Line Combos: The First Line

[Kohr]

[fieldset=Edmonton Oilers First Line]

| GP | Goals | Assists | Points | +/-
Hall |47|18|32|50|-15|
Eberle |53|18|25|43|-10|
RNH |52|15|25|40|-15|

[/fieldset]

I was just curious of everyone's opinion of our 'Top Line'. Obviously, Eakins has switched it up throughout the season and we've seen different combinations due to injury and performance. However, I don't think it's out of line to assume that Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are the top line for the Edmonton Oilers at this point in the season. They've played together for much of their careers.



My question is simple: How many of you guys see this as being our top line moving forward?



There seems to be fans on both sides of the spectrum. Some of them see this as the top line to build around, others are in favour of moving a piece like Eberle in order to fill other needs. We've seen these guys mixed in with Perron, Yakupov, Hemsky, etc. and have varying success. Personally, for me, the chemistry between these three is obvious. I think these guys love playing with each other, and while they may not be the biggest line in the league, I feel they can hold their own for the most part against competition. Last year during that 5 game winning streak, that line carried the team closer to the playoffs then we'd ever been in quite a while.



If you disagree with me, which players have been your ideal 'First Line' for the Oilers?

Click to read more...

 

[T-Funk]

Don't really care how much they like playing together if they're collectively -40.

Move the Eberle.

 

[Rafters]

There is offensive chemistry , but they need to be better in the neutral and defensive zone if we are ever going to be a contender....and not pass up chances to lay the body....cause no one will ever pass up the chance to put them on there collective *****

 

[ElFossum]

mediocrity it 2/3 zones of the game. Its just not viable. But i mean, our team would be a good AHL team. incredibly poor NHL team.

 

[iCanada]

I'd much rather have a 1-2 punch of two damn strong lines than one super line.

Hall - [Insert Powerforward] - Perron
[Insert Powerforward] - RNH - Yakupov/Eberle

Obviously trading either of Eberle / Yak you think gets you best return or overall teamcomposition.

I'd even be okay with Fringe guys in those power-forward spots. Obviously you want like Lucic and Backes there, but I'd be okay with like Matthias, Downie and Ott. A good target might be Ryan Callahan, actually.

Especially if we can grab one or two more bottom six guys to replace Hemsky and Smyth. Maybe Moss, Tootoo?

As for defence, I think we need some stopgaps. I think like Matt Greene, Derek Morris, Orpik, Mezaros, Boyle, Klesla etc would be beauties. Obviously if you can swing a home run with Girardi you do it, but other than that just stop gaps with physicality.

Hall - Ott - Yakupov
Perron - RNH - Downie
Hartikainen/Jones/Joensuu - Gordon - Moss
Gazdic - Hendricks - Tootoo

[return for Ebs/yak]/Klesla - Petry
Ference - JSchultz
Marincin - Morris/Greene

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Yes it is my ideal top line. When that line is going (like last year), they are fairly dominant. Last year we saw them play responsible defensively and still produce. This year they have their moments but it has been rough sailing through the Eakins regime so far. Hopefully it improves.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Agreed with most if the opinions here, they're offensively inconstantly as they get pushed around by big teams, and they're average at best in 2/3 zones.

Ideally I'd trade Eberle for defencive help, and then try and swing a deal to get a guy like Brouwer or even Stafford to round out the line.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

My ideal first line right now would be:

Hall- Nuge - Hossa

most people want the powerforward and that is what I would like as well, but Hossa is still big enough to help create some room, is very strong defensively, is very good at maintaining possession, and is good at getting it back, with a strong shot to top it off. Obviously Hossa isn't a long term or realistic solution but he would be a stellar compliment to that line.

 

[Vikingstad]

Option 3 for me. I like to see variety in the line up.

I hate to use NHL 14 as an example, but its sort of applicable here so...

In NHL 14 HUT, I always make my lineups have variety, so that each line can have different rates of success depending on their opponents. One line may be all skill, another may be sheer size and power, another can be straight speed and energy, or a simple responsible no mistake line.

The point is, when you have the luxury of having all this variety, it gives your team more options to work with. When I face a guy who plays a very passive game, the power and size line has their way with the other team cycling in the offensive zone. If the other team wants to run and gun, my skill line can match them.

Right now our team is pretty much 60-70% all one type of player. The bottom 6 is starting to take shape as more of what we would like, but we still need a more diverse 2nd line for the first line to stay the way it is.

 

[alanschu]

Don't really care how much they like playing together if they're collectively -40.

Move the Eberle.

Collective +/- is silly when you're dealing with linemates.

If they are collectively -30, it means that at ES they were down 10 on the entire season. Which isn't great by any means, but adding the values together just means you're counting the same goals multiple times.

 

[thadd]

My answer is NO.

Hall-Hopkins- Mr.X
Perron - Mr. H - Yakupov/Eberle

Mr X:
Has scored 20 goals before.
Is regarded as a checking line winger.
Has good size and puts it to good use in all facets of the game.

Mr H:
Has good size and puts it to good use.
Is very defensively responsible.
Is more regarded as a checking line forward because he isn't amazing offensively.

That's what I want.

 

[Kovacs]

My answer is NO.

Hall-Hopkins- Mr.X
Perron - Mr. H - Yakupov/Eberle

Mr X:
Has scored 20 goals before.
Is regarded as a checking line winger.
Has good size and puts it to good use in all facets of the game.

Mr H:
Has good size and puts it to good use.
Is very defensively responsible.
Is more regarded as a checking line forward because he isn't amazing offensively.

That's what I want.

Mr. Wheeler & Mr.Hanzal

 

[BarDownBobo]

I.....don't know on this one. It's obvious that they have loads of chemistry together, but they also have a tendency to run into problems vs bigger opposition. I'd like to keep all three of them to have the option to put them together, but ideally I'd like to see something like this:

Hall-xxxxxx-Eberle
yyyyy-RNH-Yakupov

Where xxxxxx is a defensively responsible center who can still put up points, and yyyyy is a big two way winger who can protect those two. Even with how good Perron has been this year, I am not sure if he's going to be around with the team long term. Ideally I'd grab Legwand or Stastny this summer to fill xxxxxx. Not sure what I'd do for yyyyy though. Maybe Chris Stewart? Think he could be available this summer.

 

[McGlassbangers]

Perron - RNH - Eberle
Hall - Gordon - Yakupov
Smyth - Arcobello - Hemsky
Joensuu - Hendricks - Gazdic

= Instant success

 

[thadd]

Mr. Wheeler & Mr.Hanzal

I wish. I REALLY wish. They would be perfect.

PERFECT.

I've wanted Wheeler in Edmonton for at least a month now and I've wanted Hanzal for years.

 

[Musashi]

Maybe down the road they can form a competent first line but as of right now, I don't see it at all.

When you have that much skill on one line of course you are going to see some nice plays and some chemistry develop but they don't form an effective unit overall. It is too much for Hall to be counted on doing all the heavy lifting down low and RNH and Eberle just don't provide enough support to consistently gain possession in the offensive zone, especially against bigger teams.

Remember the division we play in. If we want to become a playoff team, we will need to find success against the ducks, sharks, kings, nucks, and coyotes on a regular basis. This line's strength is suppose to be in the offensive zone but they get eaten alive on most nights by those teams in all three zones.

Imo, RNH needs to be dropped down to the 2nd line and we need a more diverse and consistent center to play with Hall and eat some tough minutes. He doesn't need to be the perfect 1C but just someone in the mold of a Dubinsky or Fischer should be sufficient enough to bring a different look in our top 6 and bring stronger play down low. Hanzal would be the perfect 1C for us but I think that guy is pretty much untouchable as it gets for Phoenix.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Perron - RNH - Eberle
Hall - Gordon - Yakupov
Smyth - Arcobello - Hemsky
Joensuu - Hendricks - Gazdic

= Instant success

That's an awfully arranged forward core.
Gordon is our third line center no higher. He doesn't have the offensive ability to center a line like that, sure he has good face offs and is a tough guy but he is perfect at the third line. Smyth Arco and Hemsky as a checking line would never work at all.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

My answer is NO.

Hall-Hopkins- Mr.X
Perron - Mr. H - Yakupov/Eberle

Mr X:
Has scored 20 goals before.
Is regarded as a checking line winger.
Has good size and puts it to good use in all facets of the game.

Mr H:
Has good size and puts it to good use.
Is very defensively responsible.
Is more regarded as a checking line forward because he isn't amazing offensively.

That's what I want.

I don't think you want "checking line forwards" playing in your top 6. I think the term you're looking for is "two way".

Ideally for me:
Hall-RNH-power forward
Perron-two-way center-Yakupov

If we use our 2014 pick on Ekblad, trade Eberle to fill one of those two voids. If we use the pick on one of the centers, trade Eberle for a top pairing dman (a Bogosian type player will suffice, there's no way we can get a Pietrangelo for him). Then pray one of our prospects explodes and suddenly fills the other void.

 

[Replacement*]

All of Hall, Eberle, RNH have over 50 EV GA so far this year in around 50 GP. RNH particularly is league worst forward in GA especially considering how little pk duty he sees. He's got an astounding 62GA this season and 55 of that EV.

You just can't have that from your first line. This sets the stage for the first line to half to score 1 or 2 goals every night just to pull their weight.

Nuge is nowhere near strong enough to be facing top NHL Centers and he's getting owned out there. This line, once they get hemmed in, are basically in trouble and have difficulty getting puck out own zone.

Its not how many you score..

When your topline is getting beat on most nights odds are stacked against you and you aren't bagging many wins.

 

[Arpeggio]

Luckily the Oilers are so horrible this year that they can afford to let these guys stay together and see if they can figure out how to be stronger defensively. They were better last season. I think two years from now, they'll be a formidable first line. Just have to give it some time.

 

[Kulleroinen*]

Hall-RNH-Eberle
Perron-Gagner/bigger center-Yakupov

I'm fine with those.

 

[ponokanocker]

All of Hall, Eberle, RNH have over 50 EV GA so far this year in around 50 GP. RNH particularly is league worst forward in GA especially considering how little pk duty he sees. He's got an astounding 62GA this season and 55 of that EV.

You just can't have that from your first line. This sets the stage for the first line to half to score 1 or 2 goals every night just to pull their weight.

Nuge is nowhere near strong enough to be facing top NHL Centers and he's getting owned out there. This line, once they get hemmed in, are basically in trouble and have difficulty getting puck out own zone.

Its not how many you score..

When your topline is getting beat on most nights odds are stacked against you and you aren't bagging many wins.

My exact feelings. I like them together on the PP, but even strength, they need to be broken up. Way, way too soft and unable to win many puck battles.

 

[syz]

At even strength they just need a coach who has a clue about matchups. Renney had it, Krueger didn't, and Eakins doesn't.

But regardless, trade Eberle.

 

[Mr Forever]

Pairs I like:

Hall-XXX-Eberle
XXX-RNH-Yak
Perron-Gordon-XXX

 

[PaPaDee]

Ideally, I'd like to move either RNH or Eberle off that line and bring in a power forward type of player to balance it out; however, I do think that line can do the job. All of them are young, and still improving and RNH had major surgery this last off-season. I suspect they'll be better as a unit next year.