GloryDaze4877
Barely Irrelevant
(I posted this in another thread, but the discussion is a good one and deserves it’s own thread IMO)
I believe the thinking about the 4th line needs to change.
Where is it written (in stone apparently) that you have to be a “grinder” to be on the 4th line? As MMB pointed out earlier (and I agree), the 4th line should be there to spell the other 3 lines at the tune of 6-10 minutes per game. They should be a line that doesn’t hurt the team and if possible helps it by either shifting momentum or continuing it if the team is already dominating.
That can be accomplished a number of ways, but it usually involves a good hard forecheck and puck possession in the offensive zone, or at least not in the defensive end. That requires a decent FO guy, at least one guy that can skate/hit, and some skill (to possess the puck). Not three grinders that do nothing but fight, and play dump and chase hockey (unnecessarily).
Another pet peeve of mine is that more teams don’t use the 4th line as a training ground for Top 9 replacement players in case of injury. I understand the argument that some players might be better served getting big minutes in all situations in the AHL or Junior, but there are kids that have reached the point where the AHL is no longer going to help them and they need to be exposed to NHL play, even if it’s limited minutes. On the B’s, I would say those guys would definitely be Vatrano and Czarnik, and possibly Heinen and Cehlarik (Gabrielle, Senyshyn, JFK, etc, would definitely be better served in the minors rounding out their games). Also, putting a young player on the 4th line and exposing him to NHL speed is a way of lowering expectations and taking pressure off the kid to produce right away.
I think the B’s could very easily do this with a combo (pick 3 that meet the criteria I laid out above) of Nash, Schaller, Kuraly, Acciari, Czarnik, Heinen, Cehlarik, Vatrano. You would have a line that can skate, hit, and provide occasional offensive help as well. I know we like to call these 4th line players JAG’s and grinders, but the reality is if you are an NHL or even AHL player, you have skill. At one time/level they all could score and if you give them a more gifted offensive player (like a Marchand or a Czarnik or a Vatrano or a Heinen or a Cehlarik), they will produce some points.
The added bonus is that when you do get the inevitable injury in the Top 9, you have a young player that can immediately be plugged in without missing a beat because he has been playing with the team at the NHL level. You don’t have to call up a kid “cold” from the AHL and expect him to produce against Top 9 competition while also adjusting to the NHL game. For the “we need a heavy” crowd, you keep a guy like that as your 14th F (B’s have the Cap space) and insert him into the lineup against tougher teams if you want. It gives the young guy a break and they can watch from upstairs for a night and see the game from a different perspective.
There is literally no reason why this shouldn’t be implemented.
Get it done DS.
I believe the thinking about the 4th line needs to change.
Where is it written (in stone apparently) that you have to be a “grinder” to be on the 4th line? As MMB pointed out earlier (and I agree), the 4th line should be there to spell the other 3 lines at the tune of 6-10 minutes per game. They should be a line that doesn’t hurt the team and if possible helps it by either shifting momentum or continuing it if the team is already dominating.
That can be accomplished a number of ways, but it usually involves a good hard forecheck and puck possession in the offensive zone, or at least not in the defensive end. That requires a decent FO guy, at least one guy that can skate/hit, and some skill (to possess the puck). Not three grinders that do nothing but fight, and play dump and chase hockey (unnecessarily).
Another pet peeve of mine is that more teams don’t use the 4th line as a training ground for Top 9 replacement players in case of injury. I understand the argument that some players might be better served getting big minutes in all situations in the AHL or Junior, but there are kids that have reached the point where the AHL is no longer going to help them and they need to be exposed to NHL play, even if it’s limited minutes. On the B’s, I would say those guys would definitely be Vatrano and Czarnik, and possibly Heinen and Cehlarik (Gabrielle, Senyshyn, JFK, etc, would definitely be better served in the minors rounding out their games). Also, putting a young player on the 4th line and exposing him to NHL speed is a way of lowering expectations and taking pressure off the kid to produce right away.
I think the B’s could very easily do this with a combo (pick 3 that meet the criteria I laid out above) of Nash, Schaller, Kuraly, Acciari, Czarnik, Heinen, Cehlarik, Vatrano. You would have a line that can skate, hit, and provide occasional offensive help as well. I know we like to call these 4th line players JAG’s and grinders, but the reality is if you are an NHL or even AHL player, you have skill. At one time/level they all could score and if you give them a more gifted offensive player (like a Marchand or a Czarnik or a Vatrano or a Heinen or a Cehlarik), they will produce some points.
The added bonus is that when you do get the inevitable injury in the Top 9, you have a young player that can immediately be plugged in without missing a beat because he has been playing with the team at the NHL level. You don’t have to call up a kid “cold” from the AHL and expect him to produce against Top 9 competition while also adjusting to the NHL game. For the “we need a heavy” crowd, you keep a guy like that as your 14th F (B’s have the Cap space) and insert him into the lineup against tougher teams if you want. It gives the young guy a break and they can watch from upstairs for a night and see the game from a different perspective.
There is literally no reason why this shouldn’t be implemented.
Get it done DS.
