Line Combos: Line Combo Thread II: The Quest For Secondary Scoring

[Vagabond]

Count me in on RNH playing wing. I too think he'd blend really well with McDavid. If the Oil can get Boyle to center the third line I'm happy with the forwards.

Maroon-McDavid-Hopkins
Lucic-Draisaitl-Eberle
Slepyshev-Boyle-Kassian
Pouliot/Cags-Letestu-Lander

 

[Draiskull]

Yep, where else can you put a guy who has a 43% on the dot over his career, and hasn't shown any improvement in that area in two years.

funny part is that RNH will be taking more faceoffs than McDavid if they were put on the same line.

 

[48g90a138pts]

Todd says Pakarinen will be in the lineup tonight. I Bet he'll just be flying tonight being his first game of the season.

Sounds like they're going to be keeping Eberle with McDavid probably Lucic too. Benoit Pouliot is listed day to day, but was skating in practice. Russell is also still day to day.

 

[Mr Positive]

Todd says Pakarinen will be in the lineup tonight. I Bet he'll just be flying tonight being his first game of the season.

Sounds like they're going to be keeping Eberle with McDavid probably Lucic too. Benoit Pouliot is listed day to day, but was skating in practice. Russell is also still day to day.

ah dang I was hoping Russell would be back. Arizona has been hot lately. We should still win though.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Why in the eff would you reunite Lucic Mcdavid Eberle when they did absolutely nothing for 10 games. Do they think suddenly that line is going to work? This is just insanity. They have no chemistry at all. Eberle has done nothing to warrant a promotion to the top line. If anything try Slepyshev, do something different, anything but not that combo.

 

[t0nedeff]

I'm fairly surprised they wouldn't even try Nuge on Mcdavids line to see if Mcdavid could awaken anything offensively in the guy.

 

[Asiaoil]

Honest question - beside the departed Taylor Hall - who does RNH actually have chemistry with? Can't seem to think of any other wingers that actually work with him beside Ebs. Spolied by 5 years of playing loser hockey and I get the feeling that this year is all about seeing which of Ebs/RNH is willing to change their game in order to win. Ebs is winning this particular turtle race at the moment.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Honest question - beside the departed Taylor Hall - who does RNH actually have chemistry with? Can't seem to think of any other wingers that actually work with him beside Ebs. Spolied by 5 years of playing loser hockey and I get the feeling that this year is all about seeing which of Ebs/RNH is willing to change their game in order to win. Ebs is winning this particular turtle race at the moment.

At what point can you blame the players? This year the team has more depth, better defense and RNH and Eberle are facing easier competition as they are lower in the lineup, yet they suck even worse then they have ever sucked.

Whats their excuse this time? Maybe they just aren't very good.

 

[Vagabond]

I personally believe they need to get Nuge away from being a center. He sucks on the faceoff and I think he needs to try wing. He has a deceptive wrister that almost always causes a rebound. I like his effort. I just think its time for him to go to the wing. He might end up very successful playing wing. Try him with McDavid.

 

[Asiaoil]

New lines were fine tonight. Slepy was great with Drai and Looch. Ebs played hard with McDavid and Maroon. Fourth line was doing their thing. RNH was 3rd best player on the 3rd line - wake frack up buddy - Kassian was the playmaker on that line for Pete's sake.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

New lines were fine tonight. Slepy was great with Drai and Looch. Ebs played hard with McDavid and Maroon. Fourth line was doing their thing. RNH was 3rd best player on the 3rd line - wake frack up buddy - Kassian was the playmaker on that line for Pete's sake.

Mild Praise for Eberle, still hate Nuge, is the rage at these players subsiding?

 

[Spawn]

So, Davidson out, Desharnais in.

Still time 15 hours to go until deadline time but with what we've got going now, speculation on the lineup going forward?

Maroon-McDavid-Drai
Lucic-RNH-Eberle
Pouliot-Desharnais-Slepyshev?
Khaira-Letestu-Kassian
Hendricks, Caggiula

Pou is just about healthy and once upon a time he and Desharnais played together. I think we need to hope he can get his game going. Not sure about the 3rd line RW. Either Slepy or Kassian I guess. But I think ideally we add another vet at RW.

Klef-Larsson
Sekera-Russell
Nurse-Benning
Gryba

This is probably set now. Ideally we'd add a vet with some playoff experience to spell out Nurse or Benning at times. Gryba still doesn't cut it imo. But with Chia talking about feeling like they have defensive depth it's unlikely they make a move I imagine.

Talbot
Brossoit

Probably still looking for a backup I guess.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

My lines are basically identical to Spawn's

I'd go:

Maroon - McDavid - Drai
Lucic - RNH - Ebs
Pouliot - Desharnais - Pakarinen
Khaira - Letestu - Kassian
ex: Slepyshev, Hendricks

Klefbom - Larsson
Sekera - Russell
Nurse - Benning
ex: Gryba

Talbot
Brossoit


So first off I'm not sure that Desharnais is actually capable of outperforming Letestu and may be more suited to the 4th line, but he's new to the team so try to get him off on the right foot.

Reason for Pakarinen over Slepyshev is primarily PK related, while I think Slepyshev could PK the fact he has got no PK time in the past 2 seasons I'd rather not lean on him for it at this stage of the season. Pakarinen himself hasn't been on the PK this year, but was a regular last year and can take Hendricks PK mins. Pakarinen is also a right handed shot which is in short supply, they are good arguments for each, it's just we need a minimum of 6 PK forwards and figured it was the best compromise.

I have Khaira in the line-up over Slepyshev and Caggiula not cause he is the best forward of the bunch, it's cause the guy just wins puck battles plain & simple and cause of it he helps drive possession time in the opposition end. If you can have a 4th line that is just capable of hemming the opposition in, that is generally quite ideal even if they aren't chipping in much offense. A 4th line that can win the territorial battle regularly, particularly in the playoffs tends to be a godsend.


Caggiula is damn close to getting consideration over others, but he just seems like a little AHL polish with a lot of playing time is what he really needs for his long term development. I think a Caggiula - Lander- Puljujarvi line in the AHL would be extremely strong and make for a really strong playoff push down there, it would also be a strong bookend to Caggiula and Pulju's seasons and if they can just dominate down there and come up next year with a lot of confidence & a hunger to stick in the NHL, that would be ideal.

 

[Mr Positive]

If Desharnais is such a softy, I'd think putting him with Kassian would be the best thing.

Also, although a lot of fans don't like Hendricks, he was really good on this road trip with Pakarinen. Those two have chemistry together, and it's obvious that McLellan likes Hendricks.

bottom six:
Pouliot Desharnais Kassian
Hendricks Letestu Pakarinen

although, are we set on Caggiula going down? I know some fans were thinking this is the best thing but I haven't been following Drake that much lately.

 

[Soli]

I think the fact that Caggiula and Slepyshev weren't sent down via paper transaction like Khaira was to be eligible for the AHL playoffs means they'll be here for the playoff run. I think they'll give Slepy the opportunity to run with Pouliot & Desharnais. I think Drake will spell of Hendo in the playoffs at times.

 

[McFlyingV]

I think the fact that Caggiula and Slepyshev weren't sent down via paper transaction like Khaira was to be eligible for the AHL playoffs means they'll be here for the playoff run. I think they'll give Slepy the opportunity to run with Pouliot & Desharnais. I think Drake will spell of Hendo in the playoffs at times.

Yeah if Pouliot could bounce back to close out the season then I don't mind that as a 3rd line, and if the Looch-Nuge-Eberle line continues their recent good play then we have a dangerous top 6 given that McDavid's line is one of the best in the NHL.

Maroon-McDavid-Draisaitl
Looch-Nuge-Ebs
Pouliot-Desharnais-Slepyshev
Caggiula/Pakarinen-Letestu-Kassian
Hendricks

That gives you a lot of speed in the bottom 6 as pretty much everyone aside from Letestu is an above average skater in that bottom 6 (assuming Desharnais hasn't lost a step as I haven't really seen him this season).

I wouldn't mind keeping Khaira up either though as I do like his game especially for playoffs. If this team had more depth going into the season though (i.e. versteeg signing or signing a 3C) then it would have been interesting to see what a Caggiula-Lander-Puljujarvi line could have done in the AHL.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I was thinking the same about Desharnais and Slepyshev.

If Desharnais has the play making skill some suggest, Slepyshev's quality shot might make an excellent combo.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Lines from this morning's practice:

https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/oilers-practice-updates-0302/c-287297960

Desharnais took centre ice to lead the stretch for the Oilers.

Kris Russell is not on the ice.

Lines at practice are:

Maroon - McDavid - Draisaitl

Lucic - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle

Slepyshev - Desharnais - Kassian

Hendricks - Letestu - Khaira

Benoit Pouliot, Iiro Pakarinen and Drake Caggiula are rotating in.

 

[McRobbiezyg]

That is 4 bonafide nhl centers in that lineup. thats a luxury we haven't had in years

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

That is 4 bonafide nhl centers in that lineup. thats a luxury we haven't had in years

It's actually 5 if you want to get technical.

 

[Canovin]

I only see 2 bonafide Cs

 

[McHilman]

I only see 2 bonafide Cs

RNH, DD and Letestu aren't bonifide centers?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I only see 2 bonafide Cs

Do you mean #1 centers, because then yes.

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

I only see 2 bonafide Cs

Really? I clearly see 5.

 

[snipes]

Lines from this morning's practice:

https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/oilers-practice-updates-0302/c-287297960

Don't mind it. I'd have Pakarinen in over Hendo on the 4th, but other than that it's not bad.

No mention of D pairings, I see Russell didn't skate. I'm assuming it's a maintenance day. I wouldn't mind these D pairings:

Klef-Larsson
Sekera-Benning
Nurse-Russell

I'd rather Nurse and Benning have a veteran D partner. Plus, in the very limited time Nurse-Russell were together I liked it. I want Nurse to have a good skating D partner. He's been anchored with guys who can't skate (i.e. Gryba) most of the time.

I think Nurse-Russell could be a nice bottom pairing. I'm comfortable with Benning getting 2nd pairing minutes with Sekera, he's really played well so far. Way beyond expectations it's crazy. He's fine in 2nd pairing duties, top pairing he's over his head but 2nd pairing he's shown to be fine.