Johnny Engine
Moderator
- Jul 29, 2009
- 4,980
- 2,362
Bowman
Lemieux - Gretzky - Howe
Hull - Beliveau - Jagr
Messier - Crosby - Makarov
Ovechkin - Clarke - Richard
Cook
Lidstrom - Orr
Bourque - Harvey
Potvin - Shore
Kelly, Fetisov
Plante
Brodeur
Thought process:
- Immediately, I commited to a Lemieux-Gretzky pair on the first line. I'll find more roster-ready centres than left wingers, and I'll leave a spot open for a versatile forward on the right.
- So we're building a second line around Howe and either Ovechkin or Hull, right? I choose Beliveau as their centre because I'm looking ahead to flanking Crosby with someone heavy for the third line. I have an idea for Ovechkin later, so it'll be Hull on the left.
- But wait, the next few right wingers on the list for my bottom six and Gretzky/Lemieux's worker bee is populated with run-and-gun types who are poor for those roles but nevertheless too talented to ignore entirely. I like Cook and Makarov for different reasons, but I don't love either of them as first liners, and I'm going to quickly run out of guys to put in the right roles. Howe moves from the second line to the first. Jagr gets the nod as the most balanced offensive threat over Richard and Lafleur, and he and Hull get to try some of the creative stuff Hull didn't really get to do until he hooked up with the Swedes in Winnipeg.
- Messier is the picture-perfect example of the kind of brute to play with Crosby, and he's also another centre who I've tagged for a PK faceoff role, who doesn't have to take up one of my 4 centre slots. I'm considering Bill Cook for the right side, but I'm still a bit antsy about how good the remaining right wingers are.
- Here's where I drop Ovechkin. Looking at the left wingers ahead of him, his overall game doesn't look as good, but he hits and should be fresh for the PP, so why not have him on the 4th line? Bobby Clarke is like an ultra-mean version of his real life centre, and I've been looking for that defensive stalwart centre, so he's an obvious choice too.
- Sergei Makarov is easily one of the 5 or 6 right wingers that could make the team on pure merit, and in this rareified situation his main justification for being here is as a PK specialist - just about anyone else with a better PK reputation sits way down the chart as a pure talent. Now I'm pencilling him in and thinking about which of Richard and Lafleur I want in the press box.
- But Cook on the team instead of Richard is kind of an eyesore, right? I think Messier provides enough toughness for his line, and I feel like Crosby and Makarov have the intelligence to connect on the ice in a special way. I try Richard on the 4th line, and while Clarke kind of has his work cut out for him as a babysitter, I like the idea of Richard going to the net while his linemates wheel around.
- Cook, Lafleur, Morenz, Mikita and Nighbor are my best candidates for spares. I can't think of a good reason to keep Mikita around, and I think playing Richard, Ovechkin and Makarov up the lineup provides any benefit I could possibly get from Lafleur, so the two of them get sent home from camp. Let's see how many extra defenseman I want before making a call on the last three guys.
- I consider leaving Bobby Orr off my top pair. I'd love to have two of Harvey, Bourque or Lidstrom facing the MonStars top line, and to just let Orr wreck shit on the next shift.
- But then, that's your top 4, right? Lidstrom would be an exceptional conservative partner on the left side for Orr, and I could have Bourque and Harvey doing that other stuff. C58 always liked Harvey's play on the right more than Bourque's, so I trust him on that orientation. I consider using Robinson as Orr's foil, but I don't want to demote either of the other guys to the bottom pair.
- Eddie Shore is in my lineup, but I'm not sure if he's always who I want to dress. Denis Potvin is the kind of force I'd love on my bottom pair - a lot like Shore but I trust him a little more. I consider who's next up as a righty and Shore is the only one I want. That's a mean pairing.
- Fetisov and Kelly are the first two I consider as spare defenseman. Kelly can play centre so I take both and send home Morenz and Nighbor (whew, these are tough cuts).
- I'm one who believes that Plante has an argument over Hasek and Roy as #1 goalie of all time, and Hasek's desire to not have anyone block shots has me questioning whose business it is how those 8 amazing defenseman decide to play. Roy and Plante look like a good tandem.
- I start thinking about alternate choices for the backup goalie and land on Brodeur as a guy who'll be able to make the same passes and participate in the play just like Plante. I can't resist. Also, my dressing room just got 200% friendlier.
- I put Bowman in charge. I start thinking about special teams coaches but notice the washing machine is done and feel like I should wrap it up. I know Mitch Korn is my goalie coach but I'm not going to list a staff, maybe later.
- I hit reply.
Lemieux - Gretzky - Howe
Hull - Beliveau - Jagr
Messier - Crosby - Makarov
Ovechkin - Clarke - Richard
Cook
Lidstrom - Orr
Bourque - Harvey
Potvin - Shore
Kelly, Fetisov
Plante
Brodeur
Thought process:
- Immediately, I commited to a Lemieux-Gretzky pair on the first line. I'll find more roster-ready centres than left wingers, and I'll leave a spot open for a versatile forward on the right.
- So we're building a second line around Howe and either Ovechkin or Hull, right? I choose Beliveau as their centre because I'm looking ahead to flanking Crosby with someone heavy for the third line. I have an idea for Ovechkin later, so it'll be Hull on the left.
- But wait, the next few right wingers on the list for my bottom six and Gretzky/Lemieux's worker bee is populated with run-and-gun types who are poor for those roles but nevertheless too talented to ignore entirely. I like Cook and Makarov for different reasons, but I don't love either of them as first liners, and I'm going to quickly run out of guys to put in the right roles. Howe moves from the second line to the first. Jagr gets the nod as the most balanced offensive threat over Richard and Lafleur, and he and Hull get to try some of the creative stuff Hull didn't really get to do until he hooked up with the Swedes in Winnipeg.
- Messier is the picture-perfect example of the kind of brute to play with Crosby, and he's also another centre who I've tagged for a PK faceoff role, who doesn't have to take up one of my 4 centre slots. I'm considering Bill Cook for the right side, but I'm still a bit antsy about how good the remaining right wingers are.
- Here's where I drop Ovechkin. Looking at the left wingers ahead of him, his overall game doesn't look as good, but he hits and should be fresh for the PP, so why not have him on the 4th line? Bobby Clarke is like an ultra-mean version of his real life centre, and I've been looking for that defensive stalwart centre, so he's an obvious choice too.
- Sergei Makarov is easily one of the 5 or 6 right wingers that could make the team on pure merit, and in this rareified situation his main justification for being here is as a PK specialist - just about anyone else with a better PK reputation sits way down the chart as a pure talent. Now I'm pencilling him in and thinking about which of Richard and Lafleur I want in the press box.
- But Cook on the team instead of Richard is kind of an eyesore, right? I think Messier provides enough toughness for his line, and I feel like Crosby and Makarov have the intelligence to connect on the ice in a special way. I try Richard on the 4th line, and while Clarke kind of has his work cut out for him as a babysitter, I like the idea of Richard going to the net while his linemates wheel around.
- Cook, Lafleur, Morenz, Mikita and Nighbor are my best candidates for spares. I can't think of a good reason to keep Mikita around, and I think playing Richard, Ovechkin and Makarov up the lineup provides any benefit I could possibly get from Lafleur, so the two of them get sent home from camp. Let's see how many extra defenseman I want before making a call on the last three guys.
- I consider leaving Bobby Orr off my top pair. I'd love to have two of Harvey, Bourque or Lidstrom facing the MonStars top line, and to just let Orr wreck shit on the next shift.
- But then, that's your top 4, right? Lidstrom would be an exceptional conservative partner on the left side for Orr, and I could have Bourque and Harvey doing that other stuff. C58 always liked Harvey's play on the right more than Bourque's, so I trust him on that orientation. I consider using Robinson as Orr's foil, but I don't want to demote either of the other guys to the bottom pair.
- Eddie Shore is in my lineup, but I'm not sure if he's always who I want to dress. Denis Potvin is the kind of force I'd love on my bottom pair - a lot like Shore but I trust him a little more. I consider who's next up as a righty and Shore is the only one I want. That's a mean pairing.
- Fetisov and Kelly are the first two I consider as spare defenseman. Kelly can play centre so I take both and send home Morenz and Nighbor (whew, these are tough cuts).
- I'm one who believes that Plante has an argument over Hasek and Roy as #1 goalie of all time, and Hasek's desire to not have anyone block shots has me questioning whose business it is how those 8 amazing defenseman decide to play. Roy and Plante look like a good tandem.
- I start thinking about alternate choices for the backup goalie and land on Brodeur as a guy who'll be able to make the same passes and participate in the play just like Plante. I can't resist. Also, my dressing room just got 200% friendlier.
- I put Bowman in charge. I start thinking about special teams coaches but notice the washing machine is done and feel like I should wrap it up. I know Mitch Korn is my goalie coach but I'm not going to list a staff, maybe later.
- I hit reply.
