Line Combos: Choose your lineup

[Kaapo Cabana]

Vesey Stepan Zucc
Kreider Zib Buch
Nash Hayes Miller
Grabner-Pirri-Fast

McD-Klein
Staal-Clen
Holden-Girardi
McI

Expect Skjei to be back up by Mid Nov at the latest.

I really like that line a lot.

my only issue is giving Vesey top line minutes right off the bat. You know that Stepan will be playing against the top lines, so putting Vesey with subjects him to it too. I have faith he will become one of our more solid defensive players but he still needs to learn.

Also Nash on the 3rd line has the potential for some serious mismatches. might just give him good enough numbers to up his trade value.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Here's the thing with all these line combos where people are worried about a rookie on the top line... there is no definitive top line, IMO. Stepan has been our 1C for the last couple of years. Zibanejad looks like he may develop into a more traditional 1C. And despite his down year last year, Nash is still arguably the best forward on the squad. So, if you have them all playing on different lines, which is the "top" line?

I mean, if you run:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Miller-Stepan-Zuccarello
Vesey-Hayes-Nash
Some combo of Grabner/Jooris/Fast/Pirri

It comes down to matchups and playing time, IMO. You probably have Zibanejad's line out there when you need offense, Stepan's (or the checking line) against the other team's best line, and Hayes's out there to feast on the other team's bottom 6.

And turning it around, who does the other team "key on" as the 1st line? KZB is looking like a legit top line, while Stepan/Zuccarrello are guys who've traditionally been #1, and so has Nash.

I think spreading them out makes this team incredibly dangerous up front.

(Now the back end, on the other hand...)

 

[Ghost of jas]

I really like that line a lot.

my only issue is giving Vesey top line minutes right off the bat. You know that Stepan will be playing against the top lines, so putting Vesey with subjects him to it too. I have faith he will become one of our more solid defensive players but he still needs to learn.

Also Nash on the 3rd line has the potential for some serious mismatches. might just give him good enough numbers to up his trade value.

I think KZB ends up being the top line.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

I think KZB ends up being the top line.

It WILL be our top scoring line, but as far as team defense, I gotta go with Steps line

 

[Irishguy42]

FWIW, that line last night...I think Kreider/Buch had 100% zone starts, and Mika was at 90.91%.

So, definitely an offensive line that more often than not will not be started in our own end (Mika will be used on PK, so that affects his own ZS%)

I think realistically, they'll average out somewhere around 70% or so over the course of a season.

 

[silverfish]

Nash - Stepan - Zuccarello
Kreider - Zib - Buch
Pirri - Hayes - Miller
Grabner - Jooris - Fast
Vesey

McDonagh - Klein
Staal - McIlrath
Skjei - Holden/Clendening
Clendening - Girardi

My suspicion is that AV will rock this (in terms of the forwards, because we all know G won't be scratched), but replace Pirri with Vesey to start.

FWIW, that line last night...I think Kreider/Buch had 100% zone starts, and Mika was at 90.91%.

So, definitely an offensive line that more often than not will not be started in our own end (Mika will be used on PK, so that affects his own ZS%)

I think overall, they averaged out somewhere around 70% or so. At least, at a glance that's what it seems like to me.

It's very similar to the usage that the Brassard line got last year, and the Sedin line got when AV was in Vancouver. Mixed zone starts for the defensively and offensively responsible Stepan unit. Heavy offense for the Zib and Hayes units. Mostly D for the Jooris unit.

 

[rangers1314]

I really like that line a lot.

my only issue is giving Vesey top line minutes right off the bat. You know that Stepan will be playing against the top lines, so putting Vesey with subjects him to it too. I have faith he will become one of our more solid defensive players but he still needs to learn.

Also Nash on the 3rd line has the potential for some serious mismatches. might just give him good enough numbers to up his trade value.

Its all interchangable during a game, in fact during the final minutes of games I wouldn't be shocked to see Stepan with grabner and Nash.

Vesey looked his best playing with Step, Hayes looks awful so I'd rather put him with players who won't be dependent on him to generate.

 

[BroadwayBlues]

Kreider--Zibanejad--Buchnevich
Vesey--Stepan--Zuccarello
Miller--Hayes--Nash
Grabner--Jooris--Pirri

 

[TankLarkin]

As long as McIrath is top 6 I'll be happy. If not, I'll wait for AV's departure before giving a crap again.

 

[offdacrossbar]

The forwards are good. I was one of the few who was hoping nash would be further down the lineup. He's no longer anything close to a top line wing.

The rest of the forwards make sense. I would rather hayes as the 4c and pirri as a winger on line 3 with Miller as the 3c. I'm not a hayes guy at all and he's gonna kill that 3rd line.

Girardi on the first pair is beyond dumb. Makes the 1st pair instantly a 3rd pair by default.

Mcilrath or skjei not both and clendening needs to play if we want to have a decent pp. He looked like money on the top.

Vesey. Buch and pirri all need to play. We're gonna need to win alot of 5-4 games this year with this defense.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Here's the thing with all these line combos where people are worried about a rookie on the top line... there is no definitive top line, IMO. Stepan has been our 1C for the last couple of years. Zibanejad looks like he may develop into a more traditional 1C. And despite his down year last year, Nash is still arguably the best forward on the squad. So, if you have them all playing on different lines, which is the "top" line?

I mean, if you run:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Miller-Stepan-Zuccarello
Vesey-Hayes-Nash
Some combo of Grabner/Jooris/Fast/Pirri

It comes down to matchups and playing time, IMO. You probably have Zibanejad's line out there when you need offense, Stepan's (or the checking line) against the other team's best line, and Hayes's out there to feast on the other team's bottom 6.

And turning it around, who does the other team "key on" as the 1st line? KZB is looking like a legit top line, while Stepan/Zuccarrello are guys who've traditionally been #1, and so has Nash.

I think spreading them out makes this team incredibly dangerous up front.

(Now the back end, on the other hand...)

You lost me at, "nash is still arguably the best forward on the squad".

No. He. Is. Not.

And God help this team if he were which thankfully he is not.

Absolutely no one wanted him for other than scraps. And that's a fact.

He's only here by default.

He's no longer anything close to what you describe.

 

[FoxyClean]

Nash-Ziba-Zucc
Kreids-Step-Buch
Vesey-Hayes-Miller
Pirri/Jooris/Fast
Grabner

McD-Klein
Skjei-McIlrath
Staal-Girardi
Holden
Clendening


We are really going to miss Yandle...

 

[Vickers8]

Kreider--Zibanejad--Buchnevich
Vesey--Stepan--Zuccarello
Miller--Hayes--Nash
Grabner--Jooris--Pirri

Not bad, I like Fast sitting instead of Pirri

 

[Anthony5967]

Wouldn't mind seeing

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Nash-Step-Zucc
Vesey-Hayes-Miller
Grabner-Pirri-Fast

McD-Clen
Staal-Klein
Holden-Skjei

G will play though opening night so whatever

 

[WesMcCauley]

I wanna see
????-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Zib-Zucc

Step and Nash take the hardest matchups and Kreider-Zib-Zucc could be an extremely good trio imo

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Why on earth is anyone busting up Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich?

Should not be touched until such time as they go cold, if then.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Why on earth is anyone busting up Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich?

Should not be touched until such time as they go cold, if then.

I think people Are in for a surprise if they think Buch will score alot this season. He looked decent against ahl players in the preseason but nothing special. Could really use a year in Hartford imo

 

[n8]

Wouldn't mind seeing

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Nash-Step-Zucc
Vesey-Hayes-Miller
Grabner-Pirri-Fast

McD-Clen
Staal-Klein
Holden-Skjei

G will play though opening night so whatever

+1 I think Skjei-Holden might be better since Skjei plays LD and Holden has more experience? I dunno.

 

[Idlerlee]

It WILL be our top scoring line, but as far as team defense, I gotta go with Steps line

Kreider has never come close to 50 and has always been wildly inconsistent. Z is new and has not reached Brassards level of compete, is believed to have a higher ceiling, but isnt there yet. Buch was ok in the camp, and hasnt played against an actual NHL team yet.

Stepan is capable of ppg pace when he's injury free, which he unfortunately never is.

I'd just advice on the side of caution before you pencil in 2 new players and a guy with no hands as the go to line to carry our offense this year.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

I feel like a Vesey-Stepan-Miller line is inevitable

 

[offdacrossbar]

would love to see buchnevich and pirri with z man.

defensively that line would be challenged but having a finisher like pirri with a setup guy like buchnevich and z man in the middle to create space would be fun.

5v5 that line would generate a ton of chances

 

[Leetch3]

would love to see buchnevich and pirri with z man.

defensively that line would be challenged but having a finisher like pirri with a setup guy like buchnevich and z man in the middle to create space would be fun.

5v5 that line would generate a ton of chances

why would you split up kreider and zib? they have instant chemistry

 

[rangers1314]

Lindberg staking this AM in a regular jersey.

 

[anofsti]

This game is fun when you're still doing the forwards. When you get to the defense, not so much.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Kreider is also the only one who (to my knowledge) can actually communicate with Buch. Dont underestimate the importance of that.

Nearly every Russian player that comes over talks about the struggles of adjusting in year 1.