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

[Gordoff]

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

DeLeTe

 

[DKH]

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.

Bang on observation

An NHL Scout who was at the Buffalo rookie tourney told me their team is very impressed and high on Studnicka. They think Boston nailed another second rounder.

I’d like to see him come spring IF it’s open grab that spot

Heinen- Studnicka- Bjork

Love what it could do

 

[Dizzay]

The bottom 6 has been a major disappointment thus far, actually the 2nd-4th line has been a disappointment.
Krejci needs to get going here.
10 goals-3 games
Bergeron 4, Pasta 3, Chara, Donato, Wagner
Donato's goal was on the PP with the 1st line, Wagner scored assisted by Marshy and Pasta, same as Chara.
There's has been zero offence created by anyone outside/not including the 1st line.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Next game, I would like to see:

Marchand -- Bergeron -- Pastrnak
DeBrusk -- Krejci -- Bjork
Heinen -- Backes -- Donato
Wagner -- Kuraly -- Acciari

Bjork has been flying since coming into the lineup. Lets see what he can do with a guy like DeBrusk. Donato should get a 10-15 game look, but if he doesn't start producing then send him to Providence. Call up Cehlarik and reassess the lines. The production from lines 2 and 3 have been embarrassing. JDB and Bjork are looking good, but the rest have been mediocre at best.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

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.

I agree, there is and should be a line drawn between the 3rd and 4th liners.

However, when you look at the TOI for the OTT game, this wasn’t the case.

I’m not sure if it was because they were up or what (I have only watched some of the game on DVR, have to watch rest later), but:

Marchand: 18:47
Bergeron: 16:46
Pastrnak: 16:24
Kuraly: 16:11
Krejci: 14:47
DeBrusk: 14:27
Acciari: 14:11
Backes: 13:29
Wagner: 12:57
Donato: 12:56
Heinen: 12:37
Bjork: 11:41

Unless there was a bunch of PP’s (Sens only had 3), there is no circumstance where I want Kuraly, Acciari, and Wagner playing more than DeBrusk, Krejci, Donato, Heinen, Backes, or Bjork.

I really hope that the B’s coaching staff is working with the young 2 way players on the roster (Heinen, DeBrusk, Bjork) so they can see time on the PK (along with the 4th liners). The time is coming when Boston will need to limit the PK time of guys like Marchand and Bergeron.

 

[BostonBruins11]

Next game, I would like to see:

Marchand -- Bergeron -- Pastrnak
DeBrusk -- Krejci -- Bjork
Heinen -- Backes -- Donato
Wagner -- Kuraly -- Acciari

Bjork has been flying since coming into the lineup. Lets see what he can do with a guy like DeBrusk. Donato should get a 10-15 game look, but if he doesn't start producing then send him to Providence. Call up Cehlarik and reassess the lines. The production from lines 2 and 3 have been embarrassing. JDB and Bjork are looking good, but the rest have been mediocre at best.

I agree! Bjork's speed/game compliments DeBrusk Speed/game. I actually think Heinen(playmaker)/Donato(shooter) would work better together. The only problem with that is our 3rd line would be slower than it already is lol.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

The bottom 6 has been a major disappointment thus far, actually the 2nd-4th line has been a disappointment.
Krejci needs to get going here.
10 goals-3 games
Bergeron 4, Pasta 3, Chara, Donato, Wagner
Donato's goal was on the PP with the 1st line, Wagner scored assisted by Marshy and Pasta, same as Chara.
There's has been zero offence created by anyone outside/not including the 1st line.

I agree! Bjork's speed/game compliments DeBrusk Speed/game. I actually think Heinen(playmaker)/Donato(shooter) would work better together. The only problem with that is our 3rd line would be slower than it already is lol.

I watched the first game and I thought DeBrusk and Heinen were both pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

Lineup gets changed, Donato in for Heinen.

Next couple of games, DeBrusk and Donato look pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

I am not against the idea of trying Bjork there in place of Donato and agree with the idea that Donato might be a good fit with Heinen.

However, if Bjork doesn’t work there, but he and DeBrusk look pretty good, at what point do you look at the other member of that line and ask what he’s doing to make the Top 6 better? I like Krejci, but the B’s always seem to be looking for wings to work with him. In my mind, a Top 2 center that is the highest paid player on the team needs to be making other guys better...and not the other way around.

If Bjork doesn’t result in better production for that line, you put one of the young wings with 63 and 37, and try Pasta with 74 and 46. If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to look at acquiring a better Top 6 center than Krejci?

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

I don't know if this was posted or if there's a better thread for it, but I suppose it's relevant here:

 

[easton117]

I watched the first game and I thought DeBrusk and Heinen were both pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

Lineup gets changed, Donato in for Heinen.

Next couple of games, DeBrusk and Donato look pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

I am not against the idea of trying Bjork there in place of Donato and agree with the idea that Donato might be a good fit with Heinen.

However, if Bjork doesn’t work there, but he and DeBrusk look pretty good, at what point do you look at the other member of that line and ask what he’s doing to make the Top 6 better? I like Krejci, but the B’s always seem to be looking for wings to work with him. In my mind, a Top 2 center that is the highest paid player on the team needs to be making other guys better...and not the other way around.

If Bjork doesn’t result in better production for that line, you put one of the young wings with 63 and 37, and try Pasta with 74 and 46. If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to look at acquiring a better Top 6 center than Krejci?

I think if they had any other options Krejci might already be on the third line.

Not a bad thing really. Him with Heinen and Bjork or Donato would be just as good if not better than a good chunk of the third lines in the league.

As it stands though, he’s winning that spot by default. Maybe ask Chara to crack him in the kidneys every day, see if they can get that heart rate up a little bit

 

[Mainehockey33]

Next game, I would like to see:

Marchand -- Bergeron -- Pastrnak
DeBrusk -- Krejci -- Bjork
Heinen -- Backes -- Donato
Wagner -- Kuraly -- Acciari

Bjork has been flying since coming into the lineup. Lets see what he can do with a guy like DeBrusk. Donato should get a 10-15 game look, but if he doesn't start producing then send him to Providence. Call up Cehlarik and reassess the lines. The production from lines 2 and 3 have been embarrassing. JDB and Bjork are looking good, but the rest have been mediocre at best.

This is what I’d do too. The second line had a really good shift in the offensive zone in the first period last game, but didn’t do too much else. Bjork was producing in the top 6 last year before injuries and has a better all around game then Donato right now so I’d like to see him improve that line. I thought the bottom 6 was pretty good last game.

Cehlarik’s game was NHL ready last year, he’d be a step up from Donato and improve possession time on whatever line he’s on. Cassidy’s comments on pace confused me as much as him saying Backes at 3C was option C. Let Donato tear up the AHL for awhile.

 

[Blowfish]

I don't know if this was posted or if there's a better thread for it, but I suppose it's relevant here:

He proved he's a superstar no need to take risks...now what were the bruins thinking picking up a ready to retire/worried for his health Nash at the deadline?

And why do some fans still want to sign with the bruins?

 

[Sheppy]

Damn. That sucks for Nash, but I'm glad he's getting out early if he's indeed in rough shape. No need in pressing it.

Always a fan of 61.

 

[wintersej]

I watched the first game and I thought DeBrusk and Heinen were both pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

Lineup gets changed, Donato in for Heinen.

Next couple of games, DeBrusk and Donato look pretty good, despite the lack of offense.

I am not against the idea of trying Bjork there in place of Donato and agree with the idea that Donato might be a good fit with Heinen.

However, if Bjork doesn’t work there, but he and DeBrusk look pretty good, at what point do you look at the other member of that line and ask what he’s doing to make the Top 6 better? I like Krejci, but the B’s always seem to be looking for wings to work with him. In my mind, a Top 2 center that is the highest paid player on the team needs to be making other guys better...and not the other way around.

If Bjork doesn’t result in better production for that line, you put one of the young wings with 63 and 37, and try Pasta with 74 and 46. If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to look at acquiring a better Top 6 center than Krejci?

Does Krejci not make those around him better? Seems like the list of wingers who got worse after leaving Krejci is very long to me. Pastrnak being the exception, but how much of that is Pasta just getting older.

 

[wintersej]

He proved he's a superstar no need to take risks...now what were the bruins thinking picking up a ready to retire/worried for his health Nash at the deadline?

And why do some fans still want to sign with the bruins?

Seems wildly unfair to ask that. We have no idea how the latest concussion effected him.

 

[wintersej]

I agree! Bjork's speed/game compliments DeBrusk Speed/game. I actually think Heinen(playmaker)/Donato(shooter) would work better together. The only problem with that is our 3rd line would be slower than it already is lol.

So that is the thing, I think Backes at C gets harder without Bjork around to give that group some speed. Let Donato marinate on the 2nd line for a while.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

He proved he's a superstar no need to take risks...now what were the bruins thinking picking up a ready to retire/worried for his health Nash at the deadline?

And why do some fans still want to sign with the bruins?

You're still on this Nash stuff? One would think that he only seriously started to consider retirement (and seems to be going towards it) because of the concussion he got while playing for Boston. You acting like he was like this before coming here is funny.

 

[DominicT]

I don't know if this was posted or if there's a better thread for it, but I suppose it's relevant here:

False

 

[Blowfish]

You're still on this Nash stuff? One would think that he only seriously started to consider retirement (and seems to be going towards it) because of the concussion he got while playing for Boston. You acting like he was like this before coming here is funny.

Everyone knows Rick Nash wasn't himself for a number of years. That's no secrete. Please note the the following article from 2013. Many more like this out there in googleland. Bruins were risking on a broken player. And like you said, yes I'm acting like this before he came to Boston.

Will Concussions Make Rick Nash The Next Eric Lindros?

 

[BruinDust]

Everyone knows Rick Nash wasn't himself for a number of years. That's no secrete. Please note the the following article from 2013. Many more like this out there in googleland. Bruins were risking on a broken player. And like you said, yes I'm acting like this before he came to Boston.

Will Concussions Make Rick Nash The Next Eric Lindros?

If a team acquired Bergeron today, would they be risking on a broken player? Because he has a history of concussions, one as recently as 2013, the same year as this article was written about Rick Nash. (and Bergeron's 4th, as oppose to Nash's 3rd).

We get it, you didn't like that trade. Well it's done, time to get over it. You'll use anything you can find to continue to hammer the point home you thought it was a bad deal.

 

[smack66]

I'd have no problem having a healthy Nash sign a one year pro rated contract with the Bruins.

 

[HustleB]

False

Every time you post I'm on the edge of my seat.

 

[Gee Wally]

Don't kill the messenger. I just post these things.

Maybe the Bruins should try Sean Kuraly on the top line, and other thoughts - The Boston Globe

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

He proved he's a superstar no need to take risks...now what were the bruins thinking picking up a ready to retire/worried for his health Nash at the deadline?

And why do some fans still want to sign with the bruins?

id dare say the majority of hof types retire with game left in the tank. lidstrom was still battling for the Norris when he retired lol... so to chastise a fan for wanting a retiring guy to come back for another year is something I cant understand.

these players usually retire because battling the everyday aches and pains gets harder at the advanced age... and being away from the family just stops making sense when you already have more money then you will ever need.

if nash does retire because its the right decision for him... so be it
but the right decision for us would be sign this guy for the last half of the year if he does decide to play

 

[Blowfish]

If a team acquired Bergeron today, would they be risking on a broken player? Because he has a history of concussions, one as recently as 2013, the same year as this article was written about Rick Nash. (and Bergeron's 4th, as oppose to Nash's 3rd).

We get it, you didn't like that trade. Well it's done, time to get over it. You'll use anything you can find to continue to hammer the point home you thought it was a bad deal.

There are still some folk on here wanting him back!!! So no I can't get over it!

 

[DominicT]

Every time you post I'm on the edge of my seat.

There are a select few here that know I spoke with Resnick not to long ago