Line Combos: Vatanen & Lindholm [aka defensive lineup thread]

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Ok i had to come to the anaheim page and post something... I was watching the Ducks/Nucks game tonight and i wanted to say something to all you Duck fans..... How good was Hampus and Vatanen on some of those PP's???? sure alot of the time was 5-3, but those quick passes, 1-timers, etc etc were entertaining as hell to watch. The PP future right there was unreal to see. You guys are so damn lucky!!!!

Cant wait to see Vats and Hampus in next couple years.. Vatanen is complete offensive force in the making and Hampus is just an unreal all around great dman already. WOWZERS

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[AngelDuck]

I'll keep saying it....can't take either one out of the lineup right now. We're literally skating teams off the ice because of how quick we are on the backend

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I'll keep saying it....can't take either one out of the lineup right now. We're literally skating teams off the ice because of how quick we are on the backend

I havent watched many duck games on tv but i couldnt believe it.. those kids have absolutely sick talent

 

[KaseMeOutside]

its going to be interesting to see what happens when souray and sbisa are ready, i think the key to this team that nobody besides duck fans know about is we have 3 d pairs that have real good PMD's. i'd rather see them rotate into the lovejoy/beauch/allen spots and give lindholm/vatanen rest when needed

 

[Sean Garrity]

My favorite part of those two tonight was when Lindholm and Vatanen are talking after Vatanen's scuffle and Lindholm is just laughing at him.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

oh i hope they dont tinker too much. I realize they need to do something when sbisa and souray come back but it just seems like Anaheim has everything workin PERFECTLY on their team right now. I hope Vaanen and/or Lindholm arent demoted to AHL because of Souray and Sbisa

 

[gratefulyours]

oh i hope they dont tinker too much. I realize they need to do something when sbisa and souray come back but it just seems like Anaheim has everything workin PERFECTLY on their team right now. I hope Vaanen and/or Lindholm arent demoted to AHL because of Souray and Sbisa

i don't envy bob when all are healthy. deserving players are gonna get sent down or a trade will have to be made.

 

[Teemu Salami]

Souray could help the PP on a regular basis but damn I'd be sad if he knocks Vats or Lindholm out of the lineup. Sbisa shouldn't see any ice time...

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Lovejoy needs to be left alone with Fowler. The bottom 4 can be mixed and matched as BB sees fit. The biggest problem is that if everybody is healthy we have 9 D men. There's no way we can keep 9 up with the Ducks. By default I think Sami gets sent down. But that still leaves too many D. I don't think you can send Magnus down because he is one of the 4 best D we have. I'd really like to go into the playoffs with all of them. Is the roster limit lifted after the trade deadline?

 

[Ducks DVM]

Lovejoy needs to be left alone with Fowler. The bottom 4 can be mixed and matched as BB sees fit. The biggest problem is that if everybody is healthy we have 9 D men. There's no way we can keep 9 up with the Ducks. By default I think Sami gets sent down. But that still leaves too many D. I don't think you can send Magnus down because he is one of the 4 best D we have. I'd really like to go into the playoffs with all of them. Is the roster limit lifted after the trade deadline?

Yes. Before then I think it's a given that one of them gets sent down. Maybe even rotate between the two. You'd have to think its beyond unlikely that BM would be willing to lose anyone off the roster the way everything has gone with injuries this year.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Yes. Before then I think it's a given that one of them gets sent down. Maybe even rotate between the two. You'd have to think its beyond unlikely that BM would be willing to lose anyone off the roster the way everything has gone with injuries this year.

Yeah, I really do want to see all 9 stay the rest of the year. It's a great rotation for the playoffs. But the math just doesn't seem to work. If you trade off sending down Sami and Magnus it still leaves us with 8. And I really think Lindholm needs to be playing here every game (other than a young rookie maintenance day now or then). Sending him down (with Sami) until the deadline would be painful. He is a major contributor.

That's a mighty tough problem. I really don't want to see any of these guys traded or waived until the season and playoffs are over.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I think these two are developing the right way/if not faster than what we all thought. Lindholm is a good all around defenseman, and Vatanen is really good on the power play and on breakouts. I was really surprised he held his own in that fight last night

 

[Hariken]

They deserve to stay on the team. Nuff said.

Sbisa shouldn't be playing anything. Souray can also sit - old and slow and takes penalties so that the team loses in the playoffs. ***** him. Fistric and Allen can rotate in my opinion, the other 5 are locks.

 

[Theridion]

Vatanen is a complete joy to watch.

Linholm... my expectations for him are now way too high to be fair. He is just a complete player. And as said above, his goofy childish grinning at Vatanen after the fight just shows how much fun those two are having in a difficult league and with difficult matchups.

 

[Gliff]

They deserve to stay on the team. Nuff said.

Sbisa shouldn't be playing anything. Souray can also sit - old and slow and takes penalties so that the team loses in the playoffs. ***** him. Fistric and Allen can rotate in my opinion, the other 5 are locks.

Have we all forgotten how good he was in the first 30 games last year?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Vatanen is a complete joy to watch.

Linholm... my expectations for him are now way too high to be fair. He is just a complete player. And as said above, his goofy childish grinning at Vatanen after the fight just shows how much fun those two are having in a difficult league and with difficult matchups.

Recall Magnus having fun with Fowler after he fell to the ice and did a couple of round robins from the bench to the ice. ha ha ha

 

[paine]

I personally think Vatanen's defensive game is underrated.

 

[duxfan8]

Have we all forgotten how good he was in the first 30 games last year?

I haven't. I just tend to side with his games after the 30 game point in determining what to expect. I think he was healthy and rested and motivated last year. He played very well in the first 30 games, but after that he went back to being the pylon he previously had been in the NHL. He was a scratch in the playoffs (which I still think was an injury) and now has been on the shelf all year. He'll go down to the AHL for a conditioning stint and hopefully we'll have something figured out by then. Sami shouldn't have to go down, but he has a good chance at being sent down simply because of 1way contracts. It'll be interesting for sure.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I personally think Vatanen's defensive game is underrated.

I think the last time he was sent down, it benefitted him to learn how to play defense a little bit better

 

[manspaceman]

I think the last time he was sent down, it benefitted him to learn how to play defense a little bit better

Last time he was send him down was the last time Anaheim lost. Its been a while.

Gordie Howe hat trick is so 80's. The newest thing is "Vat trick": 1+2, minor 2 and a fight or "fight" without a penalty.

Nice to see these youngsters fly on the ice.

 

[PhoenyX]

Beauchemin isn't having a a great year, hopefully the Olympic break + possibly reuniting with Souray will help his game...but then who do we pair Lindholm with?

 

[salsa man]

One thing I've noticed about Lindholm, is that his skating stride is kind of awkward. He's still very mobile and quite fast, but his skating isn't very pretty. Not really a knock on him, just something I've noticed.

 

[quackquackquack]

Its funny because they are polar opposites offensively. Sami is a gunner and will let it fly relentlessly while Hampus picks and chooses when (almost hesitates too much) to shoot.

 

[snarktacular]

I think they might make a good pair eventually. Both mobile and a decent 2-way game. That Selanne tip on Sami's shot was a pretty sexy teamup.

I also think that they might be able to play with Sbisa and not have terrible chemistry like Sbisa-Allen. I think both have the headman pass and skating to allow Sbisa to simplify his game and focus on defense and hits. And they can cover for any mistakes. Because without someone like that to pair with Sbisa, he's kind of a square peg that isn't a useful asset.

It would be best if Sbisa could look good with one of them for at least the short term. If for nothing other than to gain some value for a trade. But also because he might then be a contributor worth keeping.

 

[mmbt]

I haven't. I just tend to side with his games after the 30 game point in determining what to expect. I think he was healthy and rested and motivated last year. He played very well in the first 30 games, but after that he went back to being the pylon he previously had been in the NHL. He was a scratch in the playoffs (which I still think was an injury) and now has been on the shelf all year. He'll go down to the AHL for a conditioning stint and hopefully we'll have something figured out by then. Sami shouldn't have to go down, but he has a good chance at being sent down simply because of 1way contracts. It'll be interesting for sure.

If he can give us a good 30 game stretch this year, starting around April, I'll take it.