Line Combos: The Third Line

[RussellmaniaKW]

With the team getting healthy and the top 2 lines starting to find their rhythm I figured it was a good time to discuss what the bottom 6, particularly the 3rd line will look like heading down the stretch and into the playoffs.

At this point, I don't think anyone would disagree that the Marchand/Bergeron/Smith line is untouchable right now. I think while a lot of people would like to see Loui/Iginla moved around, it seems to me that Iginla is coming out of his funk and much like the LKH line, Claude probably intends to keep the KIL line together even when they are working through slumps.

So with that said let's assume the top 2 lines are set:
Lucic/Krejci/Iginla
Marchand/Bergeron/Smith

With everyone healthy, what should our bottom 6 look like?

It's only been a couple games so it's a small sample size, but it's hard to argue with Yeti's effectiveness at center. Loui IMO probably belongs in the top 6, but there's nobody who deserves to get bumped so he becomes the defacto 3rd line RW. Those two have looked really good with Paille, who IMO deserves an extended look on the 3rd line. With that said, Kelly is back and probably most effective at Center as well and I'm sure until the Paille/Yeti/Eriksson line came alive recently, Claude was planning to roll with Yeti/Kelly/Eriksson.

So what do you guys think they should go with down the stretch? Do we have the right mix in the bottom 6 or do we need to add someone for depth?

Click to read more...

 

[MTaylorJ1]

With the team getting healthy and the top 2 lines starting to find their rhythm I figured it was a good time to discuss what the bottom 6, particularly the 3rd line will look like heading down the stretch and into the playoffs.

At this point, I don't think anyone would disagree that the Marchand/Bergeron/Smith line is untouchable right now. I think while a lot of people would like to see Loui/Iginla moved around, it seems to me that Iginla is coming out of his funk and much like the LKH line, Claude probably intends to keep the KIL line together even when they are working through slumps.

So with that said let's assume the top 2 lines are set:
Lucic/Krejci/Iginla
Marchand/Bergeron/Smith

With everyone healthy, what should our bottom 6 look like?

It's only been a couple games so it's a small sample size, but it's hard to argue with Yeti's effectiveness at center. Loui IMO probably belongs in the top 6, but there's nobody who deserves to get bumped so he becomes the defacto 3rd line RW. Those two have looked really good with Paille, who IMO deserves an extended look on the 3rd line. With that said, Kelly is back and probably most effective at Center as well and I'm sure until the Paille/Yeti/Eriksson line came alive recently, Claude was planning to roll with Yeti/Kelly/Eriksson.

So what do you guys think they should go with down the stretch? Do we have the right mix in the bottom 6 or do we need to add someone for depth?

My ideal?

Yeti-Spooner-Eriksson
Paille-Kelly-Florek

Ideal scenario that wouldn't cause Julien to break out in sweats?

Trade-Soderberg-Eriksson
Paille-Kelly-Campbell

 

[member 96824]

Whitney-Soderberg-Eriksson

With current players, I like the Paille-Soderberg-Eriksson line...although I want to see it more, as I'm hesitant to keep Paille in the top 9. I feel he's earned an adequate shot at it though, especially last postseason...while he was one of our better players while our "third liners" were donating pucks to fans and/or bullying the end boards.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

My ideal?

Yeti-Spooner-Eriksson
Paille-Kelly-Florek

Ideal scenario that wouldn't cause Julien to break out in sweats?

Trade-Soderberg-Eriksson
Paille-Kelly-Campbell

I know you think Thornton doesn't belong in the lineup, and I admit he doesn't bring much on the stat sheet, but the Bruins are 5-1-1 since he returned and I can't help but think he's still very important to this team. I think if this team has a flaw it's that they have a tendency to sleepwalk through games at times and Thornton is one of their keys to avoiding that. He brings energy, grit, and i dunno...I guess I'd call it a sense of fun that keeps this team engaged and it's hard to take that out of the lineup IMO.

 

[member 96824]

I know you think Thornton doesn't belong in the lineup, and I admit he doesn't bring much on the stat sheet, but the Bruins are 5-1-1 since he returned and I can't help but think he's still very important to this team. I think if this team has a flaw it's that they have a tendency to sleepwalk through games at times and Thornton is one of their keys to avoiding that. He brings energy, grit, and i dunno...I guess I'd call it a sense of fun that keeps this team engaged and it's hard to take that out of the lineup IMO.

Possibly, but they've sleptwalked plenty of times with Thornton in the line up too...including sleep walking through 6 3/4th playoff games vs. the leafs last year.

 

[Ratty]

After the strong start by Spooner on the third line, the rally cry hereabouts was to keep him at centre on that line with Carl and Ericcson. Coming back from an illness, his play leveling off, and the return of Kelly seem to dampen that thought at the moment.

I prefer Kelly on the 4th line as he is primarily a defence-first player with strong PK success. But that may not be Claude's ideas. Kelly should be eased in gradually, hopefully with Campbell as a line with the flavor of the month (Paille, Caron, Thornton).

For tonight's game I would continue with Soderberg as centre on the 3rd with Loui and Paille giving it a defensive presence with an offensive potential.

I hope Spooner hangs around for a while longer to find a spot on the roster.

 

[MTaylorJ1]

I know you think Thornton doesn't belong in the lineup, and I admit he doesn't bring much on the stat sheet, but the Bruins are 5-1-1 since he returned and I can't help but think he's still very important to this team. I think if this team has a flaw it's that they have a tendency to sleepwalk through games at times and Thornton is one of their keys to avoiding that. He brings energy, grit, and i dunno...I guess I'd call it a sense of fun that keeps this team engaged and it's hard to take that out of the lineup IMO.

They've sleepwalked through enough games with him in the lineup that I don't think he's the on/off switch for it, and they had a 7-2 stretch when he was on suspension.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Possibly, but they've sleptwalked plenty of times with Thornton in the line up too...including sleep walking through 6 3/4th playoff games vs. the leafs last year.

I wasn't aware they went 1-6 in that series.

Anyway I'm not saying his presence guarantees that they get up for games, but I think it's a lot better when he's in the lineup.

 

[2KA]

I'm on board with the trade for a 3rd line winger.

XXXXXX - Yeti - Loui
Kelly - Campbell - Paille

I just love that 4th line and think plugging in the right guy on the 3rd line would make it more like a 2nd line

 

[member 96824]

It's true, although we haven't heard the nature of Spooner's ankle injury, which makes me hesitant to depend on him through the rest of the season. I fully believe he should be with the team no matter what, even as a 13th, but ankles are weird. Sometimes, like Lucic in 2010...they never fully heal until you get a true offseason.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

as for Spooner, I think he's going to be great for this team at some point but I have no problem with him in the '2011 Seguin' slot where he is a scratch until a center gets hurt. I could totally see him drawing into the lineup in the middle of the playoffs and being just as electrifying as Seguin was against Tampa.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Eriksson-Soderberg-Chris Stewart

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Eriksson-Soderberg-Chris Stewart

*sigh*

What do you think the Blues are going to want for Chris Stewart? It's gonna take no less than Krug or Hamilton.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

*sigh*

What do you think the Blues are going to want for Chris Stewart? It's gonna take no less than Krug or Hamilton.

Spooner gets it done. Since he's never going to get a shot here, might as well trade him and keep a plug like Caron or Kelly off of that line.

 

[member 96824]

I wasn't aware they went 1-6 in that series.

Anyway I'm not saying his presence guarantees that they get up for games, but I think it's a lot better when he's in the lineup.

They didn't...nor did I say that anywhere in my post that they went 1-6...but they slept walked through that entire series, and most of the regular season as well...all with Thornton in the lineup...

I don't really think there's much correlation for if they get up or not and if Thornton's in the lineup. Getting up for games consistently has been a constant issue going back a few seasons now.

 

[qc]

Spooner gets it done. Since he's never going to get a shot here, might as well trade him and keep a plug like Caron or Kelly off of that line.

Ya good luck with that pal.

 

[TCDaniels]

Eriksson-Soderberg-Chris Stewart

Did I miss something?

Tell me again - Why is StL trading Chris Stewart?

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

They didn't...nor did I say that anywhere in my post that they went 1-6...but they slept walked through that entire series, and most of the regular season as well...all with Thornton in the lineup...

I don't really think there's much correlation for if they get up or not and if Thornton's in the lineup. Getting up for games consistently has been a constant issue going back a few seasons now.

It's nonsense to say that they sleepwalked through that whole series. They won 4 out of 7. Two of the games they won by 3 goals. Of the games they won, the only one where they looked like they were sleepwalking was the first 3/4 of game 7. Otherwise Toronto played a tough series. My point was simply that if they had sleepwalked through that whole series they wouldn't have won any games let alone 4.

 

[ODAAT]

No need to put Kelly anywhere now but the 4th IMO, no chance you do a thing with Bergy/Krejci line, and it sure looks like Loui, Sods and Paille have a little something going

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

Need more time to see, but whatever the 3rd line combo, right now (if Yeti keeps it up at C) it looks like it should be Soderberg centering Eriksson and any one of the following:

LW Trade -- ??

Paille -- adds some grit and defense and Paille has separated himself over time from the rest of the Merlot line with his speed and shot, which also came up big last years' playoffs. His compete level is ALWAYS there.

Kelly -- has already shown he can play on the wing well, and since the writing is on the wall for Spooner he returns to the same line, only as a winger because Soderberg is the better offensive center... by a lot.

I personally think Kelly would serve this team better as the defensive-minded PK-specialist he is... except centering the 4rd line (i think he's better at taking draws than Campbell) so that Soderberg can center the 3rd.

Yeti has just looked so comfortable in his natural position... he should definitely stay there if, as it appears, Spooner will be the odd man out. After all, that is the position he has been playing for years in Sweden... if he can do it at the NHL level (as it seems) then he should stay where he is. I have a feeling Clode agrees.

Without a trade, it all boils down to whether Paille remains in at his promoted role or not. If he goes back down to Merlot... then we will either see Kelly at 3rd line LW or 3rd line center.

Again, i think Kelly is best playing 4th line center and Paille stays where he is. Soup can play LW, assuming Thorty is staying at RW (for now anyway).

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Spooner gets it done. Since he's never going to get a shot here, might as well trade him and keep a plug like Caron or Kelly off of that line.

*double sigh*

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

No need to put Kelly anywhere now but the 4th IMO, no chance you do a thing with Bergy/Krejci line, and it sure looks like Loui, Sods and Paille have a little something going

I agree there, and actually JUST said as much. I'm just not as good at staying short and concise.

 

[member 96824]

It's nonsense to say that they sleepwalked through that whole series. They won 4 out of 7. Two of the games they won by 3 goals. Of the games they won, the only one where they looked like they were sleepwalking was the first 3/4 of game 7. Otherwise Toronto played a tough series. My point was simply that if they had sleepwalked through that whole series they wouldn't have won any games let alone 4.

Game 1, Toronto looked starstruck, as to be expected...in their first playoff game.
Game 2, complete lack of effort on the Bruins end...game 3 I will admit, I don't remember at all to be honest, I may have missed it because of a Blues game....4 the effort was there, 5 and 6 and 50 minutes of game 7 were a joke.

They didn't blow a 3-1 series lead by giving full 60's every night.

The only nonsense is to say "they won 4-3, obviously they didn't sleep walk"..they were outplayed for the majority of the series by an inferior team and won by a miracle that I don't ever expect to see again in my life, nor do I expect my children to witness anything like it either.

Either way, the point that Thornton makes the team less sleepy doesn't really have much to stand on. This team has had extended stretches every year where the effort isn't there...hell, most of the 2011-12 season and 2013 season were zombies in a spoked B uni with Thornton in the line up. We've seen Krejci, Lucic, Horton, Marchand, Horton, Seguin, Horton, among others just simply float through the motions with Thornton in the lineup.

 

[Dellstrom]

Either Paille-Yeti-Eriksson and Campbell-Kelly-Thornton, or trade for someone (Hemsky if you want someone cheap, someone like Whitney if you want experience/potential high reward, obviously more choices) and move Paille down to the 4th.

 

[NinthSpoke06]

Spooner gets it done. Since he's never going to get a shot here, might as well trade him and keep a plug like Caron or Kelly off of that line.

No it doesn't lol

The Blues are in the same battle we are...the one for the big shiny trophy at the end of the year. They aren't going to trade their 3rd liner for a prospect at a position they are pretty set at as well.

Think about things before you post for once.