Do we have the worst 4th line in the league?

[LeafOfBread]

Seriously, I don't understand why it's like this. Now, the fourth line isn't crucial, but they still play an important role to bring energy and chippy play when needed.

Obviously with injuries, things are a little bit screwed up right now, but I don't see why the hell we need McLaren AND Orr out together. What will two goons accomplish, seriously?

In comparison, the Habs and Bruins both have good, dependable 4th lines (though 2.5 for Prust is a joke).

Why can't we just roll something like Brown-McClement-Hamilton? Dress Orr for games where we need a goon on the ice. Since Brown is injured right now, pick up a cheap 4th line option who's better than McLaren, or hell even call someone up that can bring more than he can.

The 4th line doesn't have to be amazing, but they can't be a liability either, and that's what they have been this year.

I wish we had kept Darryl Boyce. He was a perfect fourth liner.

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[Stephen]

The fourth line is not efficient, and there's no reason to play two goons in a game against Carolina of all teams, but it's the least of our problems.

Where was Mikhail Grabovski tonight, spending his money?

 

[LeafOfBread]

The fourth line is not efficient, and there's no reason to play two goons in a game against Carolina of all teams, but it's the least of our problems.

Where was Mikhail Grabovski tonight, spending his money?

We've legit had a few goals against with the 4th line out. The 4th line is easy to fix, but it can't be a liability.

This team has a lot of flaws right now and injuries haven't helped.

 

[Hockeylaw]

As it stands, I would say our fourth line is one of the worst in the league, yes.

But Orr won a couple of fights, so I must be wrong.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

Our 4th line is the least of our problems.

 

[Hockeylaw]

Our 4th line is the least of our problems.

But it should be the easiest to fix! That's what is so depressing about it.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Our 4th line is the least of our problems.

It's a problem. They get hemmed in their zone every game and are causing the loss of momentum while giving up serious scoring chances to the other team and even resulting in a few GAs. Can't have that happening especially when they only play a few minutes a game.

 

[Stephen]

We've legit had a few goals against with the 4th line out. The 4th line is easy to fix, but it can't be a liability.

This team has a lot of flaws right now and injuries haven't helped.

When your first line, second line and third line are among the worst in the league, you tend to overlook the ****tiness of the fourth line, however much a liability it is.

I just hate how we have a blackhole of cream puffiness in Bozak, Kulemin, MacArthur, Grabovski dead in the middle of the roster, guaranteed to take 50% of the games off.

 

[LeafOfBread]

When your first line, second line and third line are among the worst in the league, you tend to overlook the ****tiness of the fourth line, however much a liability it is.

I just hate how we have a blackhole of cream puffiness in Bozak, Kulemin, MacArthur, Grabovski dead in the middle of the roster, guaranteed to take 50% of the games off.

I would take Kulemin out of that group, he's been good this season. Can't say the same for the rest though..

And don't lump the third line in there either. You know they've been good.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

When your first line, second line and third line are among the worst in the league, you tend to overlook the ****tiness of the fourth line, however much a liability it is.

I just hate how we have a blackhole of cream puffiness in Bozak, Kulemin, MacArthur, Grabovski dead in the middle of the roster, guaranteed to take 50% of the games off.

Perhaps it's just me, but Bozak hasn't even been that bad. He's been the best out of all our centres.

 

[Captain Clutch 13]

Komorov - Steckel - Mcclement. Solid 4th line, throw Brown in there sometimes. Having either Orr or Mclaren, nevermind both is ridiculous. Matter of coaching, Carlyle makes some wierd decisions, thats for sure.

 

[Pi]

Our biggest problems:

Phaneuf...can't play defense right now. Very inconsistent. 5 mins of PP time has 1 point...probably not even on the PP. Terrible positioning on the PK.

Kostka, terrible on the PP. For 600,000 though...the defense he's providing is great.

Franson/Liles, cant defend AT ALL. They get outplayed in our zone every game.

Fraser/Holzer ---> AHL.

4th line goons. It's good for games against the Bruins...but this is Carolina. We need gritty fourth line players, like the guys we thought we didn't need, TIM BRENT, JOEY CRABB, that guy with the broken nose because of the photography hole...can't remember his name

3rd line is perfect.

2nd line...inconsistent.

1st line inconsistent.

That is a LOT of problems. Which is why, I am sure Nonis will blow this team to bits and start all over again.

 

[sangreale]

How much would it cost to record Jim Morra saying ..."you're talking 'bout the 4th line?"

 

[7even]

Perhaps it's just me, but Bozak hasn't even been that bad. He's been the best out of all our centres.

That's also not saying that much

 

[Stephen]

Perhaps it's just me, but Bozak hasn't even been that bad. He's been the best out of all our centres.

He's not that bad, but we just have too many of those guys who aren't true top six guys but don't bring other elements to make them that useful or hard to compete against. None of them are 'that bad' but when you have too much of them all on one roster, the team becomes too easy to play against.

I'm really angry with Grabovski, whom everyone's so in love with, but the guy only really comes to compete some times, and everyone remembers that. The rest of the time he just floats around makes some dumb tunnel vision plays that don't help his teammates and then he goes shopping. The guy sucks at the money he makes.

 

[12345*]

without lupul, kessel just plays on his own. Skate skate skate shoot. skate skate skate backhand to forehand turnover.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

He's not that bad, but we just have too many of those guys who aren't true top six guys but don't bring other elements to make them that useful or hard to compete against. None of them are 'that bad' but when you have too much of them all on one roster, the team becomes too easy to play against.

I'm really angry with Grabovski, whom everyone's so in love with, but the guy only really comes to compete some times, and everyone remembers that. The rest of the time he just floats around makes some dumb tunnel vision plays that don't help his teammates and then he goes shopping. The guy sucks at the money he makes.

Can't disagree with this at all. That's the sad part.

 

[Pi]

without lupul, kessel just plays on his own. Skate skate skate shoot. skate skate skate backhand to forehand turnover.

He's got a bad case of Ovechkinitis.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Komorov - Steckel - Mcclement. Solid 4th line, throw Brown in there sometimes. Having either Orr or Mclaren, nevermind both is ridiculous. Matter of coaching, Carlyle makes some wierd decisions, thats for sure.

As good of a coach he is, he has that old school mentality which can be a pain in the ass. The thing that's pissed me off the most so far is his refusal to change up the PP or juggle combinations that simply aren't working.

Phaneuf-Kostka, DOES NOT WORK
Kostka on the PP, DOES NOT WORK
McLaren and Orr playing every game, DOES NOT WORK!!!

Fraser/Holzer in for Komi?

He's a good coach but he's gotta see that these combos are failing us.

 

[7even]

As good of a coach he is, he has that old school mentality which can be a pain in the ass. The thing that's pissed me off the most so far is his refusal to change up the PP or juggle combinations that simply aren't working.

Phaneuf-Kostka, DOES NOT WORK
Kostka on the PP, DOES NOT WORK
McLaren and Orr playing every game, DOES NOT WORK!!!

Fraser/Holzer in for Komi?

He's a good coach but he's gotta see that these combos are failing us.

Yeah, the one thing Wilson did right was switch up his lines mid-game when they weren't working. I guess Carlyle isn't that guy.

 

[Odinson]

I have no problems with Orr playing on the 4th line and taking a regular 4th line shift.

I would have no problems with McLaren taking a regular 4th line shift either, but they both shouldn't be taking these shifts at the same time, especially with the team we have.

Orr should be dressed, McLaren should sub in for him when unnecessary, they shouldn't be 2/3rds of a line.

All that said, with the way the team is playing, we're going to lose regardless.

 

[masyo88*]

I like how leaf fans think that all the other teams in the NHL have a super fast forth line that plays incredible. Did you even watch the games? They play okay for a forth line, keep the other teams honest and bring the physicality. The bigger problems are our top 9 not scoring, and our D men playing like pylons. We are not going back to smurf hockey like last year and being like the Milhouse of the NHL. If you don't like, I hear curling is fun at this time of year.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Yeah, the one thing Wilson did right was switch up his lines mid-game when they weren't working. I guess Carlyle isn't that guy.

Ugh, I hate to say it but yeah Wilson was good with that. I hope Carlyle gets the stick out of his ass and changes it up.

This year in general he's seemed to take different approaches than he did before. He was known for being a hardass, but he's been pretty good with the players and has changed his approach to coaching. We no longer have that "top six bottom six" thing going on anymore, he understands that we need to roll a competent third line that can score. That's why I still have faith that he will figure the rest out soon too.

 

[LMFAO]

Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaah, let's get rid of Brown/Orr/Mclaren, let's roll a fourth line of


Joey Crabb - Tim Brent - Phillipe Dupuis

I mean do you REALY need goons when you have gritty juggernaut in your top 9 like Kessel ? BOZAK ?!?! Mikhail fuc*** Grabovski ? Nasty Nazem ?!?!



Oh and bring back Wilson when we are at it, that guy knew before everybody else that toughness is useless, I guess when the other team is pounding on us they are not scoring goals right ?!?!

 

[Hockeylaw]

I like how leaf fans think that all the other teams in the NHL have a super fast forth line that plays incredible. Did you even watch the games? They play okay for a forth line, keep the other teams honest and bring the physicality.

Err, no... they've been hemmed into their own zone for nearly every game since the start of the season, and either escape by the skin of their teeth, or get bailed out by Reimer.

The Bruins' fourth line had 22 goals last season by my count. 29 the season before that. Ever heard of scoring by committee? It would be huge if our fourth line could pot a goal every few games. And it would be great if we could rely on them for a solid 9-10 minutes of responsible hockey.

Believe it or not, hockey games are not won because your fourth line plug punched another goon's face in. They're won because you outscore your opponent. And right now, our fourth line is not doing anything to help us outscore our opponents.

Is this our biggest problem? No. But it is a problem, and it shouldn't be.