Define a 1st/2nd/3rd/4th liner?

[Winger98]

Some teams stack the first line and rely on them to do the heavy lifting. Ideally a team has two lines capable of scoring and exploiting 2nd pairing defenders. You know, finding an opening when Suter finally needs oxygen.

The Penguins have had so much success because they have two first line centers. Crosby is technically your "1st line" guy, but not every year. Their ice time is going to be pretty similar.

So to answer your question, it depends. The top center should be on the ice with his line the most shifts possible. A lot of it is matchups. Zetterberg spent two playoffs shadowing Crosby. The entire plan for the Wings was never let Crosby move without Z near him. In later years we saw Glendening shadowing top lines against Tampa.

this is why I lean towards how @tsweeney talked about it above. Your first line guy needs to be a guy you are willing to put out there against anyone, in any circumstance, and feel pretty good about. It's what made Z our #1 center (yeah, I said it) and what should have told us how horribly screwed we were when the coaches decided that matching Glendening up against the other team's top players was a necessity. It's part of what signaled the end for Lewis when he thought he had to chase Iginla with Draper getting 20+ minutes a night.

It becomes a bit more grey on the wings where how a guy fits into a particular line can be more important than his "skill level" but the guy still can't be a plug and play 18 minutes a night on your first line.

 

[lilidk]

apply to Red wings
1Mantha -Larkin -Svechnikov( if Svechnikov skating improved)
2AA-Glendenning- Bert . A lot of hard work speed , good draw.
3 Zadina- Veleno- Ras. Kids line . Should not play a lot , bring energy
4 Aby-Rose- Ehn . Main PK , kill some time

 

[Shaman464]

Looking at the numbers even 2 years ago need to be taken with salt, scoring is up 10% over the last two years, and being near PPG isn't as good as it was even a couple years ago.

 

[obey86]

this is why I lean towards how @tsweeney talked about it above. Your first line guy needs to be a guy you are willing to put out there against anyone, in any circumstance, and feel pretty good about. It's what made Z our #1 center (yeah, I said it) and what should have told us how horribly screwed we were when the coaches decided that matching Glendening up against the other team's top players was a necessity. It's part of what signaled the end for Lewis when he thought he had to chase Iginla with Draper getting 20+ minutes a night.

It becomes a bit more grey on the wings where how a guy fits into a particular line can be more important than his "skill level" but the guy still can't be a plug and play 18 minutes a night on your first line.

So in your opinion, someone like Stamkos wasn't really a #1 center? Because I feel like for a lot of the pure elite offensive/bad face-off and defensive centers like Stamkos....coaches don't intentionally put them out there against the other teams best players....they usually try to avoid the other teams best players.

For example: In his prime, Babcock is purposely putting out Z in a one goal lead game in the 3rd period to take a defensive zone face-off/match up against the Crosby line. Are the Lightning putting out Stamkos in the same circumstance? No, most likely not.

 

[raymond23]

The arguments over arbitrary definitions of a player are the worst part of HFB.

The second you mention someone like Larkin on the main boards it devolves into a "he would be a 3rd line center on Tampa" discussion. Or "he's a good 2C".

It's just so fricking useless.

 

[Winger98]

So in your opinion, someone like Stamkos wasn't really a #1 center? Because I feel like for a lot of the pure elite offensive/bad face-off and defensive centers like Stamkos....coaches don't intentionally put them out there against the other teams best players....they usually try to avoid the other teams best players.

For example: In his prime, Babcock is purposely putting out Z in a one goal lead game in the 3rd period to take a defensive zone face-off/match up against the Crosby line. Are the Lightning putting out Stamkos in the same circumstance? No, most likely not.

I've never really been a fan of Stamkos as a center, let alone a #1 center. I was against clearing out space to go after him in UFA because I viewed him then, and still do, really, as a guy who is better moved to wing. So, no, I don't view Stamkos as a guy I would want as a #1 center. He puts up points, but so did Pierre Turgeon.

 

[jkutswings]

He puts up points, but so did Pierre Turgeon.

Don't be talkin' no smack about Turgeon. Viva Pierre!