Wagon Line Re-Appreciation

[Blue Line Turnover]

I've missed out on quite a few games, but out of the past ones that I have been able to watch, a healthy Wagon line just looks so efficient in creating energy and confidence for the rest of the team. I don't understand advanced stats, but Klink has been a pleasant surprise and I'm willing to bet he would be hard to replace and not as expendable as we may think he is.

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[McDeathbyCheerios*]

I've missed out on quite a few games, but out of the past ones that I have been able to watch, a healthy Wagon line just looks so efficient in creating energy and confidence for the rest of the team. I don't understand advanced stats, but Klink has been a pleasant surprise and I'm willing to bet he would be hard to replace and not as expendable as we may think he is.

Klink is the type of player that can be great for a few games then vanish for a bunch of others... However, the Wagon line clicks so well Klink is on his game much more because of it.

Chemistry can be understated in a players performance.

 

[The Nuge]

Klink is the type of player that can be great for a few games then vanish for a bunch of others... However, the Wagon line clicks so well Klink is on his game much more because of it.

Chemistry can be understated in a players performance.

Thing is, Klink has actually been pretty consistent for us so far, and I think a lot of it has to do with Hendricks. When you see a guy playing THAT hard out there, you feel like you have to step your game up

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

Thing is, Klink has actually been pretty consistent for us so far, and I think a lot of it has to do with Hendricks. When you see a guy playing THAT hard out there, you feel like you have to step your game up

I think that both of you are right in the sense that there is a synergistic output because of the chemistry on this line. Hendricks is an absolute beast. He probably caused a lot of players to question their own work ethic and therefore improve.

 

[Beerfish]

The wagon line can't contribute any offense at all. It does you no good when you hardly ever score, manage to keep the other team mostly off the sheet and are minus players. Decent 4th line but given too much credit when they are totally deficient in one area of the game.

 

[Aceboogie]

Wagon line is a good 4th line. Not that offensive, but they take the Lions burden defensively and far well. They also play an energy game and get the team going. I don't care if we could get a second for Gordon, keep him.

Hendricks and Gordon take a beating out there and bring value to the team.

Id look at improving the 3rd line, starting with finding Lander a good 2 way winger that can produce. Maybe Korpikoski or Glencross or the likes

 

[McDNicks17]

Hendricks is on a 19 point pace. Gordon is on a 15 point pace.

The Islanders 4th is pretty unanimous as the best 4th line in the league when talked about on the main board. Clutterbuck, Cizikas and Martin are on pace for 20, 20 and 15 points, respectively.

The Wagon line is producing more than adequately for a 4th line.

 

[OneMoreAstronaut]

The 4th line contributes as many points as should be expected of a 4th line.

 

[Beerfish]

Hendricks is on a 19 point pace. Gordon is on a 15 point pace.

The Islanders 4th is pretty unanimous as the best 4th line in the league when talked about on the main board. Clutterbuck, Cizikas and Martin are on pace for 20, 20 and 15 points, respectively.

The Wagon line is producing more than adequately for a 4th line.

A 15 point pace for the amount of ice time Gordon gets is not good. I've said it many times it is interesting that players with offensive talent are totally abused when their D game suffers and defensive paleyrs who always dump it in, always turn away at the blue line, just cycle the puck rather than go to the net get ass patted for having only one aspect to their game.

 

[Canovin]

The wagon line is awesome. With Hall on the 3rd line with Lander and Miller shows he can carry a line by himself. The odd man out is Purcell. Unfortunately there's no better replacement unless we move Hall to the 2nd line which I prefer not to as I like to see 3 scoring lines. Oilers are a much more dangerous team with 3 scoring lines.

 

[Mr Positive]

The wagon line is awesome. With Hall on the 3rd line with Lander and Miller shows he can carry a line by himself. The odd man out is Purcell. Unfortunately there's no better replacement unless we move Hall to the 2nd line which I prefer not to as I like to see 3 scoring lines. Oilers are a much more dangerous team with 3 scoring lines.

that's the other thing. With Lander playing better, and Hall with him, that's a real 3rd line. Before, the wagon line was really our 3rd line by ice time, with our 4th being more of a depth line with some physical role players. With the wagon line back to being our 'real' 4th line, it's looking like we finally have a forward group that we can win with, with every line being equally important but each bringing something special.

If we started next season with this healthy forward group unchanged, I think it would be good enough to win a lot of games with. The issue is defense and goaltending.

 

[Aceboogie]

A 15 point pace for the amount of ice time Gordon gets is not good. I've said it many times it is interesting that players with offensive talent are totally abused when their D game suffers and defensive paleyrs who always dump it in, always turn away at the blue line, just cycle the puck rather than go to the net get ass patted for having only one aspect to their game.

The only problem with that is that they aren't getting terribly outshot, and that is with playing and absurdly lot of Dzone draws. A fourth line that provides little offense but can also prevent teams from getting shots for 10 minutes in a game is very valuable. It essentially means for 10 mins a game a top line is rendered ineffective. Gordon and Hendricks get 20% zonestarts, but more importantly have 38% zone finishes.

They can be improved on, but the 4th line and 1st line are the least of Edmontons problems.

Ideally this offseason we add some offense to the third and forth line and spread the D zone starts around

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Joensuu should have stuck.

 

[thadd]

The wagon line can't contribute any offense at all. It does you no good when you hardly ever score, manage to keep the other team mostly off the sheet and are minus players. Decent 4th line but given too much credit when they are totally deficient in one area of the game.

When it's healthy, the Wagon line gets us a lot of offensive zone face-offs. They win the face off and magically find a way to get into the offensive zone and get the puck frozen.


Without Gordon in the line-up they're not nearly as effective.

 

[Gord]

sorry for being stupid, but why is it called the wagon line?

 

[The Nuge]

sorry for being stupid, but why is it called the wagon line?

Hendricks nickname is The Wagon, and the name suits the line

 

[McDNicks17]

sorry for being stupid, but why is it called the wagon line?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-jumping-on-hendricks-wagon/

 

[Dorian2]

A 15 point pace for the amount of ice time Gordon gets is not good. I've said it many times it is interesting that players with offensive talent are totally abused when their D game suffers and defensive paleyrs who always dump it in, always turn away at the blue line, just cycle the puck rather than go to the net get ass patted for having only one aspect to their game.

Keep in mind that allot of his game is D zone face offs and penalty kills.

I agree with others that they bring a lot of energy out there.

Love it when they are on the ice.