could little bert--AA- mantha be a top 2 line in nhl in a few years?

[mike0618]

little bert- AA- mantha line looking great in these preseason games. i can see a 2nd line grouping when they all come up in a few years. They need to keep them together those 3 got some big time chemastry going. I would be interested in the thoughts of others on the pote tial as a line those 3 together might have in the NHL. anyone see a top line??

Click to read more...

 

[Frk It]

All have top 6 potential, IMO. Wouldn't expect any to be 1st line except Mantha. Bertuzzi and AA may end up 3rd line but good enough for some teams top 6's, similar to Filppula and Hudler when we were stacked at forward.

Basically, we are going to have a very good and very young top 9 in the near future.

 

[HisNoodliness]

My personal hope is something along the lines of:
Mantha-larkin-AA
Then second and third lines consisting of lil bert, Svech, Goose, Tats, pulkks and Sheehan+whoever we add and is still around.
This would be a very good, young top nine. Obviously whoever developes best will take that first line, but I expect Larkin and Mantha are the heirs at this point. Then AA has chemistry so he fits up there with those two.

 

[RedMachine87]

They've looked great, but it's still way too early to make that prediction imo. I do think all three have top six talent, work ethic and opportunity will be the deciding factor.

It's likely we will see more of a balanced 1a, 1b, 1c kind of lineup in a couple of years as the old guard fades to black.

Will be interesting to see what Holland does to fit everyone on the roster. I agree with the depth philosophy, but it defeats the purpose of your AHL depth is better than some of your NHL depth.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Zetterberg is still playing wing in two years... Goose and Tatar are still on the team more than likely especially with control over Tatar in the next negotiation. Hard to see them all being that high up the order that soon in all honesty. Like all three players, the Wings have an embarrassment of riches up front.

 

[Shaman464]

No. AA and Bert both will be 3rd line peak players.

 

[Flowah]

No. AA and Bert both will be 3rd line peak players.

AA looks like a third line lock. His peak is higher than that.

 

[Shaman464]

AA looks like a third line lock. His peak is higher than that.

Nothing I have seen from him makes me believe that he's going to be more than a slight better Helm replacement. As I keep saying I hope that he makes Helm trade bait, but, he's not going to be anything that special in the end.

 

[TheMule93]

Id like to see mantha and Bert remain together they like each other a lot. A couple years down the road I hope they're playing with Larkin on our top line

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Nothing I have seen from him makes me believe that he's going to be more than a slight better Helm replacement. As I keep saying I hope that he makes Helm trade bait, but, he's not going to be anything that special in the end.

He certainly flashes an all world ceiling... I doubt he reaches it, but hard to say nothing in terms of not seeing Top 6 skills in terms of AA.

I get that is your opinion though, I am just a little shocked as you do watch the Griffins a decent amount. He has a boatload of talent, I don't think his vision is there or the use of his teammates yet, but he absolutely could be in the top 6, he has high end hands and breathtaking speed.

 

[Hendricks433]

Nothing I have seen from him makes me believe that he's going to be more than a slight better Helm replacement. As I keep saying I hope that he makes Helm trade bait, but, he's not going to be anything that special in the end.

So he would be a 40-45 point player? Id take that.

 

[Yemack]

He certainly flashes an all world ceiling... I doubt he reaches it, but hard to say nothing in terms of not seeing Top 6 skills in terms of AA.

I get that is your opinion though, I am just a little shocked as you do watch the Griffins a decent amount. He has a boatload of talent, I don't think his vision is there or the use of his teammates yet, but he absolutely could be in the top 6, he has high end hands and breathtaking speed.

that was my observation in his last exhibition game. his main focus seems to be drive drive drive.

however with his speed and scoring touch and physicality, maybe he is just ok as north south player.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

that was my observation in his last exhibition game. his main focus seems to be drive drive drive.

however with his speed and scoring touch and physicality, maybe he is just ok as north south player.

I think that puts him back out on the wing. Have said since he was drafted I hope he becomes a more consistent Stalberg. Now Stalberg isn't popular but what plagued him was inconsistency at the NHL level, if he had that he is a valuable top 6 winger and likely a second line beast that is a nightmare to matchup with most nights.

The thing about AA is he should generate at least one quality scoring chance a night, on nights where he is really on you are looking at almost a handful because of his speed and ability to handle the puck at that pace.

But to be a big time player he is going to have to get better at reading the game and his teammates. He has the time to develop that and remains an extremely intriguing player.

 

[DanZ]

Nothing I have seen from him makes me believe that he's going to be more than a slight better Helm replacement. As I keep saying I hope that he makes Helm trade bait, but, he's not going to be anything that special in the end.

I think he would already put up similar production to Helm given a chance this season. He's shown better offensive potential at every level and looks to have taken another step this season. Do you think he's already peaked at 21.

 

[Shaman464]

I think he would already put up similar production to Helm given a chance this season. He's shown better offensive potential at every level and looks to have taken another step this season. Do you think he's already peaked at 21.

No, I think he's too cute for the NHL. I think that his speed will be negated a lot and will limit him. Even his AHL numbers weren't that impressive. I think too many people overrate him, and I get called out for being realistic. If at the time of the draft I told you he'd be a slightly better Helm you'd all be over the moon, but a few flashy youtube highlights and people are predicting him to be a top 100 player in the NHL.

 

[Flowah]

No, I think he's too cute for the NHL. I think that his speed will be negated a lot and will limit him. Even his AHL numbers weren't that impressive. I think too many people overrate him, and I get called out for being realistic. If at the time of the draft I told you he'd be a slightly better Helm you'd all be over the moon, but a few flashy youtube highlights and people are predicting him to be a top 100 player in the NHL.

His speed seemed to work just fine against some regular NHL players in several preseason games.

 

[Hendricks433]

that was my observation in his last exhibition game. his main focus seems to be drive drive drive.

however with his speed and scoring touch and physicality, maybe he is just ok as north south player.

Except for the sauce pass over to Mantha for a goal and the flip pass into the zone which almost netted Mantha a goal.

I do see how he can have blinders on at time and thats always been one of the knocks on him but he's improved a lot in that area.

 

[Hendricks433]

No, I think he's too cute for the NHL. I think that his speed will be negated a lot and will limit him. Even his AHL numbers weren't that impressive. I think too many people overrate him, and I get called out for being realistic. If at the time of the draft I told you he'd be a slightly better Helm you'd all be over the moon, but a few flashy youtube highlights and people are predicting him to be a top 100 player in the NHL.

He was hurt part way through the year last year with a broken jaw and lost tons of weight/strength. This preseason was his first real games back after an offseason of getting some of that strength back. Even his playoffs were decent for coming back from that injury in his first pro season. His preseason was pretty good against other NHLers and his speed won't be as much of an advantage in the NHL as AHL but he may be the fastest player in the NHL. Top 5 easily.

 

[Birko19]

Nothing I have seen from him makes me believe that he's going to be more than a slight better Helm replacement. As I keep saying I hope that he makes Helm trade bait, but, he's not going to be anything that special in the end.

AA has offensive potential which is something Helm is lacking. I see AA as a future 2nd liner though I would not be surprised if he evolved into a top line player, the skill and speed are there for that to happen.

 

[odin1981]

that was my observation in his last exhibition game. his main focus seems to be drive drive drive.

however with his speed and scoring touch and physicality, maybe he is just ok as north south player.

Wouldn't be bad if he became our lesser version of Pavel Bure if he makes his home on the wing at the NHL level.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

in three years:

Tatar-Larkin-Mantha
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-AA
Nyquist-Sheahan-Bertuzzi

Something to that effect.


And then there's Svechnikov......

 

[Yemack]

I think that puts him back out on the wing. Have said since he was drafted I hope he becomes a more consistent Stalberg. Now Stalberg isn't popular but what plagued him was inconsistency at the NHL level, if he had that he is a valuable top 6 winger and likely a second line beast that is a nightmare to matchup with most nights.

The thing about AA is he should generate at least one quality scoring chance a night, on nights where he is really on you are looking at almost a handful because of his speed and ability to handle the puck at that pace.

But to be a big time player he is going to have to get better at reading the game and his teammates. He has the time to develop that and remains an extremely intriguing player.

while i agree that would be awesome I dont think he necessarily needs to drastically change his game or put effort into so called 'weakness'. I think he's just what he is and it might be better to accentuate that. His game is about giving very little time to opposition, and to make east west pass, you need to give yourself and opposition time to bait people and get people in places, not sure they really can coexist. still it wouldnt hurt.

odin1981 mentioned pavel bure but i was thinking along side of Emerson Etem.

 

[Henkka]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't datsyuk retiring from the NHL after this contract so he can go back to KHL team? I know the Ruble is rubble right now but at this point he's doing it for Nostalgia, not money.

Nope. he hasn't talked anything about going back to Russia since he got a new girlfriend. And he has a child with this woman. he also has a daughter from first marriage who lives at Russia, but that has been the case for last 5 years.

I see Datsyuk as our next Larionov who plays far over his 40's and is suberb effective depth line center.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

All have top 6 potential, IMO. Wouldn't expect any to be 1st line except Mantha. Bertuzzi and AA may end up 3rd line but good enough for some teams top 6's, similar to Filppula and Hudler when we were stacked at forward.

Basically, we are going to have a very good and very young top 9 in the near future.

Couldn't agree more with this assessment, Mantha definitely has 1st line potential down the road and both AA and Bert are pretty much 3rd liners at this point.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Nope. he hasn't talked anything about going back to Russia since he got a new girlfriend. And he has a child with this woman. he also has a daughter from first marriage who lives at Russia, but that has been the case for last 5 years.

I see Datsyuk as our next Larionov who plays far over his 40's and is suberb effective depth line center.

After the 2016-17 season Pasha will have 15 years in the league and be 38 years old, I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls a Jagr and plays well into his 40's I could see him depending on his health doing a Lidstrom and signing a one year deal around $7 million or so for a few more years yet. But it depends on his health and if he thinks that he can still be a great competitor.