Pre-Game Talk: Week 5: New Jersey, Seattle, and Saint Louis. In this home we stand. So PANIC!

[RECKLESS]

Hard not to like the kid. Seems he's highly competitive but with a very level head which is a good combo for success.

'The Big Foot' line (Chu/RyJo/Tufte) has such a nice ring to it. Would love to see it really take off! ...though there is a missed opportunity to call it the 'Size Queen' line.

 

[UncleRisto]

With Lehkonen out, here's the chance for Tatar and/or Drouin. Bednar has to stick with these guys on scoring lines. Relying on the Tufted Sofa to find his AHL scoring touch? I don't know.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Guessing we'll see

Drouin/Mack/Mikko
Tufte/RyJo/Nuke
Wood/Rosco/LOC
Cogs/Olo/Tuna

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Pokecheque]

Pairing Johansen and Nuke hasn’t worked well so far. Problem is neither of those guys are particularly fast, nor are either of them high-energy.

 

[Balthazar]

Pairing Johansen and Nuke hasn’t worked well so far. Problem is neither of those guys are particularly fast, nor are either of them high-energy.

Nuke isn't high energy? He never stops. Unless we have a different definition of high energy.

RyJo legit looks like he isn't in good physical shape and/or has poor cardio. I brought it up before but he had pretty serious heart issues early in his career and I wonder if it could be related.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Guessing we'll see

Drouin/Mack/Mikko
Tufte/RyJo/Nuke
Wood/Rosco/LOC
Cogs/Olo/Tuna

What I'd like to see...

Tuna/Mack/Nuke
Tufte/RyJo/Mikko
Wood/Rosco/LOC
Cogs/Olo/Dermy

 

[Pokecheque]

Nuke isn't high energy? He never stops. Unless we have a different definition of high energy.

RyJo legit looks like he isn't in good physical shape and/or has poor cardio. I brought it up before but he had pretty serious heart issues early in his career and I wonder if it could be related.

That isn’t true of Nuke every game. Yeah, when he’s got the motor running he’s a damn force out there. But it’s not always running, which is why he had two very ignominious exits from Dallas and was out of the NHL for a time.

A guy who “never stops” is Lehkonen, or O’Connor. Nuke is not like that. He plays a smart, cerebral game and when he keeps the legs moving he can be a dominant player. But he’s not a fiery, high-energy player.

I also think Nichushkin kinda feeds off the energy of his linemates, and there’s none to be had from #12.

 

[dahrougem2]

Keep Tatar on the top line for an extended period. Find a way to make it work.

 

[henchman21]

Ed Hardy would be proud.

 

[Balthazar]

Keep Tatar on the top line for an extended period. Find a way to make it work.

Tatar-Mack-Rants who's going to play defense?

Since Bednar doesn't want to move Rants with RyJo it makes Tatar on the first line difficult.

 

[Alienblood]

Nuke isn't high energy? He never stops. Unless we have a different definition of high energy.

RyJo legit looks like he isn't in good physical shape and/or has poor cardio. I brought it up before but he had pretty serious heart issues early in his career and I wonder if it could be related.

Nuke.is fast too so I don't get that assessment

 

[dahrougem2]

Tatar-Mack-Rants who's going to play defense?

Since Bednar doesn't want to move Rants with RyJo it makes Tatar on the first line difficult.

Live with the warts and figure it out.

Besides, Tatar isn't Drouin. He's not a sieve defensively.

 

[Pokecheque]

Tatar-Mack-Rants who's going to play defense?

Since Bednar doesn't want to move Rants with RyJo it makes Tatar on the first line difficult.

There’s really no top six combo you can do that’s not defensively suspect, especially if Lehkonen is out.

Nuke.is fast too so I don't get that assessment

“Fast” has nothing to do with it.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Tatar-Mack-Rants who's going to play defense?

Since Bednar doesn't want to move Rants with RyJo it makes Tatar on the first line difficult.

Which I think is a mistake by Bednar. Nuke can handle the defense part on that line and he seemed to look the best with Mack so far this season.

Tatar-Mack-Nuke
Tufte-RyJo-Mikko
Drouin-Colton-LOC
Wood-Olofsson-Cogs

 

[Pokecheque]

Which I think is a mistake by Bednar. Nuke can handle the defense part on that line and he seemed to look the best with Mack so far this season.

Tatar-Mack-Nuke
Tufte-RyJo-Mikko
Drouin-Colton-LOC
Wood-Olofsson-Cogs

It’s not really a mistake, he’s put Nuke with Nate plenty of times, including last game. Problem is that leaves any line with Johansen on it really exposed.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Dermy will play for sure now. So will Drouin

 

[sethro109]

I think RyJo and Nuke would work great if they had a pure play making passer as the other winger. We just don't have any of those.... For not just gotta keep Tufte on there and pray it works. As for the top line. Probably just have to shuffle it around a bunch. MacK has made it work with riffraff before and he's gonna have to do it now. He'll at least still have Mikko. After JD and Tatar fail there, I'd try LoC, then Wood, maybe even some rookies.

 

[the_fan]

I think RyJo and Nuke would work great if they had a pure play making passer as the other winger. We just don't have any of those.... For not just gotta keep Tufte on there and pray it works. As for the top line. Probably just have to shuffle it around a bunch. MacK has made it work with riffraff before and he's gonna have to do it now. He'll at least still have Mikko. After JD and Tatar fail there, I'd try LoC, then Wood, maybe even some rookies.

So you’re saying get P.Kane… I hear ya.

Tatar-MacK-Mikko
Nuke-RyJo-Kane

 

[avsfan9]

When was the last time Dermy had a fight? Was it the time Lucic punched him in the mouth? Seems like the last time I remember him having a tilt. I think he’s scared now.

 

[GeoRox89]

When was the last time Dermy had a fight? Was it the time Lucic punched him in the mouth? Seems like the last time I remember him having a tilt. I think he’s scared now.

Dermy might have a bit of a rep now among the heavyweights. Remember the fight against Middsy when he was with the Sharks? Middsy has been adamant that he essentially broke the heavyweight rules by not giving him a chance to drop his gloves and square up first

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Looks like they'll go 11-7

 

[sethro109]

Looks like they'll go 11-7

You think they'll scratch Tatar or Tufte? There's already reports that JD is getting the nod tonight.

Edit. I forgot about Cogs. Forget what I said.

 

[Pokecheque]

Ugh.