Line Combos: Good bottom 6 on paper but extremely frustrating

[nilan30]

Am I the only one that feels like Moen looks a lot better, and faster this year than he did last year?

But I guess it's more important that he sucked last year. It seems like a lot of people were fairly happy with him before last night but after the loss he sucks again.

 

[gusfring]

Considering Sekac is completely unproven I don't think anyone alive thinks 12 Sekacs is a good idea.

But neither is playing Moen, Prust, and Weise at the same time. Especially when you also have Malhotra (not much offense) and Bourque (in theory offense, but a below average possession player out there. That's not a good bottom 6 on paper or in reality.

The problem with players like Prust is they have a limited shelf life, and become Moens. Moen still can play, but he can't move fast enough to play overly physical, and was never a good offensive player to begin with. Prust probably has the most heart of anyone on this team and his willingness to stand up to anyone makes him more valuable than his play, but he's degrading as a player and that is significant. He shouldn't be playing more than 10 minutes most nights and he definitely shouldn't be off the 4th line. He probably shouldn't be playing every night if we actually want him to be physical and not die out there in fact.

People want to see Sekac and Bournival because they can get better, while Moen is only going to get worse. And quite frankly Bournival has a long way to go when it comes to offensive upside, so if Sekac is overrated, it's because he's our best hope at preventing our 3rd line from being an offensive black hole.

Eller isn't the problem, sorry. The mythical third liner who can make Bourque and Weise a good supporting cast doesn't exist, because that isn't anything close to a third liner.

When you get blanked against the Oilers, the fault lies with the 1st 2 lines and the PP, not the grinders.

 

[go_habs_go]

It's really quite simple for me.. With the way he's been playing, I don't understand how Bourque hasn't been a healthy scratch yet. Essentially, I would be rolling these lines..

Alex Galchenyuk - Tomas Plekanec - Pierre Parenteau
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Brendan Gallagher
Michael Bournival - Lars Eller - Jiri Sekac
Dale Weise - Manny Malhotra - Brandon Prust/Travis Moen

Ideally I would try to acquire a top 6 RW to replace Gallagher and then I would move Gallagher down to the 3rd Line.

Galchenyuk - Plekanec - Parenteau
Pacioretty - Desharnais - Eberle
Sekac - Eller - Gallagher
Weise - Malhotra - Prust/Bournival/Moen/Bourque

 

[Harry Wong]

Am I the only one that feels like Moen looks a lot better, and faster this year than he did last year?

I agree.

To all the posters who think we will improve by getting rid of players like Moen, Bourque and Prust I would say we need to have someone who can take their spots and so far no one has…although I suspect that soon Bournival and Sekac will be given another chance to try.

 

[No More Subban]

Our record is still 7-2.

100% guaranteed that we won't see any changes until we're below .500.

Bourque will still be in the lineup. DD-Patches still get first PP wave.

That's just the way It is, guys.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Am I the only one that feels like Moen looks a lot better, and faster this year than he did last year?

But I guess it's more important that he sucked last year. It seems like a lot of people were fairly happy with him before last night but after the loss he sucks again.

moen gave us some very good years but i think it's painfully obvious concussion and injuries have taken their tolls. granted he has been better this year, but at this point he's redundant and it would be nice to move his salary and spot on the roster

 

[Rapala]

Our record is still 7-2.

100% guaranteed that we won't see any changes until we're below .500.

Bourque will still be in the lineup. DD-Patches still get first PP wave.

That's just the way It is, guys.

Which isn't good strategy in my books.
You tinker and make changes when things are going well scoreboard wise.
Particularly when you know you are amassing points you don't deserve.
The issues we need to address rest with the Top 6 not the bottom 6.

 

[Hannibal]

Prust was good yesterday. He deked Eberle on PK for a scoring chance, he made a nice pass to Eller but he missed an open net and he played good defence.

Bourque and Moen are the one that should go.

 

[Church]

We need some fresh legs. Sekac and Bournival IN!

 

[Sorinth]

Eller is a good 3rd liner but tries to play like he's a 2nd, he's not helping his linemates get better and he is usually the source of killing a good play before its even begun (his famous flawless carry in then giveaway or carry in, wraparound then giveaway). Does hit a lot and is usually solid defensively even when he isn't playing well. When he does play in the role he is supposed to (i.e. the playoffs) then we see him make smart passes and create good scoring chances.

So when he tries to play like a 3rd liner he produces like a 2nd liner, but if he tries to play like a 2nd liner he ends up being crap? I guess that's why Therrien never rewards him for playing well, can't let him think he's good enough to play on the 2nd line or he'll play like crap.

By the way what exactly do you expect him to do once he carries the puck into the zone, he has no one that can help him offensively so he tries to do it himself. Would you rather he turn the puck over by always passing to the blackhole that is Bourque?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Which isn't good strategy in my books.
You tinker and make changes when things are going well scoreboard wise.
Particularly when you know you are amassing points you don't deserve.
The issues we need to address rest with the Top 6 not the bottom 6.

You see a problem and address it. Win or not.

You think if we win 7-6 next 3 games Price should not practice and say oh well we are winning better not change anything?

Stupid thinking.

 

[Mr. Hab]

Injuries will occur and everybody will have a chance to play. You currently see the depth as a problem but during this long season, you'll be happy to have so many interchangeable pieces on the 3rd and 4th line.

Exactly...totally agree with the above (even though I hope for a VERY healthy season...injuries can happen...have to be ready ; and a 82 game season takes a toll on everyone...coach has to manage their ice-time and rest/healing time to be FULLY READY for the REAL season...PLAYOFFS).

We're 7-2...82 game season...long...looooooong season!!

our 3rd and 4th lines...right now...are made/perfect for PLAYOFFS.

Bourque: we're toast without him in our top 6-9 in PLAYOFFS...very very hard to replace (he's a PLAYOFFS' POWER FORWARD STAR). Have patience with Bourque...it always pays off in playoffs.

The others (ex: Sekac) will have time to play...when injuries occur.

 

[Tyson]

I still think Prust is bringing the goods for what his skill set is. I also think that Bournival deserves to play, his forecheck and speed wreaked havoc on Dmen all of last season. Not sure why he is not playing. Sekac while raw has some impressive qualities that will eventually win out and get him in the lineup regularly. MT has to be losing patience with Bork!

 

[Tyson]

We need some fresh legs. Sekac and Bournival IN!

TOTALLY AGREE

 

[Rapala]

Exactly...totally agree with the above (even though I hope for a VERY healthy season...injuries can happen...have to be ready).

We're 7-2...82 game season...long...looooooong season!!

our 3rd and 4th lines...right now...are made/perfect for PLAYOFFS.

Bourque: we're toast without him in our top 6-9 in PLAYOFFS...very very hard to replace (he's a PLAYOFFS' POWER FORWARD STAR). Have patience with Bourque...it always pays off in playoffs.

The others (ex: Sekac) will have time to play...when injuries occur.

It's hugely encouraging to know we are set up for the Playoffs with our third and fourth.
My main concern is our first and second who tend to dominate ice time in the playoffs.
How many people even consider that Eller actually took over the second line duties in the playoffs last year? He and Plecky were used constantly against the oppositions best whenever MT could swing it.

So this being the case is there a reason our top goal scorer didn't a shift with either?
Is this normal because it isn't on other clubs. Quenville used 23 different line combinations in his first two games against the Blues last year. I keep bringing this up not only because we try so few but that it is not logical to have a top 9 that can't co-mingle. What happens if DD goes down? Everyone assumes Chucky slots in... Hold on just a minute this is MT we are talking about he is actually more likely to use Eller call up DLR and spot MM more. Can Patches adapt to an Eller style game? We don't know. Can he play an effective game with Plecky probably but aside from The PK noise they make we don't know.

The greatest flaw with our current strategy is a complete lack of imagination.

 

[Hackett]

Agreed. Prust is fine as a 4th liner.

Yeah, I dont know what more people exepcted from prust.

Moen is expendable, but he isn't exactly hurting the team either.