Is RNH at #2C really that bad of an idea?

[FlameChampion]

I dont think theres a real problem with it.

But I think my issue really is that, when they were running McDavid - RNH - Strome down the middle at the beginning of the season, they werent winning game. Granted Draitsaitl was dealing with concussions. My issue is that it wasnt working and the coaching staff literally made no adjustments for the first 25 games or whatever. By then the team had dug itself a giant hole.

If the coach had tried McDavid - Drai - RNH down the middle as well to start the year and that wasnt working, then it sort of makes sense to play McDavid with Draisaitl, because it supports McDavid better. But as you see now, the coach plays Lucic with McDavid which is counter productive. I just dont see a lot of logical thought in the coaches decisions which bothers me.

I also think if they had played McDavid - Drai - RNH down the middle to start the year off, it might of gave the wingers on this team a bit more confidence because I think they could of started the year better. Someone like Strome for example, coming into a new team, they put him on the 3rd line with wingers who had no confidence and in the end, I think it ended up ruining all 3 players confidence. I think a lot of players got hung out to dry.

 

[Canovin]

Leon is gonna have to be Connor's RW for a while IMO.

The offence always sputters to a halt when ever the two are separated for any long stretch.

We can't split them apart, this team can't score with them apart, there just isn't the talent level here. With Maroon gone it gets worse.

Every time Todd does it the team goes through an ugly goal drought inevitably and he's forced to put them back together.

We are not making the playoffs. Why not have them centering their own lines for the rest of the season?

They are here for another 8 years. Better get used to playing no elite wingers

 

[Little Fury]

We are not making the playoffs. Why not have them centering their own lines for the rest of the season?

They are here for another 8 years. Better get used to playing no elite wingers

No one is asking for elite, just solid complimentary guys. We're miles away from even that.

 

[Canovin]

No one is asking for elite, just solid complimentary guys. We're miles away from even that.

McDavid and Drai are already playing with complementary wingers tho

 

[Little Fury]

McDavid and Drai are already playing with complementary wingers tho

Who? These wingers are sub replacement level all down the line.

 

[rickysusedsht]

for any of this to work ,you have to find a way to keep nuge and move looch. very tough yes but you trade away nuge and keep looch we are by far a worse team.looking at the numbers and the anchor is looch ,im sure they wanted to move out maroon so they can run looch on the first line. chia has to eat it and make the right call and clean up his mess. Nuge plays well with everyone he is a guy you keep run strome as the 3rd center and jj as the 4th. rotate drai and nuge on the top line depending on match ups .

 

[Brian McDavid]

2 points:
RNH is an excellent center.
Drai absolutely HAS to be centering his own line.

 

[Joey Moss]

It's really too bad that the strength of this team will need to be broken up because of the weakest link on the team making the same money.

We are going no where with the Lucic, Russell and Sekera contracts.

 

[Canovin]

It's really too bad that the strength of this team will need to be broken up because of the weakest link on the team making the same money.

We are going no where with the Lucic, Russell and Sekera contracts.

Just getting rid of Lucic contract will go a long ways.

 

[Joey Moss]

Just getting rid of Lucic contract will go a long ways.

He has 5 years after this one. Good luck with that.

 

[Zenos]

2 points:
RNH is an excellent center.
Drai absolutely HAS to be centering his own line.

Why? I mean, I get that he's making 8+Mil per season, but isn't that also reasonable for a 1st line PPG RW?
Ideally, I think you let your players play their natural positions, but until Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, etc. can show that they deserve to be top line wingers, I think the coach's hand is forced. The offensive depth on this team is just too thin to try spreading it out over three scoring lines.

 

[Soundwave]

Why? I mean, I get that he's making 8+Mil per season, but isn't that also reasonable for a 1st line PPG RW?
Ideally, I think you let your players play their natural positions, but until Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, etc. can show that they deserve to be top line wingers, I think the coach's hand is forced. The offensive depth on this team is just too thin to try spreading it out over three scoring lines.

Yeah I agree with this. Three centers is a nice fantasy, but it's not reality.

 

[Gord]

Why? I mean, I get that he's making 8+Mil per season, but isn't that also reasonable for a 1st line PPG RW?
Ideally, I think you let your players play their natural positions, but until Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, etc. can show that they deserve to be top line wingers, I think the coach's hand is forced. The offensive depth on this team is just too thin to try spreading it out over three scoring lines.

no. it's far too high for someone who is almost a 1st line ppg winger. Gaudreau is a reasonable price for a 1st line ppg winger.

you want to have any balance to your lines or be able to afford quality depth players, you can't pay your first line 27 million dollars.

 

[Canovin]

Yeah I agree with this. Three centers is a nice fantasy, but it's not reality.

3 centers is new hockey. You will see more teams ice 3 centers down the middle in the future.

 

[Soundwave]

no. it's far too high for someone who is almost a 1st line ppg winger. Gaudreau is a reasonable price for a 1st line ppg winger.

you want to have any balance to your lines or be able to afford quality depth players, you can't pay your first line 27 million dollars.

Gaudreau is on a good contract that the Flames played hard ball on into training camp.

He is gonna ask for $11+ per on his next deal.

 

[McShogun99]

You go with whatever the game dictates. Some games you have each on their own line, some you have Draisaitl as the 2C and RNH with Mcdavid, some you have Draisaitl with Mcdavid and RNH on his own line and when you’re down a goal with a minute left you have all three together.

 

[Gord]

Gaudreau is on a good contract that the Flames played hard ball on into training camp.

He is gonna ask for $11+ per on his next deal.

yeah. 4 more years after this one. that's a lifetime in hockey.

 

[McDaddy]

Just getting rid of Lucic contract will go a long ways.

Chia has to find a way to get out of this contract this summer. Has to.

 

[MoneyGuy]

3 centers is new hockey. You will see more teams ice 3 centers down the middle in the future.

Four, actually.

 

[FlameChampion]

It's really too bad that the strength of this team will need to be broken up because of the weakest link on the team making the same money.

We are going no where with the Lucic, Russell and Sekera contracts.

As others have said I think he has to find a way out of Lucic's contract. It is a brutal contract. The guy hurts the team on the ice. I mean tell the guy to lose 25 pounds over the summer and see if it helps. But if it doesnt, we need to trade this contract or come up with a LTIR injury because its going to plague this team with the McDavid and Drai contracts. If we lose RNH because of this contract ... ugh.

Sekera I think we need to see what hes like next year. If he plays to the same level as he did last year, then the contract is manageable. He has been a good defenseman in the past and makes the team better. If hes plays next year like he did last year, then he has some value to the team or as an asset (assuming hes willing to waive). But if he doesnt improve next year, we are in trouble with that contract as well. I personally think hes going to rebound next year though. I think too many people are getting overly emotional when it comes to a serious injury where the vast majority of athletes take over a year to heal from.

I think Russell is overpaid but I dont think its really an overly brutal contract. The guy at least gives it every game, and you know what you will get out of him. Even if hes not the best player, hes probably one of the most consistent on this team just because the effort and will is always there. I think a player like Russell is valued more in the league than on HFboards.

That being said if Nurse gets 4+ this year. We have 5 defenseman on this team making 4+. Somethings going to have to give eventually.

 

[McNuge]

I don't understand why Drai NEEDS to center his own line. Other teams have expensive wingers and do just fine. See Perry and Vorachek at over 8 mil and a number of others at a similar cap hit. It is just a bonus that Drai can play any of the 3 forward positions. Not to mention that McDavid looks way better with a guy who can actually play at that high of a level. Just like those plays last night between the 2 (mainly the no look pass to a streaking McDavid when the announcers called them Connor and Leon Sedin). Nuge is a fine #2C.

 

[Canovin]

I don't understand why Drai NEEDS to center his own line. Other teams have expensive wingers and do just fine. See Perry and Vorachek at over 8 mil and a number of others at a similar cap hit. It is just a bonus that Drai can play any of the 3 forward positions. Not to mention that McDavid looks way better with a guy who can actually play at that high of a level. Just like those plays last night between the 2 (mainly the no look pass to a streaking McDavid when the announcers called them Connor and Leon Sedin). Nuge is a fine #2C.

The thing about Drai is he's a quality C. Perry and Vorachek have always been wingers and their game are tailored for wing. You don't want to waste that type of player in Drai and play him on the wing. We also have quality prospects like Benson, Yama, Maksimov etc coming next year or in 2 years. If we could have a team take Lucic off our hands and sign some quality wingers that would be great too. While we have little depth on wing now, things are about to change next season.

 

[McNuge]

The thing about Drai is he's a quality C. Perry and Vorachek have always been wingers and their game are tailored for wing. You don't want to waste that type of player in Drai and play him on the wing. We also have quality prospects like Benson, Yama, Maksimov etc coming next year or in 2 years. If we could have a team take Lucic off our hands and sign some quality wingers that would be great too. While we have little depth on wing now, things are about to change next season.

If we had any sensible wingers that could play with either one of them I would agree. But you have the best duo in the league on this team. Ideally you split them up, but if they elevate each others games then it is a waste not to play them together. Just like Getzlaf and Giroux did for the other 2.

 

[Brian McDavid]

Why? I mean, I get that he's making 8+Mil per season, but isn't that also reasonable for a 1st line PPG RW?
Ideally, I think you let your players play their natural positions, but until Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, etc. can show that they deserve to be top line wingers, I think the coach's hand is forced. The offensive depth on this team is just too thin to try spreading it out over three scoring lines.

My thinking is that Drai has a lot more offensive upside than RNH. We lack obviously lack scoring depth and I think 29 driving his own line would drastically help that problem. 97 will produce no matter what so I don't see splitting them up as being that big a problem. I should note I'm in the 'play RNH at wing' boat, despite his proficiency at center.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Nuge should been tried on the top line LW. It should've happen early in the season, and play Lucic with Drai. Been calling for it for what seems so damn long now. I think he's a better shooter than a playmaker anyway. He's a good playmaker, but I think that sometimes got over-rated in the past. It's good, not really good or elite. Anyway, I think he could work out as a winger. If he does, there's two birds with one stone: new top line winger for McDavid and Drai centers the 2nd line, and it's a better or more efficient spreading of the money on the roster. I think it is hard to justify allocating 8.5m per season on a winger, even one as good as Drai. Nuge on LW very well may not work, and I fully admit that, but I think it absolutely has to be tried, zero question in my mind.