Half-Assed GDT: The Underachiever @ Canucks

[2 Minute Minor]

It seemed like the lines were Jaskin bergie backes and fabbs staz brouwer. Jaskin likely gets less ice time due to pk and pp, where backes and bergie both play some.

Going by the eye test and actual numbers recently, fabbri staz and brouwer should be the line that is safest from changes, they are all working great together. I'd be more willing to switch up stl with steen, but I still think the best line combo would be stl, fabbs staz brouwer, steen bergie backes then whatever the hell for 4th line.

I've been curious whether STL can be allowed to stay together. If they keep having a negative plus/minus, I think that can't be a playoff line. But I suppose right now it would forecast to:
Schwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko
Steen-Berglund-Backes (not sure who will center that line)
Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer
Ott-Brodziak-Upshall

with Jaskin, Paajarvi and Reaves as depth. I would think they'd bring up Rattie, too, maybe after the AHL playoffs.

 

[Brian39]

I've been curious whether STL can be allowed to stay together. If they keep having a negative plus/minus, I think that can't be a playoff line. But I suppose right now it would forecast to:
Schwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko
Steen-Berglund-Backes (not sure who will center that line)
Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer
Ott-Brodziak-Upshall

with Jaskin, Paajarvi and Reaves as depth. I would think they'd bring up Rattie, too, maybe after the AHL playoffs.

As weird as it feels, I agree that the STL line needs to be broken up if they can't figure out how to keep the puck out of their own net. If Steen gets back a few games before playoffs, I would use these lines but swap Steen and Schwartz.

 

[Oberyn]

Any line with Tarasenko will likely be a minus with the way he's playing right now. I've never seen someone so unwilling to fight for a puck, his play away from the puck is horrendous.

 

[Brian39]

Any line with Tarasenko will likely be a minus with the way he's playing right now. I've never seen someone so unwilling to fight for a puck, his play away from the puck is horrendous.

I'm still holding out hope that he is just trying to keep gas in the tank for playoffs. He doesn't look like the player he was in the first half of the season. He is a fiercely competitive guy and I just don't believe that he became a lazy player overnight.

With that said, he has looked awful for a long time now and it is very worrisome.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Yeah...I'm completely dreading this flight back home. Vancouver is one hell of a city.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm in love with the Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer line right now. They compliment each other perfectly and have looked fantastic in basically every game.

I think a Berglund-Backes-Brouwer line would be a complete disaster in the playoffs. Next to no speed or playmaking ability, two guys with weak career playoff numbers, I fail to see why that would work. I guess you can use it as a shutdown line but I feel like you're basically just handicapping Backes.

Steen-Backes-Berglund looks better.

I'm not too worried about the STL line. Tarasenko looks bad right now but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in the playoffs still until he starts looking terrible in those, if that ever happens.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Count me in as another that wants Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer to stay together. Heck, if this keeps up I'd argue Fabbri Stastny should be a permanent combo.

 

[BlueDream]

Count me in as another that wants Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer to stay together. Heck, if this keeps up I'd argue Fabbri Stastny should be a permanent combo.

I think they will be, even next season when Fabbri might switch to the right side but I think that's definitely your top 6 combos... Lehtera & Tarasenko, and Stastny & Fabbri. I can definitely dig that. Then you can basically just match Steen and Schwartz with whoever and have two first lines.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Count me in as another that wants Fabbri-Stastny-Brouwer to stay together. Heck, if this keeps up I'd argue Fabbri Stastny should be a permanent combo.

I've been hoping for this duo to be put together since training camp. Its a natural fit. I had not thought about Brouwer on that wing, though. But good use for him.

 

[MissouriMook]

I've been hoping for this duo to be put together since training camp. Its a natural fit. I had not thought about Brouwer on that wing, though. But good use for him.

If they are going to be patient about move Fabbri to C, I would love to see him attached to Stastny at the hip and soak up as many tricks of the trade he can until Stastny's contract is up.

 

[Alklha]

If they are going to be patient about move Fabbri to C, I would love to see him attached to Stastny at the hip and soak up as many tricks of the trade he can until Stastny's contract is up.

I'd expect Stastny to be here beyond his current contract.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I'd expect Stastny to be here beyond his current contract.

Same here, I think he's going to sign a 3-4Y contract at around 4.5-5.5 Mil per. Which I wouldn't mind if he's playing as the #2C or even the #3C.

 

[542365]

I hope Stastny sticks around. The only problem with Stastny is that he's making 7M. He's still a very good player and will still have at least a few years left of good play beyond this current contract.

 

[Brian39]

I hope Stastny sticks around. The only problem with Stastny is that he's making 7M. He's still a very good player and will still have at least a few years left of good play beyond this current contract.

Even though $7m is too much, I love that it was just a 4 year deal so we have a chance to keep him around as he ages without it financially killing the team.