Speculation: Defender Pairings

Cyborg Yzerberg

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,150
2,369
Philadelphia
I don't see it happening, either, and I never understood the love for that pairing. We haven't been thrilled with the puck movement from the backend for the majority of the season..well, right there is a decent chunk of what we're not thrilled about.

Even Dekeyser's corsi numbers aren't the best(probably because he gets A LOT of hard minutes and plays with Quincey.) Signing Quincey was a big mistake this summer, and though he is certainly better than in the past, it's not like Ouellet and Marhenko aren't ready.(Which we definitely knew Ouellet was ready last July.)
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
I am not a Quincey guy, but his physical engagement this year is what is keeping him out of trouble in my opinion. He had a couple thumper hits again tonight. But that pairing goes through stretches where they struggle to complete passes, the other two get raked over the coals, they get a pass mostly in my opinion because of the popularity of DeKeyser.

We will see, DK has had to do a lot of the heavy lifting, when he doesn't bring it they are a pretty big trainwreck to watch. Luckily DK brings it almost every night. Also Quincey is going to have a bum wheel the rest of the year and that is concerning for me.

Q has improved over the last season and a half. But we have different pieces. In my opinion there should be an open competition between Marchenko/Smith/Q for the final spot and in that even Q could be the loser. His preferred pairing with DeKeyser is saving him from being seriously discussed. Not sure that it should, but that is life.
 

Cyborg Yzerberg

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,150
2,369
Philadelphia
I am not a Quincey guy, but his physical engagement this year is what is keeping him out of trouble in my opinion. He had a couple thumper hits again tonight. But that pairing goes through stretches where they struggle to complete passes, the other two get raked over the coals, they get a pass mostly in my opinion because of the popularity of DeKeyser.

We will see, DK has had to do a lot of the heavy lifting, when he doesn't bring it they are a pretty big trainwreck to watch. Luckily DK brings it almost every night. Also Quincey is going to have a bum wheel the rest of the year and that is concerning for me.

Q has improved over the last season and a half. But we have different pieces. In my opinion there should be an open competition between Marchenko/Smith/Q for the final spot and in that even Q could be the loser. His preferred pairing with DeKeyser is saving him from being seriously discussed. Not sure that it should, but that is life.

I wish we could include Ouellet in that competition as well. He played fairly well in his stint here.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
I think we might need 8 anyway over the course of a deep playoff run.

I don't think Kindl sees the ice in the post-season, they play the best team at that point.

Babs has a lot of options and a lot of depth, it should payoff. We find a way out of the first round and that grind starts to take hold and we are among the deepest teams in the league if not the deepest in my opinion.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
I don't know what to do with the pairings.

I think Dekeyser stylistically is the ideal match to play with Zidlicky. But I am scared to see Quincey moved elsewhere.

I still don't love any of the options for #1 RD, but I guess Ericsson wins by default.

I believe we see 2 righty's on the ice by opening night of the play-offs.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
Just throwing some pairings in a blender...

Kronwall-Smith
Dekeyser-Zidlicky
Quincey-Ericsson

Kronwall-Ericsson
Dekeyser-Zidlicky
Quincey-Marchenko

Kronwall-Ericsson
Dekeyser-Quincey
Ouellet-Zidlicky

Kronwall-Quincey
Dekeyser-Smith
Ericsson-Zidlicky

Kronwall-Zidlicky
Dekeyser-Smith
Quincey-Ericsson

Guess this could shake out lots of different ways.
 

Cyborg Yzerberg

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,150
2,369
Philadelphia
I don't know what to do with the pairings.

I think Dekeyser stylistically is the ideal match to play with Zidlicky. But I am scared to see Quincey moved elsewhere.

I still don't love any of the options for #1 RD, but I guess Ericsson wins by default.

I believe we see 2 righty's on the ice by opening night of the play-offs.

Problem is: even on a mediocre team like New Jersey, Zidlicky desperately needed sheltered minutes. I'm not sure he can handle second pairing minutes. I mean maybe? Dekeyser sure covers Quincey's ass, might be able to cover Zidlicky's too.
 
Last edited:

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
Problem is: even on a mediocre team like New Jersey, Zidlicky desperately needed minutes. I'm not sure he can handle second pairing minutes. I mean maybe? Dekeyser sure covers Quincey's ass, might be able to cover Zidlicky's too.

What does he "desperately needed minutes" mean?

He had highest ES TOI/GP in NJ. Think he could handle 2nd pair here. Especially with a big, mobile partner like DK.
 

Cyborg Yzerberg

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,150
2,369
Philadelphia
What does he "desperately needed minutes" mean?

He had highest ES TOI/GP in NJ. Think he could handle 2nd pair here. Especially with a big, mobile partner like DK.

My bad, getting tired is all, I accidentally omitted "sheltered." And even with having a high ES/TOI/GP relative to Devils' defensemen, they were all primarily offensive zone based zone starts facing weakest QoC, at least last I checked.
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,756
4,569
Cleveland
By the way Nick Jensen has been the best D-man in GR for two months running also.

that guy is so under the radar it's criminal. Got a feeling he's going to get lost in the shuffle because of so many other young guys looking to make the roster soon. Going into next year, I have to think that XO and Marchenko will be ahead of him on the opportunity chart, and Sproul still has a more ridiculous upside, along with the size and handedness Babcock wants.

With so many kids leap frogging vets at certain points this year, and continually looking to deal for blueline help, it'll be interesting to see if Holland does clean house a bit this summer, regardless of whether or not we sign Green (or anyone else). Outside of Kronwall and Dekeyser, there isn't anything overly special about our blueline, and going into next season with Marchenko and XO in our starting six shouldn't be off the table.
 

ap3x

Registered User
Jan 31, 2014
5,971
0
Stockholm
Why Quincey on the top pairing? Much better choices available, imao.
Stick with E, pair him with Smith (proven to be good together) or try Marchenko (could work out just fine).
Voted for Zid on it first, but on second thought he might be better off logging less minutes.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
I like Smith, but for playoffs I think I'd go with

Kronwall-Ericsson
Dekeyser-Zidlicky
Quincey-Marchenko
 

Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
21,202
14,898
crease
Aye, my favourite pairings as well.

Add me to the list.

Basically I like the idea of having 2 rightys out there. Smith, it's a shame to see him sit, but he hasn't made a convincing enough argument to get time over guys like Quincey or Marchenko.
 

jaster

Unregistered User
Jun 8, 2007
13,095
8,224
Marchenko won't be playing ahead of Smith in the playoffs, barring injuries. If everyone stays healthy (and no one takes a drastic dip or jump in performance), I can't see the pairings in game 1 of the playoffs being different than against the Rags. Zidlicky will stay on the 3rd pairing with Smith, but he'll have a ton of PP time, and close to 19/20 minutes of total TOI.
 

Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
21,202
14,898
crease
Marchenko won't be playing ahead of Smith in the playoffs, barring injuries. If everyone stays healthy (and no one takes a drastic dip or jump in performance), I can't see the pairings in game 1 of the playoffs being different than against the Rags. Zidlicky will stay on the 3rd pairing with Smith, but he'll have a ton of PP time, and close to 19/20 minutes of total TOI.

You're probably right.

I liked seeing Zidlicky get time with Kronwall on that 4 on 3. You'd have to think if the team gets behind in the 3rd they might move him up to the top pair to try to generate some offense.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
Marchenko won't be playing ahead of Smith in the playoffs, barring injuries. If everyone stays healthy (and no one takes a drastic dip or jump in performance), I can't see the pairings in game 1 of the playoffs being different than against the Rags. Zidlicky will stay on the 3rd pairing with Smith, but he'll have a ton of PP time, and close to 19/20 minutes of total TOI.

The guy who stresses LH-RH pairings more than any other coach though?

I think it's entirely possible Marchenko gets a shot.
 

19 for president

Registered User
Apr 28, 2002
2,832
950
If Smith stays in the lineup then I think you have to run.

Kronner-smith
Dek-Q
E-Zids

If March replaces Smith you run
kronner-e
Dekeyser-Zids
Quincet-Marchenko

Q/D is a good pair defensively but a black hole on offense. I want to see multiple pairs bring offense. Smith and Zids has the potential to be worse than Q/Smith.
 

jaster

Unregistered User
Jun 8, 2007
13,095
8,224
You're probably right.

I liked seeing Zidlicky get time with Kronwall on that 4 on 3. You'd have to think if the team gets behind in the 3rd they might move him up to the top pair to try to generate some offense.

Totally.

And it wasn't just Kronwall-Zidlicky I liked, it was also a unit that included Hank and Dats. That is a dominant 4-man PP unit that we could not match previous to acquiring Zidlicky. And when it comes to having to stack a 5-man PP unit in a similar situation, just add Gus or Tats to the mix and, again, that's a dominant unit that we couldn't assemble previously.

I very much like the Cole addition, but unlike a lot of the hockey writers/talking heads, I like the Zidlicky addition even better (and yes, I had said that before Zidlicky scored an OT goal :laugh:)
 

jaster

Unregistered User
Jun 8, 2007
13,095
8,224
The guy who stresses LH-RH pairings more than any other coach though?

I think it's entirely possible Marchenko gets a shot.

Yes, even given the coach who stresses LH-RH combos.

That's his preference, obviously, but A) Holland makes the call on who is on the roster, and B) it's not like they had been running Marchenko out there all season. The organization obviously likes Marchenko (as do I), and also considers his RH shot a plus, but I don't see that being enough to bench Smith, even given Smith's warts. And especially after acquiring Zidlicky.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->