You completely forgot about Brouwer.Johansson - Backstrom - Ovechkin
2 good young swedes with great 2 way games and the bull.
I hope this really gets a chance to gel and i think theres some creative upside with Johansson and Ovi switching sides on rushes and confusing defenders.
I, like all of us probably, are hoping that Oates can find what is missing from Ovi's game to get him back up the top creating great offense and not being so predictable. Hes still an amazing player, but both him and Backstrom have been down for a while from when they were probably a top 3 1-2 punch in the league a few years ago.
This line should work well.
Wolski - Ribeiro - Laich
At first i was tossing up the idea of having Fehr or Perreault here instead of Laich but with Wolski not exactly tearing the world up of late and Ribeiro a bit on the small side, its probably more important that Laich plays here. Its not the most appealing second line. I think we are missing a sniper of sorts unless Wolski can really turn his career around. I am pretty doubtful.
Chimera - Beagle - Fehr
Big line. Good speed. Ward could be here and might be against potent top lines, but id like to see Fehr get a look here. My original line up had Fehr potentially on the second line with Laich centreing the 3rd... so we will see. Chimmer is one of my favs. Always plays hard and draws penalties and can score imo well enough. I really like the look of this line.
Hendricks - Perreault - Ward
Its always hard putting an offensive minded small guy in the line up when hes not on a top 2 line. but what to do?
He deserves a shot and im not sure what his off season has been like or if he has been playing so ive thrown him here and put some defensive responsibility with his line mates.
Crabb
Schultz Green
We dont really have many other options to play with Green here. Poti if healthy would be handy but hes still a while off. if ever.
Green is still probably the most talented offensive defender out there. I am glad that the green light has been given for guys like him, Carlson, Alzner & Hamrlik. Whilst Hamr is past his best and Alzner isnt really an offensive threat, they are both smart enough to know when jumping up will create enough pressure for possible scoring chances.
Heres hoping Green can get back in that 60 point range because his defensive qualities are about B+ to A now after spending a lot of time on it, we all know his offensive will be there if he feels comfortable in using it.
Alzner Carlson
Erskine Hamrlik
Holtby
Wow, that D... unless Poti is in 2009 playoff form, after Carlzner and Green, yikes.
You completely forgot about Brouwer.
Johansson-Backstrom-Ovechkin
Wolski-Ribeiro-Brouwer
Chimera-Beagle-Ward-Wilson
Hendricks-Perreault-Fehr-Crabb
Defense
Alzner-Carlson
Hamrlik-Green
Schultz-Schilling
Erskine-Hillen
Goal: Holtby, Neuvirth.
These were the lines/pairs on Monday (via Katie)
I know the top two lines were the same for the scrimmage. Don't know how the bottom 6 or pairings shook out, since Wilson played and Green did not (and Schilling had been sent down by that point).
Was watching this just now and ended up wondering why Ovi wasn't moved to RW sooner.
Guy is a natural for that position. Theres just so much unnecessary extra-curricular stuff that Ovi does on the LW down the rush that it's almost maddening. RW allows him to either tee up or get the defense to over-commit so much that the backside opens up.
Dont forget Dirt, it was Ovi's idea to move which bumped MJ
With no preseason games to go by, I think its going to be a near coin flip between Crabb and Fehr. Has Crabb been playing during the lull - game shape? If not, Fehr may well have the upper hand. If anyone has seen anything from Crabb of note, hook us up.
Wolski appears to have a spot.
If Laich comes back, I think MP gets pushed to the bench, Beagle bumped down.
MJ Nick OV
WW Ribs Brow
Chimera Beagle Ward
Hendy MP Fehr
Crabb
I almost feel like our 4th line is more like a scoring line but Beagle with 2 goals vs Reading, Ward on PP2, its not happening. But I bet that 4th line pots a goal before the 3rd line.
I hope Oates gets a little crazy and tries splitting up the kids this year. If he simply does what the previous coaches did, I hope he remembers they failed.
Alzner Green
Hammer Carlson
Erskine/Sarge/Poti Hillen/Orlov
Wolski in the top 6 is disturbing.
Let's just hope the new twig brings him more scoring punch. Otherwise I don't get it.beagle is not going to be the 4th line center.
Yeah so much worse than last year...
What are you talking about?
Its better to have him going left to right dynamically, instead of right to left. You will see him using his right hand to protect the puck as he switches to right side.
He cannot drive from the right wing, its physically impossible, he has to lean left, but his a right handed, hot, that makes no sense, he does a fine job of using the dynamic switch and has never had a problem protecting the puck with his right arm and legs. He just need support from behind. If he wants to switch to the right wing and you will see it previous times, he usually skates behind a team mate, which draws back checkers, he never had that support the past 2 years.
There is a common mistake goalies make when Ovechkin scores on the right wing, five hole or losing their net, if the goalie doesn't lose their net, Ovechkin has pretty much no angle. The other common thing is the fake slap shot to get them to drop then sniping it over their shoulder, which in most cases is due to again, losing their net.
Look back a few pages, I posted a video of all Kovalchuks goals from last year, and I posted a description of each one. I wouldn't describe any of them as goals roaring down the right wing, it was either a good pass from the behind the net, or a 2 on 0. Then a few ones where he swinged over from the left wing and shot at the far post, which happens due to goalies losing their net too.
Wolski in the top 6 is disturbing.
Bolded is how I feel about it. Plenty of other top players in the league play on the PK. Always felt that it improved Semin's game when he did.
You should go ahead and tell Iginla, Ryan, Malone, Booth, Lucic, Parise, Perry, Neal, Franzen, Oshie, Stewart, Landeskog, Jones, Hornqvist, Nash, Hartnell, Simmonds, Morrow, Setoguchi, Hall, Marchand, Pacioretty, Kane, Glencross, Ruutu, Kreider, Doan, Ladd, Kessel, Pomminville, Foligno, Callahan, Michalek, Alfredsson, Brouwer, Brown, Clowe, Umberger, Wheeler, Ryder, Gionta, Bourque, Okposo, Stafford, Kulemin, Gagne, Penner, Carter, Selanne, Chimera and Downie that it's physically impossible to drive the net or snipe from the rush unless you're on your off wing.
What do any of these guys have to do with Ovechkin?
For God's sake Parise literally didn't score beyond the face off dots, how the **** is he an example?
Either way, look up Perry, most of his goals off left wing. He spends a lot of time in front of the net.
So none of them are pure snipers or drive the net with regularity successfully?
I've got the whole NHL 99 game rosters memorized, I can throw those names down too.
How about just a few names so it's easier to focus.
Sniping - Selanne, Kessel, Vrbata, Carter, Gagne, Hejduk, Gartner, Setoguchi.
Driving the net - Perry, Doan, Lucic, Hartnell, Simmonds, Knuble