The Regular Season Is Nigh Upon Us

[jimiVbaby]

Good man.

 

 

Weber can't be sent down without clearing waivers, and I don't think they want to waive him.

Not to reach back too far in the thread, but you certainly are correct. For some reason or another I missed the fact that Weber is not on his ELC. :oops:

[R_Dudley]

I posted this in some other thread, but using the standard scoring 1/scoring 2/shutdown/energy lines I like these combos.

 

 

Vanek/Roy/Stafford

Ennis/Connolly/Pominville

Hecht/Niedermayer/Grier

McCormick/Gaustad/Kaleta

 

As for the defense it's really up in the air besides the Myers/Morrisonn combo. I'd like to see:

 

Myers/Morrisonn

Montador/Leopold

Rivet/Butler

 

Press box: Gerbe/Ellis/Sekera/Weber

 

 

 

I think they're going to have a bit of flexibility in the forwards to throw out a skill lineup one night and a little more grind the next, depending on the matchup. I'm not sure who Gerbe shuffles in and out of the lineup with, but right now I'd say he's the most obvious one to be in and out of the lineup.

This.

 

Along the lines of JimiVbaby's lines but I could see the shuffling happening all the way to the top line with Stafford moving down again if he does not produce.

 

To start I do think Hecht will be back on 2nd line with Timmy and Pommers and Ennis/Gerbe will be alternating playing/sitting on the Neidermeyer/Grier line. The McCormick/Kaleta/Guastad line stays the way it is for awhile the way it played last night.

 

I am pumped to see the season start and see how ready these guy's are to rock.

 

Let's get it started!!

[DonInBuffalo]

A good starting point would probably be the lines that Lindy used for pretty much all of the game Sunday night. Keep in mind that since this was a blowout, he had plenty of wiggle room to tinker if he was so inclined, but instead just rolled the same lines.

 

Ennis-Roy-Stafford

Hecht-Connelly-Pomminstein

Gerbe-Niedermayer-Grier

McCormick-Gaustad-Kaleta

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Vanek replaces Ennis on the top line. B-)

 

With Gerbe being such an obvious help on the PP during the preseason, Ennis might be the odd man out watching from the press box for now.

[nfreeman]

Oooo Oooo pick me!

Thank you. It's nice to know that although very rusty, my powers haven't completely faded.

[Two or less]

Lines according to John Vogl if everyone is healthy -

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford

Hecht - Connolly - Pommer

Niedermayer - Goose - Grier

XX - XX - XX

 

Fourth line between Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick and Kaleta.

 

Please tell me they arn't seriously going to make Ennis center the fourth line and keep Gerbe in the rafters?

[VansTheMans]

What is this non-sense I hear?

 

Ennis > Gerbe easily.

[repster]

Lines according to John Vogl if everyone is healthy -

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford

Hecht - Connolly - Pommer

Niedermayer - Goose - Grier

XX - XX - XX

 

Fourth line between Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick and Kaleta.

 

Please tell me they arn't seriously going to make Ennis center the fourth line and keep Gerbe in the rafters?

 

 

What is this non-sense I hear?

 

Ennis > Gerbe easily.

 

I'm guessing that you two can at least agree on the first line left winger?

[jimiVbaby]

Lines according to John Vogl if everyone is healthy -

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford

Hecht - Connolly - Pommer

Niedermayer - Goose - Grier

XX - XX - XX

 

Fourth line between Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick and Kaleta.

 

Please tell me they arn't seriously going to make Ennis center the fourth line and keep Gerbe in the rafters?

 

This line pains me to see. Not having Ennis or Gerbe on LW in a scoring line role is just a misuse of talent.

[Patty16]

Ennis is in over Gerbe and its not close. Ennis has 9 points in 10 games and Gerbe has 4 in 20 games. I dont think Ennis will be fourth line i think thats where goose will go and where he belongs.

[nfreeman]

What is this non-sense I hear?

 

Ennis > Gerbe easily.

Ennis is in over Gerbe and its not close. Ennis has 9 points in 10 games and Gerbe has 4 in 20 games. I dont think Ennis will be fourth line i think thats where goose will go and where he belongs.

Well, I tend to agree that Ennis will be in and ahead of Gerbe in the rotation, but Ennis missed much of the preseason while Gerbe had a very strong preseason.

 

To me the real question is whether McCormick, who also had a strong preseason, is healthy-scratched in favor of Gerbe. Gerbe was quite good on the PP during preseason, and the PP is one of the biggest areas for improvement.

[That Aud Smell]

Lines according to John Vogl if everyone is healthy -

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford

Hecht - Connolly - Pommer

Niedermayer - Goose - Grier

XX - XX - XX

 

Fourth line between Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick and Kaleta.

vogl's closer to the situation than any of us and these lines make sense in theory and in isolation from one another ... but it just makes no sense to have gerbe and ennis scrapping it out for 4th line duty. i have to believe that one of those guys (ennis, gerbe) is going to skate on one of the top 3 lines to start the season.

[Patty16]

vogl's closer to the situation than any of us and these lines make sense in theory and in isolation from one another ... but it just makes no sense to have gerbe and ennis scrapping it out for 4th line duty. i have to believe that one of those guys (ennis, gerbe) is going to skate on one of the top 3 lines to start the season.

 

 

Thats my point, didnt lindy say as much through Gerbe, i seem to recall gerbe saying that he was told to make this team it had to be on one of the top lines. I dont think he will be 4th liner and neither will ennis, top 3 or bust.

[bunomatic]

As we've learned from regier and co. what they say and what they do are two different things. I agree though,there's no sense having these guys on a checking line.

[spndnchz]

U R all listing the same reason why Kadri was sent down. I'd rather see Ennis with Roy and Pommers and working the PP than sitting on line 3 or 4 getting 7 minutes of ice time.

[Stoner]

What happened to Lindy working the big greasy slimy grimy dirty dusty gritty giddy guys onto the scoring lines?

 

Discussing Lindy's lines is pointless.

 

Vanek's prognosis looks more unclear by the day. Now they're hoping he will practice Wednesday. After saying his injury was so minor he wouldn't have left the game had it been a regular season game.

[That Aud Smell]

Discussing Lindy's lines is pointless.

fair point.

 

Vanek's prognosis looks more unclear by the day. Now they're hoping he will practice Wednesday. After saying his injury was so minor he wouldn't have left the game had it been a regular season game.

i agree. what was it thought to be - a neck stinger?

[Stoner]

fair point.

 

 

i agree. what was it thought to be - a neck stinger?

 

Originally said to be one gargantuan monkey fist, the trainer asked Derek Roy to go rub it out with Thomas in the lockerroom.

 

Yeah, a stinger. Sorry.

[That Aud Smell]

Lines according to John Vogl if everyone is healthy -

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford

Hecht - Connolly - Pommer

Niedermayer - Goose - Grier

XX - XX - XX

 

Fourth line between Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick and Kaleta.

 

vogl's closer to the situation than any of us and these lines make sense in theory and in isolation from one another ... but it just makes no sense to have gerbe and ennis scrapping it out for 4th line duty.

 

not be pedantic about it, but here's what vogl wrote:

 

Two forward lines are locks if everyone is healthy: Thomas Vanek-Derek Roy-Drew Stafford, and Jochen Hecht-Tim Connolly-Jason Pominville. Rob Niedermayer, Mike Grier and Paul Gaustad (the team's best faceoff guy) aren't going anywhere. That leaves three starting jobs between five players: Tyler Ennis, Nathan Gerbe, Patrick Kaleta, Cody McCormick and Matt Ellis.

 

so, he wasn't saying that those last 5 players were battling for 4th line duty -- he said that it was unclear whether they would dress each night. in fact, he didn't even pose the question of whether they'd be on the roster.

 

if GR is to be believed, ellis is no longer in the mix.

 

if my math is correct (a huge if), then we're probably all set at forward:

 

Vanek

Roy

Stafford

Hecht

Connolly

Pominville

Niedermayer

Grier

Gaustad

Ennis

Gerbe

Kaleta

McCormick

 

that's 13 forwards. if they carry 7 d-men and 2 goalies ... that's 22.

 

as they go forward, and assuming everyone is healthy, they'll swap out certain forwards depending on the opponent (i.e., kaleta and mccormick likely dress against the leafs, etc.).

[Derrico]

not be pedantic about it, but here's what vogl wrote:

 

Two forward lines are locks if everyone is healthy: Thomas Vanek-Derek Roy-Drew Stafford, and Jochen Hecht-Tim Connolly-Jason Pominville. Rob Niedermayer, Mike Grier and Paul Gaustad (the team's best faceoff guy) aren't going anywhere. That leaves three starting jobs between five players: Tyler Ennis, Nathan Gerbe, Patrick Kaleta, Cody McCormick and Matt Ellis.

 

so, he wasn't saying that those last 5 players were battling for 4th line duty -- he said that it was unclear whether they would dress each night. in fact, he didn't even pose the question of whether they'd be on the roster.

 

if GR is to be believed, ellis is no longer in the mix.

 

if my math is correct (a huge if), then we're probably all set at forward:

 

Vanek

Roy

Stafford

Hecht

Connolly

Pominville

Niedermayer

Grier

Gaustad

Ennis

Gerbe

Kaleta

McCormick

 

that's 13 forwards. if they carry 7 d-men and 2 goalies ... that's 22.

 

as they go forward, and assuming everyone is healthy, they'll swap out certain forwards depending on the opponent (i.e., kaleta and mccormick likely dress against the leafs, etc.).

 

I could be wrong but I think that LR and DR were talking about keeping 8 d-men at one point in time because they don't want to expose Weber/Sekera/Butler to waivers. Although I think that when they were talking about it there was a greater chance that Rivet wasn't going to be starting the year healthy. If they do keep 8 d-men however, a forward would have to go.

[Skibum]

Can't wait to see the Myers/Morrisonn pairing in action.

 

That's 13 feet of defense, with Myers jumping the play and Morrisonn covering the backside. I can see these guys going plus-30 for the season.

[shrader]

I could be wrong but I think that LR and DR were talking about keeping 8 d-men at one point in time because they don't want to expose Weber/Sekera/Butler to waivers. Although I think that when they were talking about it there was a greater chance that Rivet wasn't going to be starting the year healthy. If they do keep 8 d-men however, a forward would have to go.

 

Not true. The max roster is 23. 13 forwards, 8 D, and the 2 goalies would cover that. The team usually likes to carry one short of the limit though, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if one guy is sent down, even if it's a very temporary move. My guess is that Gerbe is sent down on Thursday but is quickly called back in the next day or two.

[nfreeman]

Not true. The max roster is 23. 13 forwards, 8 D, and the 2 goalies would cover that. The team usually likes to carry one short of the limit though, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if one guy is sent down, even if it's a very temporary move. My guess is that Gerbe is sent down on Thursday but is quickly called back in the next day or two.

Anything is possible, but why would they do this? Wouldn't the point of sending him down be to save the $$ that they'd need to pay him if he stays in Buffalo?

[Stoner]

Can't wait to see the Myers/Morrisonn pairing in action.

 

That's 13 feet of defense, with Myers jumping the play and Morrisonn covering the backside. I can see these guys going plus-30 for the season.

 

Schwing.

[shrader]

Anything is possible, but why would they do this? Wouldn't the point of sending him down be to save the $$ that they'd need to pay him if he stays in Buffalo?

 

They did it with both Paile and MacArthur in previous years, leaving the team with 12 forwards, only to call them back immediately. The only explanation I can think of is that it was tied into a LTIR situation with someone like Connolly (a team needs to be under the cap and under the roster limit before they can actually place someone on LTIR). That doesn't apply here at all, but it still wouldn't surprise me at all.

[spndnchz]

What happened to Lindy working the big greasy slimy grimy dirty dusty gritty giddy guys onto the scoring lines?

 

Discussing Lindy's lines is pointless.

 

Vanek's prognosis looks more unclear by the day. Now they're hoping he will practice Wednesday. After saying his injury was so minor he wouldn't have left the game had it been a regular season game.

 

Vanek is on the ice today.