MY feelings on this are this. The Wings are so loaded on their 1st 2 lines that it would seem hard to find any flaws in either line. However, whenever the Wings excelled or struggled a bit last season is when Babcock broke up Datsyuk and Zetterberg. When he split them up and they didn't produce seperately, he always went back to them shortly and it was business as usual. My thoughts are that he wanted to make Hossa feel comfortable right away so he paired him with Datsyuk and Homer but the thing is they only played [ONE] game together in the preseason and have yet to really look comfortable as a unit. But you know they will. It's just a matter of time. That leaves Zetterberg to play with Franzen and Hudler. And I feel Franzen is about to blow up big time this season to a point they may not be able to keep him because he's going to play himself right out of contract range to sign him and keep everybody next season. I've watched Zetterberg close the first 2 games and he's looked like a twin who's lost his brother. He's moving well with and without the puck but Franzen and Hudler are simply not the same world class as Datsyuk. As long as their winning, this will continue. Any kind of losing streak and Babcock will do the right thing and put the 2 back together. Kind of a shame cause their wasting his talent it seems. Then again...it's only been 2 games.
zetter wants 50 http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=851264 look for him to perform
Just found this from the Wings beat writer's blog.
Babcock believes that the Wings' PP faces an adjustment period, as he told the Detroit News's Dave Dye:
October 12, Detroit News: After that early domination by the Wings, the game took a turn when Ottawa killed a two-man disadvantage for more than a minute in the second period.
"It was a big thing for them," Babcock said. "We had it on Nick's (Nicklas Lidstrom ) stick I don't know how many times for pretty good looks. The goalie, Gerbs (Martin Gerber ), didn't see it a few times and it hit him. That's the way it is.
"We didn't go five-on-three like we normally do. We've got different people now. That's one of the things we're working out. It would be very easy for me to go Z (Zetterberg), Pav (Pavel Datsyuk ) and Homer (Tomas Holmstrom ). I think it's important that we stay with the process we're in. I think we'll be a better hockey club long term if we continue to go the way we're going."
It was easy for Babcock to go with Pavel, Hank, and Homer, and he did so during a third-period power play...
Babcock believes that the Wings' PP faces an adjustment period, as he told the Detroit News's Dave Dye:
October 12, Detroit News: After that early domination by the Wings, the game took a turn when Ottawa killed a two-man disadvantage for more than a minute in the second period.
"It was a big thing for them," Babcock said. "We had it on Nick's (Nicklas Lidstrom ) stick I don't know how many times for pretty good looks. The goalie, Gerbs (Martin Gerber ), didn't see it a few times and it hit him. That's the way it is.
"We didn't go five-on-three like we normally do. We've got different people now. That's one of the things we're working out. It would be very easy for me to go Z (Zetterberg), Pav (Pavel Datsyuk ) and Homer (Tomas Holmstrom ). I think it's important that we stay with the process we're in. I think we'll be a better hockey club long term if we continue to go the way we're going."
It was easy for Babcock to go with Pavel, Hank, and Homer, and he did so during a third-period power play...
