Pre-Game Talk: Game 1: Panthers @ Lightning-Hockey's back Friday

[Benched]

DeFranks is projecting that Yandle will be with Ekblad and McCoshen is in with Petrovic.

So Matheson/Pysyk? Uhhh....

 

[Bure1096]

So Matheson/Pysyk? Uhhh....

I like this, allows Matheson to be creative on the offensive side and Pysyk to focus on shutting down.

 

[ZamBroni]

3rd line looks atrocious even though I like McCann but I guess we'll see how it plays out

 

[RainingRats]

Ekblad is going to play with either Matheson or Yandle. They're not going to have each on a d-pair. Let's see how it plays out. Yandle and Ekblad could be a great combo in the offensive zone and will hopefully get a lot of o-zone starts. The concern defensively is overblown for Ekblad and Yandle, very similar to Campbell and Ekblad. Ekblad needs to step his defensive game up, regardless of who is playing with. You also need to keep Ekblad on the right side so that limits d-pair options.

 

[I am not exposed]

DeFranks is projecting that Yandle will be with Ekblad and McCoshen is in with Petrovic.

Booooo.

 

[Brokin]

Yandle and Ekblad could be a great combo in the offensive zone and will hopefully get a lot of o-zone starts. The concern defensively is overblown for Ekblad and Yandle, very similar to Campbell and Ekblad.

There's our new 3rd pairing.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

May have spied myself over to Tampa's GDT just to see what they look like? Wow. Impressed. Real clean and bold but just more pleasing to the eye. (Depending on the theme layout you're using). I'm using the grey background but the blue letters just pop for some reason. Curious to see ours.

Surprised Cooper is going Hedman - Girardi tonight. Hopefully we can take advantage of half that pairing

 

[DrMom9900]

I was exicited about this game, but then i saw our 2nd 3rd and 4th lines

 

[KW]

I don't understand all the complaining about D pairings. We have 3 offensive Dmen but it doesn't make sense to make one in every pair. You'd end up with Ek-Pys, Mat-Pet, Yan-McC. That's not a good idea. I think you want to have one be a shutdown pair, thus Pet-McC. Then you pair Pysyk with the one of the three who needs most help, should he pinch. That's Matheson. So right choice again. Then Ek-Yan, where both should know every aspect of the game and be responsible.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

McGinn isn't a 2nd liner but Trocheck is really good. Vrbata is getting up there and was terrible away from Arizona but has generally produced well so not a huge wildcard, I'm not too concerned about the 2nd line. The main issue is obviously that 4/6 of the bottom 6 is bad. Haley, Mack, Brickley, and yes, Bjugstad are all going to be bad.

 

[I am not exposed]

I don't understand all the complaining about D pairings. We have 3 offensive Dmen but it doesn't make sense to make one in every pair. You'd end up with Ek-Pys, Mat-Pet, Yan-McC. That's not a good idea. I think you want to have one be a shutdown pair, thus Pet-McC. Then you pair Pysyk with the one of the three who needs most help, should he pinch. That's Matheson. So right choice again. Then Ek-Yan, where both should know every aspect of the game and be responsible.

Yandle should, but he didn't show that last year. I doubt at his age it will change. Ekblad still has time to put it together. Fingers crossed!

 

[BB88]

The option on defense for pairings are pretty limited now, it's either Yandle or Matheson with Ekblad.
Pysyk with Ekblad is just forcing D-men to play wrong sides or McChoshen with Ekblad is just asking way too much from McCoshen today.

 

[KW]

McGinn isn't a 2nd liner but Trocheck is really good. Vrbata is getting up there and was terrible away from Arizona but has generally produced well so not a huge wildcard, I'm not too concerned about the 2nd line. The main issue is obviously that 4/6 of the bottom 6 is bad. Haley, Mack, Brickley, and yes, Bjugstad are all going to be bad.

Coach has tried various combos. I think at this point we need to give them the benefit of doubt. Maybe the lines will gel and be greater as a sum than the parts alone...also regarding Brickley and the other new guys, in the early going of a few NHL games, new guys are scoring and contributing. So are some old guys too, but it's open for anyone. Maybe this year will be better than expected?

 

[JP Mick]

As long as McGinn is a physical presence on the second line and drives to the net I have no problem with him there. I'm glad we have some grit back in the lineup with him, Brickley and Haley. Let's just give it a game and see how it plays out.

 

[Brokin]

^Petro and McCoshen will be a solid shutdown pair. I also don't have a problem with Pysyk/Matheson.

I'm not optimistic with Yandle/Ekblad as last year is stamped on my brain. I expect them both to play decent because Boughner can be an intimidating factor and will likely sit Yandle in lieu of Ek if there are problems . I still think Yandle will be traded once he gives the green light on the NMC. Both of them will play conservative tonight unless we get behind by 2 or more and then the wheels could come off. We'll know more 20 games down the road whether these two can work together.

 

[Gentle Man]

My thing with the D pairs is you have to work with what you have....if it means having RD RD and LD and LD, then so be it.

Yandle is *probably* our best offensive LD at this point (waiting on you M&M) while Ekblad is our best offensive RD. Essentially, we are pairing our two offensive guys (Ekblad *should* be two-way, but he hasnt shown the ability to do that right now at a high level).

My preference is Offensive guy that is covered by a defensive guy. Would be great if McCoshen shows he is capable of handling tough match-ups and perhaps can move up in pairings.

Pysyk Ekblad
Yandle Petro
Matheson McCoshen

But as everyone has said, we dont really have a choice at this point.

THE BEST outcome would if we get Matheson-Ekblad that looked extremely promising during the Islander series.

Hopefully it works out.

 

[FlaPanthers11]

The Father

The Son

And the Holy Hatter

Dadonov makes Huberdeau look a competitive body builder.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

^Petro and McCoshen will be a solid shutdown pair. I also don't have a problem with Pysyk/Matheson.

I'm not optimistic with Yandle/Ekblad as last year is stamped on my brain. I expect them both to play decent because Boughner can be an intimidating factor and will likely sit Yandle in lieu of Ek if there are problems . I still think Yandle will be traded once he gives the green light on the NMC. Both of them will play conservative tonight unless we get behind by 2 or more and then the wheels could come off. We'll know more 20 games down the road whether these two can work together.

Matheson has to take a BIG step forward this year to just trade Yandle, Why such the urgency to do it? McCoshen is just dipping his toe into the big pond. I see the mistakes Yandle makes but his TOI and offensive production isn't easily replaced. Let's have some chemistry build here before we start trading everyone again. Petrovic if anyone is the defenseman we may trade, possibly Weegar.

 

[SoupyFIN]

My thing with the D pairs is you have to work with what you have....if it means having RD RD and LD and LD, then so be it.

It's not as easy as putting RD/LD on the "wrong" side and seeing how it works out though. There's only a handful of NHL d-men that can play the other side better than their natural side and fewer that can swap sides without missing a beat. Positioning, passing, receiving, etc.

Pysyk is the only guy we can say that plays both sides and doesn't suffer from it. Ekblad hasn't done it, Petro hadn't done it (both as Panthers) prior to last season and even then it wasn't long-term. Weegar? I haven't seen his AHL games enough to say.