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Saturday Digging
by IwoCPO on 03/15/08 at 08:05 AM ET
Comments (13)
1300 start today with Bubba. I just briefed the family that little should be expected of me today, not with a game in the middle of the afternoon. The reaction to that statement was less than enthusiastic.
In Tennessee, where there are a rumors of a hockey team in Nashville, Bubba beat writer John Glennon writes this morning that the road to the playoffs starts and, possibly, ends in Detroit. Glennon compares the 2008 editions of both teams to the ‘04 campaign when the upstart baby-poop clad Predators gave the Wings a scare in the first round.
A few of the top memories: David Legwand’s short-handed goal that put the Predators ahead 1-0 in Game 3; Steve Sullivan’s breakaway goal to put Nashville ahead 1-0 in Game 4; and goalie Tomas Vokoun jumping for joy after shutting out the Red Wings to tie the series in front of a home crowd.
“I think for everyone here, that was the first time getting into the playoffs and we got a chance to see what it was like,” Legwand said. “We had a young team and we were excited to be in.
“Now we’re a little bit older and we’ve learned from that. I think it would be fun to play against them again.”
Should the teams happen to meet again in the postseason, the Red Wings would be heavy favorites once more.
My strongest memory of that series is Vokoun blabbing before, during and after it. It was a joy to watch him lose. Still is.
The subtle public messages from the organ-I-zation have begun, directed to Brad Stuart, letting him know there’s...you know...a place for him in Hockeytown should he wish to stay after the Cup parade in June.
Having only seen him in games against the Wings, Babcock said he’s been presently surprised at how competitive Stuart is.
It also appears Stuart has already won over Babcock in terms of whether he has a future in Detroit.
“I didn’t know he was going to compete as hard as he does everyday and I didn’t know he was going to be as physical as he is,” Babcock said. “You don’t watch a player as much when he’s playing elsewhere.
“He’s been excellent and hopefully he’s found himself a home.”
It wouldn’t be surprising if Stuart does decide Detroit’s the spot he wants to stay, considering the amount of journeymen who land there only to find success. It does have a Larry Murphy ring to it, a deadline acquisition of a veteran defenseman, icing on the cake to an already very good team, a deal that didn’t raise a lot of eyebrows but has had big impact in areas many of us aren’t noticing.
Oh, and playing on a team that doesn’t suck helps too.
“It’s just a different atmosphere,” Stuart said. “You go into a game expecting to win rather than hoping you’re going to win.
“There’s a quiet confidence. There’s not a lot said before the game. Everyone knows what’s expected, and if we put forth the effort for 60 minutes, there’s a good chance we’re going to win.”
Just not in February. I’m just sayin’. Stuart also wants you to know he’s not tied to the whole California thing.
“I’ve read that I’m a West Coast guy. I don’t see myself that way,” Stuart said. “I don’t have to play on the West Coast.”
Big decisions loom for the Wings over the summer and into next fall as far as the D goes. Top four, if Stuart signs, are set with Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall and him. It’s the last two spots that will have us talking.
St. James broke free from her fellow Diggers and avoided the Stuart talk, choosing instead to focus on the never-before-told tale of the strategy behind breaking up the Datsyuk/Zetterberg combination.
Their separation has hinged on whether their wingers would be able to produce, something both sets are doing right now. Over the past five games, Zetterberg’s wingers, Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson, have racked up 12 points. Datsyuk’s men, Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula, have provided 10 points.
That these two line combinations work so well is all the more encouraging considering that normally Dan Cleary and Tomas Holmstrom would be part of the mix, but both are injured.
“It gives us an opportunity to look and see how we’re going to go in the future, because with Cleary and Homer both coming back, they’re both top-six forwards,” coach Mike Babcock said Friday. “It’s nice to have seven or eight of those guys.”
It’s a stale storyline, but don’t downplay its importance (as I just did). Hudler, Filppula, Samuelsson and Franzen are all playing as well or better than they have, individually, all year. And, as St. James mentions, when Homer and Cleary return the prospect of potency spread across at least three lines is good.
Injury updates: all Diggers report Homer out all weekend, Hasek probably to play against the BJs tomorrow, McCarty out at least a week, Draper probably the same.
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Comments
don’t the Wings ALWAYS start slow during afternoon games..
i remember a game against Boston last year when they didn’t start AT ALL.
Posted by Pharazon from England on 03/15/08 at 08:13 AM ET
It’ll be interesting to see what Bab’s does with his lines when Homer and Cleary do come back. As good as the Datsyuk and Zetterberg’s lines have been producing he might be hesitant to tamper with them (why tinker with it if it isn’t broken).
It has been the Organization’s broken record mantra all season—secfondary scoring. Haven’t we all heard them endlessly repeating that phrase. Well, they have it now, and it is rocking along.
Perhaps Bab’s pairs Homer and Cleary with Kopecky—now, that would be a big line, capable of cycling the puck, delivering physical play, and one that has real scoring potential.
Gee, imagine icing three productive lines, scary goodness!!!
I like Stuart, great physical play, and fewer brain cramps than Lilja. He is an upgrade for sure.
Cheli, IMO, will play again next season. If Stuie signs a new deal, and he will, that gives the Wings 5 starters.
Lilja is currently without a deal. He is the Enigma wannabe replacement. Sometimes really good, usually steady and physical, and the occassional WTF play.
Meech is very good - promising. Ericsson is HUGE, I’d love to see the Wings make a spot for him. Quincy, I havent seen enough of.
It’ll make for an interesting offseason.
Oh, and maybe we should start speculating on how many truckloads of money the Wings through to Zetterberg in July!
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 03/15/08 at 08:32 AM ET
Apologies for the early morning, not enough coffee, spelling errors!
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 03/15/08 at 08:34 AM ET
Jeff: I think Babs will leave the Hank-Sammy-Franzen line together. Homer will replace Hudler on line #1. Cleary will start on line#3.
Ericsson will make the team next year. So will Cheli. That leaves questions about Lilja, Lebda, Meech and Quincey.
Lilja will probably not get re-signed.
Posted by w2j2 on 03/15/08 at 08:42 AM ET
This is obviously off topic, Chief, but you especially would get a huge laugh out of this blog (I found the link from the Sports Guy’s links for 3/14).
http://fiosexperience.blogspot.com/
Seems like there are more people who have some Fios problems, eh?
While there’s a decent chance this blog was written by either you or a genetic twin, perhaps the constant exposure to suckiness just mutates people into behaving the same way.
Nurture over Nature, if you will.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/15/08 at 08:57 AM ET
I should add the link reads: ‘Fios experience’ and not ‘Fio sexperience’… just in case you think I’m posting a link to a nudie site. 
Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/15/08 at 08:58 AM ET
I can’t honestly see a spot for Lilja next year, not with the courtship of Stuart starting already. Four legitimate top-four defensemen, Cheli’s never-say-die attitude, and young depth pushing for the last spot make it all but certain this is his last season causing me fits. Quincey will have to clear waivers next season, and as we saw with Meech, the organization won’t risk losing him for nothing, so he may come up. Meech of course has shown himself to be pretty capable of holding down a regular rotation on the D. Ericsson is still waiver-free next year, so he may be kept down in GR next season, but what a beast he’ll be when he does come up the season after. Kindl is probably a couple seasons off still, due to his rocky first pro year. So I think Lilja doesn’t get re-signed, and Lebda either finds a spot at forward or else he or Quincey get traded for picks before the draft.
In other prognostications, next year will see a church vs. state case to force the Supreme Court to change the national motto from “In God We Trust” to “Bigger, Better, Faster, More,” lungfish and flying fish will interbreed to create an amphibious super-species that will take over Australia, and cars will be modified to run on the most plentiful substance in the universe-- stupidity.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the Amazing Kreskin's waiting room on 03/15/08 at 09:25 AM ET
Thanks, Andrew, I was just working on a post asking about who can and who can’t be sent down without waivers. I think you’re spot on… in fact, if I were running this place I’d take your idea and call it my own.
The team obviously prefers to let players develop slowly at the AHL level rather than bring them up too soon, so Ericsson staying in GR is the most likely scenario. But Lilja goes, Meech makes the team, Quincey and Lebda get moved. And the odds of all this actually happening go way up if Stuart signs.
But, I don’t understand, how in the world can cars be made to run on stup… oh. Never mind.
Posted by BobTheZee on 03/15/08 at 10:03 AM ET
1300 start today with Bubba. I just briefed the family…
I didn’t get any farther than that before the following image popped into my head.
The family stands at attention. The Chief, in his most military-looking robe, addresses the troops, explaining his plans for the day. Their response?
“But, dad, you’re supposed to take me to a soccer game at 1400.”
“And what about me, dad? We were supposeed to start that project in the backyard at 1350.”
“Listen, honey, you do what you want. I’m going to the mall at 1430 with the other wives. I’ll be back after the game at about 1520.”
The Chief dismisses the family and returns to his computer, the one in the basement next to the wet gear and the secret Navy stuff. He looks content. And he should. He’s got this family running like a well-oiled machine. “At ease,” he thinks to himself. “You don’t have any responsibilities until 1630. At ease.”
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/15/08 at 10:23 AM ET
Since it’s gutless to post only after a win, I won’t post.
Posted by Bubba from Hicktown on 03/15/08 at 03:26 PM ET
That’s mighty noble of you Bubba from Hicktown - but it’s ok, we can take it.
One look at the standings has a way of drowning out the bleating anyway.
Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 03/15/08 at 04:20 PM ET
Don’t worry about Bubba from Hicktown. Take it from me, he’s just the epitome of every ‘Turds “fan” down here, talk shit when they win, won’t hear a word out of them when they lose. By the way, Bubba, how’s that view from second place look? Should be used to it after 10 years, eh?
Posted by Chris from Columbia, Tennessee on 03/15/08 at 07:42 PM ET
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I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Wings start slow again today, then wake up about half way through the game.
I hope the wizard can keep them in the game until then…
Posted by w2j2 on 03/15/08 at 08:04 AM ET