Line Combos: Elite Third Line?

[Richard88]

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[AllAboutAvs]

I made the argument earlier in the season (with customary stats and charts and complex graphics) that Donskoi was being held back by having Compher as his center, given that Donskoi had produced any time he played with top 6 players or on PP2. Low-and-behold, get Donskoi even a semi-decent center and he flourishes.

Yeah you called it regarding Donskoi. Well done!

If you look at the way Jost was playing in lower levels his success came from skating around the OZ attracting defenders which was freeing somebody by the net. Increasing his skating to an acceptable level is allowing him to return to his style of play. With that said having problems breaking out at the NHL level is probably the best thing that happened to him. It forced him to developed his D game to a level that it would keep him in the lineup giving him time to work more on his skating. Without that D game he would have been out of the NHL by now. Jost was also elite at faceoffs at lower levels so it is not surprising that this is also coming around. If he can keep improving his faceoffs skills and skating a little bit more he will become an important commodity in the NHL.

Will the current play from that line remain? The play itself should but it is just a question of time the production will slow down. There is no way Donskoi keeps that pace. However they should be able to remain a strong 3rd line together as they compliment each other very well.

 

[Chiarelli]

Jost - Smart, good defensively, some skill, slower smaller and weaker
Donskoi - Skilled, dumb, fast, bad defensively, smaller
Nuke - not skilled, fast, good defensively, size and strength

they all make up for each other quite well so that skill, size, strength, defensive ability, and intelligence is present in some form

 

[AvsFan29]

Jost - Smart, good defensively, some skill, slower smaller and weaker
Donskoi - Skilled, dumb, fast, bad defensively, smaller
Nuke - not skilled, fast, good defensively, size and strength

they all make up for each other quite well so that skill, size, strength, defensive ability, and intelligence is present in some form

Nuke isn’t skilled? He’s part of the top line in the NHL!

 

[Qurpiz]

Donskoi - Skilled, dumb, fast, bad defensively, smaller

#DonkeyLivesMatter

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I do feel like this line is driven by Nichushkin and Donskoi. Jost’s played well defensively and is getting in on some offence recently, but Donskoi brings the skill and Nichushkin brings the puck pressure and play driving.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the line broke out once Nichushkin found his game. He’s like a budget Mark Stone when he’s at this level.

To Jost’s credit, he’s bringing more value than Compher was in that spot. I just think the wings are more critical to that line.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I think what’s blowing me away with Jost is that he skills that I had no idea existed. I guess it was a lack of confidence leading him to never try things but he has that rare ability to open his hips and move laterally like Makar to create space. Like that’s a really big deal and I had no idea he could even do it until these last few weeks.

Jost has averaged 29 points per 82 games in his three full seasons prior to this one playing almost exclusively 4th line minutes and just playing a simple north-south game where he essentially just made safe plays to avoid making a mistake. I have no doubt with some new confidence and elevated minutes that he can grow by another 5-10 points and be a constant 35-40 pt scorer with tremendous defensive ability. That’s pretty damn good for a third line centre. Anything more than that is gravy.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

Jost - Smart, good defensively, some skill, slower smaller and weaker
Donskoi - Skilled, dumb, fast, bad defensively, smaller
Nuke - not skilled, fast, good defensively, size and strength

they all make up for each other quite well so that skill, size, strength, defensive ability, and intelligence is present in some form

I wouldn't categorize Donskoi as dumb or bad defensively. I think he has pretty good awareness of space and picks good spots to be in. He's also being trusted on the PK so I think defense isn't an issue - at least not to the coaches anyway. I also think he's one of the more creative players on the team (ex. see his second goal last night). If there was a knock on Donskoi I would say he plays kind of soft at times.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Jost - Smart, good defensively, some skill, slower smaller and weaker
Donskoi - Skilled, dumb, fast, bad defensively, smaller
Nuke - not skilled, fast, good defensively, size and strength

they all make up for each other quite well so that skill, size, strength, defensive ability, and intelligence is present in some form

I would say all three players are smart and at least decent defensively. Also Jost is no longer that weak or slow (just in comparison to MacK he is). He's the weakest and slowest of the three; and his size and speed is compensated by Nuke. Conversely, Jost's skill and hockey sense compensates for Nuke. Donks is just super well rounded.

Their fit is amazing (and so is our team) because we no longer have TWO dumb/Two unskilled/Two Small/Two Slow players on any one line. If you have players with below average trait and have two of them on the same line, thats a problem. Even if they have great traits else where.

Jost (pre getting jacked) and Kerfoot for example; thats way too small for any line; even if they are both skilled with decent hockey sense.

 

[Richard88]

I wouldn't categorize Donskoi as dumb or bad defensively. I think he has pretty good awareness of space and picks good spots to be in. He's also being trusted on the PK so I think defense isn't an issue - at least not to the coaches anyway. I also think he's one of the more creative players on the team (ex. see his second goal last night). If there was a knock on Donskoi I would say he plays kind of soft at times.

I agree with most of your post, especially the part about him picking spots to be in offensively - that's a big reason why he can produce when he gets minutes with Mackinnon for instance. That said I disagree that he's all that good on the PK. The way he moves and anticipates the opposition when shifting around the DZ and rotating with the other forward is much less seamless than Jost and Nichuskin for example. He's passable there, but ideally you want him as your 5th or 6th PKing forward being Jost, Nichuskin, Bellemare, +1 or +2, rather than a part of the regular rotation.

 

[Richard88]

I would say all three players are smart and at least decent defensively. Also Jost is no longer that weak or slow (just in comparison to MacK he is). He's the weakest and slowest of the three; and his size and speed is compensated by Nuke. Conversely, Jost's skill and hockey sense compensates for Nuke. Donks is just super well rounded.

Their fit is amazing (and so is our team) because we no longer have TWO dumb/Two unskilled/Two Small/Two Slow players on any one line. If you have players with below average trait and have two of them on the same line, thats a problem. Even if they have great traits else where.

Jost (pre getting jacked) and Kerfoot for example; thats way too small for any line; even if they are both skilled with decent hockey sense.

Jost's limited skating is curtailed a bit by having two wingers on his line who can drive the puck forward. He's not all that great at skating the puck up ice himself, but he can hand the puck off to Donskoi - who skates and dekes fast, or to Nichuskin - who can simply overpower Dmen when carrying the puck into the OZ, and that seems to work well for that line. Jost then gets involved again in the OZ once the possession has been established, and then his skill and passing can become a weapon.

 

[Foppa2118]

This line works because Jost finally has two semi skilled wingers that will also help win battles down low.

Too often, especially when paired with Compher, it would just be Jost trying to out battle guys for the puck down low, while his linemates slid back into the soft areas waiting for a pass. But that pass would never come because he'd eventually get double teamed and lose the puck.

Now Donskoi and Nuke will both jump into the fire with him, and this is helping Jost win more battles. Jost is also finally moving his feet consistently, and this is letting him play with a pace that helps him get open more often in the O zone, and play Bednar's hard pressure forecheck/backcheck system at the same time.

Jost also finally has some positional stability, playing his preferred center position for a long stretch of games.

They're just playing a speedy grinding game, and keeping things simple (except when Donskoi turns into Mario) and it's great to see three maligned guys make a big impact on this team's success.