Line Combos: 2018 -2019 Line/D Pairing discussions & proposals

[Bruinator]

what's the over/under on periods that backes remains at center? i'm setting it at 4.

If they don't score in the first 3 periods, he'll probably bail on him

 

[wintersej]

Hope they can gain possession and break out with Backes skating on the biggest part of the ice. Heinen’s stick and Bjork’s feet should help. IF this can work out it would be amazing being able to have the 9 best players in the top 9...and be able to give JFK and Frederic a little more time.

 

[DKH]

If Backes can play EVEN strength center for 12-15 minutes as a third line center and put up 15/45 it works well

 

[neelynugs]

If Backes can play EVEN strength center for 12-15 minutes as a third line center and put up 15/45 it works well

to me, he's very clearly the best option at 3C and the roster makes so much more sense
with him there. gives bjork top 9 minutes too, and the line of demarcation between the
top 9 and the 4th line is pretty clear.

 

[DominicT]

to me, he's very clearly the best option at 3C and the roster makes so much more sense
with him there. gives bjork top 9 minutes too, and the line of demarkation between the
top 9 and the 4th line is pretty clear.

I expected this would be the case if/when "he" returns. There has been a little chatter that "he" is leaning to making a return.

 

[UncleRico]

If Backes can play EVEN strength center for 12-15 minutes as a third line center and put up 15/45 it works well

I would be stunned if he gets to the 45 point mark. Last year he had 14 goals / 19 assists / 33 points in 57 games but 5 goals and 5 assists of that game from empty net situations. Obviously still very early in the season but he hasn’t looked good through 2 games so far. I really hope he proves me wrong but he didn’t look good last year either, especially at the end of the season.

Really unfortunate we have 3 years at $6 mil per year left on his contract.

 

[BruinDust]

Rather have Cehlarik on the 4th line with Kuraly and Wagner or Nordstrom. Acciari to the press box.
I - like most here - really like those lines though.

what's the over/under on periods that backes remains at center? i'm setting it at 4.

Cassidy said he wants to keep guys in the rotation in the early going, basically why he put Wagner back in and Nordstrom out.

Hopefully Noel Acciari isn't immune to this rotation.

When asked about Backes in the middle, he said he's basically Plan C. They were really hoping for one of the kids to seize the job but it didn't happen. He also said that Kuraly missed some time in the pre-season and it's set him back a bit. So that would make Kuraly Plan B. If it doesn't work well with Backes in the middle I think he'll go back to Kuraly pretty quickly.

Fingers crossed Backes in the middle works out because this line-up looks so much better with him in the middle and the 4 young guys on the wings of the middle two lines.

 

[Estlin]

I expected this would be the case if/when "he" returns. There has been a little chatter that "he" is leaning to making a return.

Who is “he”?

 

[AM Bruin]

Rick Nash?

 

[gvkmedia]

Rick Nash?

I hope so. That would bump every back and give us a 4 line team.

Marchand- Bergeron- Pastrnak
DeBrusk- Krejci-Nash
Donato-Backes-Heinen
Cehlarik-Kuraly-Bjork
*Nordstrom/Wagner

Of course I’m dreaming with this rotation.

 

[gvkmedia]

Of course, I would take the lineup 1 step further and keep Donato and DeBrusk together with Backes. Use Cehlarik with Krejci and Nash and have Bjork-Kuraly-Heinen as a line.

4 deep.

All lines can score.
All lines responsible.

 

[Estlin]

Rick Nash?

Oh, maybe. Boston doesn't need him, however, and I hope that he doesn't sign with the Bruins.

 

[UncleRico]

Oh, maybe. Boston doesn't need him, however, and I hope that he doesn't sign with the Bruins.

I’ll take rick Nash at 3rd line right wing over David backes.

 

[DKH]

I would be stunned if he gets to the 45 point mark. Last year he had 14 goals / 19 assists / 33 points in 57 games but 5 goals and 5 assists of that game from empty net situations. Obviously still very early in the season but he hasn’t looked good through 2 games so far. I really hope he proves me wrong but he didn’t look good last year either, especially at the end of the season.

Really unfortunate we have 3 years at $6 mil per year left on his contract.

Backes got 10 points EN???

Where is that stat - that is amazing if true

 

[DKH]

Just looked it up

Bruins scored 5 EN goals and gave up 10 EN goals.
-5 net

Looks like Backes got 2 points not 10

 

[PlayMakers]

what's the over/under on periods that backes remains at center? i'm setting it at 4.

Ouch. I’m going to remain hopeful and take the over.

 

[UncleRico]

Backes got 10 points EN???

Where is that stat - that is amazing if true

Read it from bruins stats but i just went back and counted from game logs and it’s 3 EN goals and 5 empty net assists

 

[DKH]

Read it from bruins stats but i just went back and counted from game logs and it’s 3 EN goals and 5 empty net assists

They only scored 5 EN goals

boston bruins 2017-18 empty net goals - Google Search

 

[UncleRico]

They only scored 5 EN goals

boston bruins 2017-18 empty net goals - Google Search

Those stats are wrong then. Because go look at the game logs for dec 19th, dec 23rd, Jan 17, Jan 20, feb 1st, feb 11th, April 7th. All games that I just did a quick scan on again that backes had an empty not goal or assist

 

[rocketdan9]

Nice win. Hopefully the other lines pickup some of the slack

Bergeron line cant do the heavy lifting all year long

 

[UncleRico]

Nice win. Hopefully the other lines pickup some of the slack

Bergeron line cant do the heavy lifting all year long

Going to need guys like backes to pick it up. Zero points so far through 3 games, and In today’s game against Ottawa he played the 2nd least amount of minutes on the team. Basically played as a 4th liner today.

 

[The don godfather]

Backes brings leadership and heart in the dressing room. It will be quite valuable come playoff time. He can score those greasy goals. Let's hope he's healthy. He has bruin DNA that hopefully he will install in donato and heinan.

 

[Friar85]

Going to need guys like backes to pick it up. Zero points so far through 3 games, and In today’s game against Ottawa he played the 2nd least amount of minutes on the team. Basically played as a 4th liner today.

Backes played 13:29, more than Bjork, Donato, Heinen, and Wagner.

 

[PlayMakers]

They only scored 5 EN goals

boston bruins 2017-18 empty net goals - Google Search

They only scored 5 EN goals

boston bruins 2017-18 empty net goals - Google Search

They scored 5 goals with their own goalie pulled, i.e. 6 on 5.

They scored 17 goals when the other team pulled their goalie, i.e. 5 on 6. (More if you count 4v6 and other odd number situations.
NHL.com - Stats

FWIW, I thought Backes played well today and I like that line. Two kids flying around being creative and Backes parked in front setting screens.

 

[Grimey]

Those stats are wrong then. Because go look at the game logs for dec 19th, dec 23rd, Jan 17, Jan 20, feb 1st, feb 11th, April 7th. All games that I just did a quick scan on again that backes had an empty not goal or assist

Regardless I'd give the guy a pass for last season. Thought he was going to miss the whole season after like 6 games and one assist and ended up getting like 27 points (excluding empty net points) in 57 games spending almost all his time on the third line

Give him time at 3C and see what that line can do. It's three games, hard to judge when the bottom six has been a revolving door.