Line Combos: It's that time again ...

[The_Chosen_One]

Lupul on the same line as Kessel and Bozak is probably going to effectively early on, but eventually slow down. I don't think we should be expecting Lupul to be protecting Bozak and Kessel. You need a bit of power on that line and that's why Clarkson looks so attractive despite not being very skilled. Otherwise, you'd have to throw JVR in the middle, which would mean that Kessel would be the only one that has to be insulated.


Lupul - JVR - Kessel

OR

Clarkson - Bozak - Kessel

JVR - Bozak - Kessel

It'd be interesting to see how Kadri were to be used if JVR was asked to play in the middle. Maybe...

Lupul - JVR - Kessel
Kulemin - Kadri - Clarkson
Colborne - Bozak - Bolland
D'Amigo - McClement - Orr
McLaren

Huge issue with depth, though. Someone like JVR and Lupul should be on another line to spread depth. Swap Clarkson with Lupul and you have a solid 1A-1B solution. That shut down solution with Bozak in the middle would be weak. If Colborne can develop his face off proficiency, we could utilise Bozak's finishing ability on the counter attack.

If we're lucky our shut down line can look like:


Bozak ( Finisher) - Colborne ( Opportunistic playmaker+heavy shot) - Bolland ( Agitator)

Gardiner ( Puck rusher, shares the playmaking load)

Phaneuf ( Two-way D, attacker from the blue line)

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Much of what I'm suggesting, i.e. JVR in the middle, Bozak not being effective as a shut down centre ( ala McClement), Phaneuf actually requires a mobile puck rusher ( just look how awful he was with the defensive, but mobile JBo), Colborne in a shut down role ( see his minutes during those last two games, vs McClement), is clearly within the realm of reality.

It's obviously hypothetical. JVR isn't a natural centre, but it's getting clear that Kessel's playing style requires forwards that can create space. To expect him to play like Crosby is pointless and I don't even think it's sustainable in terms of wear and tear. I would even argue the same for Kadri.

 

[p.l.f.]

Let's say we had a few injuries:
ie Lupul Kulemin

JVR Bozak Kessel
--- Kadri Clarkson
McClement Bolland ----

Fill in the blanks
This is where we miss Mac and Frattin)

 

[PuckMagi]

Let's say we had a few injuries:
ie Lupul Kulemin

JVR Bozak Kessel
--- Kadri Clarkson
McClement Bolland ----

Fill in the blanks
This is where we miss Mac and Frattin)

Colborne or Ashton play on the second line.... D'Amigo on the 3rd line.

but you're right... we don't have a lot of depth in our forwards if someone goes down.

 

[crump]

Ok time to start making lineups with Liles in them.
Cody Franson is the only right shooting defenseman on the team.
Assuming Franson gets signed....

Gunnarson. Phaneuf
Gardiner. Franson
Ranger. Liles.
Fraser


Sub Fraser in for Liles when playing tougher teams or the Sens.

Solid.

 

[exporta]

Colborne or Ashton play on the second line.... D'Amigo on the 3rd line.

but you're right... we don't have a lot of depth in our forwards if someone goes down.

You are right, we don't have much depth in terms of NHL proven talent. I'd like to think that we have been developing enough of these tweener types that injuries would create a hole for one of these guys we've developed.

This is where we are going to see the value, or lack there of, in the picks/trades made under the Burke regime's attempt to "restock" the cupboard.

Colborne, Ashton, Biggs, Ryan, Ross, Leivo, McKegg etc. will get their opportunities through injuries.

 

[p.l.f.]

I was suprised when RC decided to go with a 3rd scoring line and keep McClement 4th line - BB said "McClement is our 3rd line centre" last summer
But the scoring depth helped when we had injuries.

So why not:

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Kulemin Colborne Ashton
McClement Bolland Orr

Bolland is the first guy to move up anywhere when there's an injury
You can criticize this, but you can see the logic
Checking lines are becoming obsolete since teams spread their top players on 2 lines
And you can put together McClement-Bolland-Kulemin when there's a lead with 10 minutes left.
You could argue Bolland is 'too good' and gets paid 'too much' but Chicago used him this way and he has 1 yr left.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I was suprised when RC decided to go with a 3rd scoring line and keep McClement 4th line - BB said "McClement is our 3rd line centre" last summer
But the scoring depth helped when we had injuries.

So why not:

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Kulemin Colborne Ashton
McClement Bolland Orr

Bolland is the first guy to move up anywhere when there's an injury
You can criticize this, but you can see the logic
Checking lines are becoming obsolete since teams spread their top players on 2 lines
And you can put together McClement-Bolland-Kulemin when there's a lead with 10 minutes left.
You could argue Bolland is 'too good' and gets paid 'too much' but Chicago used him this way and he has 1 yr left.

Chicago was intending to use him as a scoring guy, though. I just don't see Ashton replacing Bolland on the "third line". That line needs an agitator like Marchand to be legitimate. It's more likely that Bolland will be in the middle considering that Colborne isn't that strong in the position yet.

 

[p.l.f.]

Who knows
Maybe it will be this:

JVR KADRI KESSEL
LUPUL BOLLAND CLARKSON
MCCLEMENT BOZAK KULEMIN

 

[leafspring*]

Ok time to start making lineups with Liles in them.
Cody Franson is the only right shooting defenseman on the team.
Assuming Franson gets signed....

Gunnarson. Phaneuf
Gardiner. Franson
Ranger. Liles.
Fraser


Sub Fraser in for Liles when playing tougher teams or the Sens.

Solid.

OK now were talkin. This year is not the time to rush a quality prospect in Morgan Reilly into the line-up because,he is not allowed to play in the AHL this year. I believe the transition from the WHL to the NHL for Reilly should not even be considered.

Reilly to my thinking can still grow from the expierence of another year with Moosejaw Warriors this year. There is plenty of positives left if Morgan returns to his WHL team imo.

I say we let him grow his game,expierence and confidence another year in the WHL.

There could be nothing but positives to him returning.

The forward group is solid and interchangable as stands.We have Marlies that could fill in nicely during injuries.They play a very similar system there.

 

[p.l.f.]

Maybe Clarkson fits better 3rd line (but with good PP minutes) considering his lack of speed and questionable defense at times - similar reasons why Franson was often 3rd pairing (plus PP minutes)

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Kulemin
McClement - Bolland - Clarkson

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Ranger
Fraser - Franson

JVR

 

[GhettoHockey]

Using the players we have now, this is my lineup.

Lupul - Kadri - Kessel
J.V.R - Bolland - Clarkson
McClement - Bozak - Kulemin
Damigo - Colbourne - Orr/McClaren

Heres hoping to Bolland having a scoring touch

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I really think we should be staying away from the grinder third line. It's an archaic arrangement and only worked on Anaheim due to the fact that the Penner - Getzlaf - Perry line was ridiculously nasty. I just can't see JVR fulfilling that role seeing that he is NOT a power forward. PPG potential, yes, but not a Perry in terms of playing style.

Our competition, namely Boston, Detroit, Ottawa have a shut down line that is a legitimate scoring line as well. The Bergeron, Turris, and most obviously the Datsyuk-Zettersberg. I should've included Montreal's Plekanec-Bourque pair which is usually tasked against the Kessels, Stamkos of the NHL.

We need to continue Chicago experiment and allow Bolland to be the agitator that compliments a highly skilled forward. For that reason, I think JVR or even Lupul would be appropriate. Colborne is nice to have ( due to his potential creativity), but he isn't proven yet. I think one of those two highly skilled forwards considering that worked remarkably well against the Krejci line. Both spend even more time against that line than McClement, and we really started controlling game 5, 6, and most of 7 due to that.

i.e.

Lupul - Bolland - Kulemin/ Colborne

JVR - Bolland - Kulemin/ Colborne

I'm leaning towards Kulemin to spend more time with Lupul. The idea of a shut down line is to drive possession against the top lines and not remained hemmed in our zone. It's possible that Kulemin would be more effective with stronger linemates, but I'm thinking that he should play with Kadri. We really need to develop that potential Giroux-esque shut down ability in Kadri as well.

 

[Rielly4]

I really think we should be staying away from the grinder third line. It's an archaic arrangement and only worked on Anaheim due to the fact that the Penner - Getzlaf - Perry line was ridiculously nasty. I just can't see JVR fulfilling that role seeing that he is NOT a power forward. PPG potential, yes, but not a Perry in terms of playing style.

Our competition, namely Boston, Detroit, Ottawa have a shut down line that is a legitimate scoring line as well. The Bergeron, Turris, and most obviously the Datsyuk-Zettersberg. I should've included Montreal's Plekanec-Bourque pair which is usually tasked against the Kessels, Stamkos of the NHL.

We need to continue Chicago experiment and allow Bolland to be the agitator that compliments a highly skilled forward. For that reason, I think JVR or even Lupul would be appropriate. Colborne is nice to have ( due to his potential creativity), but he isn't proven yet. I think one of those two highly skilled forwards considering that worked remarkably well against the Krejci line. Both spend even more time against that line than McClement, and we really started controlling game 5, 6, and most of 7 due to that.

i.e.

Lupul - Bolland - Kulemin/ Colborne

JVR - Bolland - Kulemin/ Colborne

I'm leaning towards Kulemin to spend more time with Lupul. The idea of a shut down line is to drive possession against the top lines and not remained hemmed in our zone. It's possible that Kulemin would be more effective with stronger linemates, but I'm thinking that he should play with Kadri. We really need to develop that potential Giroux-esque shut down ability in Kadri as well.

We could essentially have 2 shutdown lines:
Lupul-Kadri-Kessel (scoring)
JVR-Bozak-Clarkson (Great two way line)
Mcclement-Bolland-Kulemin (great two way line)

But id much rather run with the obvious choice:

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Mcclement-Bolland-Kulemin
Mclaren-Colborne-Orr

Gunner-Phaneuf
Gardiner-Franson
Fraser-Ranger
Brennan

Call up:Morgan Rielly
Call up 2: Jesse Blacker

Trade: Liles

 

[p.l.f.]

But id much rather run with the obvious choice:

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Mcclement-Bolland-Kulemin
Mclaren-Colborne-Orr

It's good, but.....
I'm curious (concerned) about what this looks like after a few injuries
The proven scoring depth after 7-8 players is weak

 

[Neil Hamburger]

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Kulemin
McClement-Bolland-Clarkson
D'amigo-Colborne-Orr/Mclaren


Gunnarson-Phaneuf
Gardiner-Franson
Rielly-Ranger
Fraser

Bernier/Reimer


This would be our line-up to start the year in a perfect universe.

I like the idea of a McClement-Bolland-Clarkson third line, spreads the wealth a bit more throughout our top-9.

 

[WilliamNylander]

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
McClement-Bolland-Kulemin
McClaren-Colborne-Orr

Phaneuf-Ranger
Gardiner-Franson
Gunnar-Fraser
Rielly

 

[HarrisonFord]

I might be in the minority here, but I want the defense to look like:

Ranger - Phaneuf
Gunnarsson - Gardiner
Fraser - Franson

 

[WilliamNylander]

I might be in the minority here, but I want the defense to look like:

Ranger - Phaneuf
Gunnarsson - Gardiner
Fraser - Franson

I want the leafs to at least try the Franson-Gardiner pairing again because of how great they looked in the playoffs. Hopefully, Franson solidifies himself as a top 4 defenseman, making Gunnarsson expendable and opening up a slot for Morgan "the franchise" Rielly

 

[Brewsky]

Dont like JoeCo on the 4th line. D'Amigo up and McClement on the 4th.

 

[gabeliscious]

Dont like JoeCo on the 4th line. D'Amigo up and McClement on the 4th.

i agree about colborne on the 4th but i think he is going to draw the short end of the stick this season.

he signed a really cap friendly contract presumably to make it really easy to keep him with the club. damigos is probably a better fit but his cap hit is more.

a 3rd line of kulemin-bolland-mclemment has the potential to be the premier shutdown line in the league. damigo is not going to be nearly as effective.

personally, i see the line up looking like


jvr-bozak-kessel
lupul-kadri-clakrson
kulemin-bolland-mclemment
mclaren-colborne-orr

phaneuf-gunnarson
gardiner-franson
ranger-fraser
liles

bernier
reimer

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Dont like JoeCo on the 4th line. D'Amigo up and McClement on the 4th.

I agree, especially when our competitors have more effective possession-driving shutdown lines. We are moving towards an NHL that has three effective possession lines.

McClement, simply, does not have that kind of skill set. I don't see that line comparing to the Bergeron, Datsyuk/ Zetts, Plekanec-Bourque, Turris lines. It's going nowhere and - like the playoffs - we'll be seeing more skilled forwards up against the top lines.

 

[zeke]

VanR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Colborne - Bolland - Kulemin
Ashton* - McClement - Orr
(D'Amigo* - McLaren)

Rielly* - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Franson
Gunnar* - Ranger
(Fraser)

Reimer
(Bernier)

* = interchangeable based on game situation​

 

[TieClark]

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
McClement - Bolland - Kulemin
McLaren - Colborne - Orr

Gardiner - Phaneuf
Gunnarsson - Ranger
Fraser - Franson
Brennan

Reimer
Bernier

 

[namttebih]

Who knows
Maybe it will be this:

JVR KADRI KESSEL
LUPUL BOLLAND CLARKSON
MCCLEMENT BOZAK KULEMIN

I doubt that it will happen but I really like all three lines. Ashton/McLaren Colborne Orr