Have you ever been to the mainboards? Also way to avoid the entire bulk of his post
who passes the puck to ov? ov? backy and Wilson I could see. latta isn't the right guy at all
If Ovechkin is double shifted that would be fine to chuck him on that line.
Bruce double shifted Ovechkin a bunch. I just don't see Oates doing it and Hunter if anything cut him down.
Maybe its b/c Ovie has less energy now but I'd like to see him put on a couple lines when he is in the groove. Maybe I missed that these last couple years but sure hasn't seemed as prevelant.
Think about Bob. OV wasn't exactly playing on the first line for stretches last year. Sure you can list it at the top, but there's no way I am going to call a line centered by Beags my '1st line'. The 1st line, no matter who played with OV, rarely looked or performed like a 1st line.
I'd bet the farm that putting him on a line with Latta and Wilson would get his motor running like we haven't seen in a long time. That trio would absolutely wreak havoc - the hits and attitude those guys would be doling out would be electric and OV would be beaming. That's the kind of support OV needs - the antithesis of Jojo.
But you're right. I don't see Oates doing it. Just one of the many reasons I hope he and George hold hands on the way out the door.
I think Latta could actually be the guy. I believe he was used in lots of situations including on the pp this year in Hershey and ended up with 14g 20a - 34 pts in 52 games. He showed he had hands to finish while he was in DC. Not to mention he has some of the attitude this team desperately needs.
I don't know if he will get the chance under Oates because he doesn't play the 'right way'... 134 pims in 52 games.
Latta is going to be a great 4th line center next year. Aggressive, gritty, and decent hands. Year after that hopefully he works in as a very good third line center. That is really his ceiling and that isn't bad at all. A tougher Brooks Laich replacement.
well....ok. Latta is a first line center. I guess I am not hockey savy enough to see that, but if true, somebody must have seen it.
That would mean trading for Latta was........
Sign Hainsey @ 2M
Sign Moulson @ 6M
Trade Brouwer and 1st pick for M. Richards, if he is not bought out, 5-6M
Trade MOJO and Carrick for M. Grabner
Trade Fehr for Boychuck
This is with a 68M cap
When Latta was drafted he was often compared to Mike Richards and when he lead the Admirals in scoring they thought that his best-case scenario in the NHL would be quality 2C. So he's not exactly a 4th line scrub/AHL-scorer like some people think.
I think that could work, and it's pretty much the only option not yet tried aswell.
well....ok. Latta is a first line center. I guess I am not hockey savy enough to see that, but if true, somebody must have seen it.
That would mean trading for Latta was........
When Latta was drafted he was often compared to Mike Richards and when he lead the Admirals in scoring they thought that his best-case scenario in the NHL would be quality 2C. So he's not exactly a 4th line scrub/AHL-scorer like some people think.
I think that could work, and it's pretty much the only option not yet tried aswell.
Didn't we try something similar with Beagle/Crabb or Volpatti/Beagle?
Again its fine if we do that. But only in a double shift situation. He need to play with guys who can get him the puck or at least be able to bury a pass he gives them.
Put 8/19 on first line. When ovie is in a groove double shift him. Put him on line 1 and line 4.
DEFENSEMEN
Karl Alzner ($2.800m) / John Carlson ($3.967m)
Ron Hainsey ($2.000m) / Mike Green ($6.083m)
Dmitry Orlov ($2.000m) / Johnny Boychuk ($3.367m)
Semantics... Like I said, would you really consider Jojo-Beags-OV a "1st line". I wouldn't. For some time now OV hasn't gotten first line minutes. He is way down in terms of even strength minutes.
I didn't say put Latta on the first line. I said I'd like to see him center OV and Wilson.
This is pretty much what i'm sayin. Given the opportunity, I think he will be better than many think. The space those guys would create for OV would be just as important, if not more, than the 'creativity' of 19/90.
Latta/Wilson is a HUGE upgrade over Beagle/Crabb-Patti
Hey wow. There is an OldHat on this other board I'm on but he mostly posts fat chicks in bikinis. It's terrible.
To say 'mostly' is hyperbole.