These f***ing Lines

[Redder Winger]

Presumably
Nyquist Zetterberg Bertuzzi
Helm Larkin Mantha
Abdelkader Nielsen Athanasiou
Frk Glendening Svechnikov

So I get line 1. Bertuzzi has done a nice job not only winning battles, but delivering the puck to Z and Nyquist.
Helm adds nothing to line 2.
Line 3 is doing nothing and continues to take Dzone draws.
Line 4 is the classic Babcock/Blashill "Kill your offensive young winger" line having Glendening as their center.

I'm not a genius.
But maybe one reason we suck worse than we should is because Blashill is f***ing up the lines.

Obvious change.
Helm and Abdelkader play with Glendening.
Frk and Svech play with more skilled guys.

So ---
Nyquist-Zetteberg-Bertuzzi - no need to mess things up.
Frk-Larkin-Mantha - (A bit more defensive responsibility for Larkin, but a good offensive option)
Svechnikov-Nielsen-Athanasiou - While changing the dynamic to a more offensive line
Helm-Glendening-Abdelkader - Your shutdown line/defensive/hitting line.

Pros
* Guys like Abby and Helm are well suited to play with Glendening and can play a shutdown role. In fact, this line might be good at cycling around the Ozone and keeping scoring lines in their own end.
* Guys like Svech and Frk play more zones in the Ozone with guys who are more offensively inclined.
* Less low-skill dump-ins to the corner by Helm and Abby will be better for Larkin, Mantha, Nielsen and AA.

Cons
* A bit more defensive work for Larkin and Nielsen at center when they get pinned in their own end. But that could be negated by more Ozone time.

Click to read more...

 

[TheMule93]

Our lines have done a good job at losing, I hope blash doesn't try to put together decent ones until next season

 

[Redder Winger]

Our lines have done a good job at losing, I hope blash doesn't try to put together decent ones until next season

Our defense and goaltending will take care of the losing for us.

 

[Hammettf2b]

I don't care what the lines are right now but I would like to see Geno get more minutes.

 

[Henkka]

If team benefits long-term about losing, why would be use best possible lines? Let them just TANK and stop freaking out about these. Next fall is the right time for this discussion again.

Blashill knows exactly how to put this team to fail. Coreau in net as those "easy" games against MTL, BUF, OTT etc.

 

[Redder Winger]

Let them TANK and stop freaking out about thise freaking lines.

Blashill knows exactly how to put this team to fail. Coreau in net as those "easy" games against MTL, BUF, OTT etc.

Are you honestly pretending that Blashill is tanking? Part of Ken Holland's master plan that only you, Blash and Holland know about?

 

[Henkka]

Are you honestly pretending that Blashill is tanking? Part of Ken Holland's master plan that only you, Blash and Holland know about?

Somebody has to be the alternative force for your lunatism.

I've took that job.

 

[odin1981]

If these lines at best only get us 2 goals a game that is best for the tank to work so who cares if they are inept.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

I would certainly like to see Svech with Larkin and Mantha and it seems silly not to have AA on a scoring line, but I could live with them playing on either side of Nielsen provided Nielsen is not being forced to play a shut down role with those two as his line mates. Nielsen is a very good hockey player, they could both do much worse with potential centermen than Frans Nielsen. I like the idea of that as a line.

 

[kliq]

Are you honestly pretending that Blashill is tanking? Part of Ken Holland's master plan that only you, Blash and Holland know about?

I dont think so, but why should we want Blashill to turn things around this season?
Last thing we want is a winning streak of any kind.

 

[TheMule93]

I'd go with

Athanasiou-Larkin-Frk (trying to rekindle AAs awesome play from dec/January)
Bertuzzi-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Mantha-Nielsen-Svech
Helm-Glendening-Witkowski


give Larkin's line the most ice time. Zetterberg and Nielsen can split icetime. Play Glenny's line every other rotation against whoever the opponents top line is.

 

[kliq]

I'd go with

Athanasiou-Larkin-Frk (trying to rekindle AAs awesome play from dec/January)
Bertuzzi-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Mantha-Nielsen-Svech
Helm-Glendening-Witkowski


give Larkin's line the most ice time. Zetterberg and Nielsen can split icetime. Play Glenny's line every other rotation against whoever the opponents top line is.

You would play Witkowski over Abby?

 

[TheMule93]

You would play Witkowski over Abby?

I forgot about Abby... Maybe throw him in and sit Helm.

 

[Redder Winger]

I dont think so, but why should we want Blashill to turn things around this season?
Last thing we want is a winning streak of any kind.

1 - Offense alone won't win games with this defense and goaltending.
2 - At this point, how much does it matter? Slightly better play might cost you 6 percent chance at a top 3 pick. or a 2 percent chance at the top pick.
3. Outside of Dahlin at #1, I'm not sure there's any big difference between picking 2nd and picking 4th, or 4th and 6th.
4. I'm for giving kids the best opportunities to develop. More than improving from 4 to 5 or 5 to 6, it's more important to improve the Manthas, AAs, Svechnikovs and Frks, and not help them become the next Jurco or Pulkkinen.

 

[kliq]

1 - Offense alone won't win games with this defense and goaltending.
2 - At this point, how much does it matter? Slightly better play might cost you 6 percent chance at a top 3 pick. or a 2 percent chance at the top pick.
3. Outside of Dahlin at #1, I'm not sure there's any big difference between picking 2nd and picking 4th, or 4th and 6th.
4. I'm for giving kids the best opportunities to develop. More than improving from 4 to 5 or 5 to 6, it's more important to improve the Manthas, AAs, Svechnikovs and Frks, and not help them become the next Jurco or Pulkkinen.

If we were in September sure, I agree but its the end of March. I just want us to lose as much as possible at this point. Anything to increase our odds at Dahlin.
Going on a winning streak over the next 6 games could cost us big time. Not playing the best lines over a period of 6 games will have little to no impact on the kids.

 

[Henkka]

Helm adds nothing to line 2.
Line 3 is doing nothing and continues to take Dzone draws.
Line 4 is the classic Babcock/Blashill "Kill your offensive young winger" line having Glendening as their center.

I'm not a genius.
But maybe one reason we suck worse than we should is because Blashill is ****ing up the lines.

Obviously you're not a genius, but Blashill just found a way to beat the Champions and looks like Darren "adds nothing to 2nd line" Helm will be 1st Star of the game with 1+2 points. Also offence-killing Glendening did score....

 

[Redder Winger]

Obviously you're not a genius, but Blashill just found a way to beat the Champions and looks like Darren "adds nothing to 2nd line" Helm will be 1st Star of the game with 1+2 points. Also offence-killing Glendening did score....

Wow.
Brilliant coach. What's that? 14 wins in 16 games?

 

[Oddbob]

Presumably
Nyquist Zetterberg Bertuzzi
Helm Larkin Mantha
Abdelkader Nielsen Athanasiou
Frk Glendening Svechnikov

So I get line 1. Bertuzzi has done a nice job not only winning battles, but delivering the puck to Z and Nyquist.
Helm adds nothing to line 2.
Line 3 is doing nothing and continues to take Dzone draws.
Line 4 is the classic Babcock/Blashill "Kill your offensive young winger" line having Glendening as their center.

I'm not a genius.
But maybe one reason we suck worse than we should is because Blashill is ****ing up the lines.

Obvious change.
Helm and Abdelkader play with Glendening.
Frk and Svech play with more skilled guys.

So ---
Nyquist-Zetteberg-Bertuzzi - no need to mess things up.
Frk-Larkin-Mantha - (A bit more defensive responsibility for Larkin, but a good offensive option)
Svechnikov-Nielsen-Athanasiou - While changing the dynamic to a more offensive line
Helm-Glendening-Abdelkader - Your shutdown line/defensive/hitting line.

Pros
* Guys like Abby and Helm are well suited to play with Glendening and can play a shutdown role. In fact, this line might be good at cycling around the Ozone and keeping scoring lines in their own end.
* Guys like Svech and Frk play more zones in the Ozone with guys who are more offensively inclined.
* Less low-skill dump-ins to the corner by Helm and Abby will be better for Larkin, Mantha, Nielsen and AA.

Cons
* A bit more defensive work for Larkin and Nielsen at center when they get pinned in their own end. But that could be negated by more Ozone time.

DARREN HELM 1 GOAL 2 ASSISTS SAYS HELLO!