Line Combos: Mantha is now on the 4th line

[Heaton]

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[Ezekial]

Crazy, gotta assume turnstile at center for tomorrow's game. Nyquist stays glued to Hank's hip though.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Is Blashill's only way to deal with Mantha is to try and piss him off repeatedly?

 

[bellringer77]

I just have a horror feeling Mantha doesn't have a future with the wings. I don't like the way blashill is handling him

 

[Shaman464]

Mantha has been a bit uninspired the last few games, it might be a good idea to drop him to start the game and see if it lights a fire.

 

[Dotter]

Mantha has been a bit uninspired the last few games, it might be a good idea to drop him to start the game and see if it lights a fire.

No, apparently we are supposed to coddle young players who don't try. Pampering is how you teach young players... just like the great Scotty Bowman did with.... oh wait!

 

[Reddwit]

How often does dropping players to the 4th line actually work? Especially under Blashill? And what aren’t you accomplishing in the locker room where you feel the only way to get a player to play better is to put him with your least skilled players and only give him sporadic shifts?

 

[lilidk]

I just have a horror feeling Mantha doesn't have a future with the wings. I don't like the way blashill is handling him

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I just have a horror feeling Mantha doesn't have a future with the wings. I don't like the way blashill is handling him

Not that it really matters, Blashill will be out the door before Mantha this isn't how you treat one of your better forwards at least points wise any ways.

 

[Shaman464]

How often does dropping players to the 4th line actually work? Especially under Blashill? And what aren’t you accomplishing in the locker room where you feel the only way to get a player to play better is to put him with your least skilled players and only give him sporadic shifts?

You've never played a team sport, have you? When I played hockey and screwed up I got it in the locker room and on the ice the next game. Just telling someone to do something in the locker room doesn't always work, and backing it up with a reduction of role/ice time reinforces the message given. Its so common in sports that the fact you have to ask about this tactic is actually baffling.

 

[TheMule93]

No reason to give him big ice time if he's not going to do anything with it. I like the move, Mo has been pretty invisible as of late.

 

[jkutswings]

I have no issue with sending a message to a player, young or old. And using a demotion in minutes and/or linemates is fine. As long as, with a proper return to work ethic, Mantha is still being asked to do the things that make sense for his skill set.

Dropping him to the third or fourth line to wake him up is cool. But if he gets asked to do nothing but grind while he's there, and gets no chance to use his talents on offense, that's being punitive to the point of stupidity. Hopefully he and Frk can make something happen.

 

[Reddwit]

You've never played a team sport, have you? When I played hockey and screwed up I got it in the locker room and on the ice the next game. Just telling someone to do something in the locker room doesn't always work, and backing it up with a reduction of role/ice time reinforces the message given. Its so common in sports that the fact you have to ask about this tactic is actually baffling.

I’ve played 2 team sports. Soccer all the way through college. Pointless accusation.

As for the “dropping to the 4th line” tactic in hockey, I couldn’t even tell you the last time I saw it work. Like Jurco for a minute 2 or 3 years ago? Then back to his old ways. Always back to their old ways. It’s so widely utilized in hockey because it’s a lazy “solution” to a problem that is honestly probably a relic from the days when the 4th line rarely played and being taken off the top 2 lines meant no opportunity for points.

 

[njx9]

Meh - apparently the coaching and leadership on this team are so appallingly bad, that this is a constant issue, and the only way they can figure out how to deal with it is to hit Mantha on the nose with a proverbial newspaper.

I'm not even surprised.

I can't wait till someone blindsides Mantha during practice in the final week of the season and everyone applauds another asinine 'motivational technique'. Again.

 

[Shaman464]

I’ve played 2 team sports. Soccer all the way through college. Pointless accusation.

As for the “dropping to the 4th line” tactic in hockey, I couldn’t even tell you the last time I saw it work. Like Jurco for a minute 2 or 3 years ago? Then back to his old ways. Always back to their old ways. It’s so widely utilized in hockey because it’s a lazy “solution” to a problem that is honestly probably a relic from the days when the 4th line rarely played and being taken off the top 2 lines meant no opportunity for points.

It seemed to work on Mantha and AA last year. And to be blunt you calling it lazy or whatever either means you are a psychic and know exactly what Blashill's been doing or you're just throwing shit against the wall. Because we have no idea what Blashill's been doing and with neither Mantha nor AA are these issues somehow magically Blashill's fault. They are both young players that from the time they were drafted until today have been noted as having compete level issues. Taking away ice time until they put more effort to get more ice time is definitely one way to motivate players.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

If you don't want to play on the "fourth line" then you should play better. Simple as that.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

I just have a horror feeling Mantha doesn't have a future with the wings. I don't like the way blashill is handling him

Possibly, but Blashill is almost certainly not coming back next seasom if we’re in a similar position by the end of the year, and the player’s know that.

 

[njx9]

If you don't want to play on the "fourth line" then you should play better. Simple as that.

As if the rest of the 'veterans' are playing like all-stars. Brilliant.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

If you don't want to play on the "fourth line" then you should play better. Simple as that.

Well then 95% of the team qualifies then because it's a team sport, and no one on the team is living up to his potential.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

No, apparently we are supposed to coddle young players who don't try. Pampering is how you teach young players... just like the great Scotty Bowman did with.... oh wait!

If you have bowmans pedigree you can do whatever you want, until then nope.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

If you don't want to play on the "fourth line" then you should play better. Simple as that.

So long as that analogy is applied equally 100% of the time to 100% of the players so be it

The very second it isnt, is the second it no longer applies

 

[jkutswings]

Because we have no idea what Blashill's been doing and with neither Mantha nor AA are these issues somehow magically Blashill's fault.

I wholeheartedly agree that I have no idea what Blashill is doing. But I'm not sure he does either.

 

[Ezekial]

If you have bowmans pedigree you can do whatever you want, until then nope.

That's ridiculous, he's the coach of the team, he can coach the players how he sees fit.

Scotty Bowman didn't baby players up until he earned his pedigree.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

That's ridiculous, he's the coach of the team, he can coach the players how he sees fit.

Scotty Bowman didn't baby players up until he earned his pedigree.

I am sorry but if someone says "well bowman did so can I" then you best be as good as bowman.

You're right he, is but if he isnt winning he is going to be criticized. And rught now, his coaching style isnt working

 

[Winger98]

I don't really mind a player getting his time cut or being moved around a lineup if it's deserved. But I think this is a well you can go back to only so many times before the player is just going to say to hell with it and it's not going to work.