Line Combos: Predicting Forward Lines for 2013-2014

[the tribute]

We only have four forwards with a 20G season on there resume and two are injury prone

well that's funny, if I recall correctly, last season after all the injuries, we only had one 20 goal scorer, Alfie. he was the only that played a full season or close thereto that had 20 plus goals in the past. We did fine too. what's your point?

 

[The Fuhr*]

Turris led the team in playoff goals with 6 (in 10 games). Second in points with 9.

Okay, sorry, I'll stop making "excuses" for him.

Safe to say he had a Regin esque playoff?

 

[dingbatz]

Safe to say he had a Regin esque playoff?

 

[aragorn]

I'm not sure what the problem people have with Turris, IMO he has nothing short of great since we acquired him from Phoenix. He was tied with Conacher for the regular season in points & one point shy of Alfredsson for the most points in the playoffs. He was clearly our best player all yr & led the team with 6 goals in the playoffs. He stepped up & replaced Spezza all yr due to Spezza's injury & did a great job to lead our team to the playoffs. I'm not sure what more people could want from this guy who is still quite young at 23 yrs old. IMO he will only get better & if the team can stay relatively injury free next season he should have a great yr.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

I'm not sure what the problem people have with Turris, IMO he has nothing short of great since we acquired him from Phoenix. He was tied with Conacher for the regular season in points & one point shy of Alfredsson for the most points in the playoffs. He was clearly our best player all yr & led the team with 6 goals in the playoffs. He stepped up & replaced Spezza all yr due to Spezza's injury & did a great job to lead our team to the playoffs. I'm not sure what more people could want from this guy who is still quite young at 23 yrs old. IMO he will only get better & if the team can stay relatively injury free next season he should have a great yr.

He was saddled with unrealistic expectations. He was excellent last year but people are being unrealistic in there expectations. Your right Aragorn he is only 23 and will keep getting better.

 

[Sensinitis]

What people don't realize is that if Turris did any little bit better, he'd have like 15 goals and 35 points(3 more goals and 6 more points, for example). Those would be excellent stats.

The 29 points in 48 games that he got, despite the long goal drought, was very solid especially considering he was playing against TOP competition night in night out.

I'm excited to see what he'll do next season behind a hopefully healthy Spezza. If he gets stronger and learns to use his newfound strength well, his potential is high.

 

[armani]

So it’s virtually a tie between Options B and D.

Option B
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
Conacher-Pageau-Condra
Greening-Smith-Neil

Option D
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
Greening-Pageau-Condra
Conacher-Smith-Neil

(I voted for Option A)

So, over 50% (without even looking into the one-offs in Option E) are overwhelmingly in favour of:

Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
X-Pageau-Condra
Y-Smith-Neil

with only argument being which of Greening and Conacher fill the X and Y slots for 3rd and 4th line LW positions. Pageau stays on centre, but Zibanejad moves to the RW.

I don’t anticipate any surprises in the opening day forward lines to deviate too much from what’s been discussed here, as Zibanejad and Conacher are virtual locks. Unless Pageau has an epic crap-down on training camp, and somebody like Stone, Hoffman, et al. are mindblowingly super-dooper outstanding, I don’t see anybody coming out of the lineups voiced by you HFers on October 4. While I am enjoying summer, I can’t wait! With Detroit moving to the same division, the brilliantly named (out of Buttman’s butt?) Atlantic Division will be very tough and entertaining.

 

[aragorn]

So it’s virtually a tie between Options B and D.

Option B
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
Conacher-Pageau-Condra
Greening-Smith-Neil

Option D
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
Greening-Pageau-Condra
Conacher-Smith-Neil

(I voted for Option A)

So, over 50% (without even looking into the one-offs in Option E) are overwhelmingly in favour of:

Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibby
X-Pageau-Condra
Y-Smith-Neil

with only argument being which of Greening and Conacher fill the X and Y slots for 3rd and 4th line LW positions. Pageau stays on centre, but Zibanejad moves to the RW.

I don’t anticipate any surprises in the opening day forward lines to deviate too much from what’s been discussed here, as Zibanejad and Conacher are virtual locks. Unless Pageau has an epic crap-down on training camp, and somebody like Stone, Hoffman, et al. are mindblowingly super-dooper outstanding, I don’t see anybody coming out of the lineups voiced by you HFers on October 4. While I am enjoying summer, I can’t wait! With Detroit moving to the same division, the brilliantly named (out of Buttman’s butt?) Atlantic Division will be very tough and entertaining.

You do know that both Kassian & JOB have one way contracts while Pageau has a two way contract. I would suspect this means they will be on the team unless one of them is moved out somehow.

Pageau could find himself in Bingo due to the numbers game. I would think he would have to have a killer training camp to stay since most of us think Conacher & Zibanejad would be ahead of him. We'll see.

 

[armani]

You do know that both Kassian & JOB have one way contracts while Pageau has a two way contract. I would suspect this means they will be on the team unless one of them is moved out somehow.

Pageau could find himself in Bingo due to the numbers game. I would think he would have to have a killer training camp to stay since most of us think Conacher & Zibanejad would be ahead of him. We'll see.

Oh, they are bench warmers. Ottawa rolls with 2 F and 1 D as extras. No way Pageau is sacrificed for JOBBER or Kassassin, if it came to that. That’s just idiotic..

 

[aragorn]

Oh, they are bench warmers. Ottawa rolls with 2 F and 1 D as extras. No way Pageau is sacrificed for JOBBER or Kassassin, if it came to that. That’s just idiotic..

So you assume Ottawa will carry a full 23 man roster? Well, I think they will only carry a 22 man roster due to all this crap we hear about budgets & money concerns with the Sens. And because of that IMO Pageau will start the yr in Bingo until something is done with JOB. Why have JOB on the team & pay him $637K, if he isn't going to play? BTW we have seen something similar in the past where a player is returned to Bingo because of the numbers, IMO it's possible it happens here again. I also think management/coaching prefer Zibanejad at centre & could start the yr that way to see if he is improving at that position, we'll see.

 

[armani]

So you assume Ottawa will carry a full 23 man roster? Well, I think they will only carry a 22 man roster due to all this crap we hear about budgets & money concerns with the Sens. And because of that IMO Pageau will start the yr in Bingo until something is done with JOB. Why have JOB on the team & pay him $637K, if he isn't going to play? BTW we have seen something similar in the past where a player is returned to Bingo because of the numbers, IMO it's possible it happens here again. I also think management/coaching prefer Zibanejad at centre & could start the yr that way to see if he is improving at that position, we'll see.

True, but that’s what happened last year. I don’t think there are many takers now for JOB’s services, but that may change by November/December. At the very least, he provides insurance on the bottom-6, while Kassian is the designated “hitter†for those types of games.

 

[aragorn]

True, but that’s what happened last year. I don’t think there are many takers now for JOB’s services, but that may change by November/December. At the very least, he provides insurance on the bottom-6, while Kassian is the designated “hitter†for those types of games.

JOB did play in 29 games before "God only knows what happened" between him & Maclean & he did have a good start to the yr. It will be interesting to see what happens with this guy especially at the beginning of the yr. With his size, his tenacious forecheck & defensive awareness I don't know why Maclean doesn't have him centre that 4th line. I think he fits better there than Pageau myself & I prefer Zibanejad as our 3rd line centre. Should be a very interesting camp with a number of different storylines to watch.

 

[Sensinitis]

JOB did play in 29 games before "God only knows what happened" between him & Maclean & he did have a good start to the yr. It will be interesting to see what happens with this guy especially at the beginning of the yr. With his size, his tenacious forecheck & defensive awareness I don't know why Maclean doesn't have him centre that 4th line. I think he fits better there than Pageau myself & I prefer Zibanejad as our 3rd line centre. Should be a very interesting camp with a number of different storylines to watch.

Smith?

 

[aragorn]

Smith?

Smith can also play LW. I'm not sure who plays LW on that 4th line unless Greening is pushed down there but again why pay JOB to sit in the stands, if you are not going to use him on this supposedly financially strapped team? That doesn't make financial sense to me.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Normally I'd agree that Pageau would be sent down, but MacLean is on record as saying "the best players play." I don't think red tape like that will get in his way if he wants Pageau on the team. Murray will find a way to make it happen.

 

[McManked]

Unfortunately MacLean isn't the one that could be paying over half a million dollars to see either of those players play in the AHL.

They will be on the Senators this year, unless they are traded. And why do people want Kassian down? He's the 2nd extra forward that will only play when toughness is needed. Calm your jets.

 

[TheSenator]

I'm watching 'That's Hockey' on TSN right now and these are the forward line combinations they have for Ottawa this year:

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

Can you believe these guys...!?

 

[Savitar]

Conacher Spezza Ryan Deadly scoring line

Michalek Turris Zibanejad Speed, Skill, Playmaking Ability

MacArthur Pageau Condra Energy Line

Greening Smith Neil Checking Line

Realisticaly these are and should be the lines! We look that much better this year

 

[grilledcheese]

Conacher Spezza Ryan Deadly scoring line

Michalek Turris Zibanejad Speed, Skill, Playmaking Ability

MacArthur Pageau Condra Energy Line

Greening Smith Neil Checking Line

Realisticaly these are and should be the lines! We look that much better this year

Sorry but they didn't go sign MacArthur to play on the third line his gonna be taking alfie spot beside turris

Conacher-Spezza-Ryan

MacArthur-turris-Michalek

Greenin-Zibby-Condra/Neil


*-smith-Condra/Neil

*Job/ *kassian

This is more realistic

Then when season starts coach will do is line switch "best player plays"

 

[DefenseMinister]

Smith can also play LW. I'm not sure who plays LW on that 4th line unless Greening is pushed down there but again why pay JOB to sit in the stands, if you are not going to use him on this supposedly financially strapped team? That doesn't make financial sense to me.

I think there's a pretty decent chance that the Sens find a way in the next month or two to move O'Brien to another team (trade, waivers etc).

Maclean loves, loves, loves Pageau. He isn't sitting him unless Pageau comes to camp and plays like absolute garbage. The 3rd line centre job is his to lose.

 

[benjiv1]

I don't think Maclean will break up the Greening-Pageau-Condra line. Their possesion stats + production in the playoffs was legit.

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

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Weircioch
Phillips-Corvo

PP#1
Ryan-Spezza-Michalek
Corvo-Karlsson


PP#2
Turris-Zibanejad-Conacher
MacArthur-Weircioch

 

[Micklebot]

I don't think Maclean will break up the Greening-Pageau-Condra line. Their possesion stats + production in the playoffs was legit.

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

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Weircioch
Phillips-Corvo

PP#1
Ryan-Spezza-Michalek
Corvo-Karlsson


PP#2
Turris-Zibanejad-Conacher
MacArthur-Weircioch

Until Zibanejad can prove he has improved on his 46.4% reg season faceoff percentage and 36.8% in the playoffs, I don't think he'll be centring our 2nd PP unit.

 

[KarlssonnSchultz]

I'm not sure what the problem people have with Turris, IMO he has nothing short of great since we acquired him from Phoenix. He was tied with Conacher for the regular season in points & one point shy of Alfredsson for the most points in the playoffs. He was clearly our best player all yr & led the team with 6 goals in the playoffs. He stepped up & replaced Spezza all yr due to Spezza's injury & did a great job to lead our team to the playoffs. I'm not sure what more people could want from this guy who is still quite young at 23 yrs old. IMO he will only get better & if the team can stay relatively injury free next season he should have a great yr.

Spezza's been injured so people needed a new centre scapegoat

 

[Savitar]

Those are definitely some compelling lines I probably wouldn't of thought of and I like them! This would let us role 4 lines with every player averaging 10 min or more. that lineup could really give us lots of potential. I love the first two scoring lines to go along with scoring and grit after that

 

[Savitar]

Pageau can also play the wing an wouldn't be surprised if we see him there this year sometimes but his real future is at center of course