(the expected) "Soooo now what are the lines?" thread.

[JoeIsAStud]

Other than the personal connection some posters have to Knight through Dom what makes people so confident that he will make the team out of camp or is even the right choice? He just lost almost an entire year to injury and the year before he was playing through multiple injuries. It's just very tough to step right up into the best league in the world having played so little hockey the last year. I just don't see him having the inside track on Reilly Smith who did play a full season including almost the complete NHL season. Smith didn't score much in the NHL but his possession numbers were good (against not great competition).

http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stat...3+5+4+6+7+8+13+14+29+30+32+33+34+45+46+63+67#

At the end of the day what a player did for Dallas or at the AHL level is not going to have a huge impact on who makes the team.

Claude is a system coach, and it will boil down to how quickly any of these kids picks up the system. If Knight is there in September and fits the system best and plays better than the other candidates he is going to get the job.

Many people myself included feel Knight will be the winner in the end, largely because his skillset seems to fit the system to a T.

We will see what happens. Can Smith show enough physicality to hang in there. Can Fraser skate and play defense

 

[PlayMakers]

Here's an outside the box option to consider...

Eriksson - Krejci - Iginla
Lucic - Bergeron - Smith
Marshy - Soderberg - Fraser

 

[DKH]

Here's an outside the box option to consider...

Eriksson - Krejci - Iginla
Lucic - Bergeron - Smith
Marshy - Soderberg - Fraser

problem with this is you have zero net presence of the first and third line- Iginla is in the vicinity but Eriksson doesnt play that game; Smith is better on the left side and maybe you could flip him and Loui. The third line is like riffling thru the refrigerator and grabbing a couple of left over slices of pizza, chicken leg, and then grabbing some cheezits and peanut butter.

Fraser better do better than that 40 foot away stuff or he's going to be playing behind Bobby Robbins.

 

[Trap Jesus]

My PP units (which I think would look pretty good in real life) are:
Marchand-Bergy-Loui
Iginla-Krug

Iginla can play the point on the PP? He doesn't really strike me as a good fit there with his style of play.

 

[rcduthie77]

this doesn't really mean anything but the lines I've been using in NHL '13 look like this:
Lucic-Krejci-Iginla
Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson
Soderberg-Kelly-Spooner
Paille-Campbell-Thornton

Chara-Boychuk
Seidenberg-Hamilton
Krug-McQuaid

I have been having so much fun playing with this lineup. My PP units (which I think would look pretty good in real life) are:
Marchand-Bergy-Loui
Iginla-Krug

Lucic-Krejci-Soderberg
Chara-Dougie

Funny we use almost the exact same lineup. My bottom-6 is a little more complex.

Lucic - Krejci - Iginla
Marchand - Bergeron - Eriksson
Soderberg - Kelly - Rotation Spot
Paille - Campbell - Rotation Spot

Right now I'm using a rotation of Ryan Spooner, Matt Fraser, Reilly Smith & Shawn Thornton for the 3rd & 4th line left wing depending on my opponent.

Everything else is virtually identical.

 

[vjcsmoke]

The first and second lines are pretty much set. We know who are top 6 players are even if we might disagree on who goes with who.

The real question is what happens with the 3rd line. I think if Spooner earns a starting spot in the rotation then we could see some dynamic things happening with that line. The other question that Clode himself posed, is whether or not you play Soderberg at Center and move Kelly to wing, or keep Kelly at center and move Soderberg to a wing position. Either way at least ONE of those 3rd line spots is up for grabs.

 

[powerguard18]

my guess is fraser gets the RW spot on line3
6'1" 204 and can put the puck in the net
this kid is a born 3rd liner big and tough. he may push for a better spot after this season

smith needs size, spooner is almost ready and could fill in.
caron has not shown anything

again its just a guess we will see in training camp

 

[remer]

Then:
Lucic - Krejci - Horton
Marchand - Bergeron - Jagr
Peverely - Kelly - Seguin
Paille - Campbell - Thorton

Versus

Now:

Lucic - Krejci - Iginla
Marchand - Bergeron - Eriksson
Kelly- Soderberg - Caron/Spooner
Paille - Campbell - Thorton

I think the top two lines are better. Third line is still a "?". Thorton on the fourth line in the playoffs is still an issue for me.

 

[Dellstrom]

Here's an outside the box option to consider...

Eriksson - Krejci - Iginla
Lucic - Bergeron - Smith
Marshy - Soderberg - Fraser

Meh. Not sure I want someone who might not even be NHL ready on the second line. Marchand was our leading scorer and has been up there for 3 seasons, I wouldn't split up him and Bergy in any scenario other than a 5 on 3.

 

[patkane88]

1) Lucic-Krejci-Iginla

2) Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson

3) Kelly-Sodeberg-Spooner

4) Paille-Campbell-Caron

13 Thornton- bring him in when need a little extra physical play or more energy, i think to old to play full 82 game schedule this year.

1) Boychuk-Chara

2) Seidenberg-Hamilton

3) Krug-Macquaid

S: Rask
BU: Svedberg

 

[trudatman*]

....Thorton on the fourth line in the playoffs is still an issue for me.

well then it's probably good that Throton got shipped out with Peverely. we got some guy named Thornton back in that deal, I think.

anyway, of course the third line is the issue, but I don't think Soderberg on the wing is the answer. unless he's gotten leaps and bounds better since last season, he'll need to be a center for a while so he can slowly figure out where the boards are. I'd like to see him jockey the box, fresh and ready to come in for any center that goes down. I don't want to see Kelly playing center except on the kill. I'd strongly consider Kelly as the fourth line left winger and Paille on the third. here's what I hope to see on day two:

MAR/BER/ERI
LUC/KRE/IGI
KEL/SPO(SOD)/FRA
PAI/CAM/THO
CHA/HAM
SEI/BOY
KRU(BAR)/MCQ
RAS(JOH)

 

[TRask]

Lucic-Krejci-Iginla
Eriksson-Bergeron-Marchand
Paille-Soderberg-Kelly
XXXXX-Campbell-XXXXX

Fill in the X's with any of Reilly, Fraiser, Thornton, Spooner, Caron

 

[DKH]

Lucic-Krejci-Iggy
Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson
Kelly-Soderberg-Knight
Merlot Smith extra
Spooner first call up

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Here's an outside the box option to consider...

Eriksson - Krejci - Iginla
Lucic - Bergeron - Smith
Marshy - Soderberg - Fraser

I appreciate the effort to spread the scoring out. But I strongly dislike the thinning out of lines two and three.

I want three scoring units, I really do.
But I also want the top talent on the top lines. Having Marchand skate the third isn't something I agree with.

 

[Btown]

Lucic-Krejci-Iginla
Eriksson-Bergeron-Marchand
Paille-Soderberg-Kelly
XXXXX-Campbell-XXXXX

Fill in the X's with any of Reilly, Fraiser, Thornton, Spooner, Caron

That's not that bad of a third line.
Kelly has a little less responsibility playing the wing instead of center, maybe he can re gain some offense. Danny has always been more than a fourth liner to me and has earned the right to move up in lines. The Yeti is a center, let the guy play his natural position or I feel he may never adapt to the smaller ice.
Opening spots on that fourth line my make the kids try a little harder with out handing them ice time aswell.
Rotation in that third line killed our depth last year so I don't want to go through that again, keep those 3 together for the year and I think come Playoff time there has potential for magic....

 

[Confound]

I cringe every time I see Kelly and Paille both on the third line. Love Paille and what he brings, but he should keep his fourth line role and key PKing role. I don't even want Kelly on the third line C spot, I think Spooner can fill in and bring more offense to that line which is needed, have Kelly possibly take defensive faceoffs but keep Spooner at C so he can grow with it.

 

[patkane88]

I cringe every time I see Kelly and Paille both on the third line. Love Paille and what he brings, but he should keep his fourth line role and key PKing role. I don't even want Kelly on the third line C spot, I think Spooner can fill in and bring more offense to that line which is needed, have Kelly possibly take defensive faceoffs but keep Spooner at C so he can grow with it.

What about soderberg as center Kelly there for face offs and spooner on the wing, I agree with no paille on third line, him and Campbell run that 4th line can't loose that

 

[Kelly23]

Were does all the Thornton hate come from I can not even begin to understand it guy had like 2 bad fights last year, loss to Scott bad in loss and one against maybe the Devils were he gave away momentum for a comeback, he gives us a **** ton more momentum then he gives up. He is one of if not the smartest hockey player who's primary job is to fight, he has more finish then any enforcer in the league. I just don't get it.

 

[smack66]

Were does all the Thornton hate come from I can not even begin to understand it guy had like 2 bad fights last year, loss to Scott bad in loss and one against maybe the Devils were he gave away momentum for a comeback, he gives us a **** ton more momentum then he gives up. He is one of if not the smartest hockey player who's primary job is to fight, he has more finish then any enforcer in the league. I just don't get it.

I would think that if you are a Bruins fan it is impossible to hate anything about Thorton. The guy has been nothing but a true warrior for this team and his teammates. I also think we need to be realstic in that there were times last year when he didnt have the legs to keep up with Soup and Pie. I wouldn't mind at all if Claude sat him for 10 or 15 games this year against teams that didnt bring a lot of physicality.

 

[remer]

I would think that if you are a Bruins fan it is impossible to hate anything about Thorton. The guy has been nothing but a true warrior for this team and his teammates. I also think we need to be realstic in that there were times last year when he didnt have the legs to keep up with Soup and Pie. I wouldn't mind at all if Claude sat him for 10 or 15 games this year against teams that didnt bring a lot of physicality.

Could not agree more. The issue comes in the playoffs and playing teams with speed. Thornton is a warrior, but is we need a better option for the post season.

 

[PepeBostones]

• First time in some years we can really expect a real fight for jobs. Backup in goal: Chad Johnson vs Niklas Svedberg Winner: Chad Johnson (very underrated)
• Defense, a replacement for Andrew Ference: Doug Hamilton, Matt Barkowski, Torey Krug. Dark horse: Joe Morrow Winners: Doug Hamilton & Matt Bartkowski and/or Torey Krug but I really like Joe Morrow as well (a bigger version of Krug) and this could turn out to be a dogfight. I don't think we can afford to not play Hamilton fulltime with Chara (my choice) and over the long season I just believe Bartkowski is the choice because he is bigger and tougher than Krug. Then again Morrow has the size, close to Krug skating and shoots the puck like a canon on the rush, from the point, onetimers. Joe Morrow.
• 3-4 line guys. Most agree Iginla - Krejci - Lucic and Eriksson - Bergeron - Marchand are the top six and first two lines. We have centers and left wingers but, we miss a natural right winger or do we. I can see Daniel Paille, Chris Kelly, Greg Campbell as regulars but not on the same line. Also Carl Soderberg (lw), Shawn Thornton (rw) could be counted upon, but I'm not so sure here. We have some guys I really like and will fight for ice time with the big team. 1-Reilly Smith (rw/lw), 2-Matt Fraser (lw/rw), 3-Ryan Spooner (c), 4-Jordan Caron (rw/lw). In that order unless some really surprise like Tony Camara, Jared Knight or Alex Khohklachev with almost no pro experience. I think we shouldn't count out Nick Johnson here. Someone has to be able to do a better job than Jordan Caron (can't see him step up).
• My Winners: 1-Reilly Smith, 2-Matt Fraser (Ryan Spooner must beat out Kelly or Campell unless one moves to wing. None has played rw, though).
• Reilly Smith-Greg Campbell-Daniel Paille
• Matt Fraser-Chris Kelly-Carl Soderberg 13th-Shawn Thornton

 

[DKH]

My lock for third line is Fraser - Johnson- Smiyh

We could call it the New Guys Line. Awesomeness

 

[Gordoff]

What about soderberg as center Kelly there for face offs and spooner on the wing, I agree with no paille on third line, him and Campbell run that 4th line can't loose that

Spooner has made it very clear that he's a center and not a wing. He tried wing at some point and said that he felt "uncomfortable, and out of place there.

 

[JOKER 192]

Were does all the Thornton hate come from I can not even begin to understand it guy had like 2 bad fights last year, loss to Scott bad in loss and one against maybe the Devils were he gave away momentum for a comeback, he gives us a **** ton more momentum then he gives up. He is one of if not the smartest hockey player who's primary job is to fight, he has more finish then any enforcer in the league. I just don't get it.

I don't think it's about hate, it's just that he clearly lost a step last year and probably lost another in the off season. He's an aging player who is not always needed and someone with fresher legs and a better skill set would be more appropriate against some teams.

 

[JOKER 192]

I'd like to see Bergy play with Lucic or at least Iggy, he needs more protection. Teams have to know that if you take liberties with Bergy your gonna have to answer to Lucic. Bergy needs to go through a few seasons without any concussion issues and Lucic would be just the guy to watch his back.
I'd like to see Claude mix it up a bit more rather than run four lines that are set in stone with no regard to if they're producing or not. Throw a kid in here and there .
I don't want to question his abilities just want to see what you see on almost every other team,mixing things up when things aren't working.