Line Combos: 2016-2017 Line Combinations

[MonsterMack]

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

That shot was absolutely beautiful, but I wouldn't say it is remotely typical of Soderberg

I agree that I want him in the top 6 despite him being terrible the other night though

 

[Foppa2118]

I think this clean slate approach where nothing from the past carried over, and then the constant mixing and matching of lines, has contributed to some chemistry problems this year.

To me it should be fairly simple because a lot of things should be well known. You know Landy and Soda are a great duo. That's the most guaranteed duo on the roster. They never should have been split up.

Nate and a playmaker like Mikko are a pretty obvious duo on the other line, and ideally you spread out the scoring with Nate and Duchene on separate lines. We know Grigo was absolutely on fire in pre-season at center, but was shifted to wing and never moved. We know Iggy should not be in the top 6 because he's weighing it down.

All of these things are more or less putting everyone in their best position to succeed, or a position to not hurt the team too much. That makes the basic skeleton of the roster pretty obvious IMO.

XX - Mack - Mikko
Landy - Soda - Duchene
XX - Grigo - Iggy
XX - XX - XX

 

[Nalens Oga]

Duchene is our best playmaker, might be a good idea to have him at centre with Mac (last year Roy tried Mac at centre with Duchene which wasn't bad btu I'd have Mac on the wing).

Mikko-Duchene-Mac
Landeksog-Soda-Not Iggy

 

[ABasin]

Duchene is our best playmaker, might be a good idea to have him at centre with Mac (last year Roy tried Mac at centre with Duchene which wasn't bad btu I'd have Mac on the wing).

Mikko-Duchene-Mac
Landeksog-Soda-Not Iggy

I just put this in the GDT, but I suppose it's better here.

Put the 3 best damn guys on the same line now. Or 3 of the top 4 at least.

Landeskog-Duchene-MacKinnon
Rantanen-Soderberg-Grigorenko (I suppose)

or

Rantanen-Duchene-MacKinnon
Landeskog-Soderberg-Grigorenko

Either one with MacKinnon at wing.

 

[5280]

I just put this in the GDT, but I suppose it's better here.

Put the 3 best damn guys on the same line now. Or 3 of the top 4 at least.

Landeskog-Duchene-MacKinnon
Rantanen-Soderberg-Grigorenko (I suppose)

or

Rantanen-Duchene-MacKinnon
Landeskog-Soderberg-Grigorenko

Either one with MacKinnon at wing.

I rebutted this in the GDT but yeah it makes sense to talk about it over here. The problem I have with this approach is that, while it looks good on paper, Mack and Dutchy have never shown any chemistry together playing on the same line. To me at least.

 

[cgf]

Landeskog - Soderberg - Duchene
Colborne - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Martinsen - Grigorenko - Iginla
Comeau - Mitchell - Bork/XXX

Yeah?

 

[Avs71]

Landeskog-Soderberg-MacKinnon
Bourque-Duchene-Rantanen
Martinsen-Grigorenko-Colborne
McLeod-Mitchell-Comeau

 

[landy92mack29]

Landeskog-Mackinnon-Rantanen
Grigorenko-Soderberg-Duchene
Comeau-Colborne-Iginla
Mcleod-Mitchell-Martinsen

 

[tigervixxxen]

I like that Colby-Grigo-Rene line today. Both Grigo and Colby looked better

 

[Freudian]

I'm usually not a fan of throwing all eggs in one basket, but getting Söderberg as center with Landeskog helped him. Bourque-Grigorenko-Colborne were uneven but not all bad. Seemed like Grigorenko covered a bit more ice than he does as winger.

 

[Avs71]

The big question now is what do the Avs do with the lineup when Landeskog and Duchene get back?

I think Greer goes back to the AHL, even though they may as well keep him up and see if he can maintain his level of play. Can Comeau replace him on MacKinnon's wing? I'd be hesitant to stick MacKinnon back with skilled players given how he has looked with puck hounds.

Comeau-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Landeskog-Soderberg-Duchene

If MacKinnon and Rantanen keep playing how they are, that might not be a bad top-6.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

My dream scenario is we trade McCleod for a late pick and keep Greer up and keep him with Mack.


Greer - Mack - Rantanen
Landy - Soderberg - Duchene
Bourque - Greg - Iginla
Comeau - Mitchell - Martinsen


That's IMO the best lines we could possibly build right now. A real solid Top 6(Especially if Soderberg can get going), a decent 3rd line(Replacing Iggy with an actual 3rd line quality player would be fantastic) and a 4th line that is capable of playing some tougher minutes and PK time.

 

[SnipShow]

Our top 6 for next year



Landeskog Duchene Mack

Jost Patrick Rantanen

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

If Macks last two game are any sort of sign of what's to come from him, we wont be anywhere near the Patrick sweepstakes.


Still confident this team finishes outside the playoffs and once again picking in the 8-14 range. Another great prospect at least, but it wont be Patrick. Barring a miracle lottery win, or a devastating set of injuries.

 

[McMetal]

If Macks last two game are any sort of sign of what's to come from him, we wont be anywhere near the Patrick sweepstakes.


Still confident this team finishes outside the playoffs and once again picking in the 8-14 range. Another great prospect at least, but it wont be Patrick. Barring a miracle lottery win, or a devastating set of injuries.

The last two years are proof positive that picking in that range isn't always a devastating setback. No, I don't expect to see Patrick, but we could still land a very good player with a pick in that range. Early reports seem to be positive on mid-first depth in 2017.

 

[tigervixxxen]

The last two years are proof positive that picking in that range isn't always a devastating setback. No, I don't expect to see Patrick, but we could still land a very good player with a pick in that range. Early reports seem to be positive on mid-first depth in 2017.

100% agreed. I'm not sure where this the draft isn't good anyway is coming from. It doesn't have the marquee names at the top but that's not our concern. The 2-15 has a nice set of options, we'll get a good player.

 

[CobraAcesS]

My dream scenario is we trade McCleod for a late pick and keep Greer up and keep him with Mack.


Greer - Mack - Rantanen
Landy - Soderberg - Duchene
Bourque - Greg - Iginla
Comeau - Mitchell - Martinsen


That's IMO the best lines we could possibly build right now. A real solid Top 6(Especially if Soderberg can get going), a decent 3rd line(Replacing Iggy with an actual 3rd line quality player would be fantastic) and a 4th line that is capable of playing some tougher minutes and PK time.

So I watched the third period again, and these were all of the line combinations used. These are also legit full shifts, not ones where it gets a little messed up as they are changing on the fly before a face-off.

Rantanen - MacKinnon - Iginla (2G)
Borq - Soderberg - Rantanen
Greer - MacKinnon - Martinsen
Grigorenko - Mitchell - Comeau
McLeod - Grigorenko - Greer
Greer - Soderberg - Borq
Rantanen - Soderberg - Iginla
McLeod - Mitchell - Martinsen
Comeau - Soderberg - Colborne
Comeau - Mitchell - Borq
Borq - MacKinnon - Iginla
Comeau - Mitchell - Martinsen
Greer - Soderberg - Colborne
Soderberg - Mitchell - Iginla
Comeau - MacKinnon - Martinsen (Last 30 seconds)

I was curious if Greer was being used on both sides, and he was. Because hes played mostly LW I wanted to know how flexible that was going to be, as it would help him stay in the lineup. Also Mikko played mostly on the left side, except one or two shifts with Soderberg.

Grigorenko, Colborne, and McLeod were the ones not playing much. McLeod is really the odd man out, that is for sure. Then I'd say Colborne after that. Greer already looks like hes jumped those three though on the depth chart, just as far as usage goes.

MacKinnon was getting double shifted to the point where they just switched out his wingers for the next shift. Mikko was also playing with MacK, and then off for one shift and back out with another center quite a bit. Both of them were getting double shifted to an extent. Looked like Mikko also had a defensive role with Soderberg.

If I had to guess, when one of Duchy or Landy come back, Mikko at LW with MacKinnon is probably going to be a staple. Then with one of Marty/Greer/Iginla on the right side.

The rest who knows... lol

 

[tigervixxxen]

That's cool, thanks for writing that out. Matches about what I noticed. They were giving Greer a more defensive shift there with Soda late and the pk shift, Bednar seems to be trying a few things there. Will be very interesting to see what they do.

 

[CobraAcesS]

That's cool, thanks for writing that out. Matches about what I noticed. They were giving Greer a more defensive shift there with Soda late and the pk shift, Bednar seems to be trying a few things there. Will be very interesting to see what they do.

Yeah all of those guys were being tried in different spots. It's hard to get a good pattern from that, other than who is at the bottom of the totem pole right now, and that Mikko specifically at LW with MacK is standing out as a pairing.

The only lines you could probably accurately guess are the first two IMO.

Mikko - MacK - Marty
Greer - Soda - Duchy

Just because I think Bednar starts Duchy at wing after being out for a bit.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I was curious if Greer was being used on both sides, and he was. Because hes played mostly LW I wanted to know how flexible that was going to be, as it would help him stay in the lineup. Also Mikko played mostly on the left side, except one or two shifts with Soderberg.

Just thought of this, the game Greer was back in the AHL he played some on the right side, I thought maybe I was going crazy because he has always been on the left side.

 

[Shaggy88]

Just thought of this, the game Greer was back in the AHL he played some on the right side, I thought maybe I was going crazy because he has always been on the left side.

I don't think it's a bad thing for them to develop Greer on both wings. The more versatility, the better.

 

[thehockeywatchinger]

I don't think it's a bad thing for them to develop Greer on both wings. The more versatility, the better.

All the world in this place laughs a me. If you like versatility A-J Greer cannot play dman. It is my opinion that he is better as dman.

Laugh people. Ha ha .

 

[tigervixxxen]

All the world in this place laughs a me. If you like versatility A-J Greer cannot play dman. It is my opinion that he is better as dman.

Laugh people. Ha ha .

I'm confused. We are talking about Greer playing AD when he's played AG mostly before.

 

[thehockeywatchinger]

Non. I am talking about versatility. Greer can play AD, AG or dman. It is my opinion. He is an excellent dman. 100%.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Non. I am talking about versatility. Greer can play AD, AG or dman. It is my opinion. He is an excellent dman. 100%.

Well that would be something to see!