Game: Predict the Opening Night Lineup

[Spectrefire]

Kassian with the twins is a lot like Bertuzzi with the twins. It didn't work then. It probably won't work well this time either.

Characteristics of an ideal third Sedin:
1) fast skater
2) effective forechecker
3) has a knack for floating into dead areas
4) soft hands to finish in tight

A right handed Parise is in my mind the perfect Sedin linemate. Someone with a motor who does the things that the twins don't do and is smart enough to facilitate when needed.


Kassian is a playmaking powerforward with hands. I suspect he and a puck protecting triggerman like Jensen will do some damage when they hit their prime.

Jensen would definitely be the perfect fit for them, but he's not available this season. Kassian IS a very fast skater, so that shouldn't be a worry and he's definitely got soft hands. Everything else he can learn just from playing with the Sedins.

Hank Dank Burr
Booth Lapierre Higgins
Jensen Schroeder Kassian (our line of the future)
Raymond Maholtra Hansen

Yes i know this is unfair to Hansen ... i could see him on the 2nd line as well.

I just really want to see Schroeder with Kassian and Jensen .....

I'm actually more interested in seeing Jensen-Gaunce-Kassian as our line of the future. I think that would be such a great line if they all pan out right.

You've got a sniper in Jensen, a two-way shutdown forward in Gaunce and a playmaker in Kassian. They're all big bodied power forwards, with both Gaunce and Kassian capable of laying down big hits. Speed's the only real issue for that line as Kassian is the only high end skater there.

 

[Dado]

Interesting. Six months ago most were concerned with Kesler rushing back by November - now we're only just starting the season in mid-January, and he appears to be unable to go.

Hope the guy is well!

 

[Scurr]

Kassian might not work with the twins... but it's worth a shot. Burrows is our third best forward with Kesler out, I don't think we can afford to have our three best forwards on the same line.

Sedin/Sedin/Kassian
Booth/Schroeder/Burrows
Higgins/Lapierre/Hansen
Raymond/Malhotra/Weise

That's the best we can do with what we have. We need another centre.

Hamhuis/Bieksa
Edler/Garrison
Ballard/Tanev

If Garrison comes in and complements Edler it'll pay huge dividends throughout our lineup. With better puck movement and better defence comes more possession, more shots and more goals. I don't think enough has been made of the Garrison acquisition and how much better it makes our team.

 

[SergioMomesso]

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Lappy Higgins
Raymond Malhotra Hanssen
Weisse Ebbett Kassian
Schroeder

Hamhuis Bieksa
Edler Garrison
Ballard Tanev
Alberts

Schneider
Luongo

 

[deadinthewater]

Ugh, still have to wait 13 days.

 

[Type Not Specified]

Kassian might not work with the twins... but it's worth a shot. Burrows is our third best forward with Kesler out, I don't think we can afford to have our three best forwards on the same line.

Sedin/Sedin/Kassian
Booth/Schroeder/Burrows
Higgins/Lapierre/Hansen
Raymond/Malhotra/Weise

That's the best we can do with what we have. We need another centre.

Hamhuis/Bieksa
Edler/Garrison
Ballard/Tanev

If Garrison comes in and complements Edler it'll pay huge dividends throughout our lineup. With better puck movement and better defence comes more possession, more shots and more goals. I don't think enough has been made of the Garrison acquisition and how much better it makes our team.

The problem though is how will he adjust to playing the right side? He doesn't have the luxury of any preseason games and if he struggles initially it's going to be difficult for the coaching staff to show much patience. A shortened season like this doesn't give a coach a lot of room to experiment.

I wonder if they'd try Tanev with Edler? I could see that being a really good pair.

 

[Auger]

A bit off topic but who do you think we play first? Since the Oilers and Flamers are playing against each other on the 19th I am hoping that we play the Hawks instead of the Wild.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

dank hank burr
higgybear scrotes honeybadger
boots lappy kass
mayray manny weezy

huis kev
edles gary
k-ballz xtanev

luu/schnuu (platuun)

 

[BoHorvatFan]

After reading this thread it's obvious we need Schroeder to be a decent NHL player right away or our center depth is the worst in the league until Kesler gets back.

 

[Type Not Specified]

Assuming that a Luongo trade doesn't bring us a good center, I think Ebbett is probably our best option to fill that 2C spot until Kesler gets back. He has the advantage of being in midseason form, he's having a good season in the AHL, and besides Henrik and Kesler he's really the only natural center in the organization who's shown any sort of offensive ability at the NHL level. Schroeder may get a look but I'll be pretty shocked if he's able to go from being an inconsistent AHLer to a competent NHLer just like that. Possible but incredibly unlikely.

 

[Askel]

Assuming that a Luongo trade doesn't bring us a good center, I think Ebbett is probably our best option to fill that 2C spot until Kesler gets back. He has the advantage of being in midseason form, he's having a good season in the AHL, and besides Henrik and Kesler he's really the only natural center in the organization who's shown any sort of offensive ability at the NHL level. Schroeder may get a look but I'll be pretty shocked if he's able to go from being an inconsistent AHLer to a competent NHLer just like that. Possible but incredibly unlikely.

Schroeder has outplayed Ebbet on the Wolves. Ebbett will be 13th forward or sent down IMO.

 

[CP]

What the opening line-up should be:

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Gaunce Kassian
Higgins Schroeder Hansen
Malhotra Lapierre Weise
Raymond

Hamhuis Bieksa
Garrison Tanev
Edler Corrado
Ballard Alberts

Schneider
Luongo

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

What the opening line-up should be:

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Gaunce Kassian
Higgins Schroeder Hansen
Malhotra Lapierre Weise
Raymond

Hamhuis Bieksa
Garrison Tanev
Edler Corrado
Ballard Alberts

Schneider
Luongo

Gaunce can't be called up from Juniors.

 

[blendini]

dank hank burr
higgybear scrotes honeybadger
boots lappy kass
mayray manny weezy

huis kev
edles gary
k-ballz xtanev

luu/schnuu (platuun)

I sure hope 'Scrotes' doesn't stick...

 

[blendini]

Schroeder has outplayed Ebbet on the Wolves. Ebbett will be 13th forward or sent down IMO.

Higgins is better than both of them.

 

[stevecanuck16]

Gaunce can't be called up from Juniors.

I think we can safely stop at "shouldn't" anyway.

 

[Askel]

Higgins is better than both of them.

Of course he is that was never the question though.

 

[Peter]

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Kadri-Bozak-Kassian
Higgins-Lapierre-Hansen
Booth-Malhotra-Weise

Hamhuis-Bieksa
Edler-Garrison
Ballard-Tanev

Schneider
Reimer

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

I think we can safely stop at "shouldn't" anyway.

That too.

Sedins-Kassian
Burrows-(Bozak/Schroeder)-Booth
Higgins-Lapierre-Hansen
Raymond-Malholtra-Weise/Volpatti

Hamhuis-Bieksa
Edler-Garrison
Ballard-Tanev
Alberts

Schneider
(Luongo/Lack/Vet Backup)

 

[PG Canuck]

Kadri-Bozak-Kassian

This'll be the second time I say this in this thread: god bless that line in the defensive end, and poor Schneider in net...

 

[CookieCrumbs*]

connaughton instesd of ballard

Haha yeah, right. Have you followed the Wolves at all this season?

 

[ddawg1950]

dank hank burr
higgybear scrotes honeybadger
boots lappy kass
mayray manny weezy

huis kev
edles gary
k-ballz xtanev

luu/schnuu (platuun)

Nicely done.