Line Combos: Roster Discussion/Line Combos

[Byrral]

So we have our team for now. Congrats to those who made it. I hope those who didn't make it take it to heart and do what it takes to either get back to the NHL or to take that next step on their way to getting to their dream. There will be injuries so be ready for recall when your number is called. To those who made it I hope they play with the determination that they're here to stay because there are talented young players in Cleveland and beyond wanting their spots.

I'm glad the season is finally starting and I'm looking forward to following this team with no expectations other than better overall play on the defensive side of the ice and in goal. I hope they play well enough to turn future conversations around here to be focused on the current team and away from past players, former coaches or last years game planning or team play.

This is a new team, with some new talent that looks to impact the team in a positive way and after what should have been an important year of experience gained by our coaching staff. This year is the next step to what looks like a promising next few years coming up. This is looking like Jarmo has done a quick and successful "re-tool." Pretty exciting to be a CBJ fan right now.

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[Iron Balls McGinty]

We hear it but we also know it’s not always true. It depends on the player.

Of course for every Panarin or Kapirizov there are 15-20 Bemstroms.

However, my eyes show me that Elvis was a bit slow to adapt, Chinakov appears to have taken a year to adapt. Marchenko looks like he is going to need some time to adapt. We can go on with the list of players who developed in Europe and walk over here that we think should just step right in. All indications are they they think they should step right in.

I blame Jarmo with his hype on European prospects and us believing it. I'm becoming much more cynical on prospects that they need to show me they are ready more than I believe management/media hype about a player.

 

[Doggy]

Foudy and Marchenko are the same age and from the same draft class. I don’t get this “let’s lose Foudy to a waiver claim to throw in a unproven Russian” mentality. Put Marchenko in Cleveland and let’s see what he does there.

This board has way too much of a “what have you done for me lately” thing going on. First Chinakhov sucked because he didn’t light the world on fire last year. Now he is the savior because he had a great preseason. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. And I say this as a Chinakhov fan who was impressed with how the guys in the room seemed to really like him last year.

If Marchenko struggles in Cleveland early on we are going to see annoying arguments on whether the Jackets are screwing up his development vs. Marchenko just being overrated. Me, I’ll withhold judgement and see what happens over longer period of time.

I’m not advocating for KJ and Marchenko to be in the NHL right now but I think you could argue this board can have way too much of a ‘he’s a first round pick’ mentality when it comes to Fragile Foudy.

Foudy has done nothing to prove he should be in the NHL (please don’t cite him being a point per game player two years ago in a watered down AHL pandemic season). Playing him doesn’t help the team because he’s not ready and sitting inside luxury box sipping Perrier every game does nothing for his development. So unless he’s simply making the roster because it’s more likely he clears waivers after the season starts I don’t like this decision.

If anyone deserves his NHL spot right now it’s Carson Meyer.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I
If anyone deserves his NHL spot right now it’s Carson Meyer.

I'm not interested in the Foudy v Marchenko topic either, nor am I going to weigh their respective merits (here and now anyway), but I absolutely agree with this.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Of course for every Panarin or Kapirizov there are 15-20 Bemstroms.

However, my eyes show me that Elvis was a bit slow to adapt, Chinakov appears to have taken a year to adapt. Marchenko looks like he is going to need some time to adapt. We can go on with the list of players who developed in Europe and walk over here that we think should just step right in. All indications are they they think they should step right in.

I blame Jarmo with his hype on European prospects and us believing it. I'm becoming much more cynical on prospects that they need to show me they are ready more than I believe management/media hype about a player.

I honestly don't know that any of Bemstrom, Marchenko or Chinakov's respective shortcomings are due to ice size or style of play vs just being young players in need of development.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I honestly don't know that any of Bemstrom, Marchenko or Chinakov's respective shortcomings are due to ice size or style of play vs just being young players in need of development.

I don’t think it has much to do with ice size. It has to do with the North American style of hockey.

I can’t answer if ice width dictates that much. We always hear about pace of play in the NHL but isn’t wider European hockey supposed to be fast? Or is it physical play that is missing in Europe that they aren’t prepared for until the get here?

I still think the best way to learn the North American style of hockey is to play the North American style of hockey.

 

[majormajor]

I don’t think it has much to do with ice size. It has to do with the North American style of hockey.

I can’t answer if ice width dictates that much. We always hear about pace of play in the NHL but isn’t wider European hockey supposed to be fast? Or is it physical play that is missing in Europe that they aren’t prepared for until the get here?

I still think the best way to learn the North American style of hockey is to play the North American style of hockey.

It's paradoxical - with all the outside space to speed around in Euro rinks, coaches compensate by retreating into a tight defense around the goalie. Then the players that succeed tend to be guys that just wire a lot of pucks through traffic. It selects for good shooters but a lot of the skills needed for the NHL game aren't so important on the big ice.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

It's paradoxical - with all the outside space to speed around in Euro rinks, coaches compensate by retreating into a tight defense around the goalie. Then the players that succeed tend to be guys that just wire a lot of pucks through traffic. It selects for good shooters but a lot of the skills needed for the NHL game aren't so important on the big ice.

Sounds like another reason why prospects should play in the AHL versus smaller European leagues. I'm ecstatic Cleveland gets to have a number of real prospects this year who might have an NHL future. We haven't given that to them since the Calder Cup team.

 

[Finner]

They are not going to healthy scratch Johnson? That the stupidest thing to do. He needs to play

 

[ColumbusTrill]

They are not going to healthy scratch Johnson? That the stupidest thing to do. He needs to play

Obviously everyone wants him playing as much as possible but Cle doesn’t play til Friday so it’s not like he’s missing a game opportunity down there by being a scratch

 

[ViD]

Is it fair to say Chinakhov has the best left handed shot on the team ?

 

[tunnelvision]

Is it fair to say Chinakhov has the best left handed shot on the team ?

Probably best wrist shot when there's time and space to wind it up. In high-traffic areas where you have to fight through checks, be able to react fast and just kind of blindly swipe at the puck... I think Sillinger might be stronger on those type of shots. I also think Werenski's wrister from the point comes with a quicker release than Chinakhov and is more deceptive. Not sure who is best at one-timers and slapshots.

 

[majormajor]

Probably best wrist shot when there's time and space to wind it up. In high-traffic areas where you have to fight through checks, be able to react fast and just kind of blindly swipe at the puck... I think Sillinger might be stronger on those type of shots. I also think Werenski's wrister from the point comes with a quicker release than Chinakhov and is more deceptive. Not sure who is best at one-timers and slapshots.

I'd say even in loose puck situations where Silly has a remarkable knack for getting pucks on net, Chinny also has shown some skill. I'm thinking of his pre-season goal where the puck was in the opponents skates right after the draw. I'd say Chinny has the clear best slapper and one-timer too.

 

[tunnelvision]

I'd say even in loose puck situations where Silly has a remarkable knack for getting pucks on net, Chinny also has shown some skill. I'm thinking of his pre-season goal where the puck was in the opponents skates right after the draw. I'd say Chinny has the clear best slapper and one-timer too.

When was the last time we saw a slapper or one-timer from him? My recollection says he's been pretty inconsistent with one-timers, not too accurate and a lot of times fanning on the shots as well.

 

[VT]

I don’t think it has much to do with ice size. It has to do with the North American style of hockey.

I can’t answer if ice width dictates that much. We always hear about pace of play in the NHL but isn’t wider European hockey supposed to be fast? Or is it physical play that is missing in Europe that they aren’t prepared for until the get here?

I still think the best way to learn the North American style of hockey is to play the North American style of hockey.

Play in KHL isn''t so hard, I mean hits, fight at the boards and similar, tempo is lower. Teams often focus on defense more. Although that may be starting to change. On the contrary, fast hockey is played in Finland.
Btw, SKA have one of the best roster and the difference the teams have been often large. And you have to take that into account when discussing Marchenko's stats.

 

[majormajor]

When was the last time we saw a slapper or one-timer from him? My recollection says he's been pretty inconsistent with one-timers, not too accurate and a lot of times fanning on the shots as well.

He's hit or miss, which is better than I can say for Werenski. I'm not sure if we have any LH who is reliably on target with the one timer.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

They are not going to healthy scratch Johnson? That the stupidest thing to do. He needs to play

I don’t think it’s going to be permanent, but I also don’t think Johnson needs to play every game right now. He played, what, 5 preseason games, 3 rookie tournament games, and 6 WJC games in the last 6 weeks or so? Honestly a night off might be welcome for him.

 

[summer tooth]

Too bad about Marchenko but perhaps he'll get to play later in the season.

 

[tunnelvision]

I'm not sure if we have any LH who is reliably on target with the one timer.

Fair enough. Still, I'm not as convinced as you seem to be of his overall shooting skills. Not sure if it's fair to think he's the best LH shot on the team.

 

[MissADD]

Our season hasn't started yet and somehow we are already losing.

 

[Sdrawkcab321]

Our season hasn't started yet and somehow we are already losing.

Damnit. Why did it have to be Kent

 

[tunnelvision]

Our season hasn't started yet and somehow we are already losing.

Good news is you won't lose a chance to watch them this weekend

 

[bert]

Big fan of the Jarmo as a long time sens fan. Have loved his offseasson and the draft picks he continues to hit on. Looking at these lines I do find it a little strange to have Jenner between Laine and Gaudreau but maybe they need him for puck retrieval etc. Does he have the skill and hockey sense to play with these guys through the middle of the ice? I thought maybe Sillinger would fit in to that top line. How has it looked? Hows Sillingers camp been?

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Big fan of the Jarmo as a long time sens fan. Have loved his offseasson and the draft picks he continues to hit on. Looking at these lines I do find it a little strange to have Jenner between Laine and Gaudreau but maybe they need him for puck retrieval etc. Does he have the skill and hockey sense to play with these guys through the middle of the ice? I thought maybe Sillinger would fit in to that top line. How has it looked? Hows Sillingers camp been?

Laine and Gaudreau looked dynamic in the preseason, Jenner is a fine stop gap centering them but not a long term solution. Sillinger missed most of camp with an upper body injury. I’d like to see him center that line at some point, but his play will have to warrant the extra minutes.

TBH I would prefer to see Kent get an extended look on the top line if he sticks around the entire season:

Gaudreau-Johnson-Laine
Nyquist-Sillinger-Voracek
Chinakhov-Jenner-Roslovic
Robinson-Kuraly-Danforth