Boston Globe Bruce Cassidy interview about line combos

[UncleRico]

Q&A with Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy - The Boston Globe

He talks about various things but looks like bjork line 1, pasta line 2, and one of studnicka, jfk or frederic as 3rd line center.

Not sure where donato works his way in here, but he should be able to beat out backes for a 3rd line role.

Click to read more...

 

[UncleRico]

Marchand-Bergy-bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Heinen-Studnicka-Donato
Kuraly-Wagner-Backes

Looks like those could be the lines, judging by the interview.

 

[Rumpy]

Marchand-Bergy-bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Heinen-Studnicka-Donato
Kuraly-Wagner-Backes

Looks like those could be the lines, judging by the interview.

Whose odd man out here?

Nordstrom Accari and im missing one?

Cehlarik will have to steal a spot. Can he be sent down without being waived?

 

[Don Cherry]

Marchand-Bergy-bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Heinen-Studnicka-Donato
Kuraly-Wagner-Backes

Looks like those could be the lines, judging by the interview.

The six million dollar Backes on the fourth line? That signing just keeps getting better every day.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

The six million dollar Backes on the fourth line? That signing just keeps getting better every day.

if you value your money as much as the team's... don't make any vegas bets on backes averaging less than 15 mins a game this season. I think its horribly ambitious predicting 2 rookies and a second year comprising the 3rd line. if this is how the lines end up... the 4th line will be getting the tap on the shoulder more often then the 3rd would

Bjork with marchand/Bergeron? sure I buy that... we saw that last year until Bjork ran out of gas/confidence. he had some impressive moments with them. at the very least, id like to see him tried again on the line… whether he holds up better second time around needs to be proved

pastrnak with krecji/debrusk? this seams the most likely way to insure we get 2 line scoring... it might not be the way we enter the playoffs, but during the regular season we have to try these guys together and see what we got

Heinen/donato with a raw rookie at center... magic 8 ball says no chance

kuraly/wagner with backes on the wing? honestly I don't know anything about wagner. id like to see him play before I judge his offense. I don't mind kuraly/backes as 2/3 of a third line for stretches but over the long haul kuraly will not be able to keep up enough energy to offset his lack of offense.

could we seen kuraly between backes/Heinen and studnicka between wagner/Nordstrom... donato ending up in pressbox or ahl until a spot opens up for him?

is studnicka able to beat out the more experienced karlsson?

I wouldn't bet on a lot of this but its interesting the coach is talking line combos in august

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Once again, I disagree with Cassidy's line combos.

 

[roflstomper]

JFK and Frederic didn't look too close to NHL ready at the end of last year. I'd be stunned if Studnicka was the answer there as well. Very ambitious to think one of these three will be 3rd line center for us this year.

 

[GordonHowe]

Once again, I disagree with Cassidy's line combos.

I'm not sure I do.

I don't know -- no one does -- if AB can handle a first line role. I don't know how well DP will play with DK and (Ryan Donato?) on the second line.

I've mentioned this before, but it irritates me that the B's have to work around Kreji's needs. I wish they could trade him but that's not going to happen, given his contract (7 million), age, and injury history.

As for line three, I'm pulling for Jack Studnicka over the "fancy Dan's," as Derek used to call them.

 

[UncleRico]

Whose odd man out here?

Nordstrom Accari and im missing one?

Cehlarik will have to steal a spot. Can he be sent down without being waived?

Looks like there’s a pretty solid competition for 3rd line center with studnicka/jfk/frederic. Looking like acciari and cehlarik (the guys you mentioned) are odd men out.

Obviously judging by the interview nothing is definitive and a lot can change in camp, but this seems to be roughly what Cassidy is thinking and media members such as Matt kalman are seeing/hearing.

 

[UncleRico]

JFK and Frederic didn't look too close to NHL ready at the end of last year. I'd be stunned if Studnicka was the answer there as well. Very ambitious to think one of these three will be 3rd line center for us this year.

Unless a trade happens, not many other options for a 3rd line center. Maybe letestu or someone like that comes in on a PTO and challenges for a 3rd/4th line center role and kuraly is the 3rd line center,but I doubt it.

 

[UncleRico]

Judging by the interview, donato and bjork could be interchangeable as 1st/3rd line RW. Cassidy doesn’t come out and say it but it appears those two will be featured in those spots. So I’m assuming backes is 4th line or traded since the 3rd line center spot seems to be going to one of studnicka/jfk/frederic.

I honestly have no problem at all with another youth movement for the 2nd year in a row. I kind of like it. These young guys know there are spots open and other prospects that are close in competiton for those spots. Players will emerge and if they don’t then it’s on to the next guy.

If that doesn’t work out there’s always trade options as well. I’m excited.

 

[GlenFeatherstone]

To me all this interview tells me is he’s going to play with some things in camp and see what works best to start the year. Nothing set in stone.

 

[UncleRico]

To me all this interview tells me is he’s going to play with some things in camp and see what works best to start the year. Nothing set in stone.

Exactly, still position battles to be won/lost or however you want to categorize it. Just some insight to what Cassidy has been thinking so far. Nothing set in stone as you said.

 

[Fenway]

Q. How does the China trip complicate your decision-making?

A. It’ll be interesting. I haven’t gone through this. We’ve got the rookie camp to start [Sept. 7-10 in Buffalo], and that’s great. We’ll get a good look at these guys.

Generally if you can’t be one of the better players there, you’re probably not going to be a better player in main camp. I know that sounds simple but . . . I remember watching Pasta his first year. He was one of the better forwards. [Filip] Forsberg in Nashville. [Jonathan] Drouin in Tampa, I thought he was just OK. Well, right now he’s . . . you know, not where Forsberg and Pasta are. So there is some relevance to that.

 

[Rumpy]

Q. How does the China trip complicate your decision-making?

A. It’ll be interesting. I haven’t gone through this. We’ve got the rookie camp to start [Sept. 7-10 in Buffalo], and that’s great. We’ll get a good look at these guys.

Generally if you can’t be one of the better players there, you’re probably not going to be a better player in main camp. I know that sounds simple but . . . I remember watching Pasta his first year. He was one of the better forwards. [Filip] Forsberg in Nashville. [Jonathan] Drouin in Tampa, I thought he was just OK. Well, right now he’s . . . you know, not where Forsberg and Pasta are. So there is some relevance to that.

Exactly how I feel about performances at world juniors.

 

[Bruinaura]

Q. How does the China trip complicate your decision-making?

A. It’ll be interesting. I haven’t gone through this. We’ve got the rookie camp to start [Sept. 7-10 in Buffalo], and that’s great. We’ll get a good look at these guys.

Generally if you can’t be one of the better players there, you’re probably not going to be a better player in main camp. I know that sounds simple but . . . I remember watching Pasta his first year. He was one of the better forwards. [Filip] Forsberg in Nashville. [Jonathan] Drouin in Tampa, I thought he was just OK. Well, right now he’s . . . you know, not where Forsberg and Pasta are. So there is some relevance to that.

I don't know how I feel about that China trip. On one hand, that's a lot of travel and it splits up the team. On the other hand, the last time the team did a trip like this, the season ended with Stanley.

 

[easton117]

Q. How does the China trip complicate your decision-making?

A. It’ll be interesting. I haven’t gone through this. We’ve got the rookie camp to start [Sept. 7-10 in Buffalo], and that’s great. We’ll get a good look at these guys.

Generally if you can’t be one of the better players there, you’re probably not going to be a better player in main camp. I know that sounds simple but . . . I remember watching Pasta his first year. He was one of the better forwards. [Filip] Forsberg in Nashville. [Jonathan] Drouin in Tampa, I thought he was just OK. Well, right now he’s . . . you know, not where Forsberg and Pasta are. So there is some relevance to that.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence Cassidy threw some shade at a Montreal guy there.

As for the combos, I can’t see that third line being a thing. If it is they’ll lead the league in offensive zone starts and fastest shift length skating straight to the bench when they lose draws.

That Backes guy having centre amnesia really hurts.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Given the direction Sweeney has indicated he wants to take this team, based on speed and skill, the David Backes signing makes even less sense in hindsight.

If he just wanted a guy for a locker room presence, he didn't need to pay 6 million, and there's already Krejci, Chara, etc.

Perhaps he couldn't have seen all the youth challenging for spots so soon, and maybe David Backes' demise seemed further off, but taking him on as part of the "5 year plan" just doesn't add up to me.

 

[Estlin]

Marchand-Bergy-bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Heinen-Studnicka-Donato
Kuraly-Wagner-Backes

Looks like those could be the lines, judging by the interview.

Can Donato play RW? Maybe he and Heinen switch spots on the third line. I am not convinced that Studnicka is ready for the big show. I think that JFK would have a better chance at #3 C. One of Nordstrom or Acciari would be the 13th forward in the scenario above.

 

[McGarnagle]

f***ing awful

Taking Pasta off the best line in the NHL is the dumbest. f***ing. Decision. Possible.

 

[DrJustice]

Heinen DID get mentioned by Cassidy first before he mentioned Bjork. I like Bjork but he's recovering for an injury and I think penciling him into the NHL lineup should come with some caution.

I'm still on the play Heinen on the first line train, feel like as a player he is more proven than Bjork and has already gotten a taste with Bergeron when Marchand was suspended. I think he would fit in very well with their cycle game along with his defensive game against the other team's top players.

For the third line center role I like JFK more than most. Sounds like Studnicka is a lot closer than previously thought and Frederic is a pretty big wild card for that role as well. Whichever two don't get the opportunity should be getting top-6 time in Providence (wait, Studnicka has to go back to Junior if he doesn't make the team nevermind lol)

Marchand-Bergeron-Heinen
DeBrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Donato-JFK-Backes
Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner

 

[SPLBRUIN]

I like this, we will now have 2 very good lines, I am very high on Bjork. As for the 3rd line center, let's see if any of the trio are ready for the position, if not Sweeney can make a move. In this day and age the youngsters are proving more often then not to be ready at a young age.

 

[UncleRico]

****ing awful

Taking Pasta off the best line in the NHL is the dumbest. ****ing. Decision. Possible.

Actually it’s really not. I’ll try and find the article (just spent 5minutes looking and could find it but I will dig deeper) but it basically showed that there isn’t much of a drop off in production of points no matter who the bruins put with Marchand and bergy. So putting pasta with Krejci and debrusk can really help balance the lines.

 

[UncleRico]

Heinen DID get mentioned by Cassidy first before he mentioned Bjork. I like Bjork but he's recovering for an injury and I think penciling him into the NHL lineup should come with some caution.

I'm still on the play Heinen on the first line train, feel like as a player he is more proven than Bjork and has already gotten a taste with Bergeron when Marchand was suspended. I think he would fit in very well with their cycle game along with his defensive game against the other team's top players.

For the third line center role I like JFK more than most. Sounds like Studnicka is a lot closer than previously thought and Frederic is a pretty big wild card for that role as well. Whichever two don't get the opportunity should be getting top-6 time in Providence.

Marchand-Bergeron-Heinen
DeBrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak
Donato-JFK-Backes
Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner

Sweeney absolutely loves studnicka. There was a point about 4-6 weeks ago he was name dropping studnicka in interviews more tha. Anyone else and absolutely glowing about him.

3rd line center battle is going to be great to watch

 

[DrJustice]

Sweeney absolutely loves studnicka. There was a point about 4-6 weeks ago he was name dropping studnicka in interviews more tha. Anyone else and absolutely glowing about him.

3rd line center battle is going to be great to watch

Bruce seems like a really honest and down to earth guy and sort of wears his heart on his sleeve. Very easy to tell how much he liked Stud anytime he had the opportunity. He's also been in the spotlight more than the other two (JFK and Frederic) with the Summer Showcase so maybe he is also trying to light a fire under them to spark a real competition. But that Studnicka is already in the conversation shows he's grown a lot more than I thought. It's not easy to watch the OHL around here and you can only tell so much about a player if you aren't watching them regularly. Very excited for camp to start.