Center Options

[Clark4Ever]

I would have liked to see Kadri remain on the top line and give McKegg a shot as the 2nd line centre, but I guess JVR at centre is worth a shot as a short term fix...

 

[New Liskeard]

I would have liked to see Kadri remain on the top line and give McKegg a shot as the 2nd line centre, but I guess JVR at centre is worth a shot as a short term fix...

Would much rather Raymond in the middle before JVR or McKegg. McKegg is not ready for the NHL.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

I would have liked to see Kadri remain on the top line and give McKegg a shot as the 2nd line centre, but I guess JVR at centre is worth a shot as a short term fix...

McKegg isn't ready. I think this is the best choice at the moment aside from a trade.

 

[jmart21]

I would have liked to see Kadri remain on the top line and give McKegg a shot as the 2nd line centre, but I guess JVR at centre is worth a shot as a short term fix...

You'd have prefered Kadri-McKegg and will settle for JVR-Kadri.....? I don't even know what to say.

Not that it's intended to be a long term solution; but JVR-Kadri is a MUCH more realistic long term solution than Kadri-McKegg. I find it odd that you make note to point out JVR-Kadri is really only worth a short term fix and forget to point out that Kadri-McKegg isn't a fix at all; neither short nor long term.

 

[Silver91]

Honestly, I feel like JVR will do well at center (after a game or 2) and Bozak coming back mid-month will go to the 3rd line for at least a few games giving us similar depth to before the injuries.

I do think Lupul will be replaced by Kulemin or Clarkson though to ease JVR's transition...

Kulemin - JVR - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - McClemment - Leivo
McLaren - Smith - Orr

I feel like those will be the lines if not Friday, then Saturday in Boston. Kulemin gives the solid down-low/board play and shares some of the defensive responsibility with JVR, we get the 2nd line everyone wanted to start the year, and that 3rd line is meh, but put Bozak there and Jay to the 4th line and it's close to where we were at before Bolland went down. When Bolland comes, you switch things around a bit and we put Kulemin with Bolland and Bozak as our shut-down line...

Lupul (Raymond/Clarkson) - JVR - Kessel
Raymond (Lupul) - Kadri - Clarkson (Raymond)
Kulemin - Bozak - Bolland
McLaren - McClemment - Orr

 

[pheasant]

Not that I think it is the best option, but I think it is worth mentioning that we could just stack that top line, by putting Kadri in between JVR and Kessel. If now isn't the time for Naz to play a #1 role, then when is?

We could dumpster dive for a journeyman center, and have him and McClemment go on lines 2 and 3. We should be able to get some AHL hero for cheap-as-free. Someone like Andrew Ebbett, Keith Aucoin, Ryan Potulny.

JVR Kadri Kessel
Lupul McClemment Clarkson
Raymond Whomever Kulemin

Not super pretty, but it's only until Bozak returns. I like it because it gives Kadri a long look in the #1 spot, JVR doesn't have to change since he is playing great this season (breaking out as a superstar in TO), lines 2 and 3 still have offense from the wings, and it doesn't cost us in a trade when we should be looking to address D not forward.

 

[gabeliscious]

Honestly, I feel like JVR will do well at center (after a game or 2) and Bozak coming back mid-month will go to the 3rd line for at least a few games giving us similar depth to before the injuries.

I do think Lupul will be replaced by Kulemin or Clarkson though to ease JVR's transition...

Kulemin - JVR - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - McClemment - Leivo
McLaren - Smith - Orr

I feel like those will be the lines if not Friday, then Saturday in Boston. Kulemin gives the solid down-low/board play and shares some of the defensive responsibility with JVR, we get the 2nd line everyone wanted to start the year, and that 3rd line is meh, but put Bozak there and Jay to the 4th line and it's close to where we were at before Bolland went down. When Bolland comes, you switch things around a bit and we put Kulemin with Bolland and Bozak as our shut-down line...

Lupul (Raymond/Clarkson) - JVR - Kessel
Raymond (Lupul) - Kadri - Clarkson (Raymond)
Kulemin - Bozak - Bolland
McLaren - McClemment - Orr

i think you need to put raymond on the top line. im not sure if kulemin will be able to keep up offensively with jvr/kessel although i would not be upset to give him the opportunity. he is a hard working guy (kulemin), if he just goes hard to the net and does the dirty work i cant see him doing any worse then bozak does.

 

[JAMmer124]

Throw McClement between JVR and Kessel, if JvR at C doesn't work. Those two drive the offence by themselves, they don't need, or really use, a centre. McClement can focus in the D side of the puck.

 

[ConnorTO]

wonder if a kid will get a shot

 

[FlareKnight]

wonder if a kid will get a shot

If the issue was at wing probably, but center wise don't really have kids really to jump in right now.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Exactly why I didn't like the Colborne trade. If Nonis has one blemish on his GM card, it may be this one.

Yeah, pretty stupid to not assume you'd lose your 1 and 3C's for an extended period of time...

Not sure many teams have depth to handle that.

Anaheim: Koivu, Palmieri...
Detroit: Weiss...
Carolina: J. Staal, Malhotra...

Lots of teams would be toast, even teams that look solid depth-wise at C like Carolina.

Granted, some teams look great even without their 1C+3C:
Chicago: Sharp, Handzus
Colorado: O'Reilly, Duchene

But seriously, even having Colborne right now the C situation would still be terrible:

Kadri, Colborne, McClement, Smith

I mean, outside of McClement this is basically the Marlies from last year...

 

[PuckMagi]

honestly... once bozak gets back, we'll be fine. we just gotta find something that works until then.

not that bolland isn't a great player... but we've probably got the best 4th liner in the league in mcclement.

as much as i liked bolland... i've always liked mcclement and thought he would be perfect as a 3rd line centre shut down guy.

so we're really only weaker in our 4th line... but it's not that big a deal.

it's certainly bad that we lost bolland... but it's not going to completely cripple us by any means.

 

[Kibago]

if Bozak can be back at the first possible moment, I think we can hold the line with JVR (and you don't want to trade right away, when other teams have you in the hole.)

but we may end up having to make a trade. if none of the young C prospects are ready, putting one in a package (along with other assets, just try and keep the 1st-round pick out, other picks are fine) for a C may make sense.

 

[Goonface2k14]

I think JVR will thrive at centre. He's played there before, and at the end of the day, he's a fantastic hockey player in a breakout season. This injuries to Bolland and Bozo could be a blessing in disguise. And he's out there with Lupul and Kessel to start, which is all the more reason to believe he's been given every chance to be on a successful line. Let's see how it goes. First test Friday night.

My hope is when Bozak comes back, if JVR is successful at C, Bozo becomes the third line centre, where he belongs, and the top two lines split up JVR/Kessel and Kadri/Lupul. Then, if and when Bolland gets back (I'm guessing late in the year), they have options.

GLG.

 

[mikebel111*]

Really hope it works. It might solve an issue that has been there for a long time.

 

[JB Maple Leafs]

We need to trade for Ott. He would be the perfect 3rd line centre replacement for Bolland. When Bolland gets back Ott switches to the wing.
What a hard nosed 3rd line of Ott - Bolland - Clarkson.

make it happen...get Ott!!......he's also great on face-offs

 

[Mr Scarface*]

Dreger: Nonis really looking for that center guy

Just on now during this boston - dallas game break... They are really talking that Nonis has talked to other GM's and made sure he has the assets to pay what it takes to get a center guy back. Bolland and others being out Nonis really pushing for it and talking the talk. They are talking right now as we speak. Highly interesting atmosphere and world now.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Not exactly news.

 

[Peasy]

Doesn't take a genius to figure this out.

 

[TMLife*]

Bozak + Kessel for Crosby.
Make it happen Nonis!

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

What broadcast Dallas/Boston? Was this said during 2nd intermission?

 

[34]

If it's not a real legit #1 C than forget it!

 

[Mr Scarface*]

What broadcast Dallas/Boston? Was this said during 2nd intermission?

Me don't know what the broadcast was but this was like maybe the on ice or something like that these two broadcast journalists commentators were really talking it big and quoting dreger etc. This was big and I was very exited. They was talking about nonis for a long time. This all came up after the 2nd period had ended in boston. It's all getting very real and we'll probably hear something juicy very soon. Many people saw this I'm sure.

 

[Schenn]

Me need center guy? That's unpossible.

 

[TootooTrain]

Call me when he actually finds "that guy".