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

[Pip]

I like how every thread has like some sort of "I can't wait to see what Torts does with him since AV handled him so poorly".

Exhibit A: Brad Richards
Exhibit B: Marian Gaborik
etc.

Not saying I don't have faith in the coach, I think he was overall a good choice, but he is not just gonna stand up on a chair and curse and swear and create some sort of magic to make this team drastically better than it already is. I think people totally have this "Any Given Sunday" view of what it is that motivates pro athletes, and it is not really based in much fact at all.

Usually that's in regards to younger players. See McDonagh, Stepan, Kreider, Del Zotto etc. AV has a history of doing well with young guys, but I feel he is too attached to a lot of our vets now. I predict both will make nice improvements for their respective teams

 

[TheLastSedin]

Can't we be cautiously optimistic about Kassian? I get that he can potentially turn into the great player, but all the op is saying is take a good look at our lines and what our team is. As a retooling contender, where does he fit to get the most out of his development, but not become a liability?

If we learned anything from the devil AV, we can't yet label the kid as a working cog in the Sedin cycle. We wouldn't be having this conversation if he was. Sure there has been flashes, but the first line will play against the toughest dmen in the league and the last thing the canucks need is our biggest scoring threats in the defensive zone.

I don't see him playing the North South game Kesler runs on the second line, so perhaps sheltered minutes on the top line against weaker teams would be the safest option.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I like how every thread has like some sort of "I can't wait to see what Torts does with him since AV handled him so poorly".

Exhibit A: Brad Richards
Exhibit B: Marian Gaborik
etc.

Not saying I don't have faith in the coach, I think he was overall a good choice, but he is not just gonna stand up on a chair and curse and swear and create some sort of magic to make this team drastically better than it already is. I think people totally have this "Any Given Sunday" view of what it is that motivates pro athletes, and it is not really based in much fact at all.

I see this as a good thing. If Casual Kev shows up, as he is prone to do. He might just find himself on the bench, casually getting the team's gatorade.

 

[Addison Rae]

I like how every thread has like some sort of "I can't wait to see what Torts does with him since AV handled him so poorly".

Exhibit A: Brad Richards
Exhibit B: Marian Gaborik
etc.

Not saying I don't have faith in the coach, I think he was overall a good choice, but he is not just gonna stand up on a chair and curse and swear and create some sort of magic to make this team drastically better than it already is. I think people totally have this "Any Given Sunday" view of what it is that motivates pro athletes, and it is not really based in much fact at all.

Marian Gaborik scored 40 goals twice under Torts.

 

[Canucker]

I like how every thread has like some sort of "I can't wait to see what Torts does with him since AV handled him so poorly".

Exhibit A: Brad Richards
Exhibit B: Marian Gaborik
etc.

Not saying I don't have faith in the coach, I think he was overall a good choice, but he is not just gonna stand up on a chair and curse and swear and create some sort of magic to make this team drastically better than it already is. I think people totally have this "Any Given Sunday" view of what it is that motivates pro athletes, and it is not really based in much fact at all.

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.

 

[stuffradio]

Can't we be cautiously optimistic about Kassian? I get that he can potentially turn into the great player, but all the op is saying is take a good look at our lines and what our team is. As a retooling contender, where does he fit to get the most out of his development, but not become a liability?

If we learned anything from the devil AV, we can't yet label the kid as a working cog in the Sedin cycle. We wouldn't be having this conversation if he was. Sure there has been flashes, but the first line will play against the toughest dmen in the league and the last thing the canucks need is our biggest scoring threats in the defensive zone.

I don't see him playing the North South game Kesler runs on the second line, so perhaps sheltered minutes on the top line against weaker teams would be the safest option.

No, the OP was being way more harsh than what you're trying to let on.

 

[Yossarian54]

Is absolutely frightening.

What's even worse? Him on the 2nd line.

Going to be a rough season.

Sweet analysis bro. Comprehensive.

 

[JuniorNelson]

The great thing about having a new coach with a different style is that he will build his lines the way he wants. His early remarks about using the Sedins on the penalty kill suggests to me that he will be using them where he thinks they will be effective. So, Kassian with the twins might very much resemble the second line to a casual observer.

Kassian is said to be working hard this off season on conditioning. I forget where I heard that. I hope it's true and he doesn't turn into a big Wellwood. Speaking of Wellie, he had some crazy magic going on when he played with the Sedins as a RW, but never got much time with them. It strikes me that the Sedins are generous linemates with a guy that can get open and redirect a hot pass. Or, a really soft saucer pass. Also, a touch of immovability is a good thing.

I do not think Kassian was the key factor in the Sedins' brief foray into fierceness. Notice all that stopped when Volpatti went away? Kassian isn't a goon. No Canuck is. Kassian with Kesler is all the available fierceness in one basket, though. At least with the twins opposition liberties are answered. That's worth it, alone.

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

People complain when we don't give young players a chance at top minutes... then complain at just the thought of giving it to them.

The OP was in the Sedin thread a few days ago saying how we need to start transitioning them out, while bring young players in. Then makes this thread slamming the thought of playing one of our young guys:

 

[rune74]

Can't we be cautiously optimistic about Kassian? I get that he can potentially turn into the great player, but all the op is saying is take a good look at our lines and what our team is. As a retooling contender, where does he fit to get the most out of his development, but not become a liability?

If we learned anything from the devil AV, we can't yet label the kid as a working cog in the Sedin cycle. We wouldn't be having this conversation if he was. Sure there has been flashes, but the first line will play against the toughest dmen in the league and the last thing the canucks need is our biggest scoring threats in the defensive zone.

I don't see him playing the North South game Kesler runs on the second line, so perhaps sheltered minutes on the top line against weaker teams would be the safest option.

You got all that from the three or four lines of broken english the op used? I mean, really, I need to study up a bit more if I missed all that by what he wrote.

 

[Wisp]

players get moved around the lineup all the time throughout the season. what did kassian do to earn 1st line minutes back once he got demoted?

That's fine in principle, but it wouldn't be the first time a coach buried a good player in the bottom six, limited his minutes, special teams time, and proclaimed "See! He's not excelling!" Self-fulfilling prophecies and what-not. Especially for novice players, who need to be allowed to make mistakes in order to learn from them.

 

[King of the ES*]

Kassian is said to be working hard this off season on conditioning. I forget where I heard that. I hope it's true and he doesn't turn into a big Wellwood. Speaking of Wellie, he had some crazy magic going on when he played with the Sedins as a RW, but never got much time with them. It strikes me that the Sedins are generous linemates with a guy that can get open and redirect a hot pass. Or, a really soft saucer pass. Also, a touch of immovability is a good thing.

We heard the same story last year, about how hard he's working on his conditioning. Wasn't there some sort of Nike video circling around? Pretty sure I saw Kassian doing aerobic workouts with obscenely light weights, like what you'd see pudgy housewives working with at the local YMCA step classes. Again, I'll believe it when I see it. And I still have a lot more concerns about his effort level than I do his conditioning, anyway.

Wellwood got a PTO with SJ. One of my favorite players in the NHL, actually. Hope he makes 'em. They obviously are quite high on him, as they stole him from STL a couple of years ago, and now have invited him back. Go Welly. One of the smartest players in the league.

 

[moog35]

The great thing about having a new coach with a different style is that he will build his lines the way he wants. His early remarks about using the Sedins on the penalty kill suggests to me that he will be using them where he thinks they will be effective. So, Kassian with the twins might very much resemble the second line to a casual observer.

Kassian is said to be working hard this off season on conditioning. I forget where I heard that. I hope it's true and he doesn't turn into a big Wellwood. Speaking of Wellie, he had some crazy magic going on when he played with the Sedins as a RW, but never got much time with them. It strikes me that the Sedins are generous linemates with a guy that can get open and redirect a hot pass. Or, a really soft saucer pass. Also, a touch of immovability is a good thing.

I do not think Kassian was the key factor in the Sedins' brief foray into fierceness. Notice all that stopped when Volpatti went away? Kassian isn't a goon. No Canuck is. Kassian with Kesler is all the available fierceness in one basket, though. At least with the twins opposition liberties are answered. That's worth it, alone.

Kassian was taken off their line around the same time Volpatti was waived and we picked up Sestito who is just as tough as Volpatti, so I think it has more to do with Kassian being taken off their line

 

[Ozone]

The great thing about having a new coach with a different style is that he will build his lines the way he wants. His early remarks about using the Sedins on the penalty kill suggests to me that he will be using them where he thinks they will be effective. So, Kassian with the twins might very much resemble the second line to a casual observer.

Kassian is said to be working hard this off season on conditioning. I forget where I heard that. I hope it's true and he doesn't turn into a big Wellwood. Speaking of Wellie, he had some crazy magic going on when he played with the Sedins as a RW, but never got much time with them. It strikes me that the Sedins are generous linemates with a guy that can get open and redirect a hot pass. Or, a really soft saucer pass. Also, a touch of immovability is a good thing.

I do not think Kassian was the key factor in the Sedins' brief foray into fierceness. Notice all that stopped when Volpatti went away? Kassian isn't a goon. No Canuck is. Kassian with Kesler is all the available fierceness in one basket, though. At least with the twins opposition liberties are answered. That's worth it, alone.

This. This. This.

 

[Luck 6]

We heard the same story last year, about how hard he's working on his conditioning. Wasn't there some sort of Nike video circling around? Pretty sure I saw Kassian doing aerobic workouts with obscenely light weights, like what you'd see pudgy housewives working with at the local YMCA step classes. Again, I'll believe it when I see it. And I still have a lot more concerns about his effort level than I do his conditioning, anyway.

Wellwood got a PTO with SJ. One of my favorite players in the NHL, actually. Hope he makes 'em. They obviously are quite high on him, as they stole him from STL a couple of years ago, and now have invited him back. Go Welly. One of the smartest players in the league.

Uh, I really like Wellwood as a player, but calling him one of the smartest players in the league is a huge stretch.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

I think Kassian could work on either line. We saw what he could do with the twins, and he seems more like a passer than a shooter, so I think he could work with Kes & Booth aswell, I thought he looked decent with Kesler when he got the chance to play with him last year in the playoffs for a bit there.

 

[BoHorvatFan]

he must think the game faster, be in better shape and healthy, and have a fire lit by torts. if those things happen he could pot 25 this year.

 

[F A N]

what did kassian do to deserve top line minutes last season? i'm sorry but scoring at an unsustainable rate over 5 games doesn't cut it, especially when he looked invisible when not scoring over those 5 games other than the odd shift (preparing for the lynch mob on this one.) this is eerily sounding like the hodgson situation when lots of people were clamoring for more ice time with him as well, but this is professional sports and opportunities are earned not given.

In professional sports you frequently try to project players and give them the opportunities needed to reach that potential. The Sedins didn't start out playing 4th line minutes and told to crash and bang. For years they were consistently thrown out onto the 2nd PP even thought they didn't really deserve it. One of the criticism of AV is that going from 4th line to 1st line and back is a common thing. You don't develop guys like that. It's much better to give a young guy you want to develop consistent minutes and reward consistently good play with more trust and minutes and not give a few shifts with the Sedins as a reward and then demote him and cut his minutes by half whenever he makes a mistake or has a bad game.

If we learned anything from the devil AV, we can't yet label the kid as a working cog in the Sedin cycle. We wouldn't be having this conversation if he was. Sure there has been flashes, but the first line will play against the toughest dmen in the league and the last thing the canucks need is our biggest scoring threats in the defensive zone.

I don't see him playing the North South game Kesler runs on the second line, so perhaps sheltered minutes on the top line against weaker teams would be the safest option.

So is playing on the top line with the Sedins tough minutes or sheltered minutes?

 

[MISC*]

OP is clearly Aware. Kassian will have as much success with the sedins as Lunatic does running up a flight of stairs.

Loony, pls.

 

[Wizeman*]

Kassian will score 25 to 30 goals this year.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Great troll thread, MISC.

Yes, we all know that this upcoming season young guys are going to be given major roster spots and a chance to run with them because...*dun dun duuuuuuuunnnn* we have no other bloody choice. We've had all summer to come to terms with that.

 

[F A N]

Kassian is said to be working hard this off season on conditioning. I forget where I heard that. I hope it's true and he doesn't turn into a big Wellwood. Speaking of Wellie, he had some crazy magic going on when he played with the Sedins as a RW, but never got much time with them.

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.

Kassian is also more of a playmaker than a scorer and I'm worried that Kassian is simply lost and will remain lost as far as figuring out the type of player he should be to be successful in the NHL. Let's just hope Torts is able to encourage Kassian to become the type of physical force he was drafted to be and not a one-dimensional big bodied player who is only expected to hit and score goals. For the purpose of the thread, Kassian does seem to possess the in-close finishing skills needed to play with the Sedins.

 

[deckercky]

Kassian will score 25 to 30 goals this year.

20-25 goals and 40-45 pts seems like a fair goal for him if he spends the majority of the year with the Sedins. Obviously there's the potential for him to score lots more than that, but if he can pull that off, he's likely not doing much worse for the line than the alternative with Burrows.

 

[huntison]

Kassian for 50 points 2013-2014

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

Its called giving the young players a chance. He may take awhile to develop plus he only played a lockout year so be patient. Whats next, David Booth in the minors man I notice that there are some fans that do not give things a chance.