Line Combos: 2016-2017 Line Combinations

[S E P H]

Yeah but two coaches and he still cant get on..at 23..i dont know man. I think its time to let him go to Philly or something.

Just because he's 23 doesn't mean he plays hockey like a 23 year old. Considering his injury list, he's probably around the late age of 21 years in talent level. He also wasn't bad at all, but also didn't shine, which might actually be a good thing for a shutdown defender. Additionally, there was noway they would have him here above a veteran like Tyutin. I think the best aspect for him would be to play majority of the games in the AHL and hope Avs would give him one final shot at next year's camp.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Next step is a solid callup, not just nachos for a game or two but real games in the lineup. I really dont think it happens too often where a prospect goes straight to making the team without getting a real look as a callup first. (Obviously excluding the elite guys who step right in)

 

[agentblack]

Ill bet everyone 100 bucks the next callup is Stanton.

Sorry Dunk.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Grigorenko
Colborne - Duchene - Iginla
G. Borque - Soderberg - Rantanen
Comeau - Mitchell - R. Borque
(Mcleod, Martinsen)

Zadorov - Johnson
Beauchemin - Barrie
Gelinas - Tyutin
(Wiercioch)

Varlamov
Pickard

Is the best I can come up with. Also think it will be very, very competitive if everyone plays to potential.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Ill bet everyone 100 bucks the next callup is Stanton.

Sorry Dunk.

Probably but it's a long season.

 

[ABasin]

Hope no one minds the thread bump...

I've been barking about this for 2 seasons now, but how long before they simply play the team's 3 best forwards together? Is it such a lousy idea to play Landeskog-MacKinnon-Duchene together?

 

[McMetal]

Hope no one minds the thread bump...

I've been barking about this for 2 seasons now, but how long before they simply play the team's 3 best forwards together? Is it such a lousy idea to play Landeskog-MacKinnon-Duchene together?

IMO, yes, it is. Only three players on this team have the offensive talent to drive a scoring line (you could even argue only two, just MacK and Duchene). Putting all three of them on a line together means you only have one good line. Shut that line down, and the second line can't pick up the slack because they're all supporting players in an ideal sense. I'm good with two of them together on a line, but one of them has to be on the second line to keep balance in the top six.

 

[tigervixxxen]

IMO, yes, it is. Only three players on this team have the offensive talent to drive a scoring line (you could even argue only two, just MacK and Duchene). Putting all three of them on a line together means you only have one good line. Shut that line down, and the second line can't pick up the slack because they're all supporting players in an ideal sense. I'm good with two of them together on a line, but one of them has to be on the second line to keep balance in the top six.

I agree. I like 2 good lines vs the spread but that makes it too top heavy. I like being able to pull out the 9 line when they need it too.

 

[Iceberg]

My suggestion for the next game would be:

R.Bourque - MacKinnon - Duchene
Landeskog - Soderberg - Iginla
Colbourne - Grigorenko - Comeau
Martinsen - Smith - G.Bourque

 

[Cousin Eddie]

1. Landeskog Mackinnon Grigorenko
2. Soderberg Duchene Rantanen
3. R Bourque Colborne Iginla/Comeau
4. Any combination of the rest.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

1. Landeskog Mackinnon Grigorenko
2. Soderberg Duchene Rantanen
3. R Bourque Colborne Iginla/Comeau
4. Any combination of the rest.

That's what it should be...You'd see Duchene hit 80pts with him soon too. I'd probably switch Soda with Colborne too.

 

[henchman21]

This is what I want to see:

Landy-MacK-Rants
Colborne-Duchene-Iggy
Grigo-Soda-Comeau
G Bourque/McLeod-Smith-R Bourque/Marty

Reasoning:

1st Line - true top line potential, Rants gets to be a 3rd wheel no other configuration really allows that.
2nd Line - Iggy isn't moving down the lineup yet, so here he does the least damage IMO... Colborne and Duchene should work well together down low and Colborne can score greasy goals. Eventually Grigo on the line to replace Iggy... Colborne switches to the right
3rd Line - Still enough scoring pop and hopefully Comeau and Soda can get some chemistry going again. Good defensive line.
4th Line - Just the scraps. Rotate in the wings with Smith at center until Mitchell is healthy

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

This is what I want to see:

Landy-MacK-Rants
Colborne-Duchene-Iggy
Grigo-Soda-Comeau
G Bourque/McLeod-Smith-R Bourque/Marty

Reasoning:

1st Line - true top line potential, Rants gets to be a 3rd wheel no other configuration really allows that.
2nd Line - Iggy isn't moving down the lineup yet, so here he does the least damage IMO... Colborne and Duchene should work well together down low and Colborne can score greasy goals. Eventually Grigo on the line to replace Iggy... Colborne switches to the right
3rd Line - Still enough scoring pop and hopefully Comeau and Soda can get some chemistry going again. Good defensive line.
4th Line - Just the scraps. Rotate in the wings with Smith at center until Mitchell is healthy

Then people will complain how Duchene is not as good as he is. Hitting 60ish points. You like Pep have a Ferrari but driving it like a fiat.

 

[Foppa2118]

wrong thread

 

[henchman21]

Duchene has played with almost everyone under the sun, and the reason for this is because he finds it hard to develop chemistry with guys, and goes into slumps, and gets his linemates changed.

Nine years into his pro career and he's still having these issues. I think it's fair to say at this point, the cause of these slumps lie more on Duchene's shoulder's than his linemates. You could fill up a whole roster almost with the amount of guys Dutchy couldn't gel with.

It's not talent, and it's not how much he cares about the Avs winning. He's filled to the brim in both categories. He just overthinks everything on the ice, and puts too much pressure on himself off the ice.

The reason I think he gets talked about so much is that he looks so dominant when he's playing confident hockey. When he's playing with a lack of confidence, and overthinking all the plays, he's noticeably a step behind what he's shown capable of, and it can be a bit frustrating to watch. Like right now, there just isn't something right about his game, and how he executes plays with the puck.

He's capable of being a fairly dominant PPG player, he just can't find that level of consistency. That's why to me, he makes a better winger, where the expectations are lower. Hopefully the Avs can have MacK as that dominant near PPG top center, and either Jost or Mikko as the two way presence you need in the #2 spot.

Dutchy is then free to be streaky, and end up with 25-30 goals and 60 points, and we'll be happy about it, rather than overly frustrated with it. As of now, the team is in a transition phases, and he's still relied upon more heavily than he should be.

He really should be that Jeff Carter/Marion Gaborik kind of guy where you can win without him scoring, but he can get hot and win you games, and come through in the playoffs when the opposition focuses on guys like Landy and Mack. To do that though, they have to build the team properly around him, and get them playing sound hockey.

This pretty much nails it.

I also said I'd rather Grigo be up there, but that isn't realistic at the moment.

 

[Foppa2118]

This pretty much nails it.

I also said I'd rather Grigo be up there, but that isn't realistic at the moment.

I moved it to the GDT sorry, haha. I thought that's where this discussion was taking place.

I like Grigo up there as well. He's one of the few guys that's shown good chemistry with Duchene, though we've seen in the past, that doesn't mean it can't be lost again.

I think Grigo helps Duchene's line more with his playmaking than Colborne, but as for his own game, and for the sake of depth in scoring, I kind of like him centering the 3rd line too.

 

[henchman21]

I think Grigo helps Duchene's line more with his playmaking than Colborne, but as for his own game, and for the sake of depth in scoring, I kind of like him centering the 3rd line too.

With a Grigo-Duchene-Iggy line... there is nobody that can really help Duchene forecheck. If Iggy was competent in that area, I'd say that would be better, but he isn't at this stage in his career. Colborne on the other hand is a pretty good forechecker especially on the wing. That will at least allow that line to have the puck in the zone a bit while Iggy does Iggy things until he can be moved down.

 

[Foppa2118]

With a Grigo-Duchene-Iggy line... there is nobody that can really help Duchene forecheck. If Iggy was competent in that area, I'd say that would be better, but he isn't at this stage in his career. Colborne on the other hand is a pretty good forechecker especially on the wing. That will at least allow that line to have the puck in the zone a bit while Iggy does Iggy things until he can be moved down.

Oh I see what you meant, I'd agree with that. Though I think Grigo is good in the corners, and coming out of the corners with the puck, he just needs a faster guy like Duchene to jump on the puck first.

I thought you meant with Duchene at wing, and Soda at center. I'd like to see Mikko or Grigo on that other wing to help with puck distribution, or Landy because of his chemistry with Soda, though he seems to be working well with Nate right now, so no reason to split that up.

 

[cgf]

I'm hoping we get to some iteration of this:

Landy - MacK - Rantanen*
Greg* - Dutchy - Colborne*
Comeau - Soda - Iggys' corpse

 

[Foppa2118]

With Landy and Nate having success this is what I'd like to see in a healthy roster personally:

Landy - MacK - Mikko
Grigo - Soda - Duchene
Comeau - Colborne - Iggy
Bourque - Mitchell - Bourque

Until Mitchell gets back:

Landy - MacK - Mikko
R Bourque - Soda - Duchene
Comeau - Grigo - Iggy
G Bourque - Colborne - Marty/McLeod

Just leave Duchene with Soda and make them figure it out somehow. Can't keep changing it up every time Dutchy doesn't click with a top 6 guy. They don't have that many legit top 6 options.

 

[tucker3434]

I'm hoping we get to some iteration of this:

Landy - MacK - Rantanen*
Greg* - Dutchy - Colborne*
Comeau - Soda - Iggys' corpse

That looks pretty good to me. I really don't like Colborne at C. We have too many capable centers for that. I'd like it even better with a Bourque next to Soda, but that isn't happening.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Wouldn't it be helpful considering how useless our forward depth group is, to dress a guy like Gelinas as the 7th dman and use him on the PP instead of say, Beuchemin and then use him as an energy winger for a shift here or there? Or give Siemens like 10-15 minute to play that way to see what he's got while simultaneously cutting down Tyutin's TOI.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'd rather have Soda in the top 6 than Colborne. I want Mack and Grigo together, I think Landy and Soda are a good duo. I think I'd do

Grigo-Mack-Duchene
Landy-Soda-Mikko
Comeau-Colborne-Iggy
Bourque-Mitchell-Marty

Iggy and Rene can maybe trade off or Mikko and Iggy and flip if he needs sometime to get his feet wet.

 

[Jarey Curry]

I really want Soderberg in the top 6 and my god what a shot he fired last game, he's our new tanguay because he will pass the puck no matter what but except when he actually shoots it, he scores

 

[Jarey Curry]

I'd rather have Soda in the top 6 than Colborne. I want Mack and Grigo together, I think Landy and Soda are a good duo. I think I'd do

Grigo-Mack-Duchene
Landy-Soda-Mikko
Comeau-Colborne-Iggy
Bourque-Mitchell-Marty

Iggy and Rene can maybe trade off or Mikko and Iggy and flip if he needs sometime to get his feet wet.

That top 6 needs to happen, mack's line has too much offensive potential and soda's line is very potent 2way force shutting down opponents and still capable of doing critical damage in the o zone. I like Colborne on the pp but I wish that either Borq would step up and play his wing on the 3rd. At the same time it feels like the avs do mind dropping a hockey icon on the 4th line especially when he's getting paid +5M, so I guess Iggy plays at least on the 3rd if not in the top6