Line Combos: 2014-15 Lineups

[The Macho King]

We haven't played some of the big guns in the league, but our Strength of Schedule isn't bad (just noticing something).

We've played good teams in the Flames (twice), the Habs, the Wild, the Sens (have looked decent so far), the Devils and the Jets, as well as the Canucks. That isn't an easy stretch - I think it's a pretty decent judge of where we are as a team - very good.

Our upcoming schedule is CBJ (decimated by injury), the Wings and the Blackhawks. This little three game trip should be a pretty good barometer of what we can expect from here on out - but the Wings are on the second half of a back to back. Do we start Nabby versus the BJs and Bish against the Wings?

 

[Sky04]

We haven't played some of the big guns in the league, but our Strength of Schedule isn't bad (just noticing something).

We've played good teams in the Flames (twice), the Habs, the Wild, the Sens (have looked decent so far), the Devils and the Jets, as well as the Canucks. That isn't an easy stretch - I think it's a pretty decent judge of where we are as a team - very good.

Our upcoming schedule is CBJ (decimated by injury), the Wings and the Blackhawks. This little three game trip should be a pretty good barometer of what we can expect from here on out - but the Wings are on the second half of a back to back. Do we start Nabby versus the BJs and Bish against the Wings?

Columbus will be on the tail end of a back to back as well, no reason we shouldn't win this or the Detroit game.

 

[Brie]

You know, by the time November comes to and end the team will have played 5 back to backs which hasn't and won't be easy, you'll also notice that all three of our regulation loses has been in either of those 2 games that has been a part of the 3 once we have already played but I hope that the trend isn't permanent, the next 2 back to backs is this weekend but the next one will have our 2nd one being against the rangers...

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

not wanting to tear feathers I like chips with ridges though haha.

anywho I look at the team lineup what we have I think we should trade killer.

I do not agree whatsoever he is an all around good player as someone stated he is like outside of top 8 guys defensively on this team. Offensively again would say he will wind up outside of top 8 guys. He is a guy you carry and is riding off of stamkos or flipper or whoever he plays with. He is good at everything just not that extra level.

Connolly to me has more upside drouin wont even discuss brown is soo much better defensively I dont mind him not scoring brown needs to move one day too though.

First guy im moving especially after watching all the games this year is killorn.

He would be a good second line guy for most teams for what we have he is a whatever. If his defense was better if he took less penalties and could score at say a 0.65 clip on second line? I would say keep him but honestly I think we have seen what we are gonna get with killorn.

I dont think anyone moves this year cause we will always have a guy or two nicked up lol.

I think thats moot but he should move by next year.

I think brown should move by next year too because odonnell imho is gonna be better than paquette same game higher scoring just as physical and fast.

So morrow and brown can move out.

I am way for connolly over killorn. Their games are vastly different and want the sniper whom imho will wind up being a legit 65 point guy year in and out on second line. Pushing 30 goals not getting carried by stamkos.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I said Killorn was good all around, he may be middle of the pack offensively and defensively which makes him good all around. He's not all offense or defense. I said on the trade board I see Killorn being moved but not till the offseason, we don't have the depth yet. Having Erne and Paquette a year older will make Killorn expendable.

Here's the thing, Cooper likes Killorn so I don't see him dropping from the top 6 for Drouin. He also doesn't like putting young players in a top 6 role until they've earned it which Drouin hasn't yet.

 

[BOLTMAN]

not wanting to tear feathers I like chips with ridges though haha.

anywho I look at the team lineup what we have I think we should trade killer.

I do not agree whatsoever he is an all around good player as someone stated he is like outside of top 8 guys defensively on this team. Offensively again would say he will wind up outside of top 8 guys. He is a guy you carry and is riding off of stamkos or flipper or whoever he plays with. He is good at everything just not that extra level.

Connolly to me has more upside drouin wont even discuss brown is soo much better defensively I dont mind him not scoring brown needs to move one day too though.

First guy im moving especially after watching all the games this year is killorn.

He would be a good second line guy for most teams for what we have he is a whatever. If his defense was better if he took less penalties and could score at say a 0.65 clip on second line? I would say keep him but honestly I think we have seen what we are gonna get with killorn.

I dont think anyone moves this year cause we will always have a guy or two nicked up lol.

I think thats moot but he should move by next year.

I think brown should move by next year too because odonnell imho is gonna be better than paquette same game higher scoring just as physical and fast.

So morrow and brown can move out.

I am way for connolly over killorn. Their games are vastly different and want the sniper whom imho will wind up being a legit 65 point guy year in and out on second line. Pushing 30 goals not getting carried by stamkos.

I have said this forever that we need to move these guys that they are our bottom players and have hit their ceiling and if other teams value them lets get something for them. You get younger stuff or pics and you keep the farm going. Or even better throw them in with one of our defenders not named hedman or Stralman and get an upgrade.

The only question I have had lately is do we have ahl players to replace these two if we continue with these injuries.

 

[Werewolf]

Hey again,

I've managed to write some of my thoughts on our defensemen.
Here is my blog with few analyses. I just wanted to describe some stats and put 'em in a graph. I hope, I'll have more free time so I can go deeper into stats.

But what's my conclusion? Šustr less minutes or AHL. Or he should get better.

Now it's official

I enjoyed reading the write up thank you. Stralman is out of this world good right now. Can the stats be adjusted to display most common forward lines they play with? For example, Stralman playing with triplets line and Sustr playing with Vladdy's line may skew the stats a bit. Could you add in some color in regards to how they perform with the different forward line combinations?

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

I enjoyed reading the write up thank you. Stralman is out of this world good right now. Can the stats be adjusted to display most common forward lines they play with? For example, Stralman playing with triplets line and Sustr playing with Vladdy's line may skew the stats a bit. Could you add in some color in regards to how they perform with the different forward line combinations?

Behind The Net has linemate data.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

I have said this forever that we need to move these guys that they are our bottom players and have hit their ceiling and if other teams value them lets get something for them. You get younger stuff or pics and you keep the farm going. Or even better throw them in with one of our defenders not named hedman or Stralman and get an upgrade.

The only question I have had lately is do we have ahl players to replace these two if we continue with these injuries.

next year have erne peca oddonell who I say is better than paquette everyone a year older? all ready for ahl or nhl duty.

So yeah morrow and brown should be expendable peca is as fast oddonell is fast and plays paquette style marshmellow is a year older we are stacked for real

 

[HoseEmDown]

next year have erne peca oddonell who I say is better than paquette everyone a year older? all ready for ahl or nhl duty.

So yeah morrow and brown should be expendable peca is as fast oddonell is fast and plays paquette style marshmellow is a year older we are stacked for real

Erne is the only one who's better then Paquette right now. Peca is a nice player but doesn't bring the physical game Paquette does and needs to show more goal scoring ability. O'Donnell has been less then impressive in his college career, decent flashes but very unspectacular. People thought Richard would be better then Paquette when they went to the A, I thought Paquette had a much better pro game in his north-south play and goal scoring instinct. I agree though that Brown can go, Morrow will be gone and possibly Killorn.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Erne is the only one who's better then Paquette right now. Peca is a nice player but doesn't bring the physical game Paquette does and needs to show more goal scoring ability. O'Donnell has been less then impressive in his college career, decent flashes but very unspectacular. People thought Richard would be better then Paquette when they went to the A, I thought Paquette had a much better pro game in his north-south play and goal scoring instinct. I agree though that Brown can go, Morrow will be gone and possibly Killorn.

go look at what oddonnell has done in camps for us and if have to can get some quotes by management etc.. they are high on him cause he has the speed of the game but plays the power game and does exactly what paquette does going to net etc.. with actually more skill.

paquette has been hot right now and maybe that keeps up I wont count on it he usually gets a lot of chances but doesnt finish ring any bells? He is an interesting player and we can use a couple like him and odonnell. I thought richard would be a better playmaker better player for nhl? I dont agree cause didnt think richard will be an nhl player. He has good vision playmaking but the rest is questionable and he is not a scorer and doesnt fight like paquette at net etc.. or fight period so really when we got richard I wasnt sure of him have friends who thought he was going to be as good as kucherov as a playmaker though so time will tell.

Is the peca thing a stat watch thing or what? Peca might be close to johnny good for the flames lol on skills etc.. when all is said and done. I would bet on the kid.

Peca has speed skillz and plays with a tyjo style fearless from the highlights I have seen. I like him a lot. Just another good guy to add to the mix and would bet he is in the nhl at one point.

So is my basis on oddonnel I say he will be the better player than paquette I have been wrong in past but have been right too we will see

 

[Werewolf]

Haven't seen Pecca nor O'Donnell, nor Hart yet. Erne I have seen and love his play. Wish I would have paid more attention to O'Donnell at camp. Richard's lightbulb hasn't gone off yet. He is fiesty, physical, and is willing to fight...but he is not a "fighter". You can see flashes with him...he is a bit buried right now on the depth chart - playing third/fourth line. At 21 he is still young enough...don't see the next level for him yet - especially with our organization since our depth down the middle is pretty deep. Nice player to have and keep until 24 or so and see if he develops a bit more. At the very least a 2-way responsible center who is good depth at the AHL level.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Camps really? That's what you're going by? Management can say all they want the kid has underachieved so far in his college career. It's not like he's playing at Alabama-Huntsville with scrubs he's at UND he should be doing more.

Peca is not close to Gaudreau in skill. I like Peca and think he has a chance to make the NHL but I don't know if he could be a top 6 player but more a good 3rd line center. He has more skill then Paquette so if he makes can see him outproducing him but Paquette's game is perfect for a bottom 6 player that he'll be in the league a long time. There's still a lot of hockey left for these kids to step up and improve and take the next step.

 

[Sky04]

Pretty cool that everyone on the team has at least 2 points this season already, also the only 2 minus players on the team are Stamkos and Filppula.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

There's one thing I know, Filp with Stamkos has NOT worked. Why are we sticking with it?

 

[Tmix]

There's one thing I know, Filp with Stamkos has NOT worked. Why are we sticking with it?

because the team is on a 5 game winning streak
no reason to make changes until the offensive production goes down

it will happen when killorn comes back most likely

 

[Rschmitz]

because the team is on a 5 game winning streak
no reason to make changes until the offensive production goes down

it will happen when killorn comes back most likely

I think you continue to find ways to improve your team. Have to keep getting better, you know the teams we are going to see in the playoffs are going to continue to improve. Not to mention that Stamkos is one of the players that you absolutely have to have firing on all cylinders when the games matter most.

 

[garmonbozia]

There is absolutely no impetus nor incentive to trading away Killorn and/or Brown yet.

As expendable as they are, neither holds enough trade value to improve us elsewhere enough to justify moving them. Where is that mystical elsewhere we need improved anyway? Killorn and Brown are both paid commensurate with their roles and play up to and in some cases above them. Both are still RFAs when their current contracts expire after next year. Both are still developing. Even if their ceilings aren't much higher than where they are at right now, until either thinks they're worth top 6 money we're fine keeping them around.


Sure if they're a needed component in our dream trade, you don't hesitate to move either. But, no need to shop them or force them out until either other players are indeed stealing their jobs or when they are expecting to be paid more than they are worth.




TLDR: Killorn and Brown are fine.

 

[Leonardo87]

When everyone gets back...

Palat - Stamkos - Callahan
Killorn - Flip - Connolly
Drouin - Johnson - Kucherov
Morrow - Boyle - Brown

or

Drouin - Stamkos - Callahan
Palat - Johnson - Kucherov
Killorn - Flip - Connolly
Morrow - Boyle - Brown

 

[HoseEmDown]

There is absolutely no impetus nor incentive to trading away Killorn and/or Brown yet.

As expendable as they are, neither holds enough trade value to improve us elsewhere enough to justify moving them. Where is that mystical elsewhere we need improved anyway? Killorn and Brown are both paid commensurate with their roles and play up to and in some cases above them. Both are still RFAs when their current contracts expire after next year. Both are still developing. Even if their ceilings aren't much higher than where they are at right now, until either thinks they're worth top 6 money we're fine keeping them around.


Sure if they're a needed component in our dream trade, you don't hesitate to move either. But, no need to shop them or force them out until either other players are indeed stealing their jobs or when they are expecting to be paid more than they are worth.




TLDR: Killorn and Brown are fine.

I don't think anybody wants to move either right now it's going into next season we will have so much depth someone will need to move. The 3rd line LW spot will be up to Killorn/Erne/Paquette to me I'd want Erne there and then Paquette on the 4th. Killorn is a good 2/3rd liner but if we can have Erne do his job but better for less money Killorn can be expendable. Brown I guess can stay as the 4th line RW since Smith or Paradis don't seem ready yet but Brown is an energy guy so I don't see as a key piece so if a team calls like say Thompson then he can be moved.

 

[Brie]

The 2nd line needs to stick together so that we have at least one consistent line, now I didn’t mind that Cooper did some changes at a few moments during the game, like having Palat – Johnson – Callahan as the line that was out during the final minutes when Columbus took their goalie out and the push they put on because it added a gritty vet presence on that line who is good to have when the other team start getting desperate and play dirty. But overall the 2nd line needs to stick as does the 4th line, the 3rd line is doing well with Paquette so as long as he’s around I’d keep it together but the question is what will happen when Killorn and Connolly gets back.

The 1st line is the one that they need to do something about because it’s not working and it seem to comes down to Stamkos and Filppula not making it work because Callahan seem to be able to work with both, at least better than what those two does but at the same time I don’t know what they could do to fix the 2st line without risking to ruin the rest of the line-up.

 

[Leonardo87]

Curious to know why Flip was taken off the PK.

 

[icejolt18]

When everyone gets back...

Palat - Stamkos - Callahan
Killorn - Flip - Connolly
Drouin - Johnson - Kucherov
Morrow - Boyle - Brown

or

Drouin - Stamkos - Callahan
Palat - Johnson - Kucherov
Killorn - Flip - Connolly
Morrow - Boyle - Brown

Namestnikov keeps getting better. He surprised everyone by making the team and is waiver eligible, but he has done nothing to take himself out of the line up. I think he stays in, and they rotate Brown and Connolly on the 4th line. And even Morrow to give him some old man rest.

Also, your second set of lines makes more sense as there is no reason to break up our first line (Palat-Johnson-Kucherov).

 

[Leonardo87]

Namestnikov keeps getting better. He surprised everyone by making the team and is waiver eligible, but he has done nothing to take himself out of the line up. I think he stays in, and they rotate Brown and Connolly on the 4th line. And even Morrow to give him some old man rest.

Also, your second set of lines makes more sense as there is no reason to break up our first line (Palat-Johnson-Kucherov).

I want to see the 2nd set. But the Drouin issue.

I also think there is room for Paquette on this team. So much talent, not enough slots is certainly a good thing.

 

[The Macho King]

Namestnikov keeps getting better. He surprised everyone by making the team and is waiver eligible, but he has done nothing to take himself out of the line up. I think he stays in, and they rotate Brown and Connolly on the 4th line. And even Morrow to give him some old man rest.

Also, your second set of lines makes more sense as there is no reason to break up our first line (Palat-Johnson-Kucherov).

Dead on - and clearly Coop agrees with Namestnikov getting better. Flip has not been out on the PK lately - the third C out has been Namestnikov.

The only question is what to do with Killorn. It's a shame for Connolly, but he's been played out of the line up most likely. Killorn will probably slot in to Morrow's spot, which would then give us one of the best fourth lines in the league.