Should we split up TKO?

[VinikToWinIt]

TKO has been arguably the best line in the NHL since its conception. Looking forward to next season, should we stick with what works or spread out the young talent?

On one hand, messing with something that has worked so well seems unwise. If we don't break up TKO, our top 2 lines are likely to be the same or very similar to last season.

Killorn-Stamkos-Cally (unless Coop rolls with Flip on the top line and bumps a winger down)
Palat-Johnson-Kucherov

On the other, splitting up TKO could provide a spark to the rest of the roster and even out the scoring threat between our top 2 lines. At times last season, our "top" line stagnated and we ended up relying on the Triplets too often for our own good. I've been a huge proponent of the idea of a Stamkos-Kucherov pairing. If we did split up TKO, out top lines could look something like this:

(Assuming Drouin Unleashed occurs, and he slots in at RW to accommodate other players)
Killorn-Stamkos-Kucherov
Palat-Johnson-Drouin

Palat-Stamkos-Drouin
Killorn-Johnson-Kucherov

Which do you think will make our team better next season?

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[LightningStrikes]

17-91-86 or 27-91-86 should be a thing IMO.

 

[The Macho King]

Keep it together.

 

[The Gongshow]

They were the best line during the regular season and playoffs. Why split that up?

 

[Brie]

It's a hard question to answer because there are so many things that can happen during training camp and during the season, the biggest of course being where Drouin stands, that being said I wouldn't mind it if Cooper went into the season with a clean slate and tested out some new combos to see if we can have more than one consistently good lines, say give a Drouin - Stamkos - Kucherov line a chance as well as a Palat - Johnson - Callahan line a try, I mean you can always go back to the TKO line later in the season if all else fails, but to start it off I think it would be best to try and spread them out a bit. I also think doing that could mess with other teams heads, like how they always know that we have a line that works amazingly that can be put out there if we need it but we also have these new lines that works, the other teams wouldn't know how to prepar for us. So I voted for spliting them up, but it's more of a "let's try and make us even more dangerous but if it doesn't work then let's bring TKO back together"

 

[DFC]

Both.

We should keep them together for the most part, but split them up when there are advantages to it. Like, oh, I don't know, maybe when two of them are injured, or maybe when the rest of the team is sputtering and the opposing coach is completely focused on shutting them down.

It's not like splitting them up for a game or two, when it's needed, means they'll lose their magic when put back together.

So 90% of the time, they should be together. But there are definitely times when we could use a little of their magic elsewhere.

 

[Bolt32]

Stick with them. WE have enough talent on this team to have an incredibly dangerous top 6. Why mess with it?

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Namesikov?-Stamkos-Drouin
Killorn-Flippula-Callahan.

Once Erne cracks this team, he takes the final spot on the top 6. We have the talent to have an incredibly dangerous top 9, led by the most dangerous line in hockey. Why mess with it?

 

[CupsOverCash]

The only reason to split it up would be to get another talented player to play with Stamkos. I think if Drouin can be that guy there will be absolutely no reason to split up TKO.

 

[Leonardo87]

It's a good question, and it really goes back to the Stamkos line. A guy like Kucherov with Stamkos would raise that line to the next level, and then say put Callahan with Palat and Johnson. Pallahan reunited would be good, no one is scoring against that line and Pally and Cally have excellent chemistry. They might lose some offense without Kucherov but not much, imo, since Palat and Johnson are the ones who really drive and navigate that line.

So maybe go with..

Drouin - Stamkos - Kucherov
Palat - Johnson - Callahan
Killorn - Flip - Vladdy
Paquette - Boyle - Condra
Brown

I think keeping TKO together will give us immediate continued success, but the secret with that line is out, and down the road will need to throw more lines at a team if we are going to have any chance at winning the cup, imo.

Basically instead of having two strong scoring lines, we would be stuck with one very strong scoring line, and one good/decent scoring line that can get hot and cold like the tide going in and out. If Stamkos cannot find consistency with a guy like Kucherov, then there is not much more that can be done with Stamkos.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

It depends. If you can make something that works for that line and the others, then I'm for it. The team has enough talented players for Coop to play around to see who gels with who. But that definitely needs to be figured out this year before we go back into the playoffs.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

I think we can split them up in the beginning of the season and try some new things before really clamping down and finishing the year strong.

 

[Rschmitz]

Really stupid to split them up.

 

[Hoek]

I think we can afford to try splitting them up at the start of the season. If it doesn't work then you know you can go back to what works. Remember TKO was an accident. Maybe we find something else by accident, too.

 

[Leonardo87]

Really stupid to split them up.

I don't think the idea is stupid, especially if we are down in a game or in a series. Things need to be changed up in those situations. I think Cooper not splitting up the triplets/TKO in the finals was one of the reasons we lost.

 

[Sky04]

I don't think the idea is stupid, especially if we are down in a game or in a series. Things need to be changed up in those situations. I think Cooper not splitting up the triplets/TKO in the finals was one of the reasons we lost.

Cooper keeping them together when we were down against Detroit is the reason we made it to the finals.

 

[Brie]

Cooper keeping them together when we were down against Detroit is the reason we made it to the finals.

I don't think LF24 meant the whole playoffs, just after TJ broke his wrist that maybe then it would have been a good idea to try something else once it was clear that TJ was struggling to see if they could still use Palat and Kucherov, but then again, you never know but it's a thought worth considering going forward, that maybe Cooper could be a bit better at making in game desicision quicker than he is, you know, if it's any flaws he has.

You are right though that TKO is a big, if not the biggest reason why we got to the SCF, which is why things went badly when TJ went down and why everyone could see it.

 

[Rschmitz]

I don't think the idea is stupid, especially if we are down in a game or in a series. Things need to be changed up in those situations. I think Cooper not splitting up the triplets/TKO in the finals was one of the reasons we lost.

Would you break apart your cell phone to get the pieces to fix your television?

The team has the depth and talent to create a second scoring line with Stamkos, and without killing the best line in hockey. In fact, Stamkos should be good enough that he doesn't need help, especially if he's asking for 10m+. What are the chances that whatever hodgepodge is thrown together, it would be as effective? Team can go decades before seeing the kind of talent and chemistry that the Triplets have.

My opinion

 

[Todd1a]

No
Never split the party guys!

 

[chasespace]

If the rest of the lines can't score I say break it up and see if you can get other players going. If that doesn't work then reform the line so we still have a scoring line.

I still want
Palat-Johnson-Killorn
Drouin-Stamkos-Kucherov
Callahan-Flip-Namestnikov

And have the top two lines act as lines 1A and 1B instead of a set first and second line

 

[2016cupwinners]

Johnson has been injured three playoffs in a row now. Yes, Johnson may be able to lead the team to a cup if his body holds up, but if we don't try other line combos during the season and he gets injured again next playoffs we're screwed. The Bolts apparently aren't willing to try experimental new lines deep in the playoffs, so get a plan B ready during the season. Injuries happen, slumps happen. Have backup working line combos ready.

 

[Leonardo87]

Cooper keeping them together when we were down against Detroit is the reason we made it to the finals.

Was talking about the SCF, not leading up to it. Johnson was hurt and was not as effective, Coop needed to change things up.

The idea is to not always keep the triplets together and sometimes think out of the box. Especially when the team is down in a game or a series.

 

[DFC]

Was talking about the SCF, not leading up to it. Johnson was hurt and was not as effective, Coop needed to change things up.

The idea is to not always keep the triplets together and sometimes think out of the box. Especially when the team is down in a game or a series.

Yeah, and Johnson and Kucherov were both hurt. Keeping Palat on that line was a waste of him, and we weren't sheltering the other two the way we probably should have been. Meanwhile, none of the other lines were doing much either.

We can/will always go back to TKO. But there's no reason why they have to be cemented together regardless of circumstances.

 

[Rschmitz]

That was a specific circumstance. If all three are healthy I wouldn't disrupt that

 

[Leonardo87]

That was a specific circumstance. If all three are healthy I wouldn't disrupt that

I think DFC and I are talking about certain situations. TKO could go cold they have before but not long enough to warrant changing lines, if next season they have more of those cold slumps, then Coop should change things around. I just fear the secret is out, and a lot of teams are going to start to focus on them, rather than Stamkos. We will need a backup plan or at least another very strong scoring line.

 

[xteesy]

Really stupid to split them up.

This logic is stupid.

You test everything possible in the first 20 games and begin to perfect what comes out of the mess.

There's 0 GOOD reasons to NOT try splitting them and seeing what happens.

What if we find out we can create two "TKO's" by splitting the lines...

Logic people... logic....