Lineup Ideas

[end the curse]

Lineup Idea #1

 

Vanek-Gaustad-Pominville

Kennedy-Roy-Kaleta

Connolly-Stafford-Mair

MacArthur-McCormick-Grier

 

Scratch: Hecht, Paetsch, Ellis

 

I like the idea of rolling four equally balanced lines. I really hate to scratch Ellis because of his great hustle and determination, but he has very little skill, doesn't fight, and hasn't hit enough to justify a regular spot in the lineup. Hecht does nothing - no hit, no score, no hustle, no fight, no heart, no impact - so despite his $3.8 million contract it's time to get him into the press box where he belongs. McCormick gives us some much needed toughness, and has shown a pretty good scoring touch down in Portland, too.

[shrader]

Where does that roster spot for McCormick come from? It looks like you're making the "when everyone's healthy" assumption, but you need to remember that they still have 7 d-men with that list. Your roster is one over the limit.

[end the curse]

Where does that roster spot for McCormick come from? It looks like you're making the "when everyone's healthy" assumption, but you need to remember that they still have 7 d-men with that list. Your roster is one over the limit.

Gerbe goes down, McCormick comes up. If you want to make your list to include the defense that's fine, too, though I was focusing on the forwards.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I would hate to see the panic around here if this team was actually struggling instead of having played one bad game at the end of a road trip that was their fourth game in six nights.

 

How about we just go back to the lineup that was working when Goose got hurt...

 

Hecht-Roy-Pominville

MacArthur-Connolly-Stafford

Vanek-Kennedy-Grier

Kaleta-Gaustad-Ellis (Mair if Kaleta can't go)

 

... and see if, you know, they can snap this awful streak they are on where they lost one of their last five.

 

Sorry to be sarcastic, because I DO UNDERSTAND this team is flawed and I actually would like them to shake it up with a trade if they can do it. But the overreaction to one loss, no matter how ugly, kills me. Granted, it's been two years of frustration, but it is not October anymore. They have basically been winning two of every three games for almost three months, so they have built some equity with me. Just having Gaustad to take most of the special teams faceoffs will make a big difference, I believe. Let's see how they react this weekend before we start talking about Cody McCormick, of all people. Somehow I doubt he is the answer.

[MattPie]

Sorry to be sarcastic, because I DO UNDERSTAND this team is flawed and I actually would like them to shake it up with a trade if they can do it. But the overreaction to one loss, no matter how ugly, kills me. Granted, it's been two years of frustration, but it is not October anymore. They have basically been winning two of every three games for almost three months, so they have built some equity with me. Just having Gaustad to take most of the special teams faceoffs will make a big difference, I believe. Let's see how they react this weekend before we start talking about Cody McCormick, of all people. Somehow I doubt he is the answer.

 

I find your use of logic and levelheadedness... disturbing. :)

[end the curse]

No panic here, just a thread to express your thoughts about lineup options. Please don't read too much into this. BTW, we do have a problem with Top 6 scoring and toughness, so to address this issue isn't panic, it's just looking for some solutions and having fun making suggestions that could help.

[shrader]

Gerbe goes down, McCormick comes up. If you want to make your list to include the defense that's fine, too, though I was focusing on the forwards.

 

No, you missed the point. The roster limit is 23. The lineup you listed has 12 forwards and 3 scratches. That still leaves the 7 d-men (the 6 playing now plus Butler) and the 2 goalies. That's 24 players, 1 over the limit.

[end the curse]

No, you missed the point. The roster limit is 23. The lineup you listed has 12 forwards and 3 scratches. That still leaves the 7 d-men (the 6 playing now plus Butler) and the 2 goalies. That's 24 players, 1 over the limit.

Correct, Butler is on IR right now, but when he comes back if the roster is still 100% healthy a move would need to be made. Judging from the way our season has progressed, I think it's a long shot that at any point this year we'll have all 23 healthy at the same time!

[Sabretip]

At the moment, I have little confidence in either Connolly or Roy so any form of line combinations doesn't seem like it would make a difference.

 

I do think that Hecht's effort and skating this year has been dramatically improved and deserves a place in the lineup much moreso than Pominville, MacArthur or Connolly.

[LabattBlue]

I don't like Pominville with Connolly at all especially when paired with a third smaller forward like MacArthur.

[end the curse]

I don't like Pominville with Connolly at all especially when paired with a third smaller forward like MacArthur.

Of all our alleged "Top 6", Macarthur is our most physical player. Not that he'll ever be confused for Gaustad or Kaleta, but he does play the body a lot harder than the rest of the popinjays. He by far leads the Top 6 in hits with 28.

 

EDIT: Here's the "Top 7" (counting Hecht) hit totals

 

1. MacArthur: 28

2. Pominville: 19

3. Stafford: 19

4. Vanek: 16

5. Hecht: 14

6. Connolly: 13

7. Roy: 12

[nfreeman]

I would hate to see the panic around here if this team was actually struggling instead of having played one bad game at the end of a road trip that was their fourth game in six nights.

 

How about we just go back to the lineup that was working when Goose got hurt...

 

Hecht-Roy-Pominville

MacArthur-Connolly-Stafford

Vanek-Kennedy-Grier

Kaleta-Gaustad-Ellis (Mair if Kaleta can't go)

 

... and see if, you know, they can snap this awful streak they are on where they lost one of their last five.

 

Sorry to be sarcastic, because I DO UNDERSTAND this team is flawed and I actually would like them to shake it up with a trade if they can do it. But the overreaction to one loss, no matter how ugly, kills me. Granted, it's been two years of frustration, but it is not October anymore. They have basically been winning two of every three games for almost three months, so they have built some equity with me. Just having Gaustad to take most of the special teams faceoffs will make a big difference, I believe. Let's see how they react this weekend before we start talking about Cody McCormick, of all people. Somehow I doubt he is the answer.

Good post.

 

Of all our alleged "Top 6", Macarthur is our most physical player. Not that he'll ever be confused for Gaustad or Kaleta, but he does play the body a lot harder than the rest of the popinjays. He by far leads the Top 6 in hits with 28.

Mac was also, IMHO, the only forward who played like he gave a hoot vs. the Sens.

[shrader]

Of all our alleged "Top 6", Macarthur is our most physical player. Not that he'll ever be confused for Gaustad or Kaleta, but he does play the body a lot harder than the rest of the popinjays. He by far leads the Top 6 in hits with 28.

 

EDIT: Here's the "Top 7" (counting Hecht) hit totals

 

1. MacArthur: 28

2. Pominville: 19

3. Stafford: 19

4. Vanek: 16

5. Hecht: 14

6. Connolly: 13

7. Roy: 12

 

He seems to dig pretty hard when chasing a puck that has been dumped behind the net. Really, I'd love to see a bit more of that on the powerplay instead of the stupid drop pass that does absolutely nothing.

[Foot In The Crease!]

CMac-Roy-Stafford

Pominville-Gaustad-Gerbe

Kaleta-Kennedy-Grier

Vanek-Connolly-Hecht

 

 

Myers-Tallinder

Rivet-Lydman

Monta-Sk