Post-Game Talk: Game 3 - Matt Murray takes over as Pens defeat the Flyers

[MrBurghundy]

Brassard fits better with Kessel than Sheahan. The problem is Sheary on the line. When Sheahan was with Kessel he had Guentzel...no **** they looked better.

Brassard with Guentzel and Kessel would be alot better than with Sheahan.

Ok, well Guentzel is with Crosby now, so that ship has sailed.

 

[Gurglesons]

You just said it yourself. On the power play.

Kessel set up Brassard?

I’m not sure what you arguing for. If you put Kessel with Sheahan it means you are either running Kuhnhackl with Brassard or Sheahan.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Which is exactly why I think we should just make it a straight up energy/grinding line. Use their speed, dump the puck in, and cycle it for as long as they can before changing for one of the other 3 lines. Sheahan is overkill right now, and it's a diminishing returns kind of thing.

Dunno if guys like Kuhn, Rowney or Jooris are really capable of that either. We're just gonna have an underwhelming 4th line until JR can address it this summer.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Dunno if guys like Kuhn, Rowney or Jooris are really capable of that either. We're just gonna have an underwhelming 4th line until JR can address it this summer.

Move Brassard to wing with Crosby or Malkin, Rust down to the 4th line, sit Kuhnhackl, dress Jooris, and move Sheahan up to line 3 with Sheary and Kessel.

A 4th line of ZAR/Simon-Jooris-Rust can be that grinding/speed line.

 

[Gurglesons]

Move Brassard to wing with Crosby or Malkin, Rust down to the 4th line, sit Kuhnhackl, dress Jooris, and move Sheahan up to line 3 with Sheary and Kessel.

A 4th line of ZAR/Simon-Jooris-Rust can be that grinding/speed line.

So, take Jake or Hagelin off the top six line so Sheahan can play third line minutes?

Doesn’t make sense. You’re catering your line-up to a 30pt player.

 

[MrBurghundy]

So, take Jake or Hagelin off the top six line so Sheahan can play third line minutes?

Doesn’t make sense. You’re catering your line-up to a 30pt player.

What are you taking about? Did I say to take Jake or Hagelin off a top 6 line?

 

[PensandCaps]

Ok, well Guentzel is with Crosby now, so that ship has sailed.

And? My point is Sheahan and Kessel only looked better than Brassard and Kessel because Guentzel was with them and Not Sheary.

 

[PensandCaps]

Rust-Brassard-Kessel was a killer line. This notion that Brassard and Kessel have no chemistry is just wrong. The problem is the LW on the line. Sheary is killing everything.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Rust-Brassard-Kessel was a killer line. This notion that Brassard and Kessel have no chemistry is just wrong. The problem is the LW on the line. Sheary is killing everything.

Then where do you play Sheary? They aren't going to sit him, and I don't want him up with Crosby either given his current level of play.

 

[Ogrezilla]

What are you taking about? Did I say to take Jake or Hagelin off a top 6 line?

I don't think Brassard plays right wing, so you'd have to move one of Jake or Hagelin. I mean, he really doesn't play much wing at all. So either way you're moving him out of position for the sake of Sheahan in the top 9.

 

[PensandCaps]

Then where do you play Sheary? They aren't going to sit him, and I don't want him up with Crosby either given his current level of play.

You don't. Or you can put him on line 4. Try ZAR with Brassard and Kessel.


Or put Rust there again.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Jake and Hagelin can both play the right side. Also Brassard has played wing before in his career.

As for Sheary on 4LW, who is moving up to take his spot? ZAR and Simon haven't exactly played much better.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Strength down the middle is just too important imo. No reason to intentionally diminish that when our 5th center is a borderline NHLer.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Jake and Hagelin can both play the right side. Also Brassard has played wing before in his career.

As for Sheary on 4LW, who is moving up to take his spot? ZAR and Simon haven't exactly played much better.

Yeah, so has Malkin. Doesn't mean they should. There's a reason they always end up back in their natural positions.

I just don't see the upside to it when it means we just don't have a playable 4th line. Which line is getting appreciably better?

 

[MrBurghundy]

Strength down the middle is just too important imo. No reason to intentionally diminish that when our 5th center is a borderline NHLer.

What good is it when you have a strong center on a poorly constructed line that isn't providing all that much? I'm all for having 4 good centers too, when we have the wingers to make it work .

 

[Ogrezilla]

What good is it when you have a strong center on a poorly constructed line that isn't providing all that much? I'm all for having 4 good centers too, when we have the wingers to make it work .

so you can roll 4 lines, which we can thanks to Sheahan. Sure they are gonna play less, but they can still play. Replace Sheahan with Jooris and I just don't think that's still true.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Yeah, so has Malkin. Doesn't mean they should. There's a reason they always end up back in their natural positions.

I just don't see the upside to it when it means we just don't have a playable 4th line. Which line is getting appreciably better?

I'd say the line Brassard moves to and the 3rd line that fits together better than currently constructed.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'd say the line Brassard moves to and the 3rd line that fits together better than currently constructed.

Who is playing LW with Sheahan and Kessel in your scenario? If it's still Sheary, I just don't agree. I really don't think Sheahan and Kessel were any better together than Brass and Kessel are. I think Kessel was playing better individually, and I think Guentzel was there instead of Sheary.

And I'm not sure either top 6 line gets much better with Brassard replacing I assume Rust. Not with someone playing out of position. Maybe a slight upgrade, but not enough to be worth it. Sure, run it a few shifts a game to get Brass more minutes, but don't make it standard.

 

[Gurglesons]

What good is it when you have a strong center on a poorly constructed line that isn't providing all that much? I'm all for having 4 good centers too, when we have the wingers to make it work .

Brassard has two points in three games.

What is not working? And this idea that Sheahan will suddenly make it work is stupid. We need Sheahan to be playing PK minutes.

Also, my point still stands you are making tons of roster changes to facilitate your 4C. Why?

 

[MrBurghundy]

I think part of the issue, as I see it at least, is Brassard hasn't had a lot of time to find chemistry with Kessel. He's not an easy dude to play with. It probably would work out better next season so they have training camp and a full year to get used to each other. Right now we don't have that luxury.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Brassard has two points in three games.

What is not working? And this idea that Sheahan will suddenly make it work is stupid. We need Sheahan to be playing PK minutes.

Again on the PP. Not 5v5, which is what I'm talking about.

Also I wasn't aware your 3rd line center wasn't allowed to PK

 

[Ogrezilla]

I think part of the issue, as I see it at least, is Brassard hasn't had a lot of time to find chemistry with Kessel. He's not an easy dude to play with. It probably would work out better next season so they have training camp and a full year to get used to each other. Right now we don't have that luxury.

I'd say the disagreement here is that I just straight up disagree that Sheahan-Kessel is better than Brassard-Kessel.

 

[Gurglesons]

Again on the PP. Not 5v5, which is what I'm talking about.

Also I wasn't aware your 3rd line center wasn't allowed to PK

He is, but if you are playing him more minutes because your 4th line is useless at EV then what is the point.

We’ve blown out the Flyers two games and looked really good in the loss?

Why would you change the lines?

You’re also ignoring the fact Kessel and Brassard are clearly injured and are still producing. And who cares where the production is coming from? This is the playoffs, scoring on the PP matters.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I'd say the disagreement here is that I just straight up disagree that Sheahan-Kessel is better than Brassard-Kessel.

Agreed

 

[Ogrezilla]

We’ve blown out the Flyers two games and looked really good in the loss?

Why would you change the lines?

This is where I'm at. Until things stop working, why are we making big changes? If these lines were bleeding goals or something I could understand, but we are doing very well.