Line Combos: Practice - Prust/Pacioretty switch lines

[Gally11]

Prust seems like he brings energy with every shift / line he skates with. Not too many other Hab forwards can say the same (Plekanec maybe?)

Yeah I'm sure MT is just trying to motivate DD / Cole into playing with more energy than they have been.

 

[Habs Junkie]

Almost everyone here wants the Subban-Gorges pairing back together and I agree. Markov and Emelin works but they should switch sides for Emelin's sake. Bouillon and Diaz as a third pairing with limited ice time is also good.

It's logical to put subban back with Gorges, but I really think an Emelin\Gorges duo can be very effective against top lines such as the Stamkos/St.Louis lines of the league.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Hey Coach,

I've respected your opinions around here for some time, but the game has changed a lot since then. Players are just way bigger than they were, it is a fact.

I agree but everything is relative. Players may be all bigger, but it is still LESS of a disadvantage to be a bit smaller at Center, where vision and quick changes of direction are the most important factors in success.

I also took the eras into account. So whereas Doug Risebrough at 5'11 and 185 lbs would be smallish today, I did not list him as small in 1976.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Habs gonna have to live and die with Cole. You don't push such veteran aside. He had multiple good seasons in the NHL, and was the best Habs forward last year. That's the type of player you keep playing, hoping he would light things up. Unfortunatly, it could be a bad season, like any player has. If you push such a player aside, you could lose your room and the respect of veterans, and even of future free agents. Bad season happen, live with it.

Ups and downs are normal for guys over 30. Here is Jean Beliveau from ages 31-39.

Season ..GP .G .A .P
1962-63 69 18 49 67
1963-64 68 28 50 78
1964-65 58 20 23 43 **
1965-66 67 29 48 77
1966-67 53 12 26 38 **
1967-68 59 31 37 68
1968-69 69 33 49 82
1969-70 63 19 30 49 **
1970-71 70 25 51 76

It's a good thing the Habs did not give up on Le Gros Bill after 1964-65, or especially 1965-66 at age 34. Three of his final four years were productive.

 

[MXD]

Am I the only one that thinks the D pairings should be:

Markov-Subban (top pair playing 25 minutes a game in every situation)
Gorges-Emelin (a real shut-down pair)
Bouillon-Diaz (10-12 minutes a game)

The problem is that you possibly have the worst defensive player on your so-called shutdown pair.

 

[Habs Junkie]

The problem is that you possibly have the worst defensive player on your so-called shutdown pair.

Who? Emelin? I don't think he's bad

 

[Natey]

Am I the only one that thinks the D pairings should be:

Markov-Subban (top pair playing 25 minutes a game in every situation)
Gorges-Emelin (a real shut-down pair)
Bouillon-Diaz (10-12 minutes a game)

I love Emelin, but Diaz is a far better defenseman at every aspect of the game except hitting.

 

[Coldplay]

I'm a bit more unconventional, in that I'd rather see:

Markov-Diaz (dependable, puck-moving, high-octane offence)
Gorges-Subban (shut-down pair, as close as it gets)
Bouillon-Emelin (mean-streak pair)
Kaberle (Kaberle)

as our usual load, with Kaberle dressing as the 7th D when the matchup is favourable.

 

[MXD]

Who? Emelin? I don't think he's bad

Everybody is entitled to its own thoughts - even if they're wrong.

 

[Coldplay]

Everybody is entitled to its own thoughts - even if they're wrong.

I tend to agree with you. Emelin is a premier physical specimen in this league, but he's very one-dimensional. His offensive game and puck skills are, and I'm not pulling any punches here, atrocious, imho.

If he ever rounds out that side of his game, he'll be an even more dangerous weapon on our backend.

 

[MXD]

I tend to agree with you. Emelin is a premier physical specimen in this league, but he's very one-dimensional. His offensive game and puck skills are, and I'm not pulling any punches here, atrocious, imho.

If he ever rounds out that side of his game, he'll be an even more dangerous weapon on our backend.

It's not only that. Actually, his offensive skills are underrated.

His defensive zone coverage is hayheichelesque, though.

 

[Coldplay]

It's not only that. Actually, his offensive skills are underrated.

His defensive zone coverage is hayheichelesque, though.

Notice how I didn't mention that in my post.

His offensive skills are underrated because everyone expects he's just a wrecking machine out there, and nothing more. I feel that he sometimes play that way sometimes. Wish he would have a little more consideration of what to do with the puck when he gets it.

Unless I'm totally mistaken.

 

[Guilliam]

I think Emelin's puck moving ability is the part of his game that is the more affected by him playing the right side. He didn't seem to make that many turnovers at the beginning of last season. I recall a couple of beautiful stretch passes he made form the left side.

 

[DAChampion]

Start Markov-Diaz in the offensive zone and Subban-Gorges in the defensive zone.

 

[poetryinmotion]

Wasn't too thrilled about the new kid line tbh. Pacioretty looked okay but he was trying to do everything solo and it didn't look like he used the Gally's at all.

 

[417]

I really don't understand why you're gonna put Pacioretty with Galchenyuk/Gallagher if you're not going to play this line more than 10-12 mins a game

Pacioretty is this teams best winger..

as long as the Habs insist on using Galchenyuk and Gallagher together, they're going to have to continue to hide them in matchups, which doesn't bode well for the other veteran playing on their line

 

[Miller Time]

13:20 TIO for MaxPac...

exactly what I feared would happen.

I don't see the logic in demoting your most talented forward because the line he was on wasn't clicking (not to mention he dealt with an illness that he made a quick recovery from).

Eller, Subban and Pacioretty need to play more.

 

[ECWHSWI]

I really don't understand why you're gonna put Pacioretty with Galchenyuk/Gallagher if you're not going to play this line more than 10-12 mins a game

Pacioretty is this teams best winger..

as long as the Habs insist on using Galchenyuk and Gallagher together, they're going to have to continue to hide them in matchups, which doesn't bode well for the other veteran playing on their line

think MT is really preparing the kids for the future more than anything. If MT was thinking "win now" when it came to those two he would have probably used them more, especially since the DD line didnt do much so far.