Line Combos: Line Combos 101

[KessMeRandy]

Can't understand Carlyle's line combos. I think the team has to personnel to be more successful than they are, but they need to play to their strengths. I'll post my combos (LTIR Glassman considered), give some reasons why I chose them, and I invite any opinions.

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Raymond-Kadri-Clarkson
Kulemin-Holland-Abbott
FML-McClemment-Ashton

Phaneuf-Gunnar
Reilly-Gardiner
Liles-Franson

Forward group:
-Bozak allows Kessel and JVR to drive the net and establish offensive presences without much regard for defense. Line combined for 4 goals in their second game together the other night. Bested the Crosby line, and it wasn't even close. Chemistry and balance. You don't need a huge, powerful center when you have two STUD wingers.
-Second line is obvious without Lupul. Raymond is a speed guy with killer hands and a decent IQ, Kadri is a playmaker and Clarkson is a PWF. Classic line that will come around with some time together. Nice to have Raymond on the left side because a typical team won't have quick RHD on a second or third pairing.
-Third line defines "play the kids". Nonis and Burke built this team to be a top 9, botton 3 team. Can't have the third line playing defense which means you can't have McClemment playing third line. Get Kulemin back to the wing that he scored 30 goals on (hes left handed). Hes a TWF ideal for 3rd line. Give Holland a shot (Nonis said he thinks he has first or second line upside). Kulemin can cover his mistakes. Abbott is a right handed gritty, speedy, skilled guy. Scores over a point per game for a low scoring Marlies team and is pretty mature. Great upside and really could introduce some speed that we lost with MacA and Grabo.
-4th line. For ****s sake Randy, we dont need Orr AND FML. Keep one (FML better on the puck and off), throw McClemment in the middle for faceoffs and PK, and throw Ashton on the right for SOME ENERGY. PPG with the Marlies this year, fights, possesses the puck surprisingly well, and WORKS LIKE A ****IN HORSE.

top pairing obvious, second pairing needs to be tried. can't be worse than twelve goals in two games. I know they both screw up ALOT but maybe theyll find chemistry like the Gallagher and Chucky line did in Montreal. Sometimes playing the kids just works, especially when they have an opportunity to excel TOGETHER (see Randy's rookie line of Penner-Getz-Perry). Get Franson back on that third pairing where he belongs and excels, and give him someone that can skate since he cant

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[Kingstonian84*]

I agree with most, but Mcclement on the 4th line is a waste IMO.

 

[KessMeRandy]

I agree with most, but Mcclement on the 4th line is a waste IMO.

only reason I like him there is because then he's not playing 20 minutes per night tiring him out for the PK. People wonder why it's been so bad, it's because our workhorse PKers Kuli and McC have been playing 20 mins per game on top of it

 

[Nithoniniel]

That second pairing will be a nightmare if stuck in own zone. They will be pushed around in the corners and pushed around in front of goals. Something like that could maybe work as a very sheltered third pairing, not a second.

We have no line that can take heavy matchups in that lineup. That's basically three scoring lines that all need to be sheltered to some degree.

Fourth line I agree needs to have someone else on wing than Orr/McLaren.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Osborne-Olczyk-Leeman
Clark-Gilmour-Andreychuk
Mogilny-Sundin-Hoglund
Nonis-Burke-Fletcher

Iafrate-Gill
Ellett-Rouse
Kaberle-McCabe

Bester
Potvin

 

[KessMeRandy]

Osborne-Olczyk-Leeman
Clark-Gilmour-Andreychuk
Mogilny-Sundin-Hoglund
Nonis-Burke-Fletcher

Iafrate-Gill
Ellett-Rouse
Kaberle-McCabe

Bester
Potvin

no kubina?

 

[Goonface2k14]

no kubina?

Let's not be silly

 

[Purity*]

I would like to see a 4th line of Ashton-McClement-Leivo, looks like a line that could forecheck extremely well while not being a complete liability like a line with Orr/Mclaren on it. We haven't even been fighting that much this year, what's the point of icing fighters in the lineup when they're not even being used, I do not understand Carlyle sometimes.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Let's not be silly

How about Tim Horton?

 

[LMFAO]

Can't understand Carlyle's line combos. I think the team has to personnel to be more successful than they are, but they need to play to their strengths. I'll post my combos (LTIR Glassman considered), give some reasons why I chose them, and I invite any opinions.

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Raymond-Kadri-Clarkson
Kulemin-Holland-Abbott
FML-McClemment-Ashton

Phaneuf-Gunnar
Reilly-Gardiner
Liles-Franson

Forward group:
-Bozak allows Kessel and JVR to drive the net and establish offensive presences without much regard for defense. Line combined for 4 goals in their second game together the other night. Bested the Crosby line, and it wasn't even close. Chemistry and balance. You don't need a huge, powerful center when you have two STUD wingers.
-Second line is obvious without Lupul. Raymond is a speed guy with killer hands and a decent IQ, Kadri is a playmaker and Clarkson is a PWF. Classic line that will come around with some time together. Nice to have Raymond on the left side because a typical team won't have quick RHD on a second or third pairing.
-Third line defines "play the kids". Nonis and Burke built this team to be a top 9, botton 3 team. Can't have the third line playing defense which means you can't have McClemment playing third line. Get Kulemin back to the wing that he scored 30 goals on (hes left handed). Hes a TWF ideal for 3rd line. Give Holland a shot (Nonis said he thinks he has first or second line upside). Kulemin can cover his mistakes. Abbott is a right handed gritty, speedy, skilled guy. Scores over a point per game for a low scoring Marlies team and is pretty mature. Great upside and really could introduce some speed that we lost with MacA and Grabo.
-4th line. For ****s sake Randy, we dont need Orr AND FML. Keep one (FML better on the puck and off), throw McClemment in the middle for faceoffs and PK, and throw Ashton on the right for SOME ENERGY. PPG with the Marlies this year, fights, possesses the puck surprisingly well, and WORKS LIKE A ****IN HORSE.

top pairing obvious, second pairing needs to be tried. can't be worse than twelve goals in two games. I know they both screw up ALOT but maybe theyll find chemistry like the Gallagher and Chucky line did in Montreal. Sometimes playing the kids just works, especially when they have an opportunity to excel TOGETHER (see Randy's rookie line of Penner-Getz-Perry). Get Franson back on that third pairing where he belongs and excels, and give him someone that can skate since he cant

You mean he gets his ass kicked alot
?

 

[Durrr]

I agree with the lines, all I want to say is we need to keep lines together. They need to develop chemistry and RC's over coaching is not helping.

 

[KessMeRandy]

lets try Phaneuf-Gardiner
Reilly-Gunnar
?

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Yup . Perfect.

People need to realize the use of McClement. May be on 4th line, but will play a ton of important minutes, not just pk and the odd 4th line duty - he is best when we can plug him in for d zone breakouts with Bozak or crucial last minute stands. Keep em ready and energized

 

[King85Kong]

JVR-Kadri-Kessel - Dominate Scoring and possession line
Raymond-Holland-Clarkson - Good secondary scoring
Ashton-Bozak-Kulemin - Solid shut down line
McLaren-McClemment-Orr -Utility line; fighters/physical and a pk'er when required

Phaneuf-Reilly - Thin they compliment each other
Gardiner-Gunner - Gunner will allow Gardiner to play his offensive game.
Fraser-Franson - Good third pairing, Fraser opens up Franson

 

[BonMorrison]

After the Pittsburgh game, I see no reason to take Bozak off the top line (and I'm not even a huge Bozie fan, though I do like him). Once you've kept that intact, there really isn't much more we can do with the line-up other than move our wingers outside our top line and Clarkson around.

 

[McGuiresMonsters]

I can't understand how you think FML is better than Orr.
I think Holland was given a chance on the 3rd line last game, but he got put on the 4th line after Pitt's first goal.
I would like to see Liles again too because I don't think he was given a fair shake. I think Leafs could try different pairings with Phaneuf.
I want to see a line of Kulie-Kadri-Clarkson.

 

[mikebel111*]

we are wasting ashton by putting him on 4th line. has great speed and has a great work ethic. he needs to be on 3rd line to be effective.

 

[KessMeRandy]

I can't understand how you think FML is better than Orr.
I think Holland was given a chance on the 3rd line last game, but he got put on the 4th line after Pitt's first goal.
I would like to see Liles again too because I don't think he was given a fair shake. I think Leafs could try different pairings with Phaneuf.
I want to see a line of Kulie-Kadri-Clarkson.

I think that would be a dominant power forward line with a great playmaking center, almost identical to the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line that murdered us last year. Having Ashton move up to that third line with a holland or McClemment and Raymond could provide a good shut down energy line

 

[KessMeRandy]

we are wasting ashton by putting him on 4th line. has great speed and has a great work ethic. he needs to be on 3rd line to be effective.

yeah agreed. i like him way more than the coaching staff does, i think.

I wouldn't mind running

JVR-Bozie-Kess
Kulemin-Kadri-Clarkson
Raymond-Holland-Ashton
Smithson-McClemment-Orr to shutdown.

Gives you a perfect rush line, which we know and love, and great power forward and FANTASTIC puck possession line with imposing size, and speedy and gritty and even talented third line, who we could play the least amount of minutes, and then a fourth shutdown line and utility team.

 

[KessMeRandy]

I can't understand how you think FML is better than Orr.
I think Holland was given a chance on the 3rd line last game, but he got put on the 4th line after Pitt's first goal.
I would like to see Liles again too because I don't think he was given a fair shake. I think Leafs could try different pairings with Phaneuf.
I want to see a line of Kulie-Kadri-Clarkson.

McLaren isn't actually that bad. A little bigger than Orr and definitely better on the puck. Also has fought more than Orr this year. If you pick one, you pick the one that's going to give you more bang for your buck, and that FML. Also put up a ppg in junior, albeit that hasn't translated to the pros. Nevertheless he can handle the puck well enough to clear it out of the zone. Orr, not so much

 

[Kitchen]

I think that would be a dominant power forward line with a great playmaking center, almost identical to the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line that murdered us last year.

I dont think those two lines are comparable at all. Lucic (9G, 18P), Krejci (4G, 18P), and Horton (LTIR) are all proven talented players. Kulemin currently has 1 goal and 4 points, his 30 goal season is long gone and clarkson has been looking unneffective with only 2 goals and 5 points so far (he's been starting to play better though). a line of kulemin-kadri-clarkson would rely too heavily on kadri to set them up perfectly with neither kulemin or clarksin having a strong ability to create time or space for themselves. and kadri isnt even all that proven yet with only one full* season under his belt. i think Raymond would be a better fit with kadri with either kulemin or clarkson on the other wing while lupul is injured because raymond appears to have some offensive talent.

 

[jmart21]

I do not want to see a Gardiner/Rielly pairing once this season.

 

[Mess]

I agree with most, but Mcclement on the 4th line is a waste IMO.

McClement centering the 4th + major PK time is fine.

 

[Purity*]

Would they ever consider giving Liles another shot? Before his concussion he was a good player, playing on the top pairing with Phaneuf, and that pairing was actually pretty good on both sides of the ice (there was loads of other things wrong with that roster, Phaneuf/Liles definitely wasn't the problem).

With this, we could shift Gunnar to the second pairing and put him with Gardiner/Rielly/Franson/whoever works the best with him.

I know we don't want to mess with a pairing that already works good (Phaneuf/Gunner) but this defense is a total mess below that, any team with secondary scoring absolutely torches us due to how bad our second pairing is.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I think that would be a dominant power forward line with a great playmaking center, almost identical to the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line that murdered us last year. Having Ashton move up to that third line with a holland or McClemment and Raymond could provide a good shut down energy line

I think Kadri would look a lot more effective with Kulemin on his wing than Raymond. It would also help add some offensive skill on their third line as well.

Raymond - McClement - Ashton would be a good third line.