Speculation: 2017-18 Roster Discussion - Part 7

[TeslaCoilFan]

Coop heard me.

I'm good with this as long as Dotchin is back to his "I just got back from being scratched so I'll stick to playing solid, simple defense and not try to be Heddy-lite and fail" form. Though I feel a wee bit bad for Heddy and Stråls having to continue babysitting duties, it does seem to work.

Because Cooper/Bowness are still limiting both Dotch and Sergy's minutes, that lets Hedman and Strålman team up again for the left over minutes as needed. Hedman is slowly turning back into Viking warrior-god Hedman, Strålman brings out the best in Sergachev while being fast/smart enough to cover most of his rookie mistakes and McDonagh/Girardi will be solid.

We...we might actually have THREE decent defense pairs?

And either Hedman, Strålman or McDonagh on the ice at all times???

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm good with this as long as Dotchin is back to his "I just got back from being scratched so I'll stick to playing solid, simple defense and not try to be Heddy-lite and fail" form. Though I feel a wee bit bad for Heddy and Stråls having to continue babysitting duties, it does seem to work. Because Cooper/Bowness are still limiting both Dotch and Sergy's minutes, that lets Hedman and Strålman team up again for the left over minutes as needed. Hedman is slowly turning back into Viking warrior-god Hedman, Strålman brings out the best in Sergachev while being fast/smart enough to cover most of his rookie mistakes and McDonagh/Girardi will be solid.

We...we might actually have THREE decent defense pairs?

And either Hedman, Strålman or McDonagh on the ice at all times???

I'm looking at these pairings like PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!

If Dotchin is back and plays to his previous level we might just take the whole thing AND never see Sustr again!!!!!

 

[LightningStrikes]

Nice pairings!

 

[Sky04]

Still hoping for McDonagh-Stralman, haven't seen anything great from McD-Girardi yet.

 

[The Macho King]

Still hoping for McDonagh-Stralman, haven't seen anything great from McD-Girardi yet.

I think they looked good together on the PK.

Just in general - I've had a hard time focusing on games because I generally have other things going on lately, but McDonagh seems more physical than I remember in my viewings. I've seen him do some really impressive work along the wall.

 

[LightningStrikes]

I think they looked good together on the PK.

Just in general - I've had a hard time focusing on games because I generally have other things going on lately, but McDonagh seems more physical than I remember in my viewings. I've seen him do some really impressive work along the wall.

That and he’s surprisingly aggressive offensively.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Still hoping for McDonagh-Stralman, haven't seen anything great from McD-Girardi yet.

I think they looked good together on the PK.

Just in general - I've had a hard time focusing on games because I generally have other things going on lately, but McDonagh seems more physical than I remember in my viewings. I've seen him do some really impressive work along the wall.

Though I do think McDonagh-Girardi hasn't been that bad and agree that they work well together on the PK, I wouldn't mind occasionally seeing Girardi and Strålman swapped.

The thought of McDonagh and Strålman together is very enticing. McD/Stråls could end up being the ultimate shut-down-ALL-the-opponents killer 2nd pairing while causing Rangers fans much regret. :::evil grin:::

Sergachev/Girardi might be fine as the third pair. Think Sergy and G were not bad the few times they've been paired though Girardi isn't quite as fast as Stråls in being able to cover for Sergachev's rookie mistakes.

But I really think they'll keep the above pairings for a while because, as I said, it does allow them to have one of their three best defensive dudes (Hedman, McDonagh, Strålman) out on the ice at all times.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Cant see the pairings from that tweet for some reason, can somebody post them?

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Hedman - Dotchin
Sergachev - Strålman
McDonagh - Girardi
Coburn - Sustr
Koekkoek

 

[CupsOverCash]

Hedman - Dotchin
Sergachev - Strålman
McDonagh - Girardi
Coburn - Sustr
Koekkoek

Yea that would be great if it could work out this way. Really depends on how Dotchin and Sergachev play. If they can play like they did early in the year our team would greatly benefit. Our biggest issues have been getting the puck out of our zone. 5-5 and Pk. If they can just do that and stay healthy I really like our chances. Oh and Vasi being more consistent. Cant forget that.

 

[Lightning1995]

I really thought we’d see Coburn play some on the right side instead of Dotchin or Sustr. Seems like Coburn is being phased out. I’m not upset at all by this, splitting hairs. Just surprised

 

[The Macho King]

I really thought we’d see Coburn play some on the right side instead of Dotchin or Sustr. Seems like Coburn is being phased out. I’m not upset at all by this, splitting hairs. Just surprised

Coburn was trash last game. Don't see how he's an upgrade over Sustr at this point.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Sergachev - Sustr just oozes top pair potential, they should go with that and all our defensive issues will be gone.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Sergachev - Sustr just oozes top pair potential, they should go with that and all our defensive issues will be gone.

I would feel confident with that D pairing and a line of

Killorn Cirelli Erne

we should roll that often against Boston on Saturday.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I would feel confident with that D pairing and a line of

Killorn Cirelli Erne

we should roll that often against Boston on Saturday.

Swap Killorn for Conacher and never take them off the ice.

 

[Lightning1995]

What do the Lightning do in the offseason to compete with Boston? New coach or shake up the roster?

 

[These Are The Days]

Start by founding a fight club and building a proper arena for fan duels

 

[Sky04]

Like clockwork Erne scores and goes quiet for 5 games, this will be his version of Killorning a .5PPG

 

[The Macho King]

Like clockwork Erne scores and goes quiet for 5 games, this will be his version of Killorning a .5PPG

TBF I thought he had a strong game tonight, but yeah - he just doesn't end up on the scoresheet much.

 

[Sky04]

TBF I thought he had a strong game tonight, but yeah - he just doesn't end up on the scoresheet much.

He should take Kunitz's spot on the 4th line and bump Kunitz up, that line isn't going to score much anyways, where as Kunitz is the best offensive player on that line and can help the 3rd line produce more.

 

[The Macho King]

He should take Kunitz's spot on the 4th line and bump Kunitz up, that line isn't going to score much anyways, where as Kunitz is the best offensive player on that line and can help the 3rd line produce more.

No argument from me - I think that would work.

Also, I like the lineup a lot more with Paquette in the pressbox. I thought Cirelli looked pretty damn good out there.

 

[Sky04]

No argument from me - I think that would work.

Also, I like the lineup a lot more with Paquette in the pressbox. I thought Cirelli looked pretty damn good out there.

Cirelli creates offense - we should be giving him better offensive support than Erne or Callahan and not use him in a 4th line role. Paquette for me at least does the minimum as a 4th liner, him and Callahan can run around trucking people add Erne to that and they'd be a pretty good unit.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

No argument from me - I think that would work.

Also, I like the lineup a lot more with Paquette in the pressbox. I thought Cirelli looked pretty damn good out there.

And Peca

 

[Stormbreaker]

With 9 games left Coop really needs to give Domingue at least 4-5 starts.

 

[The Macho King]

Cirelli is truth. Cirelli is life.