Line Combos: Roster Discussion/Line Combos

[cbjthrowaway]

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

Depends on what we're talking about here.

Chinakhov has the hardest LH wrist shot on the team, that's for sure. Nyquist is better at picking corners, and Sillinger has a quicker release. Werenski probably has the best release on the team, though, now that Bjorkstrand is gone.

The boring answer, though, is that Gaudreau's shot is probably better than all of those guys, even if he's more of a playmaker.

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

This is pretty much exactly what I have, but I'd swap Nyquist and Roslovic.

 

[Goldenhands]

Hi, Jackets fans, as a big Jiricek fan, I wanted to know if the kid cracked your team and if not, where Is he expected to play this season? Thank you

 

[tunnelvision]

Hi, Jackets fans, as a big Jiricek fan, I wanted to know if the kid cracked your team and if not, where Is he expected to play this season? Thank you

Right now he's with the AHL club, could be among first call-ups as injuries start to occur. Personally I'd like to keep him there until he gets a lot stronger and more comfortable with NA hockey (which might take a whole year or even more), but our coaching staff and management aren't exactly known for their patience when it comes to player development. This is what HC Larsen had to say about Jiricek recently:



Cleveland has back-to-back games vs Syracuse this weekend, you can watch both games on AHL-tv for free in case you didn't know.

 

[Goldenhands]

Right now he's with the AHL club, could be among first call-ups as injuries start to occur. Personally I'd like to keep him there until he gets a lot stronger and more comfortable with NA hockey (which might take a whole year or even more), but our coaching staff and management aren't exactly known for their patience when it comes to player development. This is what HC Larsen had to say about Jiricek recently:



Cleveland has back-to-back games vs Syracuse this weekend, you can watch both games on AHL-tv for free in case you didn't know.

And he got his knee injured badly as well, was not quite the same when he came back to action, sometime it takes alot of time to fully recover and trust your knee again. I would not rush him either and let him follow the Seider path.

 

[Halberdier]

There is simply no silver lining on Laine's injury, but if we pretend there is, it's that KJ might get a shot on top lines.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Assuming Laine is out any sort of period

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

I say we just plop Johnson on line 1 and see what happens. The season is too young to be toying around with combos and blending the lines. we decided in camp that these were our best setups to start with, so might as well stick to them as closely as we can. Plus, Johnson already has some experience playing with Gaudreau.

 

[majormajor]

Assuming Laine is out any sort of period

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

I say we just plop Johnson on line 1 and see what happens. The season is too young to be toying around with combos and blending the lines. we decided in camp that these were our best setups to start with, so might as well stick to them as closely as we can. Plus, Johnson already has some experience playing with Gaudreau.

That is where I'd put KJ but I don't think we have much time invested in these combos - some of these lines weren't even tried in pre-season.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

That is where I'd put KJ but I don't think we have much time invested in these combos - some of these lines weren't even tried in pre-season.

That’s fair. Especially the second line I’m not in love with

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Assuming Laine is out any sort of period

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

I say we just plop Johnson on line 1 and see what happens. The season is too young to be toying around with combos and blending the lines. we decided in camp that these were our best setups to start with, so might as well stick to them as closely as we can. Plus, Johnson already has some experience playing with Gaudreau.

In theory, the reason why Jenner was put at 1C is because he can make up for some things that Laine/Gaudreau can't/shouldn't have to do. With Laine out, I think they need someone more dynamic with the puck at center on that line. At the risk of asking one of the kids to bite off more than they can chew, it should be Johnson or Sillinger.

I'd go with a top nine of:
Gaudreau - Johnson - Nyquist
Jenner - Sillinger - Voracek
Chinakhov - Roslovic - Danforth

or

Gaudreau - Sillinger - Danforth
Johnson - Jenner - Voracek
Nyquist - Roslovic - Chinakhov

Also keep the power play the exact same, but with Kent in Patty's spot.

 

[Cowumbus]

Assuming Laine is out any sort of period

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

I say we just plop Johnson on line 1 and see what happens. The season is too young to be toying around with combos and blending the lines. we decided in camp that these were our best setups to start with, so might as well stick to them as closely as we can. Plus, Johnson already has some experience playing with Gaudreau.

Lol you realize we have Larsen as the coach?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Lol you realize we have Larsen as the coach?

Damn. I thought Danny played well, but not THAT well

 

[Viqsi]

Lol you realize we have Larsen as the coach?

Huh. Well. His stats have been suggestive of him being a trigger man, so I suppose it makes a bizarre sort of pseudosense. Sorta.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Huh. Well. His stats have been suggestive of him being a trigger man, so I suppose it makes a bizarre sort of pseudosense. Sorta.

It'd make more sense if he was the forechecking, go-to-the-net, high-energy passenger on a line with two highly skilled offensive threats.

Weird to put him on a line with Jenner, who doesn't really do anything off the rush. It puts a lot on Gaudreau's plate and makes it harder for him to make plays, since neither of those guys think the game in close to the same way.

I'd be 100% fine with Danforth playing RW1 alongside Gaudreau if they had Kent or Sillinger in the middle.

 

[JacketFanInFL]

I'd like to give Chinakhov the first line duties with JG based on his pre-season and see what happens.

 

[majormajor]

Lol you realize we have Larsen as the coach?

I think Danforth might be able to work on a top line but Danforth+Jenner isn't much of a skilled line.

My bigger issue is that I have much lower expectations for KJ when he's with Sillinger.

Gaudreau - KJ - Danforth

That would seem to work better for both.

It'd make more sense if he was the forechecking, go-to-the-net, high-energy passenger on a line with two highly skilled offensive threats.

Weird to put him on a line with Jenner, who doesn't really do anything off the rush. It puts a lot on Gaudreau's plate and makes it harder for him to make plays, since neither of those guys think the game in close to the same way.

I'd be 100% fine with Danforth playing RW1 alongside Gaudreau if they had Kent or Sillinger in the middle.

I agree except I have Sillinger as functionally similar to Jenner. If you want skill go with KJ.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[ViD]

The hunt for Bedard might start earlier than expected.

Will be interesting to see if JG can carry this offense by himself

 

[NotWendell]

Mine are a little different.

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

 

[CBJWerenski8]

The hunt for Bedard might start earlier than expected.

Will be interesting to see if JG can carry this offense by himself

My goodness this place. I remember when I was the pessimist

 

[CBJ goalie]

 

[majormajor]

View attachment 593677

I was expecting worse so my mood actually improved. Great image though, looks like Laine on the bench after his injury.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

Ok this Danforth stuff was cute preseason. But seriously

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Ok this Danforth stuff was cute preseason. But seriously

Him and Boone on the top line doesn’t make it a first line. Sigh.

 

[Farmboy Patty]

Him and Boone on the top line doesn’t make it a first line. Sigh.

I agree. We go from having a first line with league leading potential to a joke of first line. We need more skill up there, Johnny can't do it all by himself.