Practice Lines 12-3-19

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, pi2000 said:

it worked?  he's sucked for 5 seasons, lucks into 3 assists in a single game against a team who laid down on their coach... and suddenly he's the answer? 

On his first assist he did nothing but engage in a wall battle at center ice, Skinner does all the rest. 

On the second assist he makes a cross ice pass from his own blue line to skinner at center ice.  Skinner does the work, Sheary cleans up.

On his thurd assist he blindly clears the puck from deep in his own zone up the wall, which evades a few bodies, sheary tracks it down shoots it off Domingues' blocker and it dribbles in.

Skinner and Sheary did all the heavy lifting on those goals... Larsson was nothing more than a lucky passenger.

Was he though? Or does Krueger assemble his lines for different reasons. Using players with differences rather than similarities. Earlier in the year was it not noted frequently that the so called 4th line was often our 2nd best line? Mixing players with different skills and different styles seems to be creating more depth scoring. Will it continue? I have no idea, but I am willing to give it the benefit of a doubt. It worked, let's see if it can work again.

[Curt]

4 hours ago, pi2000 said:

it worked?  he's sucked for 5 seasons, lucks into 3 assists in a single game against a team who laid down on their coach... and suddenly he's the answer? 

On his first assist he did nothing but engage in a wall battle at center ice, Skinner does all the rest. 

On the second assist he makes a cross ice pass from his own blue line to skinner at center ice.  Skinner does the work, Sheary cleans up.

On his thurd assist he blindly clears the puck from deep in his own zone up the wall, which evades a few bodies, sheary tracks it down shoots it off Domingues' blocker and it dribbles in.

Skinner and Sheary did all the heavy lifting on those goals... Larsson was nothing more than a lucky passenger.

His assist vs Toronto was an actual nice play.  Not that I think he is “the answer” but if it gives Buffalo 3 lines that are real offensive threats, then it is working.  So far, in a small (4 game?) sample size, it has.

[Brawndo]

Okposo will be going on the trip, Krueger not sure if he will play.

Dahlin watched practice from the bench again today, but he will stay in Buffalo. 

[Huckleberry]

23 hours ago, Weave said:

I am more than a little surprised how well Larsson has looked between these two.

Well I'm not so much surprised, I remember few years ago I saw a game where they put Girgorenko, Zemgus and angry larry on one line.   I loved how they clicked.

[nfreeman]

I hate the idea of sending down Asplund to make room for KO, but it's coming.

[Randall Flagg]

12 hours ago, pi2000 said:

it worked? 

You still haven't responded to this:

 

And yet Larsson is still displaying well-above-average shot suppression abilities with demonstrable defensive technique, still scores as often as any other fourth line that gets used like he does, and is still winning the goals for vs goals against battle in his minutes with little offense, which is a pleasant surprise from a fourth line. It's not his fault you have no meaningful or realistic parameters for what to expect out of heavy defensive usage fourth liners, or have no ability to analyze how well or poorly a player does in that role, or both. It's also not his fault that he's being asked to play 2C/3C, but it's not as if his lines have tanked while he's been forced to do so.

Yeah, I know you played hockey in college pi, but most the time I have no idea what you're watching

[pi2000]

2 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

You still haven't responded to this:

 

And yet Larsson is still displaying well-above-average shot suppression abilities with demonstrable defensive technique, still scores as often as any other fourth line that gets used like he does, and is still winning the goals for vs goals against battle in his minutes with little offense, which is a pleasant surprise from a fourth line. It's not his fault you have no meaningful or realistic parameters for what to expect out of heavy defensive usage fourth liners, or have no ability to analyze how well or poorly a player does in that role, or both. It's also not his fault that he's being asked to play 2C/3C, but it's not as if his lines have tanked while he's been forced to do so.

Yeah, I know you played hockey in college pi, but most the time I have no idea what you're watching

Larsson would've been a decent 4th liner 10-15 years ago.    The game is different now, period.  It's all about speed and skill, rolling 4 lines that display some minimum level of said speed and skill.... which Larsson simply cannot provide.       Give me those same defensive abilities on a guy with just a bit more offensive skill and speed....  it's not like he has some rare physical talent that makes him great at shot suppression.     Take a guy like Asplund... I see him as a replacement for Larsson eventually.... similar stature, sound defensively, but a bit more speed and skill... might chip in 15-20g a season and provide sound defensive play.

[tom webster]

9 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Larsson would've been a decent 4th liner 10-15 years ago.    The game is different now, period.  It's all about speed and skill, rolling 4 lines that display some minimum level of said speed and skill.... which Larsson simply cannot provide.       Give me those same defensive abilities on a guy with just a bit more offensive skill and speed....  it's not like he has some rare physical talent that makes him great at shot suppression.     Take a guy like Asplund... I see him as a replacement for Larsson eventually.... similar stature, sound defensively, but a bit more speed and skill... might chip in 15-20g a season and provide sound defensive play.

What decade you living in where you expect a fourth liner to chip in 15-20 goals?

For the record, I see Asplund as a third liner but you are projecting fourth line status with high third line, low second line numbers.

[Mustache of God]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I hate the idea of sending down Asplund to make room for KO, but it's coming.

With KO & Erod back, they've sent Dea to Rochester and I guess Asplund would be the 13th forward? However, it seems to me EROD has been in the doghouse all year so I wouldn't be surprised if Asplund stayed in and Erod rode the bench. He hasn't looked good this year, has he? I can't remember him doing much of anything when he's been in the lineup.

[jsb]

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

What decade you living in where you expect a fourth liner to chip in 15-20 goals?

For the record, I see Asplund as a third liner but you are projecting fourth line status with high third line, low second line numbers.

I agree with you, if I'm not mistaken there were 122 20 goal scorers in the NHL last season which averages for less than 4 per team. So if someone scores 20 on the 4th line, he's either on the wrong line to begin with or that is one phenomenal team.

[DarthEbriate]

20 hours ago, inkman said:

That's what I call bonding 

Is Skinner the new Moulson?

For Sheary's ally is the Skinner. And a powerful ally it is. Lines create it, make it grow. Skinner's energy surrounds them, and binds them. Hockey players are they, not some crude poster. You must feel the Skinner around you. Here. Between you, me, the net, the puck... everywhere! Yes, even between the Internet and the Sabrespace!

[PerreaultForever]

9 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

 However, it seems to me EROD has been in the doghouse all year so I wouldn't be surprised if Asplund stayed in and Erod rode the bench. He hasn't looked good this year, has he? I can't remember him doing much of anything when he's been in the lineup.

That'd be my choice. Asplund looked good to me in preseason and has looked stronger and stronger as he has adjusted to the NHL. Good penalty killer and a player with a huge upside. E-Rod is just a band-aid placeholder. 

[Taro T]

19 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I hate the idea of sending down Asplund to make room for KO, but it's coming.

As others have stated, Asplund isn't getting sent back just because Okposo is healthy.  Dea was that guy.

And they've only been using 11 forwards, so Asplund doesn't even have to come out of the lineup. 

What the return of Kyle will mess up is the 7 man D rotation that has been allowing the D to get more balanced ice time and Eichel's opportunity to get increased ice time without gluing some other forward to the bench.

[LGR4GM]

Ever time I see Skinner and Larsson together and producing I can only think of this:

 

[...]

42 minutes ago, Taro T said:

As others have stated, Asplund isn't getting sent back just because Okposo is healthy.  Dea was that guy.

And they've only been using 11 forwards, so Asplund doesn't even have to come out of the lineup. 

What the return of Kyle will mess up is the 7 man D rotation that has been allowing the D to get more balanced ice time and Eichel's opportunity to get increased ice time without gluing some other forward to the bench.

Which is a formula that has been working. I really hope RK opts to healthy scratch KO than disrupt a working lineup.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, ... said:

Which is a formula that has been working. I really hope RK opts to healthy scratch KO than disrupt a working lineup.

From your keypad to Krueger's tablet.  ?

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Skinner - Larry - Sheary works for the reasons you guys mentioned above, but this is by far the fastest line we have on the team and will cause good teams fits if they stick together going forward.  

Larry has unfairly been the whipping boy the last few seasons as he’s worked to get back to 100%.  He was a very quick skater before he broke and dislocated his arm.  Last season he started to show flashes of that speed again and I think it’s been apparent this year he’s back to form.  

[LGR4GM]

Anyone wanna start the GDT for today?