Line Combos: 2013-14 Line Combos Thread

Benjamin

Differently Financed
Jun 14, 2010
31,118
438
yes
I can handle Chris Neil getting 4th line minutes but giving him the 3rd line and sometimes 2nd line minutes while playing with Colin Greening is just asking to lose and never score.
 

WhiteLight*

Guest
I can handle Chris Neil getting 4th line minutes but giving him the 3rd line and sometimes 2nd line minutes while playing with Coling Greening is just asking to lose and never score.

Even then, who does he play with? Giving Neil 6 min means his linemates will also get very limited minutes. Which is fine for Greening (Mac isn't doing that though), but not for Smith. I want Smith playing.

It also means increased minutes for the top 3 lines. That's extra strain on Spezza and frankly minutes that he can't handle.

The trick is to be a 4 line team (always the best way to go, it's the way Cup winners are built), and that's not possible when Neil is on the lineup.
 

BigBush*

Guest
Way too many people undervaluing Ottawas checking line. They hit a lot and are a big part of the reason Ottawa is so difficult to play against. Also Zibanejad is better than any winger Ottawa can trade for to play with Spezza. It's better to have him get decent minutes in the top 6 then have him centering the 3rd/4th line
 

SlapJack

Scum bag Sens
Dec 6, 2010
1,983
1,260
Way too many people undervaluing Ottawas checking line. They hit a lot and are a big part of the reason Ottawa is so difficult to play against. Also Zibanejad is better than any winger Ottawa can trade for to play with Spezza. It's better to have him get decent minutes in the top 6 then have him centering the 3rd/4th line

The problem last night was more MacLean throwing them back out there 14 seconds after a terrible shift that resulted in a goal and made it a game again. I don't know what he was thinking - Neil had like 20% of his ice time in the last 5 mins of the game. Only thing I can think of is that MacLean wanted to try something different to hold off the charge since he hadn't been playing that line much in the 3rd, but putting them out after the 3rd goal was a head scratcher.

He wised up and had Condra on for the last 2 mins.

I'd rather see Zibanejad at centre and Stone back on Spezza's wing.
 

BigBush*

Guest
I'd rather see Zibanejad at centre and Stone back on Spezza's wing.

Zib is definitely better at center. He needs to play in the top 6 though or else he'lll only get 10 minutues of ice time a game
 

Tampacuseforever

Registered User
Nov 3, 2012
2,877
43
Zib is definitely better at center. He needs to play in the top 6 though or else he'lll only get 10 minutues of ice time a game

He had as much playing time last night, as he had when he was playing third line center. Coach gives him plenty of PP time to get his minutes up when he's playing third line.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
Zibanejad looked fine on Spezza's wing last night, and Michalek looked pretty good out there too.
 

BigBush*

Guest
Zibanejad looked fine on Spezza's wing last night, and Michalek looked pretty good out there too.

Ya I agree. Ottawa needs this line to get going if they want to make any noise in the playoffs
 

Benjamin

Differently Financed
Jun 14, 2010
31,118
438
yes
Zibanejad looked fine on Spezza's wing last night, and Michalek looked pretty good out there too.

Zibanejad looks fine at wing but looks better at center. I have no problem with him on wing until Stone is back.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
Zibanejad looks fine at wing but looks better at center. I have no problem with him on wing until Stone is back.

most definitely. and easy to see

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Centres in general I find are just more noticeable on the ice because of the space they occupy. Zibanejad as the centre was relied upon to do more, but as a winger he gets to play with better players and has more offensive opportunities. As long as there's another effective centre (Da Costa right now, who has been very good) to play on the 3rd/4th line I don't mind Zibanejad playing on the wing.
 

Tampacuseforever

Registered User
Nov 3, 2012
2,877
43
If you give conacher and Condra more ice time then niel, greening, and smith Ottawa becomes way to soft

That's your opinion and I understand but, the fact of the matter these are the type of guys that occupy forth line's on good teams (Smith is a third liner). You play them at times to give the team a boost of energy. Smith will get his minutes on the PK and some PP time. I really don't clasify Conacher as "soft" he's in the middle of everything pissing the other team off.
 

TheNewEra

Registered User
Jul 10, 2013
7,941
3,316
What I would like to see when stone is healthy

Macarthur-Turris-Ryan
Michalek-Spezza-Stone
Smith-Zibanejad-Conacher
Greening/Condra-Grant/Pageau-Neil

Frankly i think grant can replace condra now and he is more valuable to us especially on the pk since he can take faceoffs, would rather have him up then pageau but either way those two players are good on the pk and the added faceoff ability helps (hate seeing greening take faceoffs).

If i had to choose between greening and condra for this season, greening stays in the lineup, but i prefer both of them gone. Condra because he is replaceable internally, greening because of that contract extension. Would rather both of them gone and we pick up a top 6/top 9 forward at the deadline
 

Tampacuseforever

Registered User
Nov 3, 2012
2,877
43
I don't think that's necessarily true.

Centres in general I find are just more noticeable on the ice because of the space they occupy. Zibanejad as the centre was relied upon to do more, but as a winger he gets to play with better players and has more offensive opportunities. As long as there's another effective centre (Da Costa right now, who has been very good) to play on the 3rd/4th line I don't mind Zibanejad playing on the wing.

Your correct with DaCosta playing well I have no problem with him playing wing, but he is a much better player at center IMO.
 

God Says No

Registered User
Mar 16, 2012
8,526
1,899
I don't think that's necessarily true.

Centres in general I find are just more noticeable on the ice because of the space they occupy. Zibanejad as the centre was relied upon to do more, but as a winger he gets to play with better players and has more offensive opportunities. As long as there's another effective centre (Da Costa right now, who has been very good) to play on the 3rd/4th line I don't mind Zibanejad playing on the wing.

I disagree. Not only does he play better, but he makes his line mates better. Michalek and Conacher have been playing "fine", but they were playing great when on Zib's line.

I don't have the numbers but I'd like to see the point break down of Zib at RW vs. C.
 

Tampacuseforever

Registered User
Nov 3, 2012
2,877
43
I disagree. Not only does he play better, but he makes his line mates better. Michalek and Conacher have been playing "fine", but they were playing great when on Zib's line.

I don't have the numbers but I'd like to see the point break down of Zib at RW vs. C.

Don't think the numbers would tell the story. He "created" opportuniies when the Miconabad line was together. His points were not large but his contribution was.
 

83DIZ65

Registered User
Sep 8, 2011
1,296
0
halifax
Here's a suggestion for some line combos I think might work well that would allow for Dacosta to stick around and stone to get back in the line up and give even scoring and better ability to roll 4 lines while also moving Ryan to see if he can get less stagnant with some different line mates.

Macarthur Turris Condra *Condra moves to this line as a possesion grabber
Conacher Zibanejad Ryan * Gives Ryan a chance to play with new line mates and possibly get less stale.
Dacosta Spezza Stone *Spezz and Stone look like they have good chemistry and Dacostas creativity and speed make him a fisable shooting winger for Spez
Greening Smith Michalek A fourth line with good compete level some grit and offensive upside

I know this wont happen but dam does that ever look lethal to me.......
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
I think the lines are working just fine as they are. It would be nice to get a top 6 winger to play with Spezza, but it just doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Send Stone down when he gets healthy again as Da Costa has outplayed him. Zibanejad has been fine on the wing, but I wonder if Da Costa could play there? He thinks the game at a high level and plays a strong east-west game that could complement Spezza well. I would love to have a fast, strong defensive left winger to play on that line (which Michalek can be when he's playing at his best).

I also can't help but feel like Ryan needs to be taken off the Turris line.

Greening - Spezza - Ryan
MacArthur - Turris - Michalek
Conacher - Zibanejad/Da Costa - Da Costa/Zibanejad
Condra - Smith - Neil

Do eet.
 

aragorn

Do The Right Thing
Aug 8, 2004
28,464
8,992
I think the lines are working just fine as they are. It would be nice to get a top 6 winger to play with Spezza, but it just doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Send Stone down when he gets healthy again as Da Costa has outplayed him. Zibanejad has been fine on the wing, but I wonder if Da Costa could play there? He thinks the game at a high level and plays a strong east-west game that could complement Spezza well. I would love to have a fast, strong defensive left winger to play on that line (which Michalek can be when he's playing at his best).

I also can't help but feel like Ryan needs to be taken off the Turris line.

Greening - Spezza - Ryan
MacArthur - Turris - Michalek
Conacher - Zibanejad/Da Costa - Da Costa/Zibanejad
Condra - Smith - Neil

Do eet.

I have to disagree or better put I have another idea. I think Stone is one of the wingers that have had success with Spezza & should be put back with him when he is ready to return. The Sens could use more offence so I would prefer to sit someone else like Conacher or Condra. If BM could bring in a forward like Moulson & put him on Spezza's LW then they move Michalek to the 3rd line, they would have a much better forward lineup. IMO Moulson & Stone would be a huge upgrade on Conacher & Condra & I think SDC is an offensive upgrade to both those guys as well. Against the Leafs, you sit SDC & bring in Kassian & only the two bottom lines are changed a little. I'm also not a fan of moving guys to positions they are unfamiliar with, neither Spezza or SDC have ever played the wing & I don't think either can.

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Moulson - Spezza - Stone
Michalek - Da Costa - Zibanejad
Greening - Smith - Neil
 

Slack

everything's fine?
Apr 27, 2012
3,692
466
These are the lines I am convinced will work best for us. Makes the most of players' chemistry and give us the ability to roll all four for that very reason, instead of this season's trend of just throwing s*** against the wall and seeing what sticks.

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Spezza - Michalek
Greening - Smith - Condra
Conacher - Zibanejad - Neil

Greening & Condra have major chemistry, from last season's playoffs with Pageau to the handful of games they played together with Smith this year.

Conacher plays best with Zibby, Zibby plays best at C, and having Neil there just makes it a tougher energy line, one that could potentially net a few points.
 

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