Line Combos: '15-16 Oilers Line Combos

[rasarhdasd]

Almost every good team has three lines to score. You can't have a 'checking' third-line and then a useless 4th line with a player like Gazdic. I don't mind Lander/Pakarinen but you can't have both lines (Letestu line).

Hendricks-Letestu-Korpikoski should be there 4th line while Gazdic-Lander-Pakarinen shouldn't play unless they're injuries. I actually like Lander but McLellan plays the Hendricks/Letestu line way too much. Those minutes should go to Kassian-McDavid-Yakupov and play the Letestu line minimal amounts on the pk and in the d-zone.

 

[Titsuple]

Almost every good team has three lines to score. You can't have a 'checking' third-line and then a useless 4th line with a player like Gazdic. I don't mind Lander/Pakarinen but you can't have both lines (Letestu line).

Hendricks-Letestu-Korpikoski should be there 4th line while Gazdic-Lander-Pakarinen shouldn't play unless they're injuries. I actually like Lander but McLellan plays the Hendricks/Letestu line way too much. Those minutes should go to Kassian-McDavid-Yakupov and play the Letestu line minimal amounts on the pk and in the d-zone.

Way I see it

Hall-Draisaitl-Kassian = 16min (Scoring line)
Pouliot - RNH - Eberle =18min (tough matchups + RNH PKmin)
Purcell-McDavid-Yakupov = 16min (Scoring line)
Hendi - Letestu - Korpi =10 min (Energy/pk)

 

[thadd]

Almost every good team has three lines to score. You can't have a 'checking' third-line and then a useless 4th line with a player like Gazdic. I don't mind Lander/Pakarinen but you can't have both lines (Letestu line).

Hendricks-Letestu-Korpikoski should be there 4th line while Gazdic-Lander-Pakarinen shouldn't play unless they're injuries. I actually like Lander but McLellan plays the Hendricks/Letestu line way too much. Those minutes should go to Kassian-McDavid-Yakupov and play the Letestu line minimal amounts on the pk and in the d-zone.

Yeah no lander and Gazdic I figure.

Hall-Drai-Purcell
Korp/Paka/-Hopkins-Eberle
Pouliot-McDavid-Yakupov
Hendricks-Lestesnu-Korp/Paka/Klink
Lander/Korp/Paka/Klink

Lander doesn't work because he's not putting up the points.
Gazdic can be waived.
Kassian is a long ways off. He's not even in game shape yet. But I'd like to see Kassian work with the Hopkins line. McDavid and Yakupov are not physical but they are explosive athletes and the chaos that Kassian brings to the table is probably exactly what Hopkins and Eberle need right now.

 

[Rafters]

I can see Lander playin LW and taking face offs for McDavid or RNH Until Kassian is ready

 

[cbzblaze]

McLellan plays the Hendricks/Letestu line way too much. Those minutes should go to Kassian-McDavid-Yakupov and play the Letestu line minimal amounts on the pk and in the d-zone.

McLellan gives more ice time to the lines that are playing good during the game.
If the Hendricks line is playing a lot, means their playing better hockey than the others.
More often than not, they are the only line that forchecks hard and hits consistantly.

Just giving minutes away has been part of the oiler problem in the past.
They must be earned on a nightly basis.

 

[TheBusDriver]

Way I see it

Hall-Draisaitl-Kassian = 16min (Scoring line)
Pouliot - RNH - Eberle =18min (tough matchups + RNH PKmin)
Purcell-McDavid-Yakupov = 16min (Scoring line)
Hendi - Letestu - Korpi =10 min (Energy/pk)

I really like this, but switch purcell and kassian. Maybe then flip Yak Kassian wings too. Itd be perfect.

 

[McArthur]

Dudes on CHED suggested the idea of Yakupov not playing with McDavid again, but I don't see the point. We don't have enough bottom six forwards to have two shut down lines.

Yakupov at least puts up points playing with McDavid while learning how to play better hockey and now that Sekera has gotten used to playing our system and with the emergence of Nurse and Davidson we're a better team... so if we run with three scoring lines I see us playing better because those 3 scoring lines are going to play better than we would if we had 2 scoring lines and two shut down lines.

Pouliot -McDavid-Eberle has got to be one of our scoring lines because they were playing well together before McDavid got hurt and that's the best hockey we've seen Pouliot play this year.

Who has been better with Hopkins and Eberle? Juju? Pacman? Hendricks? I donno Do we give Korp another chance? I really like Hendricks and Letesnu together on that bottom shutdown line.

I like the philosophy that having 3 scoring lines means that the opposition can't always have their top 4 forwards covering the scoring lines.

I can't recall McDavid-Eberle from earlier this season, but would sure like to see it. And I'd also like to see purcell on the left side of any line other than Hall's line. Kassian is probably a couple months away, and once McDavid and Yak are back, we might a couple guys playing injured right now... here's to hoping.

 

[Draiskull]

I can't recall McDavid-Eberle from earlier this season, but would sure like to see it. And I'd also like to see purcell on the left side of any line other than Hall's line. Kassian is probably a couple months away, and once McDavid and Yak are back, we might a couple guys playing injured right now... here's to hoping.

A couple months away to what? The guy played all preseason and beat out good players to earn NHL spot. It doesnt take 2 months to get in game shape.. 2 weeks max. The guy isnt in the AHL due to his play...he just needs to get a couple games under his belt.

 

[Up the Irons]

I'd like to see how Kassian looks with McD and the world deserves to see McD and Ebs. I'm sure TMac will try several combos, but it would interesting to see this:

Purcell, Drai, Hall
Kassian, McD, Yak
Pouliot, RNH, Ebs.
Korp, Letestu, Hends

If the McD line worked (if!), that would be a helluva lineup. Not sure if I have the wingers correct for left or right.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Put me in the group that wants to "go slow" with Kassian.

It's not just his body/game that needs to be brought up to speed in the AHL... I agree that probably won't take more than a couple weeks at most (if he isn't up to speed already)... but the much bigger issue (and why 29 teams passed on wanting the guy in their org) is his mental outlook.

Oilers management have to make sure he's got it together mentally to stay clean and keep focused on his career in hockey... rather than other "activities" that jeopardizes all the potential he has to be a solid player at the NHL level.


If he can keep on the straight and narrow... the Oilers just acquired a legit top 9 forward asset for free (essentially). I still don't like the guy for things he's done on the ice in the past but he's undoubtedly a type of player the Oilers are missing... *******s, instigators, agitators and chippy players (with talent) are few and far between on this roster and one of the reasons why they are a perennial basement team.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'd like to see how Kassian looks with McD and the world deserves to see McD and Ebs. I'm sure TMac will try several combos, but it would interesting to see this:

Purcell, Drai, Hall
Kassian, McD, Yak
Pouliot, RNH, Ebs.
Korp, Letestu, Hends

If the McD line worked (if!), that would be a helluva lineup. Not sure if I have the wingers correct for left or right.

I agree.. in theory (even though it never quite works out in reality as well as in theory )... that lineup should be solid.

Those top 3 lines should all be able to produce some offense. That 4th line is an elite 4th line... probably one of the better 4th lines in the NHL.

It's still a soft lineup and could use more grit in the top 6... say in Purcell's spot BUT it's getting closer to a solid NHL lineup.

Of course with the way injuries have piled up... there likely won't be many games where everyone is healthy at once... but if/when everyone is healthy, you are able to have players like Pakarinen, Klink, Lander as 13/14 forwards instead of penciled into the lineup... that's getting to be a pretty solid roster.

 

[McArthur]

A couple months away to what? The guy played all preseason and beat out good players to earn NHL spot. It doesnt take 2 months to get in game shape.. 2 weeks max. The guy isnt in the AHL due to his play...he just needs to get a couple games under his belt.

Pre-season where?

 

[McArthur]

I agree.. in theory (even though it never quite works out in reality as well as in theory )... that lineup should be solid.

Those top 3 lines should all be able to produce some offense. That 4th line is an elite 4th line... probably one of the better 4th lines in the NHL.

It's still a soft lineup and could use more grit in the top 6... say in Purcell's spot BUT it's getting closer to a solid NHL lineup.

Of course with the way injuries have piled up... there likely won't be many games where everyone is healthy at once... but if/when everyone is healthy, you are able to have players like Pakarinen, Klink, Lander as 13/14 forwards instead of penciled into the lineup... that's getting to be a pretty solid roster.

I really wish Purcell had more time at left wing, the guy was never utilized the way he should have been with two checkers while playing the left side with a right cannon on the third line.

 

[McArthur]

I agree.. in theory (even though it never quite works out in reality as well as in theory )... that lineup should be solid.

Those top 3 lines should all be able to produce some offense. That 4th line is an elite 4th line... probably one of the better 4th lines in the NHL.

It's still a soft lineup and could use more grit in the top 6... say in Purcell's spot BUT it's getting closer to a solid NHL lineup.

Of course with the way injuries have piled up... there likely won't be many games where everyone is healthy at once... but if/when everyone is healthy, you are able to have players like Pakarinen, Klink, Lander as 13/14 forwards instead of penciled into the lineup... that's getting to be a pretty solid roster.

I really wish Purcell had more time at left wing, the guy was never utilized the way he should have been with two checkers while playing the left side with a right cannon on the third line.

 

[Draiskull]

Pre-season where?

Montreal. Kassian played 5 preseason games for Habs before his accident on Oct 04.

 

[lakai17]

Hall-Drai-RNH
Kassian-McD-Yak
Pou-Letestu-Ebs
Korpi-Lander-Hendricks

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

RNH + for Brodin + Coyle
Brodin + for Hamonic

Hall - Draisatl - Purcell
Pouliot/Lander - McDavid - Yakupov
Lander/Pouliot - Coyle - Eberle
Korpikoski - Letestu - Hendricks
Klinkhammer/Pakarinen

Klefbom - Hamonic
Sekera - Fayne
Nurse - Davidson
Gryba

Lander can take draws for McDavid/Coyle and hope this sparks his offense, if not switch him with Korpi. If Kassian shows hes ready by the deadline then dump Purcell for futures and try him with Hall and Drai. Ideally we acquire another top 4 RHD in the offseason to bump Fayne out too.

 

[PinSeeker]

They key is, ironically enough, Kassian. He can skate well enough to play an effective top 9 role and if he get's his poop in a group, that will be a huge plus.

I see Purcell going bye-bye the end of the year, so here is my guess then:

Hall-Drai-Eberle
Poo-McDavid-Yakupov
Kassian-RNH-Hendricks
Korpikoski-Letestu-Pakarinen

??

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Yak needs to learn to play the LW or we need to trade ebs if we ever get to the point of playing kassian.

Even if not, the rnh-ebs duo seems too soft in at least half of the games.

We need an option for

Pou-mcd-ebs
yak-nuge-kassian

At least that's how I would roll most games until nuge recovers from the Homophobic Slure.

 

[doulos]

Any lines that have Kassian in them terrify me.

The team has two lines that seem to work well rolling right now, so no need to break them up. McDavid and Yak work well together also, so it's just a matter of slotting in a winger that can keep up with those guys. I'd be very tempted to bring Slepyshev back up to slot into that role. Ditch Lander. Guy is great at one end of the ice only and this team can't afford to run a guy like that on the team.

Hall - Drai - Purcell
Pouliot - Nuge - Eberle
Yakupov - McDavid - Slepyshev
Korpikoski - Letestu - Hendricks

 

[lakai17]

Any lines that have Kassian in them terrify me.

Adding Kassian makes the marshmallows harder to play against, gives the young guns more space to skate. Kassoan is NHL material.

I like the Slepshev addition to your lineup definitely.

 

[BleedingOil]

slep is struggling mightly in bakersfield and you want him up here haha

 

[Draiskull]

Any lines that have Kassian in them terrify me.

The team has two lines that seem to work well rolling right now, so no need to break them up. McDavid and Yak work well together also, so it's just a matter of slotting in a winger that can keep up with those guys. I'd be very tempted to bring Slepyshev back up to slot into that role. Ditch Lander. Guy is great at one end of the ice only and this team can't afford to run a guy like that on the team.

Hall - Drai - Purcell
Pouliot - Nuge - Eberle
Yakupov - McDavid - Slepyshev
Korpikoski - Letestu - Hendricks

Because? He is a downgrade over Slepyshev? Korpikoski? Klinkhammer? Pakarinen?
Or are you afraid he might swinging stick at Oiler teammates?

Kassian is a legit NHLer if his off-ice issues are resolved. 4th line RW spot should be his when he gets the call... It will be up to him how high he moves from there.

A player like Kassian is pretty much the only need on Oilers forward group. If he doesnt pan out Chia would need to find someone similar elsewhere.

Also, Yak at LW is an instant fail!

 

[Oilfan2]

Because? He is a downgrade over Slepyshev? Korpikoski? Klinkhammer? Pakarinen?
Or are you afraid he might swinging stick at Oiler teammates?

Kassian is a legit NHLer if his off-ice issues are resolved. 4th line RW spot should be his when he gets the call... It will be up to him how high he moves from there.

A player like Kassian is pretty much the only need on Oilers forward group. If he doesnt pan out Chia would need to find someone similar elsewhere.

Also, Yak at LW is an instant fail!

Actually, it isn't.

Some people have this 'fantasy' that Yak scores millions of goals from the 'one-timer' on RW and that just isn't the case.

He does have a one-timer but rarely gets an opportunity to shoot and, if he does, misses more than not.

I don't think there should be an issue putting him on LW...although I'd probably have Kassian there instead and leave Yak on the RW.

 

[488fitter]

Anyone want to help me make guesses on tomorrow's lineup for the GDT I'm throwing together for midnight? Do all of the new guys suit up? Not entirely sure whats going on with who's heading back to the AHL and who got called up. Any input would be awesome, thanks!