Line Combos: Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson

[BonMorrison]

I still maintain that this should be our top six:

Lupul - Kadri - Kessel
Van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Clarkson

Come at me, bro.

 

[Liminality]

You need a physical element next to Kadri to let him truly play his game without fear of backlash. Clarkson should be a welcomed addition to that line.

Yep, same thought process as having Orr on his line I'm sure.

Sounds like a line that could have good synergy.

 

[Renegade]

Clarkson is EXACTLY what this line was missing. Kulemin was nice but he wasn't as much of a power forward as Clarkson is. Makes a perfect 1b line.

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

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Gardiner - Fraser
Rielly - Ranger/Holzer

Reimer
Bernier

If you ask me, the first 2 lines are a lock. But 3 and 4 are a little interesting. Bolland and Kulemin are musts for that line but RW3 is a question. Biggs looked good to me in the prospect tournament, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the jump. Carlyle type player. 4th line is pretty much same as last year.

Colborne simply isn't useful on this team this year. He doesn't have the upside to fit in the top 6 and doesn't have the defensive acuity either. Could fit as a 4th line centre but McClement would have to move.

IMO we have no money to sign Franson. We could trade him for a fairly nice return.

As for Mason Raymond, if he signs cheap, sure!

 

[Primary Assist]

Clarkson is EXACTLY what this line was missing. Kulemin was nice but he wasn't as much of a power forward as Clarkson is. Makes a perfect 1b line.

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

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Gardiner - Fraser
Rielly - Ranger/Holzer

Reimer
Bernier

If you ask me, the first 2 lines are a lock. But 3 and 4 are a little interesting. Bolland and Kulemin are musts for that line but RW3 is a question. Biggs looked good to me in the prospect tournament, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the jump. Carlyle type player. 4th line is pretty much same as last year.

Colborne simply isn't useful on this team this year. He doesn't have the upside to fit in the top 6 and doesn't have the defensive acuity either. Could fit as a 4th line centre but McClement would have to move.

IMO we have no money to sign Franson. We could trade him for a fairly nice return.

As for Mason Raymond, if he signs cheap, sure!

What would you want in return for Franson though? We wouldn't get a top line center for him, and our biggest holes right now are on defense. Unless you want prospects/draft picks, but I wouldn't settle for less than a first rounder/blue chipper for him and I don't think any teams would offer that.

 

[Durkin67]

I just wanted to see what everyone thinks about the most likely second line:

Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson

I am personally really excited for this.

All three of these players can be really physical and put up points.

This line will be a brutal to play against for most teams.

This is the line I want to see...

 

[Face Of Bear]

Clarkson unfortunately doesnt have the speed, skill, or hockey IQ to keep up with Lupul and Kadri. I'll give it a week or two until he is moved down to the 3rd line with Kulemin/Raymond replacing him

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

On paper it seems legit

All are there long term (for the time being) so it would be nice to see some more consistency on the 2nd line season-to-season rather than game-to-game or streak-to-streak

 

[Primary Assist]

Clarkson unfortunately doesnt have the speed, skill, or hockey IQ to keep up with Lupul and Kadri. I'll give it a week or two until he is moved down to the 3rd line with Kulemin/Raymond replacing him

He complimented Elias, a smooth skating high IQ player, pretty well in NJ. I'm sure he'll do just fine.

 

[Quares27]

Love our top 6.

3rd line is one of the better ones too if we get Raymond

 

[indigobuffalo]

Clarkson - Kadri - Lupul is too much of a good thing. They're all guys that play aggressive, check and fight for space (though Lupes and Kadri do it with finesse rather than force).

It would be a hard, punishing and intimidating line with scoring ability, but it leaves the Kessel line looking rather soft.

van Riemsdyk doesn't use his large frame aggressively. Granted he uses his reach to unhinge pucks and makes a lot of takeaways, but he doesn't play the body directly. Kessel and Bozak don't either.

Lupul plays with a bit of an edge, and makes that line click better than JvR.

Furthermore, van Riemsdyk complements that Kadri - Clarkson line a lot better than Lupul does.

The lines have to have balance.

 

[indigobuffalo]

^^ That being said, I'm pretty happy with any combination of our top 9, so long as Kessel isn't given shutdown duties.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Clarkson - Bolland - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - van Riemsdyk
Kulemin - Bozak - Raymond/D'Amigo/McClement

 

[Michael Gary Scott]

To me,
JvR-Kadri-Kessel
Lupul-Colborne-Clarkson
Kulemin-Bolland-(D'Amigo?)

looks better than
JvR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Kulemin-Bolland-Colborne/D'Amigo

Shouldnt have signed Bozak, all I'm saying. Dont like JoCo on the wall, hes too big needs more ice and freedom. And yes, I am the only person that thinks JoCo is actually ready for that kind of duty, disagree all you want, cause I know you all will, but I firmly believe he is.

 

[Porn*]

i like that line a lot... don't know if the chemistry will be there but a) clarkson protects lupul and b) clarkson allows kadri to be a little chippy while being protected.

 

[Purity*]

If Bozak and JVR improve their offense (I have full confidence JVR will, but Bozak I'm skeptical about) we will be widely considered to have one of the best top 6's in the league.. Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson has potential to be one of the (if not the best) second lines in the league....

Gotta love how this lineup is looking compared to 2010-2011...

 

[Suntouchable13]

Kadri should be with Kessel, hopefully will be as the season progresses.

 

[pucci2001]

What about:

Lupul-Kadri-Colborne
Kulemin-Bolland-Clarkson

Colborne on the 2nd line makes me sick.

 

[diceman934]

We have so many options.
How about this as a line:

Lupul Kadri Bolland

Colborne is a Leaf this year....his salary makes it so.

 

[Durkin67]

We have so many options.
How about this as a line:

Lupul Kadri Bolland

Colborne is a Leaf this year....his salary makes it so.

Why stack that line with centermen? no likey...

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Clarkson unfortunately doesnt have the speed, skill, or hockey IQ to keep up with Lupul and Kadri. I'll give it a week or two until he is moved down to the 3rd line with Kulemin/Raymond replacing him

Seemed to keep up with Elias and Zajac just fine. Didn't look out of place with Parise and Henrique either.

I think he'll help Kadri out tremendously. Seemed like the young man enjoyed playing with the protection of Orr. Clarkson can offer the same protection, while also being able to tap a couple of goals in and contribute offensively.

 

[DoubleDose86]

I'd like to see how this line does, if they fail they can be split up.

Last year Kadri said he felt better with an Orr type, because people would think before just hitting. With Clarkson there, perhaps people have second thoughts about hitting Lupul/Kadri

 

[Baba Ganoush]

Kulemin and Clarkson are completely interchangeable on that line.

 

[disgruntleddave]

This kind of discussion, looking at our possible lines, is making me SO excited for this year.

So much hinges on our D. If they pull through, it's gonna be so awesome.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Feel free to destroy my lines but I think the OP has this nailed on the head. Very well done line combo.

JvR-Bozak/Kadri-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri/Bozak-Clarkson
Kulemin-Bolland-Raymond
Orr-Mcclement-McLaren?

I need some help adjusting the third and fourth lines. Help a brother out HF?

 

[WWB]

Honestly, unless Clarkson parks his ass in front of the net and stays there, he is going to be noticeably behind the other two. He is not fast or agile like Kadri or Lupul and might even bring the other two down if he starts trying to do too much (something he got infamy for in NJ after his 30 goal season). I mean i hope im wrong, but just the kind of player he is limits his usefulness to that line.

Well Kadri has this unique skill of being able to gain the offensive zone, slow the play down, and make the sweet play, allowing his teammates a chance to do their thing. Sure Clarkson is slower than the rest of his line mates, but Colton Orr played with Kadri last season and that didn't slow Kadri up any. At least Clarkson can put the puck in the net.