Line Combos: Avs 2021 Lines

[Avsboy]

Rantanen needs better linemates. To me, that's LOC and Donskoi

 

[Pokecheque]

Rantanen needs better linemates. To me, that's LOC and Donskoi

What?

 

[Pokecheque]

Guys...calm down a little about Logan O'Connor. I love him as a depth addition, believe me. He is precisely the kind of player who you want with a lineup like this because he can give as good as he gets against hard-checking teams like Dallas or Minnesota. But putting him on the top line is kinda ridiculous. He is a career 4th liner, maybe okay-ish 3rd liner in a pinch, but the reason he's doing so well right now is because he's being used in a limited, specialized role. Throw him in there on the top line and I fear the massive holes in his game (and they're there, I assure you) will be exposed.

 

[henchman21]

Guys...calm down a little about Logan O'Connor. I love him as a depth addition, believe me. He is precisely the kind of player who you want with a lineup like this because he can give as good as he gets against hard-checking teams like Dallas or Minnesota. But putting him on the top line is kinda ridiculous. He is a career 4th liner, maybe okay-ish 3rd liner in a pinch, but the reason he's doing so well right now is because he's being used in a limited, specialized role. Throw him in there on the top line and I fear the massive holes in his game (and they're there, I assure you) will be exposed.

Mostly yup. LOC shouldn't ever be thought of as a top 6 guy, but I will go on a limb and say he's going to be a very good 3rd liner. He's Calvert with some finishing ability and a little bit better frame. That finishing ability will raise him a touch from Calvert.

 

[Avsboy]

Rantanen had good moments last night, but was brought down by Compher and Landeskog. LOC is fast and Donskoi is taking good shots at the net.

So new lines:
Rantanen-LOC-Donskoi
Saad-Kadri-Burakovsky
Landeskog-Compher-Nichushkin

 

[Pokecheque]

Mostly yup. LOC shouldn't ever be thought of as a top 6 guy, but I will go on a limb and say he's going to be a very good 3rd liner. He's Calvert with some finishing ability and a little bit better frame. That finishing ability will raise him a touch from Calvert.

Hey if he can raise it to third line level I'm all for it.

 

[95snipes]

Unpopular opinion, but we could really use another impact forward. If you shut down MacKinnon and Rantanen, you have a good chance of beating us. Our forwards drop off hard after Mack & Rantanen.

Salary Cap complicates any impact addition though. High hopes for Newhook...

More realistically for this season, I'm not sure who would actually be available, but it'd be nice to get a center decently close to Kadri in ability and load up top line, run 2 'middle 6' lines that can provide offence, and run a 4th line that grinds. Something like:

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nuke-Kadri-Burakovsky
Saad-X1-Donskoi
Calvert-X2-O'Connor

Ideally X1 is a distributor and strong defensively, otherwise you need to shelter that line. And X2 has some size and jam and that line can handle tougher minutes.

Highly doubt any of this would ever happen though since you're basically removing Compher, Jost, and Bellemare from the team.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Unpopular opinion, but we could really use another impact forward. If you shut down MacKinnon and Rantanen, you have a good chance of beating us. Our forwards drop off hard after Mack & Rantanen.

Salary Cap complicates any impact addition though. High hopes for Newhook...

More realistically for this season, I'm not sure who would actually be available, but it'd be nice to get a center decently close to Kadri in ability and load up top line, run 2 'middle 6' lines that can provide offence, and run a 4th line that grinds. Something like:

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nuke-Kadri-Burakovsky
Saad-X1-Donskoi
Calvert-X2-O'Connor

Ideally X1 is a distributor and strong defensively, otherwise you need to shelter that line. And X2 has some size and jam and that line can handle tougher minutes.

Highly doubt any of this would ever happen though since you're basically removing Compher, Jost, and Bellemare from the team.

Huh? Saad-Kadri-Bura has really started to click now that Kadri and Saad are actually playing hockey. The biggest need on the team is a 3C who can win face offs, be responsible defensively, and well actually play the position. A high end forward isn’t really needed at all at the moment.

 

[Richard88]

Huh? Saad-Kadri-Bura has really started to click now that Kadri and Saad are actually playing hockey. The biggest need on the team is a 3C who can win face offs, be responsible defensively, and well actually play the position. A high end forward isn’t really needed at all at the moment.

Agree with that.

On the PP we're winning 60% of faceoffs (62/103), largely thanks to Kadri at 64.71%. But on the PK they only win 40% of draws (31/77), and that's even worse when Bellemare is out given that he's won 70% of his PK draws this season. Jost and Compher are a combined 32% on PK draws (18/56).

Having a 3C who's strong defensively and good on draws would give this team an important facet on the PK that's currently missing, especially if it's a RHS as that would ensure that we have a good faceoff man on their strong side for key draws on either side of the DZ.

In open play it would also be nice to be able to roll Nichuskin out with a strong defensive center to really shut things down late in close games and against top lines as well. Right now we don't really have that option because you don't really want to entrust the 3rd line with that responsibility while Compher is the 3C.

If Travis Zajac is willing to waive his NTC at the deadline he could be an interesting RHS center to look at with some retention. He's getting up their in age at 35 but is still solid defensively and has posted a faceoff win % above 50% every one of the 13 seasons he's been in the league.

 

[McMetal]

Avs lines so far this season: a visual representation.

 

[95snipes]

Huh? Saad-Kadri-Bura has really started to click now that Kadri and Saad are actually playing hockey. The biggest need on the team is a 3C who can win face offs, be responsible defensively, and well actually play the position. A high end forward isn’t really needed at all at the moment.

Yeah obviously. I even mentioned exactly that in my post?

All I'm saying is adding another high endish forward would not hurt at all. Our lineup with MacKinnon out is pretty ugly. Compared to a team like Tampa who can lose Stamkos or Kucherov in consecutive seasons and not miss a beat. I'm not saying we need Crosby, but if someone like say Tomas Hertl became available, I'd be pushing hard if I was Sakic.

 

[Perratrooper]

Not having a 3C could very well be our Achilles heel this season. The Compher center experiment needs to end, it’s hurt his development and doesn’t properly allow him to play how he should. Instead of being okay in a couple areas he’s mediocre everywhere.

 

[EXTRAS]

Do you guys see Sherwood as a regular in the bottom 6 moving forward?

 

[Richard88]

Not having a 3C could very well be our Achilles heel this season. The Compher center experiment needs to end, it’s hurt his development and doesn’t properly allow him to play how he should. Instead of being okay in a couple areas he’s mediocre everywhere.

Given how much activity and paper shuffling there has been to squeeze out every last drop of capspace thus far, it seems that Sakic's plan is to accrue as much as possible for the deadline where 3C will clearly be the priority. And when we add a 3C that bumps Compher down to 4RW and thereby makes the roster much more complete. Compher on the 4th line would be a nice luxury for a cup contender.

Landeskog --- Mackinnon --- Rantanen
Burakovsky ---- Kadri -------- Saad
Nichuskin ------- 3C ---------- Donskoi
Jost ----------- Bellemare ---- Compher

Suddenly it would all make sense...

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Do you guys see Sherwood as a regular in the bottom 6 moving forward?

Only a good call up. I don't really see any significant upside to his game.

 

[Perratrooper]

Given how much activity and paper shuffling there has been to squeeze out every last drop of capspace thus far, it seems that Sakic's plan is to accrue as much as possible for the deadline where 3C will clearly be the priority. And when we add a 3C that bumps Compher down to 4RW and thereby makes the roster much more complete. Compher on the 4th line would be a nice luxury for a cup contender.

Landeskog --- Mackinnon --- Rantanen
Burakovsky ---- Kadri -------- Saad
Nichuskin ------- 3C ---------- Donskoi
Jost ----------- Bellemare ---- Compher

Suddenly it would all make sense...

Agreed, everything is lining up for that and it seems Sakic is all in on this season. Hopefully whatever move we make opens a spot up for LOC. That guy has a Calvert energy to him and if our worst fears about Calvert are true, having LOC in the lineup would be great.

 

[Richard88]

Agreed, everything is lining up for that and it seems Sakic is all in on this season. Hopefully whatever move we make opens a spot up for LOC. That guy has a Calvert energy to him and if our worst fears about Calvert are true, having LOC in the lineup would be great.

If we add a 3C and Calvert comes back there's going to be a lot of competition for a spot on that 4th line, between Calvert, Bellemare, Jost, Compher, and LOC. Not to mention outsiders like Kaut, Sherwood, and Bowers. Great to have that depth.

 

[Perratrooper]

With the current injury uncertainty of many of the Avs top players I wonder what sort of shakeups occur.

Personally I thought the top powerplay unit looked better without Makar and MacKinnon on it. To me the usual top unit is stationary and stagnant in their offensive approach. It’s been said before, but I think Girard deserves the top power play time or put both him and Makar on the top unit.

Call me nuts, but if MacK is out I wouldn’t mind trying Mikko at center.

Landy-Rants-Bura
Saad-Kadri-Donskoi
Nuke-Jost-Compher
Sherwood-PEB-LOC

 

[Belgican]

With the current injury uncertainty of many of the Avs top players I wonder what sort of shakeups occur.

Personally I thought the top powerplay unit looked better without Makar and MacKinnon on it. To me the usual top unit is stationary and stagnant in their offensive approach. It’s been said before, but I think Girard deserves the top power play time or put both him and Makar on the top unit.

Call me nuts, but if MacK is out I wouldn’t mind trying Mikko at center.

Landy-Rants-Bura
Saad-Kadri-Donskoi
Nuke-Jost-Compher
Sherwood-PEB-LOC

I agree for the PP, it’s much more mobile and creative with G. Now it looked also very good with Bura in place of MacK.

When Kadri plays with Landy and Rantanen, that line looks even better than with MacK, Kadri raises his level and much more agressive and fun to see.

So for me it is :

Landy-Kadri-Rantanen
Saad-Compher-Bura
Nuke-Jost-Donskoi
Sherwood-Belly-LOC

 

[Perratrooper]

I agree for the PP, it’s much more mobile and creative with G. Now it looked also very good with Bura in place of MacK.

When Kadri plays with Landy and Rantanen, that line looks even better than with MacK, Kadri raises his level and much more agressive and fun to see.

So for me it is :

Landy-Kadri-Rantanen
Saad-Compher-Bura
Nuke-Jost-Donskoi
Sherwood-Belly-LOC

That’s completely fair, I feel that I have an insatiable need for center depth and that’s why I would like to try Rants or Landy at center if MacK is out.

 

[Perratrooper]

Excited to see how Mikko looks at center, maybe he’ll be the answer to our prayers.

edit: oof, this lineup though.

 

[JH21]

Finally Timmins is in the press box. Leave him there please.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

We could really use Zadorov right now



Avs are looking thin down the middle.

 

[JH21]

Landeskog-Mackinnon-Rantanen
Saad-Kadri-Burakovsky
Nichushkin -Jost-Donskoi
O'Connor- Bellmare- Calvert

These are the ideal lines. They are clicking.

I never want to see Compher again. Use him to aquire a good #2 goalie.

 

[MonsterMack]

Avs lines so far this season: a visual representation.

I think I understand most of it, but what does the circle in the bottom right mean?

Also, I see a dick in the middle slightly below center, what does that say about me?