I mean he does have the most even strength points on his line. Killorn and Johnson have 7 and 6 but just 4 and 3 at ES. The Gourde line is just killing everybody they're matched up with and so they have been scoring more than expected. Cirelli hasn't been as good as we've seen but he's not terrible out there. One big 2 or 3 point game and he's right there near the top again.
Player Discussion: Anthony Cirelli
- Thread starter These Are The Days
- Start date
Byrddog
Lifer
- Nov 23, 2007
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The center makes or breaks a line. Killer and Johnson would be more effective if Cirelli was. The damning thing Johnson can play center but Cirelli can not play wing. This limits what Coop can do with the line. He can not move Cirelli down and break up the Gourde line, I suppose he could move him to the 4th but thats drastic.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
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Yeah, I mean Cirelli didn't work well on wing with Stamkos and he looked bad with Point last night but that 2nd line unit as a whole just doesn't work.
I think you just put Cirelli with Paquette and Maroon for now and at least they can be a responsible line. Just shift Gourde/Point with Johnson and Killorn on double shift, they have the biggest motors.
I think Jonson's been the problem with that line, and it's affecting Cirelli's play. Given he's smurfy and used to be fast, why not try Stephens in his place and go with Cirelli-Kilorn-Stephens? Stephens doesn't have the offensive pedigree of TJ but he's faster and is very responsible defensively. And he wins faceoffs.
And Cirelli has more even strength points than either of them so I don't think he's the real issue. Everyone was getting all upset when Cooper kept putting Cirelli out against the Bergeron line well Bergeron had just 2 points that series and 1 at even strength. The scoring from that line were the wingers who should be our wingers responsibility. Cirelli can't play wing because he's too good as a center. He kept Bergeron in check this series which is a huge win.
I don't think he's faster. Stephens is roughly as fast as prime Callahan, which is pretty fast, but we have five or six guys who are faster, one of which being Johnson.
Cirelli's hurt. He'll be better when he heals up. He seems to be getting a little quicker with each game now. A bit of a lay off could help a lot.
Johnson might be faster and isn't bad but definitely gets pushed around these days and doesn't seem to create like he used to. Stephens is fast & plays hard. Johnson is fast and plays pretty soft. Both are pretty responsible defensively, but Stephens is stronger so can win more board battles in both the offensive & defensive zones. He's still young so could make some young mistakes, but as responsible as he is, I wouldn't really worry he'd make too many.
This is new toy syndrome. Stephens has very little, if any, scoring touch. He's not good enough to play in our top-9.
Byrddog
Lifer
- Nov 23, 2007
- 7,473
- 826
I do see your point but when you are not the home team the coach does not have last change to match up lines. This was something that Boston did not do well and while the Cirelli line got out against the Bergeron line many times it was only partial shifts. To indicate it was all line matchups is not genuine. Like Cirelli there was something wrong with Pasta which helped us out big time. Pasta makes that line effective, Bergeron has the puck handling ability but from the pure scoring its Pasta. While both were still above a ppg Pasta missed 3 playoff games also with whatever has been bothering him. In the regular season Pasta had 48g and 47 asst in 70 games and Bergeron 31g and 25 asst. Just as any player whos effectivness is hampered it rolls thru the line and That was the biggest issue Boston had with there one line team. You must give more credit to our defense as well who made Marchand change is game as well, while he got a couple goals in front of the net he was pounded all series but still got two deflection goals in that greasy area. Marchand had 59 assists in the regular season and was held to 1 in the series. Two of his 4 goals were from the PP and he was the most effective scorer for them in the series.
First, I think Stephens is pretty fast. Second, Johnson may have once been fast but he seems to have really lost a step, so at the present time I think Stephens is faster. And don't overlook Stephens' ability at the dot.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
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Johnson's not as fast as he was 7 years ago but there are only three or four guys on the team i'd pick over him in a race. And I'd only bet money on one (Point). Stephens has decent speed but I doubt he's in our top 6 or 7.
Either way, Stephens is a fringe nhler at the moment, who struggled to score in the AHL. He's pretty decent at a grinding role, but our 12th forward is always our worst player, even if they're capable of having games now and again.
Volodya Krutov
Lost Cosmonaut
- Jan 18, 2012
- 8,135
- 1,036
Thought played much better as the game went on on tuesday. He did a good job filling the gap on the top line (was he ? I was fried that night)
It was his best game so far. I hope good things are to come. (oh I also hope for some OT Saturday, and preferably a Flyers win)
It will be interesting to see what happens in the 3rd round. Plenty of time off if whatever's up isn't serious.
Great game so far (after 2) by Tony.
I guess he's just stuck on a garbage line. If only we could change up that 2nd line.....
I guess he's just stuck on a garbage line. If only we could change up that 2nd line.....
I think it's more that his speed is coming back. Gradually. He lost a footrace he would normally have won last night, but it was close, whereas two weeks ago he wouldn't have even been in the camera shot.
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