Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Phish4
Of all the Wings forwards I saw against Colorado last season, Filppula terrified me more anyone not named Zetterburg or Datsyuk. That kid has rediculous speed and great hands. If the Dats/Z love affair is really going to be broken up, I think Filppula would be better served on the second-line center. I don't remember how well Hudler played and which roster spot he merits, but Franzen is so offensively inept that it doesn't matter where he plays, so Zetterburg's production might be cramped this season (although he can obviously create offensive by himself) and Filppula might be a complementary player.
Also, I find it hard to believe that Draper, Maltby, and Drake won't be playing together (not that it really matters on the 4th line, but isn't Drake an RW?). All three of those guys were born to play on a checking line, and as long as the Geritol holds up, they could be formidable opponents.
|
I definitely think that Filppula should be getting second line minutes, and I think that by the end of the year he very well could be. Franzen serves better on a shut down line, where Filppula has great offensive upside, but as it stands Franzen is the one who will be getting a chance at top 6 minutes. Hudler definitely deserves some more ice time, seeing how he managed to produce last year with very limited minutes. The problem of his size will always be a factor though, and he is somewhat of a defensive liability.
And the Drake-Kopecky- Maltby line has been doing great in camp, so for now I think it will be kept together. I'm not sure which wing Drake plays, but Kopecky right now is being slated as the center of his line, with Draper play wing on the 3rd line.
The lines will be continuously juggled throughout the season based on who Babcock thinks is hot, so what is listed above will probably have changed by the end of tonights game. A lot really depends on how Grigorenko pans out, but for now I wouldn't put my money on him being on the Red Wings roster to start the season, and will probably head back to Russia after his November 1 cut-off.