Speculation: What is/are our opening night roster/lines looking like?

[HockeySauce]

Bollig's very obviously improved from last year. He's skating better and he's not just chipping the puck in and attempting to swallow it along the boards - he actually made a few good passes in transition last night, and obviously scored his goal. He's a big guy, with great strength.. he'll be really effective if he can play like last night, every night.

 

[Crazy_Ike]

Prediction: Bollig plays in less than a third of the team's playoff games this season.

You know, when you want actually effective players on the ice.

We'll see in a few months.

 

[LBS8844]

Bollig's very obviously improved from last year. He's skating better and he's not just chipping the puck in and attempting to swallow it along the boards - he actually made a few good passes in transition last night, and obviously scored his goal. He's a big guy, with great strength.. he'll be really effective if he can play like last night, every night.

Bollig worked his butt off in the offseason. Doesn't mean he'll elevate himself to all-star status, but it does suggest a modicum of effort toward continual improvement. He may not win most fights, may not exactly deter the opposing goons from attempting to knock out the Hawks' better players, and he certainly won't post Secord (prime) 50-goals or Probert (prime) 33-goals along with +300 PIM. Wish that model player existed anymore, but he simply doesn't. I would ask what the experts would say after Bollig's 5G-8A-125PIM 2013-14 season. Did he underperform, overperform, or at $575K, get it just right?

 

[LBS8844]

Prediction: Bollig plays in less than a third of the team's playoff games this season.

You know, when you want actually effective players on the ice.

We'll see in a few months.

And yes, this ain't rocket science. Come playoffs, I doubt he sees the ice much at all. His role is to help - in any way he is able - ensure that the main players do.

 

[EdzosCrayon]

Bollig is on pace for 82 goals this season.

THE DEFENSE RESTS

 

[Crazy_Ike]

And yes, this ain't rocket science. Come playoffs, I doubt he sees the ice much at all. His role is to help - in any way he is able - ensure that the main players do.

Which is something that just doesn't happen.

Feel free to show me a correlation between having a goon on the roster and less injuries from cheap shots. I can wait.

 

[LBS8844]

Which is something that just doesn't happen.

Feel free to show me a correlation between having a goon on the roster and less injuries from cheap shots. I can wait.

Yeah. The thing is, the NHLPA wants fighting in the game. You don't have to like it, but it won't be going away anytime soon. Never claimed there'd be any actual benefit from the goonery, but the players believe that there is. And frankly, that's all that matters. Given that, most nights during the regular season, a skill spot will be foregone for a 'tough guy'. No way around it, childishly futile to argue against it.

 

[Crazy_Ike]

Oh I think we've already made it pretty clear why he's in the lineup. It's just you guys who think that has anything to do with effectiveness or deterrence that's at issue.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Which is something that just doesn't happen.

Feel free to show me a correlation between having a goon on the roster and less injuries from cheap shots. I can wait.

Don't have those type of stats for you. If there needs to be someone involved in the extracirriculars I'd rather have Bollig in the middle of it instead of Keith, Seabrook, Hammer, Toews or Sharp though. Bicks can't do it all on his own.

I don't mind Bollig in the lineup. None of the prospects elevated their game to level where they forced Q and the staff to keep them. Saad forced former goon Carcillo out of the lineup with his game. When the young guns perform Bollig will be forced out. Until then, I'm fine with the coaching staff setting a high bar for the young guys to stick - found it annoying in the past when guys like Skille and Olsen were just given spots.