BFS (Big Friggin Stick). 

Its not rocket science to expect the ‘Notes to play dirty—Poultry wannabes.  If you know that is how they are going to play—whip out the SWAT team.

I disagree about the points not mattering with the Wings, they need three in their last five games (SHAMELESS PLUG—check out the DRW Forum).

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 03/27/08 at 01:53 PM ET

How about Mac and Downs on the same line for the Nashville game…talk about the possibility for fire works. 

Dom is making me very nervous, is his age finally catching up to him?  Ozzie has been good but I’m not sure he can take us through four hard fought series’ 

And what’s with all the groin problems.  Is it tied to a training regiment?

Posted by rocketman from detroit on 03/27/08 at 04:30 PM ET

Chief, this whole optimist/pessimist, on the one hand, on the other, thing is overrated.  From the back of the Stress Train, here in the Club Car, I have seen many a pessimist turn to optimist when they see the offerings at the all inclusive bar.  Of course, when the tap runs dry and they are left with Yuengling in a bottle, things get a little testy.  Then, when that runs out…yup, you guessed it, pessimism rears it’s ugly head. (Although, the empties seem to provide endless fun as projectiles when the Train heads out of towns like ...say ...St Louis.)  But, I digress, point is that I see a corollary between the offerings on board and the attitudes…team standings, well, notwithstanding. Choice is the key.

So I say, let’s choose optimism!  Stay positive with ...liquid optimism.  Yeah, sure some will use ugly terms like “denial”, “alcoholic” and “addiction”.  Don’t fall prey to their claims.  Your job is simply to keep the likker wholesaler paid. Call it a civic duty of sorts.  C’mon you paid the February bill and I’m betting the family is getting used to Macaroni and cheese.  (so many variations, who knew?!)  Friday can even have a tie in with the return of D-Mac, fun for the whole family. 

So now we have another “groin” problem?? (must be some kind of team record?) However, it’s Samuelsson.  See, optimism?  Let’s just hope his injury does not migrate to the abdomen like Homer or the knee like Filppula.  That could be serious.  Maybe we should just call these injuries to the “Groinicular” region.  Takes care of that pesky migrating issue. 

Playoffs are coming, O-Joe is back ….get on the Stress Train and let optimism be your friend. Be an Optometrist.

Cheers.

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 03/27/08 at 05:01 PM ET

Hartigan getting time to play isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We have to keep in mind that the Wings may encounter a series in the playoffs where a player like Hartigan is needed more than one like Downey or McCarty. I know, I know, Hartigan has limited offensive abilities, can’t fight and runs his mouth, but he is a good skater, good puck handler and he’s not afraid to throw his weight around.

Sammy sitting out is good timing for both him and the team. Babcock will get a chance to see where Flip and Cleary will fit in with this mess, and Sammy can get some time to rest up for the playoffs. A few people forget he was very reliable last year in the playoffs, so any time for him to get a rest is important.

Methinks Dom doesn’t have the flu, considering he’s on antibiotics. The last I checked, antibiotics were used for bacterial infections, and the flu is a virus. Something seems fishy there. I agree though with the majority, he needs to hang ‘em up at the end of the year.

Should be a fun last 10 days of the season and to see how the playoff matchups end up. Happy hockey watching!

Posted by Jeremy on 03/27/08 at 05:15 PM ET

Its not rocket science to expect the ‘Notes to play dirty—Poultry wannabes.  If you know that is how they are going to play—whip out the SWAT team.

Well, Jeff, I agree with that statement, especially the Poulty-wannabee part…and that’s exactly why the Wings need to put their “playoff team” on the ice. Uncle Mike isn’t going to put an enforcer on the top three lines in the playoffs. So he needs to put his playoff team on the ice now (minus Homer, who, God willing, will be back) and let them get ready for all of the “normal” playoff bullshit.

Why the League establishes rules of conduct that they “rigorously” enforce during the regular season and then throws all of that out the window at playoff time is beyond me. But history tells us they do, so the Wings need to start “ramping up” for that style of play right now.

And who better to practice on than the Bitter Blues…a team that would rather put Wings players on the IR than win a game. What better time than now to reinforce in your players the need to skate with your head up at all times.

These next five games could actually be the perfect playoff warm-up because the Wings are playing a bunch of teams that are pissed off that they’re not the Wings. And that’s exactly who we’re going to face in the playoffs…beginning with The Dive (or Bubba) in the first round.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/27/08 at 05:59 PM ET

Ya know, Gramps pointed out to me something in a previous post when I complained about Downey not answering the call:

Expecting your policemen to bang their knuckles up on a team missing the playoffs and risking suspension is nothing but a wet dream.

Maybe putting D-Mac in and replacing Downey with Hartigan (the only healthy forward left for now) is part of Babcock’s plan to get D-Mac to fight, get suspended, and miss the playoffs because he’s not ready?  Or he doesn’t want him in the lineup over Downey?  Or maybe I’m just paranoid and see conspiracies everywhere.  Maybe he just wants to see how D-Mac fits in on this team.

Damn logical thought.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the darkened basement of the X-Files on 03/28/08 at 05:12 AM ET

The problem with saying someone has “the flu” is that people use “flu” as a catch-all term for a myriad of ailments - very few of which are caused by viruses or are upper respiratory (there is no such thing as a “stomach flu” for example) - but everyone knows that flu is just shorthand.

If he does have a flu-like bug, and they are giving him antibiotics, they might very well be worried about a sinus infection - not that he would have one, but they could have prescribed antibiotics as a preventive measure.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/28/08 at 05:26 AM ET

Uncle Mike isn’t going to put an enforcer on the top three lines in the playoffs. So he needs to put his playoff team on the ice now (minus Homer, who, God willing, will be back) and let them get ready for all of the “normal” playoff bullshit.

The theory is sound, and I support it to some extent.  At the same time, you’d hate to get a “top player” injured playing a game that has no practical meaning.  Maybe just limit the minutes—I don’t really know.

Scares the beejeezers out of me to think you could lose a player to a cheap shot in a meaningless game.  Since Babs has the last change, maybe that will keep the ‘Notes thugs away from the talent.

MacLeod reported these were Thurdays practice lines:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Cleary
Hudler-Franzen-Filppula
Kopecky-Draper-Maltby
Hartigan-Drake-McCarty

Cleary and Mule are reasonably sized, but not exactly known for mixing it up. 

It must be time to find my ticket for the “Stress Train”—where is it stopping next?

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 03/28/08 at 08:13 AM ET

Just curious - am I the only one not on the Stress Train?

The playoffs haven’t even started yet!  How are you going to go to another level of stress if you aren’t pacing yourselves? 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/28/08 at 11:11 AM ET

How are you going to go to another level of stress if you aren’t pacing yourselves?

Poor naive Baroque.  You haven’t even seen the Stress Jet.  Two top-four D missing?  Roll out the Stress Blackbird.  Zetterberg and Datsyuk out?  NASA is just putting the finishing touches on the Stress Saturn V, and nobody will be coming back from the dark side of the moon for a long time…

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the Anxiety Aerospace Engineering Institute on 03/28/08 at 11:46 AM ET

The playoffs haven’t even started yet!  How are you going to go to another level of stress if you aren’t pacing yourselves?

Well, we are professionals, we can handle it.  Lesser folks should not try this at home.  They need to stay in groups at sports establishments with widescreens. 

When all else fails….I’m heading to Andrew’s Airport.

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 03/28/08 at 12:31 PM ET

Andrew - You have put far, FAR too much time into planning for this.  Have you been working too hard?  Maybe you need some rest and relaxation before the playoffs hit.

If you aren’t healthy, the acceleration as you hit escape velocity can be difficult. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/28/08 at 01:15 PM ET

If you aren’t healthy, the acceleration as you hit escape velocity can be difficult.

Don’t worry, I’ll check my groin…thoroughly…before liftoff.  That being said, you know that due to the relatively slow acceleration of the Saturn V module, the moon shot crews experienced less Gs than fighter pilots routinely do?  It’s true—they got up to about 4 Gs—you can pull twice that in an F-15.

Have you been working too hard?

Not hard enough.  I’ve been putting far too much time and effort into that one air-conditioned building full of humming computers that sends me money at the end of every month, and not nearly enough into putting on my lab coat, tousling my hair and putting on spectacles when I get home, walking out to my shed and standing in the eerie glowing light of a discharging capacitor, laughing unhingedly and yelling “It’s alive!  IT’S ALIVE!!!”

I guess what I’m saying is everybody needs a hobby.

But yeah, I haven’t spent nearly enough time on relaxation.  As a result, The Project is behind schedule, and I’ll have to delay Phase 2.  Must call Hank Scorpio to let him know.

The Tension Transport System, now that’s running like it were choreographed by the Swiss.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from my backyard, muttering resentedly to myself on 03/29/08 at 02:22 AM ET