Line Combos: Coaching Options Thread(Updated Lines In OP)Discuss Practice/PP/PK/Captaincy/lines

[Cousin Eddie]

I've decided to make a thread to discuss coaching decisions. We have a thread for roster moves where a lot of coaching things are discussed but no place to really go for discussions of coaching options.
If any of you have ever played the EA sports NHL series you may notice in be a GM mode there are GM Options (for roster moves) and Coaching options. I've decided to take this video game format to help clean up our boards a little and also to hopefully get a little more discussion going. This will also allow visiting fans to see our current lineup since I will try my best to keep the OP updated with our most recent lines.
Mods, this may be a good idea for a sticky, or maybe it's a bad idea completely and if so it can be deleted or merged with another thread. I'll leave that decision up to you.
Here's what we should discuss:

Practice: Posters can keep us updated on the info they read or see at practice. Also we can discuss things we think should be worked on in practice. Which leads me to the next topic....
Special Teams: Let's discuss our Powerplay and Penalty Kill. Who's been good? Who's been bad? Do you like our formations?
Line Combinations: What do you think of the combos Roy has been using? Who do you think should be where?
Captaincy/Jersey Numbers: Who should be wearing the letters? Who on the team leads but doesn't need a letter to prove it? Who will be our future leaders?

Anyway, let's give it a shot and hopefully the thread works out

Most recent projected lines: Game January 2nd, 2014

90 O'Reilly - 9 Duchene - 11 Mcginn
92 Landeskog(C) - 26 Stastny(A) - 29 Mackinnon
55 Mcleod(A) - 7 Mitchell - 25 Talbot
58 Bordeleau - 24 Cliche - 42 Malone

8 Hejda - 6 Johnson
61 Benoit - 16 Sarich
44 Wilson - 4 Barrie

1 Varlamov
35 Gigure

Scratches: 5 Guenin, 2 Holden
Injured: 40 Tanguay, 15 Parenteau​

Click to read more...

 

[Bubba Thudd]

We'll see how it plays out, and if it's a popular -- and on topic -- thread, I see no reason why it can't be stickied.

 

[Taak19]

Too many playmakers on the powerplay in general. Everyone seems to think pass first. No one goes in front to screen the goalie.

It's awful to watch them dump the puck in on the PP only to have the opponent sweep it down the ice.

Fault goes to the PP coach and lack of execution (shooting).

 

[MvpKinnon]

Great idea for a thread. Now people can play with their lines here

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Too many playmakers on the powerplay in general. Everyone seems to think pass first. No one goes in front to screen the goalie.

It's awful to watch them dump the puck in on the PP only to have the opponent sweep it down the ice.

Fault goes to the PP coach and lack of execution (shooting).

I agree. PAP is who I hate on the most
He does the same thing every time. Dallas figured him out last night since it was the second night in a row they played. Every time he tried to carry the puck into the zone he lost it. That's usually what happens anyway.

I think PAP is a good guy to have on the powerplay but I don't want him to be the one carrying the puck into the zone.
I wish the coaching staff had it set so that when we're breaking out Parenteau is up between the red line and offensive blue line. We can have somebody else bring the puck into the zone and keep possession while PAP goes deep or to the side boards.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I want to see MacKinnon back at center. I think he needs to get back to his natural spot and he'd improve being there. It would also help McGinn, who I think has been better in recent weeks (not so much last night), as right now he doesn't have anyone who can get him the puck to shoot. He's not someone who can create his own offense. Talbot is playing great now, so I think that would be a good line and I know it's the line Roy had initially imagined.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

What do you guys imagine the lines being when Tanguay gets back? I'd like to see this:

O'Reilly Duchene Parenteau
Landeskog Stastny Talbot
Mcginn Mackinnon Tanguay
Bords Malkin Mcleod

I bolded Talbot because (i know this is going to sound crazy) if Joey Hishon could stay healthy, I think he would fit in beautifully with Landeskog and Staz. Having two great defensive players who are also skilled enough to put the puck wherever they want is the exact type of linemates Hishon will need if he ever makes it.
He has the skill but unfortunately cant stay healthy long enough. If he could stay healthy for even one full consistent month I would give him a shot if we had an injury.

 

[Sheet]

I want to see MacKinnon back at center. I think he needs to get back to his natural spot and he'd improve being there. It would also help McGinn, who I think has been better in recent weeks (not so much last night), as right now he doesn't have anyone who can get him the puck to shoot. He's not someone who can create his own offense. Talbot is playing great now, so I think that would be a good line and I know it's the line Roy had initially imagined.

I want to see Mack not bounced around in general all the time. And awesome to see Talbot get some credit. I agree with this completely.

I DO love seeing Mack and Duchene out there together though. It makes for some exciting hockey.

 

[CB Joe]

What do you guys imagine the lines being when Tanguay gets back? I'd like to see this:

O'Reilly Duchene Parenteau
Landeskog Stastny Talbot
Mcginn Mackinnon Tanguay
Bords Malkin Mcleod

O'Reilly Duchene MacKinnon
Landeskog Stastny Parenteau
Mcginn Talbot Tanguay
Bords Malkin Mcleod

 

[Bubba Thudd]

O'Reilly Duchene MacKinnon
Landeskog Stastny Parenteau
Mcginn Talbot Tanguay
Bords Malkin Mcleod

I dunno. If Staz's line is a shutdown and still score line, Tanguay fits there better, IMO. He's better than PAP defensively, and is just as good offensively. I'd switch Tangs and PAP.

 

[chet1926]

When Tangs comes back I'd like to see:

O'Reilly-Duchene-MacKinnon
Landy-Stastny-Tanguay (This line was playing unreal, good hockey until Tangs got hurt)
McGinn-Talbot-PAP
McCleod-Mitchell-Bordeleau

Then my PPs would be:

O'Reilly-Duchene-MacKinnon
Benoit-EJ

PAP-Stastny-Landy
Tanguay-Barrie

 

[shall564]

I'd like to see us try Bords or Mcleod on the PP. There probably not the best guys to have out there but I know that if you told them to sit in the crease they'd be hard to move.

 

[Pokecheque]

I'd still like to see O'Reilly returned to the pivot. He's our best faceoff guy and best defensive forward, and frankly he's most comfortable there. I see why Roy likes him on the wing, but I think there are other ways to get Duchene chances on the rush.

Honestly, I still want to see what Stastny can do on the wing.

Unfortunately Roy's got it tough in that he can't really ice three legit scoring lines with the injury to Tanguay. And it's not helping that Parenteau and McGinn are playing some of their worst hockey right now.

As for the C and A patches, meh...I still think it was way too early to hand Landy the C (and it was handed to him for the wrong reasons) but what's done is done, and he'll either grow into the role or he'll relinquish it. So far so good at least. The A's are on the right players as well, but I think one of our top-pairing defensemen deserve one eventually.

The only place where I feel the coaching staff is really failing is on special teams. The PK is a direct result of a sub-par defense and a team that still struggles in terms of possession, but I think those problems will be meted out over time. It's the power play where I feel there's just no excuse. Way, way too many weapons/options for it to be this bad. Roy needs to quit with the Parenteau-on-point thing and try something else. He also needs to find a way to create more traffic in front of the net. I have the feeling he's preaching it, but the players aren't necessarily buying in.

I honestly don't see why Jamie McGinn can't be that guy. He can certainly crash the net with abandon, don't know why he can't be taught to use his size to STAY in the slot and wreak havoc. Right now he's a very one-dimensional player, and there are a lot of times he loses that one dimension, rendering him useless.

 

[Pokecheque]

I'd like to see us try Bords or Mcleod on the PP. There probably not the best guys to have out there but I know that if you told them to sit in the crease they'd be hard to move.

Definitely don't want to see that. McLeod, for all his size, is still too easy to knock down, and Bordy just doesn't have the skillset. Frankly he was exposed a bit against Dallas's speed last night.

It's more than just standing in front of the net (though that first step would help immensely), that forward has to be savvy enough to create deflections and be the first guy to pounce on rebounds. The last guy we had able to do that reliably was probably...Svatos. Brunette was pretty good in front of the net as well.

Again, I don't see why they can't at least TRY and ask McGinn to do this. I know it's not really a skill he's demonstrated in the past, but Jamie needs to find some new element to his game in order to be consistent. He can crash the net, now someone needs to teach him to stay there. I know it's not that cut-and-dried, but it's worth a try.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Can we have the current PP and PK units in the OP too? I can't ever keep those straight.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Definitely don't want to see that. McLeod, for all his size, is still too easy to knock down, and Bordy just doesn't have the skillset. Frankly he was exposed a bit against Dallas's speed last night.

It's more than just standing in front of the net (though that first step would help immensely), that forward has to be savvy enough to create deflections and be the first guy to pounce on rebounds. The last guy we had able to do that reliably was probably...Svatos. Brunette was pretty good in front of the net as well.

Again, I don't see why they can't at least TRY and ask McGinn to do this. I know it's not really a skill he's demonstrated in the past, but Jamie needs to find some new element to his game in order to be consistent. He can crash the net, now someone needs to teach him to stay there. I know it's not that cut-and-dried, but it's worth a try.

I don't understand why Landeskog isn't doing this on at least one of the units... It should be Landeskog on one unit and McGinn on the other, they are our most skilled power forwards.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

I said these should be the lines at the beginning of the season and it still represents my point of view

Landy-Dutch-PAP

standard powerforward-shooter-playmaker line with the best of all three on the team. Duchene and PAP already produce well together, Landy produces with basically anyone and will be used when possible to take defensive coverage from Duchene

Tangs-Staz-Mac

keeps MacKinnon from needing to play defense and gives him two of the three best playmakers on the team to feed him. relatively soft line, however, and will need to take chances in front of the net whenever possible to avoid board work.

McGinn-ROR-DownieTalbot

still would prefer ROR at center than at wing, and prefer him getting the most difficult ice time available. Talbot provides defensive flexibility and size, McGinn creates options to generate scoring in front of the net.

Mitchell, goons, and AHLers constitute the 4th line.

 

[cgf]

I want Barrie getting all 2 PP minutes. First shift with O'Reilly and the second with Benoit or EJ. Get a man in front of the net, Landy, McGinn or Bordy, with Staz and Dutchy on one half board, MacK, PAP or Tanguay on the other.

And let them fire away with traffic in front of net, that would do wonders for our PP and get us some dirty goals, so they aren't always for the perfect play on the PP.

As for lines I want us to go with this unit when healthy:

O'Reilly - Duchene - Parenteau/Tanguay
Landeskog - Stastny - Tanguay/Parenteau
McGinn - MacKinnon - Talbot
Bordeleau - Malkin - McCleod

With us moving towards:

O'Reilly - Duchene - Talbot/Tanguay
McGinn - Stastny - Parenteau/Talbot
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Tanguay/Talbot
Bordeleau - Malkin - McCleod

Until everyon'e healthy I'd go with

O'Reilly - Duchene - Malkin
Landeskog - Stastny - Parenteau
McGinn - MacKinnon - Talbot

 

[tigervixxxen]

MacKinnon is not going back to third line minutes. Read the comments I posted from Sakic in the MacKinnon thread. I guess if Tanguay comes back and everyone is healthy then going back to the three scoring line set up makes sense, but how likely is it that the entire forward group is going to stay healthy at the same time? I'd like to see Duchene and O'Reilly stay together because that's the only pair that consistently works for Duchene. I like MacKinnon on wing there better than with Stastny/Landy though MacKinnon has good chemistry with Landy. Everyone forgets how much of a pass fest Stastny/Tanguay was. Stastny/Landy can handle the defensive heavy lifting so its ok to free up Tanguay and see if his passing can benefit either Duchene or MacKinnon.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Can we have the current PP and PK units in the OP too? I can't ever keep those straight.

I can do that! I just need to be told what they were last game lol.

Mackinnon-ROR-Duchene
EJ Barrie

That was one. Landy-Stastny-Parenteau I guess was the second but who was on the point. I noticed once that Barrie played the whole PP.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I swear Holden played on the PP last game but maybe that's who Barrie subbed in for. So Benoit and Holden (Barrie)?

For PK I think Cliche and Talbot work together, then McLeod and Mitchell.

 

[Nzap]

My take on what should happen:

ROR-Duchene-PAP
Lando-Staz-Talbot
McGinn-MacKinnon-Mitchell
McLeod-Cliche-Bordeleau

Hejda-EJ
Benoit-Sarich
Guenin-Barrie

Varly (90% of games)
Jiggy (10%)

Tangs takes Talbot's place, and Talbot falls down to 3rd line with Mitchell down to 4th.
Cliche/Bordy out.

Reasoning: PAP has been terrible. Put him back with Dutchy and hope for the best.
Mac has been terrible with Dutchy. Put him back at center with at least some kind of competent linemates.
Put Talbot with Staz to keep the shutdown portion of that line.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I want to see MacKinnon back at center. I think he needs to get back to his natural spot and he'd improve being there. It would also help McGinn, who I think has been better in recent weeks (not so much last night), as right now he doesn't have anyone who can get him the puck to shoot. He's not someone who can create his own offense. Talbot is playing great now, so I think that would be a good line and I know it's the line Roy had initially imagined.

I stand by this. MacKinnon is a center. He isn't a winger. Put him back at center, please.

I say move PAP back up with Duchene and put Talbot with Staz and Landy.

 

[PeterTheGreat]

I stand by this. MacKinnon is a center. He isn't a winger. Put him back at center, please.

I say move PAP back up with Duchene and put Talbot with Staz and Landy.

Agreed 100%. Im done with the Mackinnon at wing experiment.

What made us so dangerous to play against at the beginning of the year was having 3 dangerous lines and being hard to match up against.

O'Reilly-Duchene-PAP
McGinn-Stastny-Landy
Mitchell-Mackinnon-Talbot

 

[AvsRobin]

I'd still rather move ROR back to C than MacKinnon.

The problem with moving MacKinnon back to C now is that we dont have Tanguay or Downie on there to support him. Right now it would likely mean Talbot and Mitchell. I dont think MacKinnon would thrive with those two. And I dont think McGinn replacing Mac in the top 6 would help us either. So I'm not very keen on that.