Line Combos: How do they generate some 5on5 offense?

[PlayMakers]

Getting Pastrnak back healthy helps in the regular season.

Playoffs, when teams commit more to shadowing and shutting down offensive lines, same old shit as the past three seasons.

I really don’t want them waiting for Pasta to solve their problems. His injury is an opportunity to find other combinations that work.

 

[chizzler]

They need to go to the net more. Constant problem.

 

[Root]

When healthy:

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak

Debrusk - Coyle - Kase

Ritchie - Krejci - Smith

Frederic - Kuraly - Bjork

When Pastrnak is healthy I don’t mind this but if Studnicka shows me anything I’m not taking him out for Kase.

For now...

Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk
Ritchie-Krejci-Studnicka
Bjork-Coyle-Smith
Frederic-Kuraly-Wagner

This is fine with me. Give Studnicka more than one game to figure it out. I am getting increasingly frustrated with how Cassidy handles certain players. He keeps certain players together no matter what (DeBrusk & Krejci) yet other players he doesn’t give them more than one game. If you want to take a look at a young guy, give them more than one game.

I understand the short leash for Bjork in the top 6, he has played over 100 games and hasn’t shown much as a scorer, but they might actually have a young top 6 player in Studnicka. Give him more than one game before yanking him.

 

[missingchicklet]

I'd love to see Jake on a line with TWO other good players. Hard for me to gripe about a 24 yr old averaging 20 goals per season and 13 pct shooting over his young career, while playing on a line in which he has a very good center and mostly useless bullcrap on the other wing. Pretty impressive that he and Krech put up the numbers they do when they have had mostly a never ending rotation of bottom sixers on the right wing. Not hard to defend against a line in which only two guys are any threat to score. Does he seem to disappear at times? Yep, happens to about anyone playing on a gimped line unless they are a superstar, which Jake is not.

 

[BruinDust]

When Pastrnak is healthy I don’t mind this but if Studnicka shows me anything I’m not taking him out for Kase.

For now...

Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk
Ritchie-Krejci-Studnicka
Bjork-Coyle-Smith
Frederic-Kuraly-Wagner

This is fine with me. Give Studnicka more than one game to figure it out. I am getting increasingly frustrated with how Cassidy handles certain players. He keeps certain players together no matter what (DeBrusk & Krejci) yet other players he doesn’t give them more than one game. If you want to take a look at a young guy, give them more than one game.

I understand the short leash for Bjork in the top 6, he has played over 100 games and hasn’t shown much as a scorer, but they might actually have a young top 6 player in Studnicka. Give him more than one game before yanking him.

The issue with Studnicka is if/when you have a completely healthy roster, they'll have 14 forwards so someone is headed for the taxi squad. And with waivers to consider it will likely be Studnicka or Frederic who goes there.

I didn't see the first NJ game so I really can't comment on how Studnicka played. He's gotta force the coaches hand with performance moreso than say Frederic as Frederic can play on the 4th line and be the 12th best F while Studnicka basically has to make it so he's one of their best 9 forwards.

 

[JHockey14]

You can try any line combo you want but it’s not going to change anything. This has been a philosophy thing for a few seasons now. Stop passing up a shot for the fancy pass. Shoot the puck. And when they do shoot everything is right at the goaltenders chest. Do we not have any forwards who can pick a corner. The story has been the same now, shut down the first line, don’t take any penalties and you’ll beat the Bruins. It’s only 2 games but a real discouraging 2 games. For me anyways

 

[Bruinaura]

I like that we're finally seeing Marchand-Bergeron-Krejci. In desperate times, this is our best group (sans Pastrnak) in a 5-5 situation.

If I was going to put those three together, I'd let Krejci be the center. I can't recall that he's ever played wing? At least Bergeron has done so, his first season and also internationally.

Smith was practically begging for the puck a couple times yesterday. They need to get it to him.

Injuries are screwing up a lot right now, between trying to find the right fit for 63/37 and the hot mess that is our second line winger situation.

Maybe just play Bergeron and Marchand short-handed even when there's no penalty? I don't think they mind

 

[UConn126]

Copying my post from the pregame thread. With Kase likely out, I like these:

Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Ritchie-Krejci-Coyle
DeBrusk-Frederic-Bjork
Lindholm-Kuraly-Wagner

- Bjork has no business in the top 6 under any circumstance. Literally play anyone else there. He looks great on the third or forth against lesser competition, but he drags any life out of what ever line he's on when elevated to the top 6.
- I love what I've seen from Frederic so far. He had a great rush with Kuraly and Wagner last game where he was effectively the center. Let's give him a shot at his natural position.
- I'm a DeBrusk supporter, but at some point we have to end our belief he and Krejci are gonna work. They don't, and frankly, DeBrusk has been looking like a third liner.
- Ritchie's played above expectation. Krejci historically does well with bigger, power forward wingers. Ritchie and Coyle are two big dudes that can play the possession game Krejci thrives in.
- I want Studs to get ice time, but I like my top 9 here, and I think Lindholm works better on the 4th. Not a sexy lineup add, but I'm OK with him in a limited, 4th line role. Can help the PK a bit, too.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

I kind of hate even throwing this out there because it is a longstanding problem, but a little puck luck would not go amiss right now. Sometimes that is all guy needs to get some confidence back and start putting them in more consistently. I am thinking of Kase and Bjork here, and DeBrusk to some extent also. The D men could ue a bit as well.

Puck luck is created as a result of good habits and good tendencies, IMO. This team should look— and this sounds incredibly weird to type out —at Jakub Zboril, Trent Frederic right now.

Both of these players have been taking the puck and ripping it almost immediately off their blades. Shoot to create and shoot often— that’s how “puck luck” is created, IMO. Zboril has been credited with 2 SOGs, but he’s still shooting and getting towards high-danger locations, forcing defensive players to block the shots or clog the lanes.

At some point, the luck is bound to change, but you can’t expect the luck to change if you go out there every night and try to pass the puck in the net from the perimeter. It’s not a popular take right now, but I still think this team has plenty of guys capable of making an impact if they play this way.

Is it confidence?
Is it coaching?
Is it pressure?
Is it a mix of everything?

 

[Oates2Neely]

Any lineup posted here with Studnicka at center this year I have to question your motive

 

[sarge88]

The elephant that has been in the room for years. A legitimate 2nd line goal scorer. We just played one in Palmieri. Someone of that ilk.

I still think you split up line 1 when Pasta is back.

Either

Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
DeBrusk - Krejci - Pasta

or

DeBrusk - Bergeron - Pasta
Marchand - Krejci - Smith

Ritchie - Coyle - Studnicka
Line 4

 

[PlayMakers]

You take Coyle off that third line then what should be a strength now becomes a weakness

Unless Studnicka proves he can be competent there. While he's learning, the 4th line seems improved with Frederic and could be relied on for Dzone FO's.

I don't know, just seems like neither the 2nd or 3rd line is a working at the moment.

 

[kthx]

Has this always been the case with Cassidy? I've followed closely for only 2 seasons.

 

[13Hockey]

DeBrusk Bergeron Pastrnak
Marchand Krejci Smith
Ritchie Coyle Kase
Frederic Kuraly Wagner

 

[DominicT]

Unless Studnicka proves he can be competent there. While he's learning, the 4th line seems improved with Frederic and could be relied on for Dzone FO's.

I don't know, just seems like neither the 2nd or 3rd line is a working at the moment.

The third line was suppose to be Ritchie - Coyle - Smith.

Let them play a game together before we make a decision on them.

 

[BMC]

They're not going to score if they don't move in closer to the net before letting a shot go. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Sooner or later they'll start going in.

Also stop going for the highlight reel play, we know how talented you are now show us you can get down & dirty. It's like they want to amaze their opponents instead of beating them.

 

[PlayMakers]

Any lineup posted here with Studnicka at center this year I have to question your motive

Motive is development. He looked good in last year's playoffs, a little lost in Game 1. I'm hoping the recent showing was a fluke.

I'm also wondering if they need to stack the top2 lines to get some traction 5on5, but stacking the top6 leaves a hole at 3c.

 

[PlayMakers]

The third line was suppose to be Ritchie - Coyle - Smith.

Let them play a game together before we make a decision on them.

Yeah, I'm not suggesting they do it tomorrow. Just tossing out some ideas.

 

[BruinDust]

The third line was suppose to be Ritchie - Coyle - Smith.

Let them play a game together before we make a decision on them.

Why are they so married to the Coyle-Smith combo? I'm not seeing it with those two together. I never found Coyle to be a great distributor of the puck to put his wingers in shooting positions. I found the Heinen-Coyle-Mojo line worked well because those two could put Coyle in scoring positions.

Then again, I don't know why they continue to force-feed Debrusk with Krejci.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

The third line was suppose to be Ritchie - Coyle - Smith.

Let them play a game together before we make a decision on them.

I agree with this. I think a little patience is important. Kase's injury last game forced Cassidy to mix up the lines to cover for it, but even so it felt like it was a bit too chaotic or even desperate with the amount of different combos that were tried.

Whatever lines we roll against the Islanders, I'd like to see Cassidy stick with them for the vast majority of the game and see what they can produce over the course of consistent multiple shifts.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Why are they so married to the Coyle-Smith combo? I'm not seeing it with those two together. I never found Coyle to be a great distributor of the puck to put his wingers in shooting positions. I found the Heinen-Coyle-Mojo line worked well because those two could put Coyle in scoring positions.

Then again, I don't know why they continue to force-feed Debrusk with Krejci.

I don't dispute some of your reasoning, but Coyle and Smith have only played one game together. Can we really make a firm judgment on it so quickly?

 

[BruinDust]

I don't dispute some of your reasoning, but Coyle and Smith have only played one game together. Can we really make a firm judgment on it so quickly?

I'm not saying it was terrible, I didn't think it was great. Got to take into account Smith wasn't 100% and it was his first game as a Bruin.

I just see Smith and what his strong suits are, and look at Krejci and his skill-set, and to me that's a much better fit.

 

[UncleRico]

By allowing guys to actually play together and gain chemistry. Cassidy pointed out himself before the season he needed to allow guy to build chemistry. Yet Marchand and Bergy have already had 5 different RW in 6 regulation periods (studnicka, debrusk, bjork, krejci, kase). Not only is that affecting the first line, but it is also changing whatever line that player just came from.

we have to realize that every line has someone new on it right now. The most played together line combo headed into the season was Debrusk-Krejci-Kase. With a limited preseason and camp, combined with all the new forward and defensive line combinations, the chemistry will clearly be off.

It’s going to require patience, unfortunately Cassidy hasn’t allowed that chemistry to develop.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

This thread needs more snark.

How do we improve 5-on-5 scoring? Get a different GM who understands how to make meaningful additions to the roster.

 

[easton117]

This thread needs more snark.

How do we improve 5-on-5 scoring? Get a different GM who understands how to make meaningful additions to the roster.

They do need some guys with some attitude. Specifically ones that feel like going to the net and standing there.

My biggest pet peeve with this team is watching guys finally make it to the front of the net and then flamingo out of the way of an actual screen wafting at a tip attempt. Just stand there with your stick on the ice. That’s how rebound goals are scored which I can’t remember them doing in forever.

To the point, get to the net and score some ugly ones. They don’t have the shooters to be scoring from 45 feet out.