Line Combos: Reality of using Kassian in on the 1st line...

[Virtanen2Horvat]

Kassian for 50 points 2013-2014

This

 

[Chubros]

Kassian hasn't done anything to deserve 1st line duty yet. Let him start on the 3rd line and earn some 2nd line ice time before even thinking about the 1st line.

If Kassian is able to become even a 2nd line player this year, then it would be huge for this team, because at the moment there are only 4 top 6 players on the roster.

However, the biggest reason why Kassian should not be on the 1st line is Alexander Burrows. This is a player that actually complements the Sedins. They are better with him than without, unlike many of the other players in the past that just rode their coattails.

Make no mistake, Burrows is a legit 1st line NHLer - probably one of the most underrated players in the league. The almost overwhelming majority on here that think that Kassian should be slotted into his spot just goes to show that even the Vancouver fanbase hugely underrates him.

I do hope Kassian makes strides this year. I'd also like to see Burrows play 82 games with the Sedins and push for 40 goals on the season. He's got it in him.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Kassian hasn't done anything to deserve 1st line duty yet. Let him start on the 3rd line and earn some 2nd line ice time before even thinking about the 1st line.

If Kassian is able to become a 2nd line player this year, then it would be huge for this team, because at the moment there are only 4 top 6 players on the roster.

However, the biggest reason why Kassian should not be on the 1st line is Alexander This is a player that actually complements the Sedins. They are better with him than without, unlike many of the other players in the past that just rode their coattails.

Make no mistake, Burrows is a legit 1st line NHLer - probably one of the most underrated players in the league. The almost overwhelming majority on here that think that Kassian should be slotted into his spot just goes to show that even the Vancouver fanbase hugely underrates him.

I do hope Kassian makes strides this year. I'd also like to see Burrows play 82 games with the Sedins and push for 40 goals on the season. He's got it in him.

Hey, if Burr does push for 40, then hell to the yes keep him with the twins. But in order for the Canucks to really stay in contention for the big prize this next season, we need the kids to step up in a big way. Cap is what it is. Can't FA sign our way out of this, can't (apparently) trade our way out of this. Next season's going to be about the next generation filling the gaps we need filled, plain and simple. Kassian's as good a place to start as any.

 

[King of the ES*]

If I remember correctly, Wellwood had his moments but ultimately missed too many chances.

But I think the Wellwood comparison is a good one for discussion. The thing with Wellwood is that despite having soft hands, he really isn't an in close finisher. Wellwood has always been more of a playmaker than scorer but the Canucks tried to turn him into a guy whose job was to tap home Sedin passes.

I don't think you remember correctly, actually.

Those soft hands are precisely what give him the ability to score in close. He never played with the Sedin's. He was buried on the 3rd line for basically his entire two years here. For all of the talk of AV misusing players, Kyle Wellwood is the guy who that argument is most legitimate for. A real waste of offensive talent. Should've been put more in a scoring role.

 

[ddawg1950]

I don't think you remember correctly, actually.

Those soft hands are precisely what give him the ability to score in close. He never played with the Sedin's. He was buried on the 3rd line for basically his entire two years here. For all of the talk of AV misusing players, Kyle Wellwood is the guy who that argument is most legitimate for. A real waste of offensive talent. Should've been put more in a scoring role.

Except we had two centers ahead of him. One an eventual Art Ross/MVP and the other an eventual Selke winner.

As usual, you know nothing about hockey.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Kassian hasn't done anything to deserve 1st line duty yet. Let him start on the 3rd line and earn some 2nd line ice time before even thinking about the 1st line.

If Kassian is able to become even a 2nd line player this year, then it would be huge for this team, because at the moment there are only 4 top 6 players on the roster.

However, the biggest reason why Kassian should not be on the 1st line is Alexander Burrows. This is a player that actually complements the Sedins. They are better with him than without, unlike many of the other players in the past that just rode their coattails.

Make no mistake, Burrows is a legit 1st line NHLer - probably one of the most underrated players in the league. The almost overwhelming majority on here that think that Kassian should be slotted into his spot just goes to show that even the Vancouver fanbase hugely underrates him.

I do hope Kassian makes strides this year. I'd also like to see Burrows play 82 games with the Sedins and push for 40 goals on the season. He's got it in him.

While I slightly disagree with this as I think David Booth when healthy is a top 6 forward (FLAME AWAY), what setup makes the Canucks a better team? 3 top 6 players on one line and 1 on another or 2 and 2?

And if the Canucks only have 4 top 6 players than you need to put players in top 6 roles who aren't top 6 players in top 6 roles, and Kassian has top 6 skills so why not give him a shot?

 

[LeftCoast]

While I slightly disagree with this as I think David Booth when healthy is a top 6 forward (FLAME AWAY), what setup makes the Canucks a better team? 3 top 6 players on one line and 1 on another or 2 and 2?

And if the Canucks only have 4 top 6 players than you need to put players in top 6 roles who aren't top 6 players in top 6 roles, and Kassian has top 6 skills so why not give him a shot?

You're forgetting #14

 

[Pip]

H Sedin, D Sedin, Burrows, Kesler, Hansen and Booth produce at a top 6 rate

 

[Proto]

Exhibit A won a cup with Torts and exhibit B twice led the Rangers in scoring under Torts...Personally, I think its going to be very interesting to see how a very tight knit group of players who pretty much ran their dressing room are going to react to a new coach who isn't likely to give the same amount of leeway as AV did, and who has a different (for lack of a better term, because from what I could see AV didn't at all) method of holding players accountable.

Well, as Ryan Kesler said, it's one thing to have your teammates hold you accountable and say that it's good enough, but it's another thing entirely when your coach is screaming at you because you're not playing hard enough. Kesler said he welcomes it, and hopefully the rest of the core group feel the same.

 

[King of the ES*]

Except we had two centers ahead of him. One an eventual Art Ross/MVP and the other an eventual Selke winner.

As usual, you know nothing about hockey.

I guess you missed the part where he was on Sundin's wing in Toronto, and had 87 points in his first 130 games, as a 23/24 year-old. 42 points in 48 games in 2006-07. And that's the biggest pressure-cooker market that there is, in hockey, making that sort of production even more impressive.

But please, tell me more about hockey.

 

[King of the ES*]

Well, as Ryan Kesler said, it's one thing to have your teammates hold you accountable and say that it's good enough, but it's another thing entirely when your coach is screaming at you because you're not playing hard enough. Kesler said he welcomes it, and hopefully the rest of the core group feel the same.

That's interesting, since he certainly didn't welcome AV saying that he needs to use his wingers more.

 

[Goon42]

Kassian hasn't done anything to deserve 1st line duty yet. Let him start on the 3rd line and earn some 2nd line ice time before even thinking about the 1st line.

If Kassian is able to become even a 2nd line player this year, then it would be huge for this team, because at the moment there are only 4 top 6 players on the roster.

However, the biggest reason why Kassian should not be on the 1st line is Alexander Burrows. This is a player that actually complements the Sedins. They are better with him than without, unlike many of the other players in the past that just rode their coattails.

Make no mistake, Burrows is a legit 1st line NHLer - probably one of the most underrated players in the league. The almost overwhelming majority on here that think that Kassian should be slotted into his spot just goes to show that even the Vancouver fanbase hugely underrates him.

I do hope Kassian makes strides this year. I'd also like to see Burrows play 82 games with the Sedins and push for 40 goals on the season. He's got it in him.

I am a huge Kassian critic but I think you got the bolded wrong. Burrows isn't getting "demoted" to second line duty. Part of the reasoning in putting kassian on the 1st line (at least for a decent stint) is because that frees up Burrows to actually give us an actual second line.

Kinda like chicago... spread the talent around.

 

[dwarf]

I expect all sorts of line juggling over the course of the season. Once the playoffs roll around though, I expect these lines if the team is healthy.

Sedin, Sedin, Burrows
Higgins, Kesler, Hansen
Booth, Richardson, Kassian
Sestito, Schroeder, Weiss

 

[Proto]

That's interesting, since he certainly didn't welcome AV saying that he needs to use his wingers more.

I always thought Kesler's issue there was AV saying it to the media instead of to Kesler himself. I think Kesler even said as much. From an outside perspective, AV had a very passive-aggressive manner with his players.

Kesler also reacted in the moment when informed of the comments by a reporter. I think most people are put off when someone criticizes them directly, even when it's valid. It often takes a bit of time to process the information, internalize it, and decide how valid it is. I'd certainly never fault someone for getting their back up when criticized -- but I would if they continued to be myopic about it afterwards. YMMV.

Tortorella, for all his faults, seems like he's up front and honest about what he expects. I'm fairly sure I recall Naslund saying recently that even when he felt angry about what Tortorella had said to him, he usually felt the next day like it was fair criticism, whether he wanted to hear it in front of the team or not.

I guess I'd say that if you ascribe to the notion that teams need to be "hard to play against" (as you seem to), a coach that holds his team accountable in a fair manner is ideal. I'm not as concerned with the psychological aspects of that as much as I'm interested to see Tortorella turn this undisciplined bunch into a disciplined team that fights for real estate in the neutral zone and at their own blue line.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

You're forgetting #14

No I'm not. Sedin, Sedin, Burrows, Kesler are the 4 undeniable top 6 forwards.

 

[Kirk Mclean]

I think Kassian's performance will have a huge impact on this team's depth and performance. If he can score 20 goals with the Sedins, this team as a result actually has a 2nd line. If he's just the same as last year, you have Burrows with the twins, and Kassian probably on the 3rd or 4th line, which makes our 2nd line a one man show again.