Line Combos: Predicting Forward Lines for 2013-2014

[Icelevel]

MacArthur-Turris-Ryan
Michalek-Spezza-Zibanejad
Conacher-Smith-Neil
Greening-Grant-Condra

greening smith neil should not be an option anymore. it is complete **** everytime it steps on the ice together. swap greening and conacher seems to make a difference so that might work.

 

[aragorn]

greening smith neil should not be an option anymore. it is complete **** everytime it steps on the ice together. swap greening and conacher seems to make a difference so that might work.

Couldn't disagree more, they are a very effective energy line or shut down line who are big, tough & play a very physical game. Ottawa has much better options in their organization than Condra & Conacher, does anyone miss Condra since Grant has been called up? I don't. Does anyone miss SDC & Pageau? I don't.

Michalek - Spezza - Zibanejad
MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Greening - Z. Smith - Neil
Robinson - Grant - Stone

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Couldn't disagree more, they are a very effective energy line or shut down line who are big, tough & play a very physical game. Ottawa has much better options in their organization than Condra & Conacher, does anyone miss Condra since Grant has been called up? I don't. Does anyone miss SDC & Pageau? I don't.

Michalek - Spezza - Zibanejad
MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Greening - Z. Smith - Neil
Robinson - Grant - Stone

Condra is a big loss to this team. Nothing against Grant (and if anything, I'm pretty high on Grant,) but Condra is a far more effective penalty killer and shutdown forward.

 

[aragorn]

Condra is a big loss to this team. Nothing against Grant (and if anything, I'm pretty high on Grant,) but Condra is a far more effective penalty killer and shutdown forward.

I completely disagree, I don't miss Condra at all & I don't think the team does either the way Grant is playing. Grant is bigger, tougher, is IMO just as good a defensive forward as Condra & again IMO a better offensive player. Grant is just as fast if not faster & can play either RW or centre which makes him more versatile as well. IMO Grant makes Condra expendable & potential trade bait, the only problem is that Condra has very little value as does Conacher at this point.

Stone IMO is a much better option than Conacher in that he is bigger, tougher, higher hockey IQ, is a great passer & potentially a better scorer since Conacher is not scoring. If PM decides to keep Zibanejad with Spezza Stone could be put with Grant to create another potential scoring line.

I would also like to see what Robinson could do in the NHL on a 4th line with Grant & Stone. Since both Robinson & Grant are very fast skaters that would offset Stone's skating issues & Stone would be the offensive catalyst for this line. Playing on the 4th line PM could control their minutes & when to put them on the ice. Robinson is another decent PK option for PM & could play when Kassian is not needed but still adds size & toughness to the lineup. Makes much more sense than Condra & Conacher IMO.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I think Zibanejad's talents are being wasted alongside Spezza as a winger.

Although Zibanejad has actually been good there, I think he'd be even better blazing down the center of the ice. He is just too fast and powerful not to be used for that role.

 

[starling]

I completely disagree, I don't miss Condra at all & I don't think the team does either the way Grant is playing. Grant is bigger, tougher, is IMO just as good a defensive forward as Condra & again IMO a better offensive player. Grant is just as fast if not faster & can play either RW or centre which makes him more versatile as well. IMO Grant makes Condra expendable & potential trade bait, the only problem is that Condra has very little value as does Conacher at this point.

Stone IMO is a much better option than Conacher in that he is bigger, tougher, higher hockey IQ, is a great passer & potentially a better scorer since Conacher is not scoring. If PM decides to keep Zibanejad with Spezza Stone could be put with Grant to create another potential scoring line.

I would also like to see what Robinson could do in the NHL on a 4th line with Grant & Stone. Since both Robinson & Grant are very fast skaters that would offset Stone's skating issues & Stone would be the offensive catalyst for this line. Playing on the 4th line PM could control their minutes & when to put them on the ice. Robinson is another decent PK option for PM & could play when Kassian is not needed but still adds size & toughness to the lineup. Makes much more sense than Condra & Conacher IMO.

We are already one of the biggest teams in the league and the fact is that most of our bigger players are bad while smaller guys make all the plays and score goals.
How much bigger is enough for you?

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

I completely disagree, I don't miss Condra at all & I don't think the team does either the way Grant is playing. Grant is bigger, tougher, is IMO just as good a defensive forward as Condra & again IMO a better offensive player. Grant is just as fast if not faster & can play either RW or centre which makes him more versatile as well. IMO Grant makes Condra expendable & potential trade bait, the only problem is that Condra has very little value as does Conacher at this point.

Stone IMO is a much better option than Conacher in that he is bigger, tougher, higher hockey IQ, is a great passer & potentially a better scorer since Conacher is not scoring. If PM decides to keep Zibanejad with Spezza Stone could be put with Grant to create another potential scoring line.

I would also like to see what Robinson could do in the NHL on a 4th line with Grant & Stone. Since both Robinson & Grant are very fast skaters that would offset Stone's skating issues & Stone would be the offensive catalyst for this line. Playing on the 4th line PM could control their minutes & when to put them on the ice. Robinson is another decent PK option for PM & could play when Kassian is not needed but still adds size & toughness to the lineup. Makes much more sense than Condra & Conacher IMO.

I'd rather see players earn their way into the lineup based on talent than on size and grit. And while I won't argue that Grant has more offensive upside, players like Condra are the ones that win you championships. Sami Pahlsson in 2007 is another example of that kind of player.

Grant will be a very good player for us, but right now he's the type who does many things right but none of them exceptionally. He's young. Let him develop.

I'd like to see Stone at the NHL level, but not at the expense of Conacher. He's proven that he can score -- we just need to get him in the right spot in the lineup. And playing alongside Grant and Kassian isn't that spot.

 

[Sensinitis]

I'd rather just have both Grant and Condra in the lineup, no?

 

[Sens Rule]

I see us in the future with:

Michalek Spezza Zibanejad
MacArthur Turris Ryan
Greening Pageau Conacher
Condra Smith Neil

The Spezza line has speed on both wings, Turris line is awesome, third line has tons of speed and hopefully grit and some offence sparked by Pageau's IQ and Conacher crashing the net.
Condra makes Neil and Smith better over 200 feet.

 

[God Says No]

Lol, Robinson hasn't done one damn thing to be considered for a call up. Same with Stone so far. First one in line is Hoffman as of this moment.

I'd like to see Greening sitting. He hasn't really done anything except for his occasional "hits". Also Kassian comes out unless we play the tougher teams.

Hoffman - Spezza - Michalek
Mac - Tur - Ryan
Conacher - Zib - Condra
Smith - Grant - Neil

I'd also sit Cowen for a game and go with a more mobile D.

Methot - Karl
Phillips - Wier
Boro - Corvo

Much more balanced in terms of defensive D and offensive D.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

Lol, Robinson hasn't done one damn thing to be considered for a call up. Same with Stone so far. First one in line is Hoffman as of this moment.

I'd like to see Greening sitting. He hasn't really done anything except for his occasional "hits". Also Kassian comes out unless we play the tougher teams.

Hoffman - Spezza - Michalek
Mac - Tur - Ryan
Conacher - Zib - Condra
Smith - Grant - Neil

I'd also sit Cowen for a game and go with a more mobile D.

Methot - Karl
Phillips - Wier
Boro - Corvo

Much more balanced in terms of defensive D and offensive D.

Really like this but probably too much to ask of Hoffman Stache loves his veterans, but I would love to see Zibanejad as third line center that's where he belongs. This would give us 3 scoring lines and a shutdown 4th line. I much prefer a top 9 .

 

[Sensinitis]

I see us in the future with:

Michalek Spezza Zibanejad
MacArthur Turris Ryan
Greening Pageau Conacher
Condra Smith Neil

The Spezza line has speed on both wings, Turris line is awesome, third line has tons of speed and hopefully grit and some offence sparked by Pageau's IQ and Conacher crashing the net.
Condra makes Neil and Smith better over 200 feet.

Michalek won't be here in the future.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

Michalek won't be here in the future.

Ya I really don't see him here much longer.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Gimme some Hoff and some Condra


MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Spezza - Zibanejad
Michalek - Smith - Condra
Conacher - Grant - Neil


would be awesome. Buh bye Greening

 

[mcnorth]

Gimme some Hoff and some Condra


MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Spezza - Zibanejad
Michaelk - Smith - Condra
Conacher - Grant - Neil


would be awesome. Buh bye Greening

I think it's time to try Hoffman, too. But after watching the Spezza/Zibby line get hemmed in their own zone for entire shifts, and seeing them struggle on the cycle and forecheck, I'm not sold on them for anything but scoring in transition - where they look dangerous tbh.

After considering Michalek, Conacher, and Greening, I've decided all have been too ineffective along the walls and in their own zone. Condra, although he doesn't do it in any sort of dramatically impressive way, is probably one of our best players that way. Smith is good, too - but I think we need his face-offs.

So when Condra comes back and Hoffman gets the call I'd like to see a Condra-Spezza-Hoffman line. Condra can play in all zones, he can skate, and he can take a pass and make the simple play - something Michalek and Greening have not been able to do consistently. Hoffman is the left-handed shooting RW for Spezza. Hoff also has nice wheels. Worth a look, IMO.

Mac-Turris-Ryan
Condra-Spezza-Hoffman
Michalek-Grant-Zibanejad
Greening/Conacher-Smith-Neil

(I like that Zibby/Grant/9MM line a lot also - Zibby and Grant played well together in Detroit and Michalek on the third line gives us some balanced scoring touch)

 

[WhiteLight*]

I think it's time to try Hoffman, too. But after watching the Spezza/Zibby line get hemmed in their own zone for entire shifts, and seeing them struggle on the cycle and forecheck, I'm not sold on them for anything but scoring in transition - where they look dangerous tbh.

After considering Michalek, Conacher, and Greening, I've decided all have been too ineffective along the walls and in their own zone. Condra, although he doesn't do it in any sort of dramatically impressive way, is probably one of our best players that way. Smith is good, too - but I think we need his face-offs.

So when Condra comes back and Hoffman gets the call I'd like to see a Condra-Spezza-Hoffman line. Condra can play in all zones, he can skate, and he can take a pass and make the simple play - something Michalek and Greening have not been able to do consistently. Hoffman is the left-handed shooting RW for Spezza. Hoff also has nice wheels. Worth a look, IMO.

Mac-Turris-Ryan
Condra-Spezza-Hoffman
Michalek-Grant-Zibanejad
Greening/Conacher-Smith-Neil

(I like that Zibby/Grant/9MM line a lot also - Zibby and Grant played well together in Detroit and Michalek on the third line gives us some balanced scoring touch)

Condra is just so bad at finishing… I don't see him on a scoring line. The Spezza line also needs more grind and jam.

I think Condra should play with Smith. Smith has a bunch of good qualities and has stepped his game up a bit… but he's still the worst puck possession centre on the team. Condra just boosts that part of his game, and they've always had good chemistry together. Michalek would be a good fit, adds a little finish.

 

[WhiteLight*]

In all seriousness, why is half of Bingo's lineup better than half of Ottawa's lineup? In particular Neil, Greening, Kassian and possibly Conacher.

They wonder why they're not looking good… just play the best players and you may see results.

 

[grilledcheese]

Turris line

Greening-Spezza-Michalek

Smith-Zibby-Conacher

Condra-Grant-Neil

 

[mcnorth]

I don't see Condra scoring on any line. He's there for different reasons - he's there to do all the things Spezza doesn't and Greening won't and Michalek can't anymore.

Condra has more grind and jam than Michalek or Greening. He causes more turnovers and is better along the wall. Sure, he doesn't make the big hit (or... any hits), but he uses his body well and can get/take the puck. Michalek and Greening have no possession presence at all right now.

Move Michalek to work with Grant and Zib. I think we're fine not planning around Smith's offensive contributions.

Condra is the guy who is "good with everybody" and Spezza is the guy who is "hard to play with"... might as well put them together and see what happens.

 

[mcnorth]

In all seriousness, why is half of Bingo's lineup better than half of Ottawa's lineup? In particular Neil, Greening, Kassian and possibly Conacher.

They wonder why they're not looking good… just play the best players and you may see results.

I wonder how many of those guys will be here next season. Hard to see them here in two years at all.

 

[Sens Rule]

Michalek won't be here in the future.

My future was a few weeks or months from now with the team healthy and Pageau earning a spot back on the big team in Bingo. Not next season.

 

[Sens Rule]

In all seriousness, why is half of Bingo's lineup better than half of Ottawa's lineup? In particular Neil, Greening, Kassian and possibly Conacher.

They wonder why they're not looking good… just play the best players and you may see results.

Because they aren't? Conacher was the freaking AHL MVP. Neil, and Greening would dominate in the AHL. Big difference between the AHL and the NHL.

Are Hoffman, Pageau, Stone better then any current Ottawa player? Not that likely, except Kassian, but he is a heavyweight and here for a different reason.

Injuries are going to tell the tale of the call-ups and the season. We have tremendous depth at forward AND defence. I know Maclean won't worry about throwing Pageau in the lineup. Grant is proving a lot as a checker now with Condra's injury. Struggles prompted Borowircki up to the NHL but it also was Condra's injury. A roster spot will disappear for 8 D-men when he returns. Ceci could easily get a spot if there are multiple D injuries. Wiercioch or Borowiecki could become so consistent they just can't be removed from the lineup.

Barring injuries though.... Stone and Hoffman are just going to wait for awhile. And Pageau could easily be called up before them as well. He has the track record of NHL success now.

Enjoy the depth. We just have to wait and inevitably we are gonna see the better prospects get chances. And honestly.... da Costa got a long look, Pageau got a long look after last year and his training camp. Zibby is on fire, and him being demoted for 7 games could have been a huge reason why.

Trust the process.

What I am hoping for is that if Borowiecki continues to play.... Then Maclean feels he can sit Kassian. Clearly Maclean wants a big fighter on the team... And who am I to argue considering the games recently when we fought we won? But having Kassian on a line, hurts us in rolling 4 lines. With a more skilled guy on the 4th line, like Pageau, Stone, Hoffman or Condra when he is back, lets us pressure with 4 lines, lets Conacher if he stays on the 4th line, have some skill and speed to play with.

One of the great parts of having Carkner back in the day, was having a regular shift fighter.

And to be honest, Kassian has been decent. He does get scoring chances, he does hit. He does have some hockey sense. He has played his role well, but he is also clearly the slowest and least effective forward we have. Giving him spot duty..... IF Borocop can be our Cop... Makes the team better.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Because they aren't? Conacher was the freaking AHL MVP. Neil, and Greening would dominate in the AHL. Big difference between the AHL and the NHL.

Conacher being AHL MVP doesn't mean he's a better NHL player. Neil would not dominate the AHL, he would be on Bingo's 3rd line and even then only based on rep. Greening never dominated the AHL, ever, and he's for sure a worse player today than when he first entered the league.

Are Hoffman, Pageau, Stone better then any current Ottawa player? Not that likely, except Kassian, but he is a heavyweight and here for a different reason.

Yes. Pageau had a tough start needs to get his game back, but yes. You could even add Schneider to that list and possibly Petersson.

Injuries are going to tell the tale of the call-ups and the season. We have tremendous depth at forward AND defence. I know Maclean won't worry about throwing Pageau in the lineup. Grant is proving a lot as a checker now with Condra's injury. Struggles prompted Borowircki up to the NHL but it also was Condra's injury. A roster spot will disappear for 8 D-men when he returns. Ceci could easily get a spot if there are multiple D injuries. Wiercioch or Borowiecki could become so consistent they just can't be removed from the lineup.

Grant, Zibanejad, Pageau, Borowiecki, etc just coming up here and being awesome just proves my point.

Barring injuries though.... Stone and Hoffman are just going to wait for awhile. And Pageau could easily be called up before them as well. He has the track record of NHL success now.

Hoffman is next, without a doubt. Pageau had his cup of coffee, it's Hoffman time. Late bloomer, and still improving a lot year to year.

Enjoy the depth. We just have to wait and inevitably we are gonna see the better prospects get chances. And honestly.... da Costa got a long look, Pageau got a long look after last year and his training camp. Zibby is on fire, and him being demoted for 7 games could have been a huge reason why.

It's just frustrating when the big club is struggling and these young guys could help. Guys like Neil are just bumbling along not doing much of anything, it's frustrating.

Trust the process.

I do trust the development program for sure

What I am hoping for is that if Borowiecki continues to play.... Then Maclean feels he can sit Kassian. Clearly Maclean wants a big fighter on the team... And who am I to argue considering the games recently when we fought we won? But having Kassian on a line, hurts us in rolling 4 lines. With a more skilled guy on the 4th line, like Pageau, Stone, Hoffman or Condra when he is back, lets us pressure with 4 lines, lets Conacher if he stays on the 4th line, have some skill and speed to play with.

One of the great parts of having Carkner back in the day, was having a regular shift fighter.

I like Grant on line 4. Does a terrific job.

 

[Qward]

Boro is 6'2 205lbs, that is a medium weight.
Kassian is 6'4 240lbs, that is a heavy weight.

Do not make Boro fight outside his weight class. Neil will do it on occasion but it is not a good thing to happen. Look at DD vs McLaren last year.

 

[mrkevo]

This line juggling needs to stop

We have one really good line that can score. That line has been together for most of the season so far and it has consistently been our best line.

Why not try to build some good chemistry with the other lines and become a better team overall? I'm not saying force lines that clearly don't work. I'm saying give a line combination a fair shot for a couple of games and then make necessary changes.