To Play or Not to Play

The rumor is that Rafalski's "upper body injury" healed to the extent that he'd be ready to play tonight, if needed. Still no word on Lilja or Draper, though I think Draper is in a similar situation to Rafalski. I'll focus on Rafalski, as I don't think the team has missed Draper to the same extent. Draper's replacement, Darren Helm, definitely exceeded expectations through the first nine playoff games. He's aggressive, fast, and actually scored a timely goal. That sounds like Draper.

As for Rafalski, he logs 25 minutes per game and mans the point on the power play. Brad Stuart stepped into the power play spot and did a decent job, but he's no Rafalski (at least offensively). Since the Wings won games 3 & 4, the fact that they went 1 for 8 on the power play in that span went unnoticed. The one goal, by the way, was scored by the 2nd unit (not Rafalski's).

So, the question is whether or not he should play. My vote would be to use him sparingly. Defensively, the play of Stuart and Ericsson has severely limited the Ducks. Those two have earned more minutes, and I'm doubtful Rafalski would be more effective. Likewise, the two Nicks bring the finesse and muscle. After Lebda, there's a significant dropoff. Whether it's Chelios or Meech, Babcock hasn't felt comfortable giving that 6th defenseman many minutes. Meech played 3:19 last game. Even in his semi-injured state, I'm guessing Rafalski could handle that. If the docs say he's ready, let Rafalski play. The wings will need all hands on deck to close out this very impressive Duck team.

Daly
Big shout-out to the first Piston coach I ever knew - Chuck Daly. No doubt everyone's heard that Mr. Daly passed away a few days ago at age 78. While it's well known he led the Stones to 2 championships and coached the first-ever Dream Team, he actually left an equally notiecable and lasting legacy besides his wins and losses. It may seem crazy now, but, prior to Daly, NBA coaches rarely wore suits. Daly not only dressed slick, he actually landed a sponsorship deal with a men's clothing store. Within a few years, every coach, pro and college, wore suits on the job. I worked for some; not for others.

In Detroit, Daly will always be remembered, revered, and respected as the man who ushered in a Pistons era of Greatness. Since the mid-80s, few NBA teams can claim the same level of success, and much of that is due to the professionalism and work ethic of Chuck Daly.