The official Loui Eriksson thread (aka the official Tyler Seguin thread)

[BNHL]

Could mix and match them really. They're grinders, all 4 of them have played a heavy grinding game for at least 2 long playoff runs. I'd take the long view with this team and move guys in and out to keep them fresh for the spring.

Thornton would be my preference to see the bulk of that work, but I'm not sure I'm up for debating with the face punching is a necessity crowd today.

I thought about being a bit more extreme with the nights off,rotating everyone. Chara needs it at some point,whether anyone would admit it or it's too scary to try. I'd have certainly sat Marchand by now,possibly Krejci and maybe Chara.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Wait a second. Eriksson played last night? Could have fooled me...

Must have enjoyed it...

 

[TD Charlie]

I'd leave the top line alone, move the Swedes together with Spooner and move smith up with Bergy and Marchand. Kelly to the checking line. He's playing on a line you need scoring from and he has 26 shots despite a regular shift with two playmakers. Campbell is going to catch him production wise again.

I'm on board with all of this. Smith has showed more jump and been more effective than most forwards and has earned a larger role. I like the Swedes together as well, as Soderberg provides the size for that line, and he's shown to be an excellent passer.

 

[qc]

I wouldn't object to some line juggling, but I don't know if that'll solve the most glaring issue that I see: we suck in the 2nd. So frustrating to see, when our team generally plays strong 1st and 3rds.

 

[LSCII]

Must have enjoyed it...

Not at all. In fact that game flat out sucked. I just believe in calling it like I see it. He'd played pretty well before the last few games when he's been pretty invisible, and I gave him plenty of credit for that. It's only fair that if he plays a terrible game like last night, I say that too.

 

[MTaylorJ1]

I'm on board with all of this. Smith has showed more jump and been more effective than most forwards and has earned a larger role. I like the Swedes together as well, as Soderberg provides the size for that line, and he's shown to be an excellent passer.

Also moves us away from the narrative that Spooner wouldn't be trusted to play with two rookies, now you're centering him between two 28 year olds that have been playing big boy hockey for quite some time.

Another thing, and I can't stress this enough, Caron as the 13th skater is not a motivator for the rest of the team. The only guy who you'd sit for him is Thornton. That's not going to accomplish much. With Kelly on the 4th line, you could sit almost anyone in the top 9 for a night or two and slide him up. That's a motivator, because no one aside from maybe Bergeron, Lucic, or Krejci could readily say to themselves "Claude would never sit me to bring Merlot back together, because truthfully, he's done that sort of thing in the past".

 

[bp13]

Chia has to this point killed this team's offensive out put by subtracting Seguin and adding 21. If 21 is a great two way player with a 30 goal stick which is the Bruin sold us I have not seen that player yet. He is soft as butter, loses almost every sustained battle for the puck, and brings zero speed to a slow-plodding line up.

Chia may have **** the bed on this deal. Trade a player like 19 fine, but for a second time the Bruins traded a #19 and it appears we got our lunch taken, again...

He doesn't lose every battle for the puck. That is absurd. His Corsi numbers tell the exact opposite story, and frankly he's very strong in puck possession. Your assertion is flat out wrong.

And as for killing the offensive output by subtracting Seguin, refresh my memory again on all the offense he gave us last year. Or better yet, remind me of his playoff firepower. I seem to have forgotten about it. All I remember is a "superstar" skating third line and doing absolutely nothing.

 

[qc]

Not at all. In fact that game flat out sucked. I just believe in calling it like I see it. He'd played pretty well before the last few games when he's been pretty invisible, and I gave him plenty of credit for that. It's only fair that if he plays a terrible game like last night, I say that too.

He was god awful last night... his worst game of his in a B's uni. I'm a big supporter of Loui, but there was literally nothing good about his game last night. Him and Marshy looked drunk during certain stretches, and I wonder if those two should be flanking Bergy on that line at this point.

We have some big matchups over the next few days, it's time to step up.

 

[LSCII]

He was god awful last night... his worst game of his in a B's uni. I'm a big supporter of Loui, but there was literally nothing good about his game last night. Him and Marshy looked drunk during certain stretches, and I wonder if those two should be flanking Bergy on that line at this point.

We have some big matchups over the next few days, it's time to step up.

Yup. I don't typically like to give knee jerk reactions, but I think it's time to end this experiment and split that line up.

 

[Scotto74]

Chia has to this point killed this team's offensive out put by subtracting Seguin and adding 21. If 21 is a great two way player with a 30 goal stick which is the Bruin sold us I have not seen that player yet. He is soft as butter, loses almost every sustained battle for the puck, and brings zero speed to a slow-plodding line up.

Chia may have **** the bed on this deal. Trade a player like 19 fine, but for a second time the Bruins traded a #19 and it appears we got our lunch taken, again...

maybe you can explain why 28 games into last season with #19 the bruins had 69 goals for and this year with out him 28 games in to the season with #21 the bruins have 76 goals for.

from where I sit the offense if better this year vs. last year. So please explain how Chia killed the team's offensive out put.

 

[qc]

I don't like putting on my Clode-cap, but here's what I'd roll.

17-46-18
63-37-12
34-23-21
20-11-22

I'd allocate minutes based on each line's performance, but I'd look at the top 3 lines as interchangeable, with no real "top" line. Give 15-17 minutes of ice time to each, with the remainder going to the 4th (PP/PK time). If one of the top 3 struggles, limit some shifts. If one of the top 3 gets hot, give them some additional shifts.

Again, like I said earlier- I don't know if full juggling will solve our woes in the 2nd period, but then again, a shakeup will hardly make things worse.

 

[Fossy21]

Just switch Iggy and Loui up already, I wanted this as soon as speculation began (and I know loads of people on here did too). Thing is, Loui is not the type of player that will carry a whole line. If his line plays bad, he'll look decent at best. He won't put up an effort that makes you go "Oh damn, he really tried to go places, but it's hard when your line mates don't help". Don't put him on a line with Bergy and Marchy. Anyone else find it funny how Eriksson got loads of credit when Bergy and Marchy played up to par for a couple of games? It's because his plays became more noticeable when they led to goals. Yesterday was horrid, sure, even isolated from his team mates it was probably his worst game of the season. Still, he wasn't even the worst player on his line, and it's not a coincident that he looked so bad when Marchand looked out of place and (as many have pointed out) drunk all game.

You put Loui with Krejci (who was probably our best forward outside the fourth line) and Lucic (who made some nice plays, but didn't put in as consistent effort as he usually has this season) that game, and they would have played better. Not only this, but Loui would've been able to put up the same kind of game as he did yesterday and looked at least half-decent. I don't know where that leaves the second line, I'm not sure if Iginla would get some oomph from that line switch, especially with Marchand being terrible, but at least Bergy would cover up defensively for them, and they'd go +/- 0 - shame for Patrice, but until those two play better, that's the only option unless you want to involve the third line in the change.

The first line is probably the line that gets pinned in our own zone the most, even more than the third. Surely the coaches must realise that putting a defensively apt forward in there could only improve things. Playing with Bergy would give Iginla more opportunity to do what he does best, and having Eriksson play with Krejci and Lucic would alleviate some defensive responsibility from DK, and get that line going on some nice rushes.

That's how I see it.

 

[MTaylorJ1]

I don't like putting on my Clode-cap, but here's what I'd roll.

17-46-18
63-37-12
34-23-21
20-11-22

I'd allocate minutes based on each line's performance, but I'd look at the top 3 lines as interchangeable, with no real "top" line. Give 15-17 minutes of ice time to each, with the remainder going to the 4th (PP/PK time). If one of the top 3 struggles, limit some shifts. If one of the top 3 gets hot, give them some additional shifts.

Again, like I said earlier- I don't know if full juggling will solve our woes in the 2nd period, but then again, a shakeup will hardly make things worse.

Sorry, no line with Chris Kelly on it is interchangeable with the top 2 lines.

 

[Scotto74]

maybe you can explain why 28 games into last season with #19 the bruins had 69 goals for and this year with out him 28 games in to the season with #21 the bruins have 76 goals for.

from where I sit the offense if better this year vs. last year. So please explain how Chia killed the team's offensive out put.

my mistake I took the last 28 games of the season from last year not the first 28.

over the first 28 games last year bruins had 79 goals over the first 28 this year bruins have 76 goals.

point still stands that the offense has not been killed because of this trade. 3 goals over 28 games is hardly a difference.

 

[Fossy21]

my mistake I took the last 28 games of the season from last year not the first 28.

over the first 28 games last year bruins had 79 goals over the first 28 this year bruins have 76 goals.

point still stands that the offense has not been killed because of this trade. 3 goals over 28 games is hardly a difference.

And we have slightly more consistency, I'd say. The third line is producing much more than last year, and our PP is actually decent. So I don't see as big a falloff as last season coming anytime soon.

 

[TheBigBadB]

The thing I worry about is if this is the Loui they are stuck with and not a 25-30 goal player in his prime and Iginla leaves next season they are going to have two huge holes to fill for next season.

 

[qc]

Sorry, no line with Chris Kelly on it is interchangeable with the top 2 lines.

What I mean is that the top 3 lines are essentially evened out in talent. Kelly has been getting 15-17 minutes a night as it is, no?

Obviously I'm not saying Kelly is even remotely close to DK or PB, but he's our 3LC right now, and unless Spooner walks through that door, I don't know what else we could do.. other than put JC out there as the 3LC.

 

[qc]

The thing I worry about is if this is the Loui they are stuck with and not a 25-30 goal player in his prime and Iginla leaves next season they are going to have two huge holes to fill for next season.

Loui was bad last night, but I'd say he's had more good games than bad. In fact, he's had 2 stinkers in my book, a few great games, and the rest have been average. So I don't think last night's Loui is the Loui that we are stuck with.

Also, considering Lou's cap-friendly contract.. if Iggy left, we'd have money to spend (and the cap's going up). And to me, Yeti and Reilly have shown promise of being able to take a bigger role.. so even if Iggy leaves and there are no good FAs, we could replace him from within, while opening up a spot for Spooner. I just don't think this is anything to worry about long-term, we're in a good situation.

 

[Scotto74]

my mistake I took the last 28 games of the season from last year not the first 28.

over the first 28 games last year bruins had 79 goals over the first 28 this year bruins have 76 goals.

point still stands that the offense has not been killed because of this trade. 3 goals over 28 games is hardly a difference.

add to the above that through the first 28 last year the Bruins goals against was 59 this year it is 57 so we are 2 better.

so the overall goal difference between last year and this year 28 games in is one.

 

[Fossy21]

my mistake I took the last 28 games of the season from last year not the first 28.

over the first 28 games last year bruins had 79 goals over the first 28 this year bruins have 76 goals.

point still stands that the offense has not been killed because of this trade. 3 goals over 28 games is hardly a difference.

Another point is that for the Eastern Conference teams, the GAA last season was 2.79, this year it's 2.70 so far. Obviously I shouldn't have included Boston in this (I did), but we had the second best GAA last year, so the figures shouldn't be too different if excluding us. Plus we've faced Western teams too, who have (I think a lot) better GAA than the East so far - especially against the East. Goals are more valuable this year.

 

[BadBruins]

I think his ultra conservative style would play batter on a different line. Bergeron is that guy the 2nd line. I'd like to see him with Soderberg to be honest.

 

[MTaylorJ1]

What I mean is that the top 3 lines are essentially evened out in talent. Kelly has been getting 15-17 minutes a night as it is, no?

Obviously I'm not saying Kelly is even remotely close to DK or PB, but he's our 3LC right now, and unless Spooner walks through that door, I don't know what else we could do.. other than put JC out there as the 3LC.

The simple solution is to have Spooner walk through the door, haha. As much as a team still virtually on top of the Eastern Conference needs a solution. I'm fine with shuffling some of the guys on lines 2 or 3, but there's no combination of them on the wings with which Kelly makes any friggin sense. You're never going to deploy the non-Bergeron line as a shutdown line, so why saddle two offensive minded wingers with a defensive minded center except to get the type of neutral results that a team who thrives on having 3 producing lines can't have.

 

[Scotto74]

I think his ultra conservative style would play batter on a different line. Bergeron is that guy the 2nd line. I'd like to see him with Soderberg to be honest.

that is where I am at as well. I wanted to spread out the conservative style and the power foward style.

Lucic-Krejci-Louie
March-Bergy-Iggy.

however with the way marchy is playing I would be fine putting smith/soder in his spot on that line. hell I would even go as far as putting Pie there for his speed.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

17-46-18
34-51-21
63-37-12


20-11-22
or
23-11-20

 

[LSCII]

I think his ultra conservative style would play batter on a different line. Bergeron is that guy the 2nd line. I'd like to see him with Soderberg to be honest.

I've voiced this concern multiple times as well. Too many similar players on this line for my liking.