Now is the time to try RNH with McDavid...

[fuswald]

RNH - McDavid - Puljujarvi
Nuge is smart and decent shot so likely will be in the correct spot for McDavid. Puljujarvi will be the big guy on the line and plays with two vets.

Lucic - Drai - Slepyshev
This line worked before. Seems they compliment each other. Two vets for Slepyshev.

Cammy - Strome - Aberg
Shut down line. Two vets for Aberg.

Pakarinen - Khaira - Kassian
Just hold the Fort. This line is an energy line. Two vets for Khaira. (Pakarinen has been around for a while)

PP
First and second lines as is exept remove a D and add a forward to suit. Yes give Draisaitl his own pp line.

Pk
Dunno

Next year Yamamoto might take over a right wing. Cammy might be replaced (by Maroon would be nice). Benson might replace Pakarinen.
This layout makes it easy to switch right wingers around. Keep the left and centres together all the time. Throw Draisaitl on the top line occasionally for extra power.

 

[oilcountry17]

A line up i have wanted to see since TDL
Nuge Mcd Pul - Speed and skill
Cam Drai Sle - Cam and Drai have shown Chem before as well as Slep and Drai
Lucic Kha Kass - Cycle line plus I find Lucic plays better with physical players
Cag Strom Aberg - Speed line

 

[THall4]

The only downer i see to Nuge and McDavid playing together...is McDavid tends to get "lazy" defensively when hes paired with Draisaitl and starts to cheat a bit...imagine whats going to happen when hes got the better defensive C on his line. But i want to see them together like the rest.

93-97-58
27-29-98
13-18-46
91-16-44

26

 

[KarmaPolice]

I've been wanting to see it for most of the season. See how he plays wing with McDavid. With the crap wingers we have, there's not much point nor much positive utility in playing all three of McDavid, Drai and Nuge down the middle. May sound good in theory, but when they are playing with mostly AHL wingers what are they going to be able to do, aside from McDavid? That's also a lot of money down the middle. For all we know we have our 'Eberle' (or whatever) replacement on the wing in Nuge, and moves the money around more evenly in the lineup. Should be tried at this point, especially with the season done.

 

[Little Fury]

I have no basis for thinking this, but I feel Nuge would make . abetter winger than C.

Zero chance they try it though.

 

[Canovin]

I'm a big advocate on running McDavid, Drai and RNH down the middle and spreading the talent. But since RNH scored on McDavid's line, I say give it a shot. Nothing to lose at this point

 

[Louis Cypher]

Drai was a monster on his own in the playoffs. I would much rather have a $6M RNH on the wing than a UFA winger for $3.5-$5.5M.

 

[Digger12]

McLellan was asked about this directly during today's presser. He basically implied that it might be something they experiment with once RNH gets some endurance back after being on the shelf for 6 weeks, but wasn't going to put him on a line first game back from injury that would require him to play 19+ minutes/night.

 

[EakinsMVP]

Aberg has more polish to his game. I think JP could benefit from some easier competition at times. Strome is a good C for him to play with for now.

Aberg may have more Polish, but JP has more Finnish...

Principe.gif

 

[McShogun99]

People do realize that we can constantly change lines mid game. We can do RNH-Mcdavid, Mcdavid-Draisaitl, RNH-Draisaitl, RNH-Mcdavid-Draisaitl. Teams do this all the time when they have 3 or more centers that are capable of playing in the top six. We can even put each one on his own line, it's not like the combinations are set in stone but if we want to get each of these 3 playing up to their potential then they all need to be in the top 6.

 

[ujju2]

Edit: wrong thread

 

[Cloned]

Thanks for listening to me, Todd.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Thanks for listening to me, Todd.

Don't hurt your hand from tooting your own horn too hard......

 

[Cloned]

Don't hurt your hand from tooting your own horn too hard......

Can never toot your own horn too hard...

 

[Aceboogie]

RNH has been developing into a beast of a 2 way player the past couple of years. I have always been a major fan because he does all the small things correctly. The real only thing he was lacking was the points, but a combo rotating linemates and bad luck last year prevented that. I think to end this season and into next season well see the points take off. The things I see in RNH are what I saw in Backlund 3/4 years ago when Backlund was just emerging. Even back then not many Flames fans thought that highly of him (saw him as a 3c or passable 2c). But you could see the emergence of a great 2 way player back then, now everyone sees that

I see RNH following that same path. In 2 years hell be regarded as one of the best 2 way players in the conference (and small pockets of people are already seeing that). If Chiarelli is simply smart enough to just hold onto to RNH for this offseason, itll pay massive dividends. It might take McDavid to step in if a trade of RNH is being discussed and put his foot down to prevent it. I think Mcdavid loves playing with RNH and knows that RNH and Draisaitl are the last 2 skilled forwards McDavid will have to rely on and play with. Once they are gone, hell be on an island of suck

 

[Beerfish]

I won't change my mind on this RNH should play center drai should be on mcdavids wing all the time.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I won't change my mind on this RNH should play center drai should be on mcdavids wing all the time.

Generally I agree, but the problem here is Lucic. McDavid-Drai is the best duo in the league, however RNH-Lucic don't really mesh and it leaves you with an inconsistent second line.

If you swap RNH and Drai, you're still going to have an outstanding duo on the top line, but now you have Lucic with a centre that complements his game, which means the second line becomes a lot more dangerous.

Sign me up for the...

RNH-McDavid-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Draisaitl-Slepyshev
Cammy/Caggiula-Strome-Aberg

... idea.

 

[Asiaoil]

Lineup is not really far away.

RNH CMD Slepy - Speed and skill, Slepy provides some size with no loss of speed
Khaira Drai JP - big and skilled
Lucic Strome Kass - skilled cycle line that plays at Lucic's speed
Cag xxxxx Aberg - need another bigger faster 4C

Keep all the centers and even get another 4C. Better health (especially on defense) better goaltending and a coach with a clue is 90% of what we need. Find a fast $3 million LW/RW for McDavid if you can (damn we probably could have gotten Smith cheap from NAS last summer but now he's rebounded back to form) and you can trade Benning/RNH for a 2RD. Keep all the dmen until next summer 2019 when you can trade Sekera or Russell.​

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

Cags and JJ seem to find each other well both in the neutral and offensive zone. You can see the chemistry developing and the number of nice plays they make is increasing

 

[Cloned]

TM is an idiot for not trying this sooner.

Honestly if Strome and Khaira can play C, you could even load up RNH - McDavid - Drai at times.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I won't change my mind on this RNH should play center drai should be on mcdavids wing all the time.

Change your mind yet?

 

[T-Funk]

I don't think it's working......

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't think it's working......

Put Lucic back. Loooooch!!!

 

[oobga]

Good skater, defensively responsible, smart with timing and finding open ice, good accurate snap shot. Nuge checks the boxes for me. You don't need a Hoffman that just shoots from anywhere, McDavid creates the opportunities in close and gives his wingers wide open nets. You need to read off him, keep your head up, get your butt in the right spot and not miss the net when it's laid on a platter for you. Just shooting from anywhere is more likely to kill McDavid's chance to create better things.

Only a few guys in the league are actually a threat to score from anywhere in the offensive zone, and Hoffman is not one of them. Laine would have been freakin amazing with McDavid though Damn new lottery.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Nuge is doing great in the assignment. Kudos. But I do want to see more and how they fare against better opposition. Some of these recent games are not giving a total indication. Sens and Canes were awful.

Thing is, you know that Connor was going to be ripping through teams to get the scoring race again. I mean Ty Rattie had a goal and 2 assists tonight. Connor does move mountains on his real on nights and Sens put up no fight.