Dbrownss
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2014
- 31,359
- 8,734
Line Combos: The bottom six problem
- Thread starter Blanick
- Start date
BleedBlue14
UrGeNcY
I don't think Pleks solves any problems for us. Not sure if Strome does either but I wouldn't be that against getting him (barring his salary I haven't looked at it). Kane would honestly be a pretty decent move to look in to. Neal as well granted they will cost us something we would rather not lose. Might be worth it
- Feb 12, 2008
- 19,371
- 8,896
This makes the most sense. I wouldn’t panic yet. I still think TT can play a 3rd line part this year too.
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
Steen-Stastny-Tarasenko
Schwartz-Schenn-Jaskin
Sobotka-Sundqvist-Berglund
Upshall-Brodziak-PRV
If there are no trades
Schwartz-Schenn-Jaskin
Sobotka-Sundqvist-Berglund
Upshall-Brodziak-PRV
If there are no trades
shpongle falls
Ass Möde
At some point once Bergie is back the Blues should consider calling up Blais and Barbashev and keep them in the lineup for a bit, for like 7-10 games, and see if they can find their game here. With Blais you can see the flashes of talent is there he just needs to adjust to the NHL level. Put him with Steen and Stas and see if he can adjust.
Paajarvi and Sundqvist are serviceable players but just can't bring any consistent offense. I like Jaskin but only on the 4th line, seems to play well with Upshall and Brodziak too.
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Steen-Stastny-Blais
Barbashev-Berglund-Sobotka
Upshall-Brodziak-Jaskin
If Blais and Barbie don't pan out send em down and have an all Swede third line I guess.
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Steen-Stastny-Sobotka
Paajariv-Berglund-Sundqvist
Upsahll-Brodziak-Jaskin
Also, I wouldn't be opposed to trying Berglund on the wing and letting Sobotka play center and see if he regain his face-off dominance.
Paajarvi and Sundqvist are serviceable players but just can't bring any consistent offense. I like Jaskin but only on the 4th line, seems to play well with Upshall and Brodziak too.
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Steen-Stastny-Blais
Barbashev-Berglund-Sobotka
Upshall-Brodziak-Jaskin
If Blais and Barbie don't pan out send em down and have an all Swede third line I guess.
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Steen-Stastny-Sobotka
Paajariv-Berglund-Sundqvist
Upsahll-Brodziak-Jaskin
Also, I wouldn't be opposed to trying Berglund on the wing and letting Sobotka play center and see if he regain his face-off dominance.
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
I don't see why a lot of people keep trying to force Sobe back to center. I'm sorry but it's been shown repeatedly that the management and coaching staff wants him on the wing. If anyone is gonna go back to center it's going to be Bergy.
2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
The amount of points the team has accumulated affords DA the time to be patient with any potential trades. But I do think he will be a buyer this year at the deadline unless someone that has fizzled so far starts to sizzle and really assert themselves as a top 9 fixture. Someone like Barbashev, Thompson, etc. Or maybe he is a buyer on top of that.
Let Boom Boom rack up goals and then trade him when his value is high for a right winger.
Sobotka - Stastny - Tarasenko // Offense
Schwartz - Schenn - RW // Offense
Steen - Berglund - Jaskin/Paajarvi/Barbashev // Shutdown
Upshall - Brodziak - Sundqvist // 4th line + PK guys
Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Edmundson - Parayko
Dunn - Bortz
Maybe Blais or Thompson will get time later on, we shall see. If we have that lineup going into the playoffs, I'm fairly optimistic.
Sobotka - Stastny - Tarasenko // Offense
Schwartz - Schenn - RW // Offense
Steen - Berglund - Jaskin/Paajarvi/Barbashev // Shutdown
Upshall - Brodziak - Sundqvist // 4th line + PK guys
Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Edmundson - Parayko
Dunn - Bortz
Maybe Blais or Thompson will get time later on, we shall see. If we have that lineup going into the playoffs, I'm fairly optimistic.
mw2noobbuster
Registered User
I think this would be the best. But man, I would love Grabner or Neal in that #2RW spot. I would personally try Barbs on the RW before Jaskin. I've seen Berglund and Jaskin on the same line before and I swear you could see time slow down.
Amberelise
Registered User
I am likely one of Thompson's biggest supports, but right now he needs to be in the AHL putting up points and MOST IMPORTANTLY playing center at a high level.
As for our 3rd line- I think Blias needs another look. I have never been his biggest fan, but I would like to see him up again. He had a short leash and knew it, and I think that held him back a bit. Too worried about making a mistake. I would also bring back up Barbashev.
I would look at something like this -
SST
Sobi, Stas, Blias
Steen, Barb, Sundstrom
SU, Brodz, Jaskin (Jaskin produces on this line, but can't seem to do it elsewhere).
Berglund comes back, then move out Sundstrom.
PVR sits.
Or something completely out of left field
Schwarz, Schenn, Blias
Sobi, Stas, Jaskin - hopefully Jaskin can be the big net presence that Brouwer/Stewart were. Stas plays well with kids who take up space in front
Steen, Barb, Tank (yes, i know 3rd line, but Barb plays much better with him then Stas has)
SU, Brods, Sundtrom
As for our 3rd line- I think Blias needs another look. I have never been his biggest fan, but I would like to see him up again. He had a short leash and knew it, and I think that held him back a bit. Too worried about making a mistake. I would also bring back up Barbashev.
I would look at something like this -
SST
Sobi, Stas, Blias
Steen, Barb, Sundstrom
SU, Brodz, Jaskin (Jaskin produces on this line, but can't seem to do it elsewhere).
Berglund comes back, then move out Sundstrom.
PVR sits.
Or something completely out of left field
Schwarz, Schenn, Blias
Sobi, Stas, Jaskin - hopefully Jaskin can be the big net presence that Brouwer/Stewart were. Stas plays well with kids who take up space in front
Steen, Barb, Tank (yes, i know 3rd line, but Barb plays much better with him then Stas has)
SU, Brods, Sundtrom
2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
Blais was up long enough to get in that commercial with Pietro. Whoever gets the next call up needs to play such that the coach is never able to take him out of the line-up again. Megan, Barbashev, Thompson, Blais, Bennett....they've all had a shot. Even Sundqvist shouldn't be hard to displace. The Blues really are struggling in the 3rd line.
I personally think Barbashev will be the one to get called up and get another shot while they let Blais/Thompson/Kostin keep getting minutes in the AHL. When Berglund gets back stick him in the 2RW and see what you've got for 10 or so games.
Schwartz-Schenn-Vlad
Steen-Stastny-Berglund
Sobotka-Barbashev-Jaskin
Upshall-Brodz-PRV
Schwartz-Schenn-Vlad
Steen-Stastny-Berglund
Sobotka-Barbashev-Jaskin
Upshall-Brodz-PRV
Brian39
Registered User
- Apr 24, 2014
- 7,135
- 13,083
Lots of god stuff in here, but I have to say that I agree that we shouldn't do anything until we see how it looks with Berglund back. This hot start has made it really easy to forget that most the guys tried on the 3rd line weren't intended to be difference makers in that position this year. It is pretty clear the front office felt Sanford was the leader of the pack for the 9th forward slot and Fabbri was certainly penciled in to the top 6.
At this point, we are still trying to adapt to the loss of two top 9 forwards and the loss of another guy who seemed to have inside track at being the 9th forward or the 'first guy up' when an injury struck. We've shown that none of our internal options can be 'the guy' on a 3rd line right now, but we have still yet to see whether any of them can be an adequate secondary piece to the 3rd line. I think you wait until Bergie gets back so you can put him, Sobotka, or Steen on the 3rd line without noticeably bringing down the 2nd line. See how PRV/Sundqvist/Jaskin/other can do with a bigger threat doing some heavy lifting and assess what you need from there.
Don't get me wrong, I think we need to add a middle 6 guy before the trade deadline no matter what. I just don't know whether that needs to be a guy who is basically a 2nd liner or a guy who is a decent 3rd liner. I think a month or so with Bergie back in the lineup will help make that determination.
At this point, we are still trying to adapt to the loss of two top 9 forwards and the loss of another guy who seemed to have inside track at being the 9th forward or the 'first guy up' when an injury struck. We've shown that none of our internal options can be 'the guy' on a 3rd line right now, but we have still yet to see whether any of them can be an adequate secondary piece to the 3rd line. I think you wait until Bergie gets back so you can put him, Sobotka, or Steen on the 3rd line without noticeably bringing down the 2nd line. See how PRV/Sundqvist/Jaskin/other can do with a bigger threat doing some heavy lifting and assess what you need from there.
Don't get me wrong, I think we need to add a middle 6 guy before the trade deadline no matter what. I just don't know whether that needs to be a guy who is basically a 2nd liner or a guy who is a decent 3rd liner. I think a month or so with Bergie back in the lineup will help make that determination.
The Note in MI
Bow to the pyramid
Biggest thing I feel like the third line is missing is an offensive minded player. We know Paajarvi sundquist and company aren’t bringing much to the table offensively. Adding Berglund to the mix is an improvement. and I think he along with Steen could make for a solid third line but that leaves a gaping second line RW hole. That needs to be filled with a trigger man.
Sobotka Stastny ...
Would like to see someone like Kostin but I unfortunately don’t think he’s ready. But his style of game would benefit from setup guys like Sobotka and Stastny. He plays a lot like Tarasenko without the ability to set himself up yet.
We know the guys on the club now can’t fill the role. That leaves our AHL guys and IMO Tage is not ready at all. Blais if he could get a little better at systemic play would do well but he is quite a freelancer. Barbashev has not looked good at all and in the AHL is still pretty invisible.
Sobotka Stastny ...
Would like to see someone like Kostin but I unfortunately don’t think he’s ready. But his style of game would benefit from setup guys like Sobotka and Stastny. He plays a lot like Tarasenko without the ability to set himself up yet.
We know the guys on the club now can’t fill the role. That leaves our AHL guys and IMO Tage is not ready at all. Blais if he could get a little better at systemic play would do well but he is quite a freelancer. Barbashev has not looked good at all and in the AHL is still pretty invisible.
BangarangxRufio
I Blues'd Myself
BleedBlue14
UrGeNcY
WERE DOOOOOOOOOOOMED
Seriously though I would be happy with giving Kostin a week or two trial see what he can do. I mean honestly how much worse can it get than what we are currently running on that 3rd line?
It could be much, much worse honestly. At least our current mish-mash of third-liners can expect to play to a scoreless stalemate. Throw in some less defensively-aware prospects, and they may struggle to stay on the + side of the ledger.
CaliforniaBlues310
Registered User
How would people feel if we swapped out Prosser for Schmaltz? He’s been killing it in the AHL and you could run these until Bouwmeester gets back
Edmundson-Pietrangelo
Dunn-Parayko
Gunnarsson-Schmaltz
Bortuzzo
When Bouw comes back you can either send Schmaltz back down, or trade Gunnarsson+ for a middle 6RW
Edmundson-Pietrangelo
Dunn-Parayko
Gunnarsson-Schmaltz
Bortuzzo
When Bouw comes back you can either send Schmaltz back down, or trade Gunnarsson+ for a middle 6RW
Captain Creampuff
Registered User
- Sep 10, 2012
- 10,969
- 1,816
Robert Thomas is gonna come in at the end of the year and center the third line.
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Sobotka-Stastny-Steen
Berglund-Thomas-Vet scorer from trade
Upshall-Brodziak-Jaskin
Jbo-Petro
Ed-Colt
Dunn-Gunnar/Bort
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Sobotka-Stastny-Steen
Berglund-Thomas-Vet scorer from trade
Upshall-Brodziak-Jaskin
Jbo-Petro
Ed-Colt
Dunn-Gunnar/Bort
HolyJumpin
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2016
- 688
- 355
I think they should look at bumping Steen or Sobotka down with Bergie and moving Jaskin up to the second line. Could balance the roster.
SST
Steen-Stastny-Jaskin
PRV-Bergie-Sobotka
Upshall-Sunny-Brodz
SST
Steen-Stastny-Jaskin
PRV-Bergie-Sobotka
Upshall-Sunny-Brodz
CaliforniaBlues310
Registered User
I don’t mind the idea of Jaskin with Steen/Stastny. However, I’d rather them call up Barbie or Blais to put on that third line with Sobotka and Berglund.
Sobotka-Barbashev-Berglund
Or
Sobotka-Berglund-Blais
Wouldn’t it burn a year of his ELC if the Blues were to do that? I’m as big a fan of Thomas as anyone else, I think he’s for sure the Blues best forward prospect. But, I think throwing him into the NHL for the first time as a rookie as everything ramps up for the postseason would be an awful idea. Sorry if you were sarcastic and I missed that.
