Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building | Cap Details + Links in First Post

[Tom Hanks]

To me the only valid reason you would have to move Brassard to LW is if you feel having Sheahan with Phil on the 3rd line works best for Phil.

Any setup where you have Phil & Brass in the top 6 feels like we are over stacking the top 2 lines and downgrades the 3rd line from being a matchup advantage for us to being negative.

The LW on that line would have to be pretty good based on last season. When Guentzel was on that line it really worked. I’d would say mainly because Jake and Phil clicked and are so skilled. Sheahan allowed them to do what they did being more of a safety net and providing good D.

I doubt we see that though unless they wanted some version close to this:

Brassard-Crosby-Sprong
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Guentzel-Sheahan-Kessel
Simon-Cullen-Rust
Grant

 

[davemess]

The LW on that line would have to be pretty good based on last season. When Guentzel was on that line it really worked. I’d would say mainly because Jake and Phil clicked and are so skilled. Sheahan allowed them to do what they did being more of a safety net and providing good D.

Hope we don't see that, Jake & Sid shouldn't be separated again.

I think you have to start the year with Phil & Bras together on the 3rd line and give it 20+ games to see if its going to work. Just because that's our best option to have 3 strong scoring lines.

As a side note, Its interesting that anytime we talk about moving Phil off the 3rd line its to put him with Geno and never with Sid. It might be a stupidly offensive minded 1st line but it would be interesting to see potentially (though not my preference, prefer a stronger 3rd).

Jake - Sid - Phil
Hags - Geno - Horn
Rust - Brass - Sprong
Cullen - Sheahan - Simon/Grant

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I assume Grant PKs, right? If so I could see that giving him an advantage over Simon.

Yeah he does, supposed to be pretty good at it and defensively solid if the Ducks and Ottawa posters can be believed. How Ottawa posters have memory of and opinion on a guy who played 25 games for them five years ago is another question.

I just don't see where he plays if he's a lefty, we can't really do three left handed center on the fourth line. If he's that defensively solid and has a scoring touch, I suppose it's possible we play him on L3 LW and put Rust at L4 RW, and run them like two 3rd lines.

Cullen Sheahan Rust would be a heck of a defensive line.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Jeff Skinner would just be another example of Rutherford’s knee jerk reactions (for better or for worse). They already have a large cohesion of smaller skilled players; focus on adding a different dynamic or improving the backend.

Better yet, just don’t do anything at all since the roster is fine as it is.

I really don't see this anymore on the roster. With trading Sheary, it's not really the case. All they have at this point is Guentzel and Simon, and Simon may not even be an everyday NHLer. Skinner also isn't small, he's the same size as Crosby.

If Sid didn’t have Sid strength, he’d be small.

He also wouldn't be 200 lbs, so Skinner being the same size as Crosby shows that Skinner isn't small.

 

[NMK11]

The LW on that line would have to be pretty good based on last season. When Guentzel was on that line it really worked. I’d would say mainly because Jake and Phil clicked and are so skilled. Sheahan allowed them to do what they did being more of a safety net and providing good D.

I doubt we see that though unless they wanted some version close to this:

Brassard-Crosby-Sprong
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Guentzel-Sheahan-Kessel
Simon-Cullen-Rust
Grant

Interesting combo, a little different that most posted here but keeps together some good past groups like HGH and Jake with Kessel. That first line would be a huge question mark as they don't seem like the typical guys Sid clicks with, but could be awesome if they did.

 

[Pens1566]

Why?
Or do you mean for Skinner as a LHS?

Yes, the LHS part. I don't even want to begin considering the alternatives just to get him in position for a one timer.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Like a clown.

 

[SEALBound]

Jake-Sid-Horny
Brass-Geno-Sprong
Hags-Sheahan-Kessel
Rust-Grant/Cullen-Simon/ZAR

With Simon not being waiver eligible and Sprong and ZAR, I think they make a decision in camp and send the other out. My guess...Simon is trade for a late pick or a waiver-exempt similar prospect.

 

[Jacob]

“By the time Sprong got off the bench he was frozen so stiff it took 2 commercial breaks to thaw him out for his next shift.”

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Skinner isn’t small. He’s the same height/weight as Crosby.

I don't believe Skinner is 5'11 or 200 lbs. At the very least, I don't buy that he's 200 lbs. He looks closer to Jake Guentzel's build out there than Sid's.

 

[Turin]

Can you win a board battle or not? That’s the only relevant thing when it comes to size.

 

[Gurglesons]

We’ve won two straight cups with one of the smallest rosters in the league. Why do people still care about this garbage?

 

[Jacob]

It’s nice if you can improve on your weaknesses without detracting from your strengths.

 

[Turin]

Can you win a board battle or not? That’s the only relevant thing when it comes to size.

Big bad Tom Wilson won a Cup finally on a team that should have never gotten past a healthy Pittsburgh?

 

[Peat]

True, but with Skinner holding the cards in terms of a re-sign (guaranteeing a bigger yield for the Canes), their options may be limited. We'll see.

CF says that Skinner has a full NMC, so their options are even more limited than that.

Sheahan needs more than 13 minutes/game?

I have no problem playing him ten. If he can’t produce at a 4th line rate in that ice time, then move Cullen to center and watch him do the job.

Cullen played an average of 13:55 a night in his last season with us. He played 11:55 with Minnesota (and his production fell). Break down his season with Minnesota into 2 month segments and his best production by far came at the end when playing 12:41 (in a non-fourth line role iirc).

Cullen will need more than 10 minutes a night to get the job done. Both in terms of needing the ice time and in terms of keeping his rhythm.

Hope we don't see that, Jake & Sid shouldn't be separated again.

I think you have to start the year with Phil & Bras together on the 3rd line and give it 20+ games to see if its going to work. Just because that's our best option to have 3 strong scoring lines.

As a side note, Its interesting that anytime we talk about moving Phil off the 3rd line its to put him with Geno and never with Sid. It might be a stupidly offensive minded 1st line but it would be interesting to see potentially (though not my preference, prefer a stronger 3rd).

Jake - Sid - Phil
Hags - Geno - Horn
Rust - Brass - Sprong
Cullen - Sheahan - Simon/Grant

Because the team appear uninterested in doing so with Sid and Phil, because their rare outings together don't suggest they're making a mistake, and because the rumour is Sid has a fair amount of say over his line mates and that Phil's about the winger on the roster he wants.

 

[Gurglesons]

Got to be honest, every time I see Sid and Phil is together they look pretty damn good.

If Sullivan was willing to put Sid and Kessel together our top nine could be..

Guentzel - Crosby - Phil
Hagelin - Malkin - Rust
Simon - Brassard - Hornqvist

With Sprong swapping in for Rust when we need a boost offensively.

I honestly think Sullivan and Crosby reluctance to put Kessel and Crosby together is one of my biggest issues with them and it would solve so many of our problems as I think Malkin and Kessel together dilutes their strengths where as Crosby and Kessel together amplifies each other. Kessel’s subtle shot passes into the crease are perfect for Jake and Crosby’s hard nosed net plays.

I also think Hornqvist makes more sense being on our third line with heavy doses of 1st powerplay.

 

[Peat]

Got to be honest, every time I see Sid and Phil is together they look pretty damn good.

If Sullivan was willing to put Sid and Kessel together our top nine could be..

Guentzel - Crosby - Phil
Hagelin - Malkin - Rust
Simon - Brassard - Hornqvist

There's been some good shifts but the numbers don't back it up. It's a decent possession line but the puck doesn't go in and while that could just be randomness, it could be that Sid's RW is usually a lot closer to the dirty areas than Phil is and its shows.

 

[Turin]

Crosby would have a fun time playing defense for Jake and Phil. Just like he did with Sheary and Jake.

 

[JackFr]

Can you win a board battle or not? That’s the only relevant thing when it comes to size.

Damn, I'll have to remember that one. Great quote.

 

[mpp9]

Sucks that Sid and Geno aren’t as good together as they were in their younger days. We actually have the depth to do that now for stretches.

 

[Turin]

Sucks that Sid and Geno aren’t as good together as they were in their younger days. We actually have the depth to do that now for stretches.

Do we actually know if they aren’t? It hasn’t happened in 4 years.

 

[PensandCaps]

Sucks that Sid and Geno aren’t as good together as they were in their younger days. We actually have the depth to do that now for stretches.

what evidence do you have to suggest that they are not good together anymore?

Talent would win out in this situation. Honestly, a Malkin-Crosby-Hornqvist line would be damn near unfair.

Malkin-Crosby-Hornqvist
Geuntzel-Sheahan-Kessel
Hags-Brassard-Sprong
Cullen-Grant-Rust

 

[Gurglesons]

There's been some good shifts but the numbers don't back it up. It's a decent possession line but the puck doesn't go in and while that could just be randomness, it could be that Sid's RW is usually a lot closer to the dirty areas than Phil is and its shows.

I think we need more than 450 minutes at ES over the past three years to say this is true. I also would be interested to see how those shifts / times actually breakdown as I’d assume most of their TOI comes from Sid or Phil taking a shift before or after the other.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Got to be honest, every time I see Sid and Phil is together they look pretty damn good.

If Sullivan was willing to put Sid and Kessel together our top nine could be..

Guentzel - Crosby - Phil
Hagelin - Malkin - Rust
Simon - Brassard - Hornqvist

With Sprong swapping in for Rust when we need a boost offensively.

I honestly think Sullivan and Crosby reluctance to put Kessel and Crosby together is one of my biggest issues with them and it would solve so many of our problems as I think Malkin and Kessel together dilutes their strengths where as Crosby and Kessel together amplifies each other. Kessel’s subtle shot passes into the crease are perfect for Jake and Crosby’s hard nosed net plays.

I also think Hornqvist makes more sense being on our third line with heavy doses of 1st powerplay.

Rust was on pace for 45 points so he’s pretty good offensively. I doubt Sprong tops that for a while (if ever).

 

[Jacob]

Rust was on pace for 45 points so he’s pretty good offensively. I doubt Sprong tops that for a while (if ever).

Mostly at ES no less.. Rust is huge 5-on-5.