A Sniper in the Midst
We know that Detroit needs to add the their defence, and I think that we can all agree that Detroit needs someone that can score at least 40 goals. What if that problem could be solved without Parise or Semin?Click the jump to see how
Now I'm not saying that Kenny shouldn't go after Parise or Semin or both. In fact I am in the belief that Parise is the closest thing to post-mohawk Yzerman that we may ever see. While Semin could easily score 50 playing with Datsyuk.
Remember this guy?
Zetterberg can and has scored more than 40 goals. Its no secret that Z hasn't exactly been playing at 100%, but his 2nd half surge sugests that his knees and back may have finally returned to 2008 health. If that is the case then your sniper is already here.
But Z is the 2nd line center you say. Yes, and he did exactly what he needed to do to fill that role, directly contributing the the career year of Filppula and helping Hudler earn a Leino size contract from some GM that actually thinks Happy scored 25 goals on pure talent alone.
Zetterberg is only 31 and not on the decline as some may suggest. He still has 3-5 more years where he can produce at a high level. Put him back on Datsyuk's wing and you release him from the defensive responsibility of centering his own line much like Filppula last season.
The one thing I don't like about having Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the same line is it weakens the 2nd line defensively, but add Parise to the mix and you have any combination of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Filppula, Parise and Nyquist you like.
My point is Zetterberg can be a sniper if sniping is needed from him and he is put in that role. He has a 40+ goal season on his resume unlike Franzen who only has a "potential to score 40+ goals"
I don't think that Holland should stand pat, and I don't believe that he will, but the top-six has some internal firepower that can be tapped.
Come on Parise. You know you want to wear the winged wheel.
In which Conne Smythe winner Jonathan Quick re-affirms what we all know...you ain't real until you've been s**t stomped by Detroit.
Are we suggesting to roll Z-Pav-Bert, Eaves-Filps-Nyquist, Mule-Helm-Cleary, Miller-Abdelkader-Mursak/Emmerton??
The more I think about it, the more I am realizing that there is a good chance that guys like Eaves, Mursak, Cleary, Emmerton (god I hope I don't see him in a Winged Wheel this year), will not have a spot on our roster for next year.
This is assuming changes are made...changes meaning we added a scorer and a 4th line tough guy.
It's difficult to see based off of the potential of Eaves and Mursak, and the leadership and effort Cleary brings, but our bottom 6 depth is just too deep to keep players like them around.
@Tnhgeno I believe KH very recently said the Wings were set at center for the upcoming season to include Emmerton being the pivot on the bottom line.
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@ThroatShot @Tnhgeno Emmerton is the most replaceable 4th line center in the world. The Wings don't need him, he brings absolutely nothing to the team
@Reddy I'm not clear on who you're talking about, but it doesn't matter what Holland says because he isn't the coach. Babcock is the one who'll make the decision on who sits and who centres the 4th line.
I would bet money that Emmerton isn't the regular 4th line centre. He is literally the bottom of the forward depth chart. If Eaves and Mursak are healthy and don't get dealt I wouldn't expect to see much of #48.
@garth @Jordan_Reis @ThroatShot @Tnhgeno What? He's a centre, Abby plays wing/centre. He likely will be the 4th line centre now or in the near future, KH has spoken.
@Jordan_Reis @ThroatShot @Tnhgeno If Emmerton is the fourth line centre then something has gone terribly wrong and the Wings have either not managed to re-sign both Helm & Abdelkader or Holland has gone retarded and traded either Dasyuk or Zetterberg.
@Tnhgeno How do you figure that. Currently we have only 11 forwards signed. That includes Mursak and Emmerton. Lets say they also sign Helm and Abby to make 13.
Get rid of the 4 guys you mentioned and we would be left with 9 forwards without any call-ups.
I can assure you that Kenny has no intention of signing enough other forwards to make a full roster.
The only way those guys are gone is if they are traded.
@magnum9 @Tnhgeno We have "only" 11 signed? Helm & Abdelkader are locks to come back and they've talked about targeting at least two forwards (a top six and the tough vet Babcock's been wanting).
And ideally they want to replace Hudler too, because nobody they have is going to replace Hudler's production.
I'm gonna bet that one of Miller/Eaves is gone because even though they aren't really high paid, they both make too much to play part time, and one of Mursak/Emmerton is probably going to be playing elsewhere too.
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Well yeah, them main reason we need a guy like Parise is that Datsyuk and Zetterberg both need two linemates who BELONG on their lines.
For the last three years the wings have been settling for having guys like Bert and Cleary on their top lines when they really have no business being anywhere above the third line.
If they could have Datsyuk with Franzen and Nyquist on one line and Zetterberg with Filppula and Parise on the second line (or some variation oof that), then all of those players are going to produce more.
@garth Yeah, I said that practically all last year. Bert plays pretty much all season with the best playmaker in the world and our alleged "best goal scorer" (Franzen), and he only gets 14 goals?!? I would like to think Pav could shoot the puck into the net off of anyone that many times in 71 games. Cleary is a grinder who should only ascend the 3rd line if there are plenty of injuries.
@ThroatShot I really like a lot of the forwards we have but there are way too many bottom-sixers. As much as I hate to say it, one of Eaves/Miller has to go. I would also love to see Bert playing elsewhere, but that ain't going to happen...
@garth @ThroatShot At least Bert can give the bottom 6 some size and murder. I'm with you we have too many Emmertons and not enough crazy
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@garth Hudler was even a stretch in the top 6. My point exactly, we have talent that can be even better with the right pieces
@Jordan_Reis @garth I definitely agree about Hudler and I think his success this year can be directly attributed to the fact he played with Z and Filppula.
I fear that Nyquist is going to be playing on the 4th Line, where he will waste away. We do have some internal firepower that could be channeled more by rearranging, but I think we have to add a Top-6 scorer in order to be offensively competitive. Parise is probably a no, Suter quite possibly a yes, but we need to figure out Plan B on the offensive side for this postseason quick.
@ThroatShot I fear that our 4th line will be a waste as it has the last year or so. I want anger, toughness and players that strike fear on the 4th. Not waiver exempt casualties like Emmerton
@Jordan_Reis @ThroatShot I seem to recall a line much like that ...
It think they called it the "grind line". I almost feel as if Holland is afraid to tarnish the reputation of the Red WIng's by regaining its status as a team willing to fight (literally) for dominance.
@ThroatShot If Detroit somehow manages to land two top forwards then having Nyquiest on the third line could be great. Having him give some offensive pop to a line with Helm and Miller could be fantastic for our depth, but I would love for him to get a chance on the first or second line.
@ThroatShot I'm not so sure about that. If memory serves me correct, he got some time on the top lines last year in the playoffs. I'm not sure he's going to earn a permanent top spot this year, but I definitely think he'll be moved up when Babs thinks the lines need some tweaking.
@thebiglachovsky He would get time in the Top 2 lines, yes. And then while he's giving them a huge boost of energy and effort, creating stuff, he would get sent down mid-game to Line 4 and Bert would lumber back up on the 1st line. I don't have a lot of faith in Babcock with line-up decisions anymore, so that may have sounded quite pessimistic, but I would not be surprised.
@ThroatShot @thebiglachovsky The problem is that Bertuzzi f*cking sucks and is only effective at all when he's on Datsyuk's line. Maybe Weber can injure him early in the season and he'll sit out for a while..
@thebiglachovsky @ThroatShot he'll be on the 2nd line with Filpulla and Bertuzzi. Two guys that will get him the puck. It'll keep Franzen on his toes so when he starts slacking/taking too many PIMs we'll see Gus up with Z and Pav.
@freakazoid0587 @thebiglachovsky @ThroatShot No he won't. Z isn't going to be on the first line.
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Chances are VERY high that Parise will not end up as a Red Wing. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he doesn't even test the free agent market. We can dream but that's likely the closest we will get. If he does test free agency I would be upset if Kenny didn't throw everything at him.
Anyway... Z has potential to be "that guy", but I don't see it happening. Not saying I buy into the idea that he is past his prime, but his game looks different than it was 5 years ago. I doubt Z will ever surpass 25 a year from this point on. I hope he proves me wrong.
@magnum9 I think the chances of Parise testing the marker have dropped since the stupid Devils made their run, but I also think there's a good chance that if he stays in Jersey he will sign a one-year deal, giving Jersey a chance to get their finances in order before committing to anything longterm.
@magnum9 I would agree with you only if Z didn't step it up after Datsyuk got injured last year. I think that Z now finally being healthy and the fact that he's pretty much guaranteed the C on his jersey, means he'll have a big year next year.
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Puck Daddy, jealous of the Winged Wheel that he may be (and really, who isn't?) posted a list of Suter's wish list, and says "Detroit is generally conceded to be his top choice." *froth at mouth*
