ATD#8 Foster Hewitt Round 1: #3 Victoria vs. #6 Dartmouth
- Thread starter VanIslander
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VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Victoria Cougars
PP1: Yakushev - Nilsson - Lafleur - Pilote - Taylor
PP2: Blake - Damphousse - Bellows - Carlyle - Jonsson
PK1: MacTavish - Ramsay - Pilote - Johnson
PK2: Taylor - Curry - Smith - Lowe
vs.
Dartmouth Subways
PP1: Malone - Hawerchuk - Selanne - Coffey - Iafrate
PP2: Bailey - Nilsson - Mullen - Svoboda - Wilson
PK1: Bain - Graves - Svoboda - Burrows
PK2: Broten - Tocchet - Wilson - Foote
PP1: Yakushev - Nilsson - Lafleur - Pilote - Taylor
PP2: Blake - Damphousse - Bellows - Carlyle - Jonsson
PK1: MacTavish - Ramsay - Pilote - Johnson
PK2: Taylor - Curry - Smith - Lowe
vs.
Dartmouth Subways
PP1: Malone - Hawerchuk - Selanne - Coffey - Iafrate
PP2: Bailey - Nilsson - Mullen - Svoboda - Wilson
PK1: Bain - Graves - Svoboda - Burrows
PK2: Broten - Tocchet - Wilson - Foote
The first thing that sticks out for me is the goaltending matchup. I'm a big Gardiner fan, but having arguably the best playoff goalie of all time is a big edge for Dartmouth.
That said, Victoria has a big edge in terms of first lines. While Malone and Taylor are close, Blake/Lafleur on the wings gives them a big edge.
I also think that Victoria has a big edge in terms of a shutdown line with Ramsay-MacTavish-Curry and shutdown defense with Johnson and Lowe in their top-4.
I give Dartmouth an edge in terms of scoring depth. Coffey is a huge offensive boost from the blueline, and they have a more offensively potent second line. The third lines are close though.
That said, Victoria has a big edge in terms of first lines. While Malone and Taylor are close, Blake/Lafleur on the wings gives them a big edge.
I also think that Victoria has a big edge in terms of a shutdown line with Ramsay-MacTavish-Curry and shutdown defense with Johnson and Lowe in their top-4.
I give Dartmouth an edge in terms of scoring depth. Coffey is a huge offensive boost from the blueline, and they have a more offensively potent second line. The third lines are close though.
I see a few important advantages for me here
1) Leadership: I have 48 Stanley Cup rings on my roster. This is a team full of guys who have been to the dance and walked away with the Cup. There's a big difference between getting there and actually winning. This team has a group of guys who know how to win. When I compare Pilote, MacTavish and Blake to Graves, Coffey and Tocchett I really like the advantage for my team in the dressing room.
2) Defensive play: My team is not exactly the Raiders in our own zone, but we have an elite checking line and Dartmouth doesn't. Ramsay, Mac T and Curry would stack up (IMO) with the best checking lines in the draft. Cyclone Taylor played D for half his career and is my #1 C, he can certainly check his hat. Blake is known as a goal scorer but was a smart two way player. Sloan is a physical guy who can play a shut down role. Damphousse is underrated as a two-way forward. Ultimately my biggest advantage is the checking line, but I think my forwards are more responsible than Dartmouth. I also think my D is more top to bottom responsible. I've got a D first guy on each pairing and I wouldn't call anyone in my top 6 a liabiity in his own zone, or mistake prone. I also think my PK units are clearly stronger. Take a quick look at the PK units and I think that stands out as an advantage for me for sure.
3) First line: I've got three MVP quality forwards on my top line who can all individually burn you with speed, skill and great shots. Lafleur and Blake are pretty significant upgrades on Nilsson and Selanne IMO.
4) Flexibility: If I find I'm being burned by high powered offensive players I can replace Guerin with Terry Crisp (a very good shut down, physical forward) and I can replace Jonsson with Jason Smith. I can even move Taylor to D if there's a need for it.
5) Coaching: Ted Nolan is a very good coach, but he doesn't have anywhere near the playoff experience or success that Glen Sather has.
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I like Dartmouth though, they have good offensive depth. I think it'd be a really fun series to watch. Fast, exciting hockey with players who aren't affraid to get their hands dirty. I just think my team is more balanced.
They certainly have an advantage in goal with Roy, but I don't think it's enough of an advantage that Roy could steal the series. Gardiner is a winner who had one of the greatest peaks of all time before his death. He was also an oustanding playoff goaltender who upped his game when it mattered most.
Coffey is an advantage for Dartmouth. Best puck mover on D for either team. However, I'm more than comfortable with the ability my D has to move the puck. Pilote, Carlyle, Jonsson especially.
1) Leadership: I have 48 Stanley Cup rings on my roster. This is a team full of guys who have been to the dance and walked away with the Cup. There's a big difference between getting there and actually winning. This team has a group of guys who know how to win. When I compare Pilote, MacTavish and Blake to Graves, Coffey and Tocchett I really like the advantage for my team in the dressing room.
2) Defensive play: My team is not exactly the Raiders in our own zone, but we have an elite checking line and Dartmouth doesn't. Ramsay, Mac T and Curry would stack up (IMO) with the best checking lines in the draft. Cyclone Taylor played D for half his career and is my #1 C, he can certainly check his hat. Blake is known as a goal scorer but was a smart two way player. Sloan is a physical guy who can play a shut down role. Damphousse is underrated as a two-way forward. Ultimately my biggest advantage is the checking line, but I think my forwards are more responsible than Dartmouth. I also think my D is more top to bottom responsible. I've got a D first guy on each pairing and I wouldn't call anyone in my top 6 a liabiity in his own zone, or mistake prone. I also think my PK units are clearly stronger. Take a quick look at the PK units and I think that stands out as an advantage for me for sure.
3) First line: I've got three MVP quality forwards on my top line who can all individually burn you with speed, skill and great shots. Lafleur and Blake are pretty significant upgrades on Nilsson and Selanne IMO.
4) Flexibility: If I find I'm being burned by high powered offensive players I can replace Guerin with Terry Crisp (a very good shut down, physical forward) and I can replace Jonsson with Jason Smith. I can even move Taylor to D if there's a need for it.
5) Coaching: Ted Nolan is a very good coach, but he doesn't have anywhere near the playoff experience or success that Glen Sather has.
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I like Dartmouth though, they have good offensive depth. I think it'd be a really fun series to watch. Fast, exciting hockey with players who aren't affraid to get their hands dirty. I just think my team is more balanced.
They certainly have an advantage in goal with Roy, but I don't think it's enough of an advantage that Roy could steal the series. Gardiner is a winner who had one of the greatest peaks of all time before his death. He was also an oustanding playoff goaltender who upped his game when it mattered most.
Coffey is an advantage for Dartmouth. Best puck mover on D for either team. However, I'm more than comfortable with the ability my D has to move the puck. Pilote, Carlyle, Jonsson especially.
If Gwinnett/St. Louis isn't the top scoring series of the first round, this one might be. Both teams are loaded with speed and skill.
Victoria's first line is potent, and it's one of the fastest in the draft. Blake, Taylor and Lafleur can all fly. And all three are dangerous offensively. I have concerns about their ability to get it done against a more physical team, but that won't be an issue in this series, or any other series in the Hewitt Division. It will be worth watching if this team makes it out of their division, and I think they have the potential to do so.
mullin, are you expecting the third line to be a two-way line, or a scoring line? If you expect it to bring a strong defensive presence, you might want to substitute Crisp for Guerin. I like Guerin's skill level and physical play, but I wouldn't say he's very good defensively.
Your checking line is impressive, but I wouldn't expect any less from a line with Ramsay and mulls favourite MacTavish.
I made extensive comments about Dartmouth's team in the review section. I am pleased to see that they took my advice. I think the lines look a lot better. They have three lines that can score, and a fourth line that can hit hard. They don't have a shut down line, or a shut down defensive pairing - which will be very detrimental against a skilled team like Victoria.
This might be a time to use Foote and Burrows as a defensive tandem. They're both excellent defensively. And that might be your best hope at containing the Taylor line.
Coffey's the best defenceman in the series, but I like Victoria's defence better. I think the guys fit for their roles. There isn't anyone who is out of place on that blue line. Johnson's footspeed is a concern, but he's got a heck of a skater working with him. Pilote might be the most underrated defenceman ever.
Dartmouth is going to need Roy at his absolute best to win. He's got a team in front of him without a true shutdown pairing or a rock-solid defensive line, and he's facing a team with lots of speed and skill. And I don't think the gap between Roy and Gardiner (or anyone and Gardiner) is that big. Gardiner's a top 20 all-time goaltender. Not much to choose between the guys in the top 20.
Victoria's speed and skill makes them the perfect team for Sather to coach. I really like Ted Nolan, he's a guy who always gets the most from his players, but I think he'd favour a team with a little more sandpaper. Graves and Tocchet are Nolan types; I don't know if there are enough Nolan-types.
Victoria's first line is potent, and it's one of the fastest in the draft. Blake, Taylor and Lafleur can all fly. And all three are dangerous offensively. I have concerns about their ability to get it done against a more physical team, but that won't be an issue in this series, or any other series in the Hewitt Division. It will be worth watching if this team makes it out of their division, and I think they have the potential to do so.
mullin, are you expecting the third line to be a two-way line, or a scoring line? If you expect it to bring a strong defensive presence, you might want to substitute Crisp for Guerin. I like Guerin's skill level and physical play, but I wouldn't say he's very good defensively.
Your checking line is impressive, but I wouldn't expect any less from a line with Ramsay and mulls favourite MacTavish.
I made extensive comments about Dartmouth's team in the review section. I am pleased to see that they took my advice. I think the lines look a lot better. They have three lines that can score, and a fourth line that can hit hard. They don't have a shut down line, or a shut down defensive pairing - which will be very detrimental against a skilled team like Victoria.
This might be a time to use Foote and Burrows as a defensive tandem. They're both excellent defensively. And that might be your best hope at containing the Taylor line.
Coffey's the best defenceman in the series, but I like Victoria's defence better. I think the guys fit for their roles. There isn't anyone who is out of place on that blue line. Johnson's footspeed is a concern, but he's got a heck of a skater working with him. Pilote might be the most underrated defenceman ever.
Dartmouth is going to need Roy at his absolute best to win. He's got a team in front of him without a true shutdown pairing or a rock-solid defensive line, and he's facing a team with lots of speed and skill. And I don't think the gap between Roy and Gardiner (or anyone and Gardiner) is that big. Gardiner's a top 20 all-time goaltender. Not much to choose between the guys in the top 20.
Victoria's speed and skill makes them the perfect team for Sather to coach. I really like Ted Nolan, he's a guy who always gets the most from his players, but I think he'd favour a team with a little more sandpaper. Graves and Tocchet are Nolan types; I don't know if there are enough Nolan-types.
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
Hey guys, I'll give my full review of the series tomorrow night, but I will say now that the lines will be juggled a bit. I'm trying to find a way to stop Victoria's offense, so look to see Brian Skrudland and Barry Ashbee in the line-up for Game 1.
Also, I'd like to wish the best of luck to smullin. It should be an exciting series, and may the best team win.
Also, I'd like to wish the best of luck to smullin. It should be an exciting series, and may the best team win.
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Firstly, I would say that my fourth line would probably get more ice time than any line but the first. In terms of ice time the order would be
1rst
4th
2nd
3rd
I could put the lines in that order, but I suspect people would understand how much the Ramsay/Mac T/Curry line would be used.
As for the third line, I envisioned them as a line with varied skills. Sloan and Damphousse are both responsible two way players, Sloan more than Damphousse. All three guys can score with good line mates. Sloan and Guerin both provide a strong physical pressence. I felt the team needed more size, toughness, grit, those are things Guerin has. He's not great defensively, but he's not going to cost me.
I agree with you, if I'm looking for almost a secondary shut down unit Crisp comes in for Guerin. In this series I feel comfortable with this line out there going toe to toe with the offensive lines for Datmouth. I am happy to play run and gun with them top to bottom with my IMO stronger D, stronger PK and better two way forwards up and down the lineup.
But Crisp is certainly on stand by. If Sather finds that line is getting burned, I have the option to add Crisp and have Sloan and Damphousse concentrate more on their defensive zone coverage. Still I like the balance of the third line. A little of everything.
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Nalyd Psycho
Registered User
I can't help but notice how similar the top 4 d-men are. I like Dartmouth's offensive two better, but I prefer Victoria's defensive duo. I prefer Dartmouth's 2nd and 3rd lines, particularly the 2nd line, but Victoria has the better 1st and 4th lines. Goaltending is an obvious call.
All that said, I think Big Yak may be the kicker for me. Both PK's are kind of average, so I would imagine an edge on the PP would be huge, skill wise the PPs are similar, but Yakushev is the only good crease crashing screen in the series.
All that said, I think Big Yak may be the kicker for me. Both PK's are kind of average, so I would imagine an edge on the PP would be huge, skill wise the PPs are similar, but Yakushev is the only good crease crashing screen in the series.
I can't believe you would think that a PK of Ramsay, Mac T, Pilote and Johnson is merely average. I think that's a pretty damn strong unit. Especially when compared to Bain, Graves, Svoboda and Burrows.
Nalyd Psycho
Registered User
You're right, the first unit is very strong. It's the 2nd unit that leaves me uninspired.
Do you think Sloan is better with Curry than Taylor? I personally like firstly having his speed and secondly his defensive insincts. He'd be a threat and knows how to play his own zone.
Leaivng me something like Sloan Damphousse for a third PK unit, which isn't bad either. Physical, speed, good two way smarts.
Hey guys, I'll give my full review of the series tomorrow night, but I will say now that the lines will be juggled a bit. I'm trying to find a way to stop Victoria's offense, so look to see Brian Skrudland and Barry Ashbee in the line-up for Game 1.
Also, I'd like to wish the best of luck to smullin. It should be an exciting series, and may the best team win.
Hey, best of luck to you too! Your first team is definately better than mine was I'll say that.
Nalyd Psycho
Registered User
Taylor's defensive game isn't all it's cracked up to be, the only reason he played defense was to give his teammates a head start on the breakout. Taylor absolutely should be used if the opponent uses a forward on the point or has d-men known for not holding the point. But, against Coffey, I'm not sure he'll even get many breakaways. Sloan-Curry would probably the best at shutting down Dartmouth PP, aside from the lack of a proven screen, Dartmouth has an excellent PP, so, keeping it simple and not trying to score SH goals would probably be advised.
That's my two cents.
Your point about Coffey is well taken.
I'm gonna go ahead with that switch.
Sloan-Curry-Smith-Lowe 2nd PK
I'm gonna go ahead with that switch.
Sloan-Curry-Smith-Lowe 2nd PK
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
Hey guys, sorry I couldn't type up my review last night, work stuff. I'm putting the finishing touches on it now, and it'll be up by tonight. Thanks.
By the way, are we allowed to go with a 21 man line-up? I'm wondering if this is legal, as I'm setting my lines for the series now.
By the way, are we allowed to go with a 21 man line-up? I'm wondering if this is legal, as I'm setting my lines for the series now.
raleh
Registered User
Mullin, that's kinda going to go down in ATD history. I personally don't think your first team was bad. It was definitely better than mine was given the players that were available. Since the playoff format was introduced it's definitely the best team to ever get swept!
Mullin, that's kinda going to go down in ATD history. I personally don't think your first team was bad. It was definitely better than mine was given the players that were available. Since the playoff format was introduced it's definitely the best team to ever get swept!
Well my problem like many first GM teams was that I concentrated mainly on scoring up and down the line-up. Basically making an all-star team instead of a team. Plus I missed my second round pick which is a disaster waiting to happen.
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
Dartmouth vs. Victoria, Round 1
LINE-UP
For this first round series against the Cougars, our team has to find a way to play very good defense against the top 2 Victoria lines, as well as a way to put the puck past Chuck Gardiner.
Because of this, we will be putting Barry Ashbee into the line-up, to play a sixth defenseman role, as well as on our PK, with Al Iafrate moving to the 7th spot, as a powerplay specialist (If playing with 21 men is illegal, just let me know, and I'll make changes from there). Ashbee, in his time, was one mean SOB, as well as a great defensive defenseman. He was a great shot-blocker, and could dish out punishing body checks. He was also known to be great when clearing the front of the net, despite being only 5’10, 180. We will be placing Ashbee on our second penalty kill unit, as well as on our third defensive pairing (more on this later). As for Iafrate, though he wasn’t the best defensive player of his time, he had one hell of a shot. Paired with Coffey on the first power play unit, he should be able to use that blast of his a fair amount.
Our top pairing of Paul Coffey and Adam Foote will be staying the same. Doug Wilson will be playing mainly with Petr Svoboda, with Iafrate subbing in depending on the score of the game. Our third pairing will be our shut down pairing. Both Dave Burrows and Barry Ashbee are included in the top defensive defenseman of their respective eras, and will be counted on to play against Victoria’s potent first line.
Paul Coffey - Adam Foote
Doug Wilson - Petr Svoboda
Dave Burrows – Barry Ashbee
Al Iafrate
With the addition with Ashbee into the line-up, the back-end on our penalty kill will now look like this.
PK1: Burrows - Foote
PK2: Svoboda – Ashbee
For our forward line-up, Brian Skrudland will be moving into the line-up, taking the place of Tomas Sandstrom. Skrudland will be playing a shutdown role on our fourth line, playing the left side with Neal Broten at center, and Rick Tocchet on the right wing. Skrudland was a center throughout his career, but in a shutdown role, I believe he’ll be able to adapt to playing the wing rather quickly. With Broten moving down to the fourth line, and Skrudland coming into the line-up, this moves both Adam Graves and Dan Bain onto the third line, to play with Hakan Loob. IMO, this could be great for the Swedish winger, as the big bodies of Graves and Bain will give him plenty of room to operate with their strength and physical presences. As well, both Graves and Bain were fairly talented players themselves, so Loob’s skills will be put to good use on this third line.
Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet
My top two lines will be staying the same, but Skrudland will be placed on the first penalty kill, along side Graves. This moves Broten down to the second PK, along with Tocchet. Bain will replace any of these guys, if they happen to take a penalty.
Skrudland – Graves
Broten – Tocchet
My powerplay will be staying the same for the series. The first unit will work with a high triangle, with Coffey in the middle, Iafrate to his right with his big shot, and Hawerchuk’s passing ability to his left. Malone will be in front of the net for a screen, and Selanne will be down to the side of the net. If this isn’t working, Selanne will control the puck on the half boards, with Coffey at the point along the wall. Iafrate will be in the middle of the ice, and Hawerchuk will be in the corner low. Malone and his amazing goal scoring ability will be in the slot, waiting for an open pass. The second unit will operate the same way, with Wilson controlling the middle, Svoboda to his right, and Nilsson to his left. Mullen will be to the side of the net, and Bailey will be in front for the screen. The second set up will consist of Nilsson along the half boards, Mullen down low, Wilson on the wall on the point, Svoboda patrolling the middle, and Bailey in the slot. Depending how Victoria is set-up, Teddy can decide which set-up to use.
TEAM STRATEGY
Defense – Overall team defense against mullin’s Cougars is going to play a huge part in our team getting the victory this series. Our top 2 defenseman, Coffey and Doug Wilson, are going to have to be at their best in both ends of the ice, and our depth defenseman are going to have to play the roles that are given to them. Our top pairing of Coffey and Foote will be expected to provide offense to our already explosive first line, while also bringing a defensive presence to the ice. Coffey will be playing at least 25 minutes a game, while Foote will receive anywhere between 10-20, depending on how each game goes. Our first line will match up with the Cougars second line when we are at home. Our second defense pairing of Wilson and Svoboda will be allowed to free wheel against the oppositions defensive minded third line. Wilson was a great offensive defenseman in his day, and with Svoboda as his partner, Wilson should be able to pinch and skate the puck, without having to worry about leaving Roy all alone. Wilson will be playing 20-25 minutes a game, while Svoboda will be playing around 10-15. Our third pairing of Burrows and Ashbee will be counted on for defense, and defense alone. Neither guy got more than 30 points in an NHL season, so as you can see, their offensive capabilities are limited. On defense, however, both guys were studs. For this reason, we will be matching up these two with Victoria’s top line. As a side note, Burrows made a living shutting down Lafleur in the 70’s. It is said that Burrows could skate backwards as fast as most players could skate forwards, so this, plus the heart and strength of Ashbee, should combine to be a lethal shutdown pairing. Both guys should be on the ice around 15-20 minutes a game, depending on the score and how well they play against the Taylor line. Iafrate will get 5-10 minutes in a tight game, mainly on the powerplay, but if the game isn’t close, we’ll test him with some more ice, and see how he fairs. If he can prove that he can pick up his defensive game, we’ll trust him with some more even strength ice time.
Toe Blake - Cyclone Taylor - Guy Lafleur ~ Burrows – Ashbee
Alexander Yakushev - Ulf Nilsson - Brian Bellows ~ Coffey – Foote
Offense – Apart from stellar defensive play, our team is going to need to outscore the powerful Cougar offense. This means that our top three lines are going to need to be at there offensive bests, as Victoria has not only a very good shutdown line, but a very good top 4 defenseman and a top 10 all-time goalie. At home, our 4th line will be playing against Victoria’s top line, and our 1st line will line up against Victoria’s average 3rd line, where our speed and scoring ability should be able to take advantage of the one weak line this team has. Our 3rd line, which has two of our teams strongest players, will be matched with Victoria’s 2nd, for the reason that I want our Captain, and the physically strong Dan Bain facing Yak and 210 pound Brian Bellows. Our 2nd line will face Victoria’s very good shutdown line, which will be a good test for Bailey-Hawerchuk-Mullen. On the road, Teddy Nolan will do his best to keep these match-ups, but when last change takes its toll, he’ll just roll 4 lines.
Toe Blake - Cyclone Taylor - Guy Lafleur ~ Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet – Dave Burrows – Barry Ashbee
Alexander Yakushev - Ulf Nilsson - Brian Bellows ~ Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob – Paul Coffey – Adam Foote
Vincent Damphousse - Tod Sloan - Bill Guerin ~ Kent Nilsson - Joe Malone - Teemu Selanne – Doug Wilson – Petr Svoboda
Craig Ramsay - Craig MacTavish - Floyd Curry ~ Ace Bailey - Dale Hawerchuk - Joe Mullen – Paul Coffey – Adam Foote
Last thing for strategy, here are my line-ups in the final minutes of the game.
Last minute when leading:
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet – Dave Burrows – Adam Foote
Last minute when trailing:
Joe Malone – Dale Hawerchuk – Teemu Selanne – Paul Coffey – Doug Wilson
Extra Attacker: Ace Bailey
DARTMOUTH ADVANTAGES
1. Goaltending – This is the first big advantage I see for my team over the Cougars. Although Gardiner is an awesome goalie, when playoffs come around, Roy is on a whole other level. Easily a top 3 clutch player of all time, Roy and his 3 Conn Smythe’s should steal us at least a couple of games in this series alone.
2. Powerplay – Although both first PP units are pretty even, our depth with a man up is undeniable. Our team is built on offense, and this gives us two lethal PP lines, where as Victoria’s second unit is very average. If we can use our speed to get Victoria into penalty trouble, we should tire their PK out quickly with our puck movement, and take advantage eventually.
3. Offensive depth – Victoria has only two lines that can be counted on for offense, where as our team has 4 lines that can score goals. All four lines have a 50-goal scorer (counting Tocchet’s 48 goal season as 50), and all can be asked to provide offense if need be. This could be a huge advantage for us if the time comes.
Well, that’s my lengthy review and strategy for my first playoff series. Hope it’s alright and if a part of it doesn't make sense, just let me know. It took a while to write, and I'm sure it's not totally perfect. And once again, good luck shawnmullin. Can’t wait for the games to begin.
LINE-UP
For this first round series against the Cougars, our team has to find a way to play very good defense against the top 2 Victoria lines, as well as a way to put the puck past Chuck Gardiner.
Because of this, we will be putting Barry Ashbee into the line-up, to play a sixth defenseman role, as well as on our PK, with Al Iafrate moving to the 7th spot, as a powerplay specialist (If playing with 21 men is illegal, just let me know, and I'll make changes from there). Ashbee, in his time, was one mean SOB, as well as a great defensive defenseman. He was a great shot-blocker, and could dish out punishing body checks. He was also known to be great when clearing the front of the net, despite being only 5’10, 180. We will be placing Ashbee on our second penalty kill unit, as well as on our third defensive pairing (more on this later). As for Iafrate, though he wasn’t the best defensive player of his time, he had one hell of a shot. Paired with Coffey on the first power play unit, he should be able to use that blast of his a fair amount.
Our top pairing of Paul Coffey and Adam Foote will be staying the same. Doug Wilson will be playing mainly with Petr Svoboda, with Iafrate subbing in depending on the score of the game. Our third pairing will be our shut down pairing. Both Dave Burrows and Barry Ashbee are included in the top defensive defenseman of their respective eras, and will be counted on to play against Victoria’s potent first line.
Paul Coffey - Adam Foote
Doug Wilson - Petr Svoboda
Dave Burrows – Barry Ashbee
Al Iafrate
With the addition with Ashbee into the line-up, the back-end on our penalty kill will now look like this.
PK1: Burrows - Foote
PK2: Svoboda – Ashbee
For our forward line-up, Brian Skrudland will be moving into the line-up, taking the place of Tomas Sandstrom. Skrudland will be playing a shutdown role on our fourth line, playing the left side with Neal Broten at center, and Rick Tocchet on the right wing. Skrudland was a center throughout his career, but in a shutdown role, I believe he’ll be able to adapt to playing the wing rather quickly. With Broten moving down to the fourth line, and Skrudland coming into the line-up, this moves both Adam Graves and Dan Bain onto the third line, to play with Hakan Loob. IMO, this could be great for the Swedish winger, as the big bodies of Graves and Bain will give him plenty of room to operate with their strength and physical presences. As well, both Graves and Bain were fairly talented players themselves, so Loob’s skills will be put to good use on this third line.
Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet
My top two lines will be staying the same, but Skrudland will be placed on the first penalty kill, along side Graves. This moves Broten down to the second PK, along with Tocchet. Bain will replace any of these guys, if they happen to take a penalty.
Skrudland – Graves
Broten – Tocchet
My powerplay will be staying the same for the series. The first unit will work with a high triangle, with Coffey in the middle, Iafrate to his right with his big shot, and Hawerchuk’s passing ability to his left. Malone will be in front of the net for a screen, and Selanne will be down to the side of the net. If this isn’t working, Selanne will control the puck on the half boards, with Coffey at the point along the wall. Iafrate will be in the middle of the ice, and Hawerchuk will be in the corner low. Malone and his amazing goal scoring ability will be in the slot, waiting for an open pass. The second unit will operate the same way, with Wilson controlling the middle, Svoboda to his right, and Nilsson to his left. Mullen will be to the side of the net, and Bailey will be in front for the screen. The second set up will consist of Nilsson along the half boards, Mullen down low, Wilson on the wall on the point, Svoboda patrolling the middle, and Bailey in the slot. Depending how Victoria is set-up, Teddy can decide which set-up to use.
TEAM STRATEGY
Defense – Overall team defense against mullin’s Cougars is going to play a huge part in our team getting the victory this series. Our top 2 defenseman, Coffey and Doug Wilson, are going to have to be at their best in both ends of the ice, and our depth defenseman are going to have to play the roles that are given to them. Our top pairing of Coffey and Foote will be expected to provide offense to our already explosive first line, while also bringing a defensive presence to the ice. Coffey will be playing at least 25 minutes a game, while Foote will receive anywhere between 10-20, depending on how each game goes. Our first line will match up with the Cougars second line when we are at home. Our second defense pairing of Wilson and Svoboda will be allowed to free wheel against the oppositions defensive minded third line. Wilson was a great offensive defenseman in his day, and with Svoboda as his partner, Wilson should be able to pinch and skate the puck, without having to worry about leaving Roy all alone. Wilson will be playing 20-25 minutes a game, while Svoboda will be playing around 10-15. Our third pairing of Burrows and Ashbee will be counted on for defense, and defense alone. Neither guy got more than 30 points in an NHL season, so as you can see, their offensive capabilities are limited. On defense, however, both guys were studs. For this reason, we will be matching up these two with Victoria’s top line. As a side note, Burrows made a living shutting down Lafleur in the 70’s. It is said that Burrows could skate backwards as fast as most players could skate forwards, so this, plus the heart and strength of Ashbee, should combine to be a lethal shutdown pairing. Both guys should be on the ice around 15-20 minutes a game, depending on the score and how well they play against the Taylor line. Iafrate will get 5-10 minutes in a tight game, mainly on the powerplay, but if the game isn’t close, we’ll test him with some more ice, and see how he fairs. If he can prove that he can pick up his defensive game, we’ll trust him with some more even strength ice time.
Toe Blake - Cyclone Taylor - Guy Lafleur ~ Burrows – Ashbee
Alexander Yakushev - Ulf Nilsson - Brian Bellows ~ Coffey – Foote
Offense – Apart from stellar defensive play, our team is going to need to outscore the powerful Cougar offense. This means that our top three lines are going to need to be at there offensive bests, as Victoria has not only a very good shutdown line, but a very good top 4 defenseman and a top 10 all-time goalie. At home, our 4th line will be playing against Victoria’s top line, and our 1st line will line up against Victoria’s average 3rd line, where our speed and scoring ability should be able to take advantage of the one weak line this team has. Our 3rd line, which has two of our teams strongest players, will be matched with Victoria’s 2nd, for the reason that I want our Captain, and the physically strong Dan Bain facing Yak and 210 pound Brian Bellows. Our 2nd line will face Victoria’s very good shutdown line, which will be a good test for Bailey-Hawerchuk-Mullen. On the road, Teddy Nolan will do his best to keep these match-ups, but when last change takes its toll, he’ll just roll 4 lines.
Toe Blake - Cyclone Taylor - Guy Lafleur ~ Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet – Dave Burrows – Barry Ashbee
Alexander Yakushev - Ulf Nilsson - Brian Bellows ~ Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob – Paul Coffey – Adam Foote
Vincent Damphousse - Tod Sloan - Bill Guerin ~ Kent Nilsson - Joe Malone - Teemu Selanne – Doug Wilson – Petr Svoboda
Craig Ramsay - Craig MacTavish - Floyd Curry ~ Ace Bailey - Dale Hawerchuk - Joe Mullen – Paul Coffey – Adam Foote
Last thing for strategy, here are my line-ups in the final minutes of the game.
Last minute when leading:
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet – Dave Burrows – Adam Foote
Last minute when trailing:
Joe Malone – Dale Hawerchuk – Teemu Selanne – Paul Coffey – Doug Wilson
Extra Attacker: Ace Bailey
DARTMOUTH ADVANTAGES
1. Goaltending – This is the first big advantage I see for my team over the Cougars. Although Gardiner is an awesome goalie, when playoffs come around, Roy is on a whole other level. Easily a top 3 clutch player of all time, Roy and his 3 Conn Smythe’s should steal us at least a couple of games in this series alone.
2. Powerplay – Although both first PP units are pretty even, our depth with a man up is undeniable. Our team is built on offense, and this gives us two lethal PP lines, where as Victoria’s second unit is very average. If we can use our speed to get Victoria into penalty trouble, we should tire their PK out quickly with our puck movement, and take advantage eventually.
3. Offensive depth – Victoria has only two lines that can be counted on for offense, where as our team has 4 lines that can score goals. All four lines have a 50-goal scorer (counting Tocchet’s 48 goal season as 50), and all can be asked to provide offense if need be. This could be a huge advantage for us if the time comes.
Well, that’s my lengthy review and strategy for my first playoff series. Hope it’s alright and if a part of it doesn't make sense, just let me know. It took a while to write, and I'm sure it's not totally perfect. And once again, good luck shawnmullin. Can’t wait for the games to begin.
Just for the record, I am almost 100% sure you can't play with 21 men. We follow the current NHL rules.
You can sub Ashbee in if you want, but you can't just play with an extra man.
You can sub Ashbee in if you want, but you can't just play with an extra man.
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
Yeah, I figured you weren't able to. Give me a bit to re-work my lines, and I'll have them posted tonight. The only thing that really needs work is the power play now anyway. Thanks sm.
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
My line-up will now look like this, with Ashbee subbed in for Iafrate, and Skrudland subbed in for Sandstrom. This might hurt my powerplay, losing a shot like Iafrate's, but against a high-octane first line like Victoria's, it'd probably be better to sacrifice offense for defense in this situation.
Kent Nilsson - Joe Malone - Teemu Selanne
Ace Bailey - Dale Hawerchuk - Joe Mullen
Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet
Paul Coffey - Adam Foote
Doug Wilson - Petr Svoboda
Dave Burrows - Barry Ashbee
Press Box: Tomas Sandstrom, Al Iafrate, Goldie Prodgers.
On the powerplay, Iafrate will be replaced by Loob. I don't know how great of a decision this might be, so I'd like some feedback on this one. As well, after doing a bit more research, I'm also going to add a third PK, with Bain and Loob comprising this final penalty kill. Burrows and Foote will be the defenseman on this penalty kill.
PP1: Malone - Hawerchuk - Selanne - Coffey - Loob
PP2: Bailey - Nilsson - Mullen - Svoboda - Wilson
PK1: Bain - Graves - Burrows - Foote
PK2: Broten - Tocchet - Svoboda - Ashbee
PK3: Bain - Loob - Burrows - Foote
Kent Nilsson - Joe Malone - Teemu Selanne
Ace Bailey - Dale Hawerchuk - Joe Mullen
Adam Graves - Dan Bain - Hakan Loob
Brian Skrudland - Neal Broten - Rick Tocchet
Paul Coffey - Adam Foote
Doug Wilson - Petr Svoboda
Dave Burrows - Barry Ashbee
Press Box: Tomas Sandstrom, Al Iafrate, Goldie Prodgers.
On the powerplay, Iafrate will be replaced by Loob. I don't know how great of a decision this might be, so I'd like some feedback on this one. As well, after doing a bit more research, I'm also going to add a third PK, with Bain and Loob comprising this final penalty kill. Burrows and Foote will be the defenseman on this penalty kill.
PP1: Malone - Hawerchuk - Selanne - Coffey - Loob
PP2: Bailey - Nilsson - Mullen - Svoboda - Wilson
PK1: Bain - Graves - Burrows - Foote
PK2: Broten - Tocchet - Svoboda - Ashbee
PK3: Bain - Loob - Burrows - Foote
If you do stick with Loob ont he PP I'm going to expand my PK and bring Taylor back into it.
My forward units would then be...
Ramsay Mac T
Taylor Curry
Sloan Damphousse
Taylor would be out there to use his defensive awareness but most of all speed and transition game to take advantage of Loob at the point.
If Loob is moved off the point, I put Sloan and Curry back together and stick with primarily two forward units.
My forward units would then be...
Ramsay Mac T
Taylor Curry
Sloan Damphousse
Taylor would be out there to use his defensive awareness but most of all speed and transition game to take advantage of Loob at the point.
If Loob is moved off the point, I put Sloan and Curry back together and stick with primarily two forward units.
The_Hockey_Guy18
Registered User
Haha, I knew that was coming.
This is exactly the reason I put Loob with Coffey.When at home, Teddy will try and keep Loob off of the point when Taylor is on the ice. However, even if it does happen that Loob is out against Cyclone, I believe that between him and Coffey, they'll have enough speed to prevent any odd man rushes or breakaways.
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