Line Combos: Put Pastrnak with Hall. Enough with the 1 line team!

[Bradely]

Hall - Bergeron - Pasta
Marchand - Coyle - Smith/Steen
Haula - Nosek - Steen/Smith
DeBrusk - Foligno -Blidh

Easy Peasy.

Again, Coyle is a puck possession centre. Marchand is the same as a winger. Don't think it is the best combo.

 

[Bradely]

I realize that Smith has been bad this year but I still put him with Bergeron and Marchand.

Did not work last year. Don't believe it will work this year.

 

[Bradely]

Craig Smith has been just awful and you want him on a line with Bergeron and Marchand?

He's basically Lee Stempniak now. And he LOVES to shoot. You know who else loves to shoot?

Patrice Bergeron.

Give them Smith and all your doing is reducing Bergeron's production.

It did not work last year Smith on the top line. IMO Smith needs a straight line - board work to succeed. Coyle and Haula is the perfect fit imo

 

[Bradely]

Why is any different than Bergeron meshing with Marchand and Pasta?

All Coyle needs to do is be what you would expect of a two-way center in today's NHL. Be strong on both sides of the puck. Like Bergeron complimenting 63/88, all Coyle needs to do is compliment 71 and 88.

That's it. There is no reason why it wouldn't work. The fact that it's almost Xmas and this coaching staff hasn't tried it more often is infuriating.

Hall want the puck. Pasta plays pond hockey style. Coyle wants the puck and positioning and patient game it is not his best asset. Don't believe he is the one there... I might be wrong, but Nosek would be my guy there. But Stud could also be tried in that spot.

 

[ON3M4N]

I think we just need to accept that Hall with Krejci was a bit special and very difficult to replicate. They didn't need 30-40 games to gel.

So they need to forget trying to replicate it and tackle this issue a different way by targeting something that is far more realistic, a legitimate scoring RWer. Replace the worst of the 3 players on that line (Smith), not supposed 2nd best player (Coyle). Replace the worst player with something that is at least realistic (a Krejci-ish replacement isn't IMO).

Smith and Coyle are both 3rd liners though, that's the problem. No one is saying that we need to replicate Hall/Krejci but Last 3 years of production

140GP / 69PTS
143GP / 67PTS

One of those is Coyle and the other is Smith since 2019-2020. Lets not forget that Smith played on that Hall/Krejci line and did well himself, hell he was good with 63 & 37 when given a chance too.

 

[BruinDust]

Smith and Coyle are both 3rd liners though, that's the problem. No one is saying that we need to replicate Hall/Krejci but Last 3 years of production

140GP / 69PTS
143GP / 67PTS

One of those is Coyle and the other is Smith since 2019-2020. Lets not forget that Smith played on that Hall/Krejci line and did well himself, hell he was good with 63 & 37 when given a chance too.

That was last year.

Craig Smith version 2021-22 ain't that player. And let's not act like he excelled with either pairing. Basically a place-holder, didn't make either line better, just didn't make them worse.

Bottom line, if any player needs to be replaced in the Top 6 it's Craig Smith.

And while Coyle may be better suited to the 3rd line, he's a lot closer to a 2nd line player than Smith has ever been and has spent significantly more time in his career playing in a Top 6 role than Smith has.

 

[BruinDust]

Smith would encourage Marchand & Bergeron to attack the net & play more "inside" and get away from always trying to thread the needle.

So you want to elevate Smith to the Bergeron line. A guy who has been for my money the worst RWer on the team so far this season. Karson Kuhlman has been more impactful in the games he's played. Heck so has Oskar Steen for that matter.

And by doing so you want to ask the only two forwards on the team producing at a consistent and expected basis, a 33-year old and 36 -year old, to change their games and attack the net more. To let Craig Smith just go out there and fire away and make your two oldest forwards clean up the garbage?

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

So you want to elevate Smith to the Bergeron line. A guy who has been for my money the worst RWer on the team so far this season. Karson Kuhlman has been more impactful in the games he's played. Heck so has Oskar Steen for that matter.

And by doing so you want to ask the only two forwards on the team producing at a consistent and expected basis, a 33-year old and 36 -year old, to change their games and attack the net more. To let Craig Smith just go out there and fire away and make your two oldest forwards clean up the garbage?

pretty sure that's what I said.

Do you have a counterpoint or are you just asking questions?

 

[ON3M4N]

That was last year.

Craig Smith version 2021-22 ain't that player. And let's not act like he excelled with either pairing. Basically a place-holder, didn't make either line better, just didn't make them worse.

Bottom line, if any player needs to be replaced in the Top 6 it's Craig Smith.

And while Coyle may be better suited to the 3rd line, he's a lot closer to a 2nd line player than Smith has ever been and has spent significantly more time in his career playing in a Top 6 role than Smith has.

I mean we can go back and fourth but I wouldn't put either Smith or Coyle any closer than the other to a 2nd line player. I'd also like someone a little more reliable in the face-off dot. Coyle has the 2nd most FO on the team and has the 2nd worst FO% among Bruins centers. You want to replace Smith in the top 6? great, replace him with Coyle and get a legit 2C to play between Coyle & Hall.

 

[PB37]

I've said it before, but that 2nd line needs a legit shooter/sniper/goal scorer. Smith is too streaky to be a real threat in that spot, even though history shows he starts slow. Hall is a playmaker now and Coyle isn't a natural goal scorer.

If the Bruins can cash in on the DeBrusk trade chip ( and add in some more things ) to get that legit goal scorer, the offense is going to roll. I'd love to get Boeser on this team, who seems like he could use a change of scenery like DeBrusk.

 

[ON3M4N]

So you want to elevate Smith to the Bergeron line. A guy who has been for my money the worst RWer on the team so far this season. Karson Kuhlman has been more impactful in the games he's played. Heck so has Oskar Steen for that matter.

And by doing so you want to ask the only two forwards on the team producing at a consistent and expected basis, a 33-year old and 36 -year old, to change their games and attack the net more. To let Craig Smith just go out there and fire away and make your two oldest forwards clean up the garbage?

Didn't seem to bother them last year

 

[Blowfish]

Again, Coyle is a puck possession centre. Marchand is the same as a winger. Don't think it is the best combo.

You might be right but what does it matter if nothing else is working?

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I'm all for putting Hall and Pasta together, but the team is still lacking top six players. Doing this may cover it up for a little while but it will eventually get exposed for what this is. A roster that has far too many holes to be a serious threat in the playoffs. This is a fringe playoff qualifier, first round and done kind of squad if I've ever seen one.

I agree. But I guess we speculate because it's what we do, and because if this team stopped being so damn stubborn with some of its combos it just might at least start playing a bit better and be better to watch.

Experimenting more surely would also help with trades. Let's say that Hall and Pasta really does work well. Sweeney might then have the project of looking to bring in someone to compliment Bergy and Marchand. Obviously it's not going to be a really high calibre player, but it may not need to be. Tampa and Toronto are both currently running with guys on their top line who don't really belong there, but it's working out pretty well for them because the balance is right. Can the Bruins do something similar?

 

[Riverfront]

pastrnak needs to concentrate on his one time shots. Too often this year he has heeled, missed puck all together, shot wide, shot high,
broken stick, whatever the case. he would have plenty more goals cuz the chances are there.

 

[DangleCity]

Again, Coyle is a puck possession centre. Marchand is the same as a winger. Don't think it is the best combo.

So is Bergeron more or less. They need some balls on that 2nd line

 

[Bradely]

So is Bergeron more or less. They need some balls on that 2nd line

Disagree.. Bergeron is atypique player. He adjust to the need. If he needs to puck possession, he will do, if he needs to get open ice pass for shot he will do and if he needs to stay high and play a conservative game he will do. Coyle best asset is when he has puck possession. Very hard to remove from him, strong player but not Sur he sees the game 360. So he needs guys like Haula and Smith....And what if the Coyle line with Haula and Smith was the second and 88 &71 with Nosek or Stud as third line.... it is just a number!

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

I've said it before, but that 2nd line needs a legit shooter/sniper/goal scorer. Smith is too streaky to be a real threat in that spot, even though history shows he starts slow. Hall is a playmaker now and Coyle isn't a natural goal scorer.

If the Bruins can cash in on the DeBrusk trade chip ( and add in some more things ) to get that legit goal scorer, the offense is going to roll. I'd love to get Boeser on this team, who seems like he could use a change of scenery like DeBrusk.

Exactly. Hall is the playmaker and to a fault overpassing key scoring chances. Time to give him something to work with.

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Hall-Stud-Pasta
DeBrusk-Coyle-Foligno
Haula-Frederic-Nosek

 

[PB37]

Exactly. Hall is the playmaker and to a fault overpassing key scoring chances. Time to give him something to work with.

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Hall-Stud-Pasta
DeBrusk-Coyle-Foligno
Haula-Frederic-Nosek

Smith can get hot and I like him as a player, but he's better suited for the third line. I think we need a more dangerous scorer for the top 6 than Smith.

 

[Bumper]

MAR/BER/STE
HAL/STU/PAS
DeB(FRE)/COY/SMI
HAU/NOS/KUH

 

[UncleRico]

It did not work last year Smith on the top line. IMO Smith needs a straight line - board work to succeed. Coyle and Haula is the perfect fit imo

Woah. Marchand-bergy-smith didn’t work last year? 68 minutes played together 8 goals for 2 goals against 5v5. Small sample size but that is very very good

 

[Bradely]

Woah. Marchand-bergy-smith didn’t work last year? 68 minutes played together 8 goals for 2 goals against 5v5. Small sample size but that is very very good

I don't think he is what is needed... but Pasta is actually a problem on the top line. I would put him with Hall and challenge them. I would go with Foligno up there.... it will help 63 in scrums

 

[b in vancouver]

Craig Smith has been just awful and you want him on a line with Bergeron and Marchand?

He's basically Lee Stempniak now. And he LOVES to shoot. You know who else loves to shoot?

Patrice Bergeron.

Give them Smith and all your doing is reducing Bergeron's production.

There's something about having a player or two that will just turn and shoot. I like and respect Smith when he's doing that as there's nothing wrong with having a guy or two on the team that'll just fire from anywhere. Hasn't been doing that as much this year. But you need to keep him away from the top line guys that all love to shoot.
Thought him and Coyle would make a good match but Coyle is usually the guy feeding him the puck from the cycle to be in position to cause any havoc in front of the net when he releases. Foligno might be your best bet to slide over to left wing with those two.

Despite both being LWers - try Jake and Hall with Frederic.

 

[PlayMakers]

Charlie Coyle has been on the ice for more even strength goals than any player on the team, and he gets half of the offensive zone starts of the Bergeron line.

Imagine what that line could do with Pastrnak.

 

[UncleRico]

I don't think he is what is needed... but Pasta is actually a problem on the top line. I would put him with Hall and challenge them. I would go with Foligno up there.... it will help 63 in scrums

So you want to put foligno who can’t even score on a power play with that line, to play with them 5v5, but you don’t want to put smith with them who in a small sample size was extremely successful last year.

 

[UncleRico]

Craig Smith has been just awful and you want him on a line with Bergeron and Marchand?

He's basically Lee Stempniak now. And he LOVES to shoot. You know who else loves to shoot?

Patrice Bergeron.

Give them Smith and all your doing is reducing Bergeron's production.

Well it’s either Lee Stempniak in smith or David backes in foligno. I’d at least take the lee stempniak who can still skate with the top line if they were to move pasta to the 2nd line.