2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Blog - Conference Finals

Pavel Datsyuk’s 11-game goal-scoring slump is suddenly the least of his concerns.

The Detroit Red Wings centre and finalist for Hart, Selke and Lady Byng Trophies didn’t practice Thursday and is listed as day-to-day for Game 3 of the Western Conference final Friday at the United Center after taking a shot in the foot during Detroit’s 3-2 overtime verdict over the Blackhawks in Game 2 of the series.

“He got a rocket off the foot the other night,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. “He didn’t skate today, so he’s day-to-day. It’s simple. We’ll go from there and we’ll see what happens after (Friday’s game-day) skate. I’ll decide (Datsyuk’s status) after the skate.”

Line juggling

Minus Datsyuk, Babcock prepared for the worst.

At practice Thursday, he shifted Valtteri Filppula into Datsyuk’s spot between Marian Hossa and Tomas Holmstrom. Darren Helm took over Filppula’s place between Mikael Samuelsson and Jiri Hudler, while Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Justin Abdelkader and Ville Leino alternated in a fourth-line mix. The only unit that remained intact from Game 2 was Henrik Zetterberg between Johan Franzen and Dan Cleary.

“I moved him (Filppula) there for a reason, I guess,” Babcock said. “The good thing about it is I’ve got another night’s sleep (before making a decision).”

Filppula was prepared to play with Holmstrom and Hossa, if it came to be.

“I’ve played with both of them,” Filppula said. “A lot of the players have seen each other. That’s always a good thing if something happens and they need to switch the lines a bit. Nobody’s a stranger.”

Chemistry lesson

Moving Filppula would break up Detroit’s hottest combination through the first two games. Samuelsson netted the winner in each game, but wasn’t worried about their chemistry being off with a new centre in place.

“Helm has played a great playoffs so far,” Samuelsson said. “Today at practice, we had Helm as our centreman. If that happens, I feel comfortable with him and Huds does, too. He’s really the type of guy we like to play with.”

Coaching carousel

Three of the four coaches in the respective conference finals weren’t on the job at the start of the season. Joel Quenneville replaced Denis Savard behind the Chicago bench four games into the season, Paul Maurice took over for Peter Laviolette in Carolina after 25 games and Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma stepped in for the fired Michel Therrien with just 25 games remaining in the regular season.

Only Babcock, coach of the defending champion Wings, has been behind his team’s bench all season long.

“It’s a crazy business,” Quenneville said. “Job security in the NHL coaching fraternity is not strong.

“I don’t want to say that it’s a recipe for winning in the playoffs. Hopefully, we don’t think that’s the reason for the success going forward with these teams.”

History suggests an in-season coaching switch is not the path to glory. Only three NHL teams have won the Stanley Cup after firing their coach during the season - Montreal in 1971, when Al MacNeil replaced Claude Ruel 23 games in; New Jersey in 2000, after Robbie Ftorek gave way to Larry Robinson with just eight games before the playoffs; and the 1932 Toronto Maple Leafs, who fired Art Duncan and hired Dick Irvin after five games.

Stirs pot

Appearing on Chicago’s “The Monsters in the Morning” radio show, former Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick of the San Jose Sharks claimed that it was anti-American bias that was behind Babcock’s decision to sit Wings 25-year veteran defenceman Chris Chelios, who’s played just four playoff games.

“The coach just doesn’t like him,” Roenick said. “I think he’s got a grudge against American players. If you knew some of the things that Babcock says to Chris, it would make your stomach churn. Just total disrespect for not just one of the best Americans, but one of the best defencemen to ever play the game.”

Both Chelios and Babcock scoffed at the comments.

“I don’t know what J.R. is talking about,” Chelios said. “(Show host) Mike North and J.R. are buddies, so they’re trying to dig up something against the Red Wings.

“I’ll call J.R. and ask him what he said, but he probably won’t even remember.”

Babcock laughed at the notion he’s got something against Americans.

“Two of my kids are American, so I think that kind of takes out the hating Americans,” Babcock said.

“Plus, I’ve made my living down here for 16 years and kind of enjoy it. The people in Michigan treat me real good.

“As far as Cheli goes, I actually think Cheli and I have got a pretty good relationship. I don’t think there’s one player I ever coached that wasn’t in the lineup who was thrilled about it. I bet you Cheli’s the same.”

In his four playoff games this spring, Chelios, 47, has collected two penalty minutes and is minus-1.