Speculation: When Hell Freezes Over: What happens when we're healthy?

Matt Ryan

Falcons Rise Up
Oct 4, 2011
3,185
0
San Francisco
I seem to remember Gagner being more effective as a C in the open ice than as a fwd battling along the boards. And he doesn't quite have the speed to play the speedy winger with hands game(ala MSL). I think the Oilers should play to his strengths.

Perron - RNH - Eberle
Hall - Gagner - Yakupov
Joensuu - Arco - Hemsky
Smyth/Gazdic- Gordon - Pitlick/Jones

Then roll 4 lines. We've been complaining about the Oilers C depth since the summer. If the team ever gets some, they should make use of it, imo.

Yes. This is the best lineup IMO. Gives us 3 scoring lines. If we are playing a gritty team, we can promote pitlick or jones up to the third line
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,154
I seem to remember Gagner being more effective as a C in the open ice than as a fwd battling along the boards. And he doesn't quite have the speed to play the speedy winger with hands game(ala MSL). I think the Oilers should play to his strengths.

Perron - RNH - Eberle
Hall - Gagner - Yakupov
Joensuu - Arco - Hemsky
Smyth/Gazdic- Gordon - Pitlick/Jones

Then roll 4 lines. We've been complaining about the Oilers C depth since the summer. If the team ever gets some, they should make use of it, imo.


Gordon is the team leader in defensive zone starts....there is no way Eakins plays Gordon with 4th line players.

Switching Arco and Gordon makes much more sense.
 

Aerchon

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
10,491
3,668
Great topic.

From what i've seen.

Perron Arco Eberle
Hall RNH Hemsky
Jones Gordon Pitlick
Joensuu Acton Gazdic

Eakins likes to blend. Rearrange any of the top6 with each other and any of the bottom 6 with each other.

Smyth as the extra forward.

Trade Dub, Gagner, and Yak for a quality starting goaltender that could win you a cup.

Or just send down Arco and Pitlick and have the proper amount of depth for an NHL team to succeed.

Although I no loner believe Dub can win us a cup so really want him moved.
 

djdub

This Space for Rent
Oct 1, 2011
1,383
159
Calgary, AB
Gordon is the team leader in defensive zone starts....there is no way Eakins plays Gordon with 4th line players.

Switching Arco and Gordon makes much more sense.

Perron - Gagner - Yak
Hall - RNH - Eberle
JJ - Gordon - Hemsky
Smyth - Arco - Pitlick

This is better.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,154
Perron - Gagner - Yak
Hall - RNH - Eberle
JJ - Gordon - Hemsky
Smyth - Arco - Pitlick

This is better.

I agree...those are good lines all thing considered. Gadzic can sub in occasionally as well and Smyth can move into JJ's spot when he gets injured.

Although the lack of size at Centre is a little concerning.

Also at some point MacT has to find some functional top 6 size and grit.
 

Hockey Nightmare

Registered User
Oct 25, 2007
5,044
620
We'll never be healthy. ;)

But when Gags gets back, I say:

Yak-Nuge-Ebs
Perron-Arco-Hemmer
Gags-Gordon-Jones
Gaz-Act-Pit

Send Eager back.
 

IV XIV XCI

Registered User
Oct 16, 2010
1,186
0
Van
www.silveroakcasino.com
Great topic.

From what i've seen.

Perron Arco Eberle
Hall RNH Hemsky
Jones Gordon Pitlick
Joensuu Acton Gazdic

Eakins likes to blend. Rearrange any of the top6 with each other and any of the bottom 6 with each other.

Smyth as the extra forward.

Trade Dub, Gagner, and Yak for a quality starting goaltender that could win you a cup.

Or just send down Arco and Pitlick and have the proper amount of depth for an NHL team to succeed.

Although I no loner believe Dub can win us a cup so really want him moved.

:shakehead
 

McDrai

Registered User
Mar 29, 2009
23,891
18,289
This is how I would have the lines if everyone was healthy:

Joenssu/RNH/Eberle
Hall/Gagner/Yakupov
Perron/Arcobello/Hemsky
Smyth/Gordon/Pitlick

Looks pretty darn stacked to me. If only everyone was healthy...



Extras: Jones, Gazdic
 

Gobo

Stop looking Gare
Jun 29, 2010
7,440
0
All you gotta do is something like this:

Hall - RNH - Ebs (Power on power line)
Perron - Arco - Hemsky (Secondary defensive & offensive option)
Joennsu - Gagner - Yakupov ("Soft" minutes line, should feast on weaker lines)
Acton - Gordon - Pitlick (Top defensive option, chip and chase)
Gazdic (When we need him for Acton)
Smyth (When Pitlick goes through a minor slump or we need him for Acton)

This way, we roll 1 offensive line, 2 two-way lines and a shutdown line. Lot of variety for players to move up and down (Arco and Gordon could switch, Perron/Hall/Joenssu can all switch)
 

Burnt Biscuits

Registered User
May 2, 2010
9,164
3,179
I'm expecting Gagner and Joensuu to be the first two back so when they are back I'd go with

Perron- RNH- Eberle (top line)
Gagner- Arcobello- Yakupov (soft minutes)
Joensuu- Gordon- Hemsky (tough minutes)
Gazdic/Eager- Acton- Pitlick (grinding 4th line)

Send Jones back down.

So I don't think RNH and Eberle should be broken up they play some of their best hockey together and Perron should be the clear cut choice as our top LW option with Hall out.

2nd line I just couldn't bring myself to slot Arco down the line-up he's been acquitting himself well in this role, I'm still not 100% sold he can hold onto this spot, but till he drops the ball it should be his. We need Yakupov to get going and I think Gagner has better chemistry with him that anyone else. After Yak scores a goal and gets some mojo back we could mess with seperating them, this line looks small and soft to me, but for now it should do.

3rd line Hemsky is probably our best option at RW for playing tougher assignments and him and Gordon actually look to have atleast decent chemistry. Need to give some Hemmer sometime on the skill lines and PP to keep him happy and productive.

4th line self explanatory chip the puck and smash. Jones is a better hockey player than Eager or Gazdic but those two have a more defined role on the team.

Lastly send Jones back down.

Jones also isn't a scary hitter, he just makes contact for the most part, we need some players who make us tougher to play against and Jones just doesn't do enough.

When Hall and Smyth are back there will be some tough choices. Provided no one else gets hurt in the meantime *fingers crossed*.
 

TheBusDriver

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
Aug 25, 2009
2,429
6
Edmonton
Posted this in the arco thread but it belongs here too:

Hall - RNH - Eberle
Perron - Arcobello - Gagner
Yakupov - Gordon - Hemsky
Jonensuu - Acton - Jones

I believe thats the ideal lineup when everyone is healthy. I think we should keep Arcobello at center and in the top 6 so he can continue to setup our better players and keep winning faceoffs. Gagner will better serve the team on the right wing. Well shift Yak to LW since he shoots left anyway and we would have too many RWs to play him there. He also gets to play with hemsky in this situation which I think would be ideal for Yak, and his defensive miscues would be compensated by the ultra defensive Gordon.

Id also consider swapping Gagner and Hemsky here.

What do you guys think?
 

thadd

Oil4Life
Jun 9, 2007
26,717
2,718
Canada
Posted this in the arco thread but it belongs here too:

Hall - RNH - Eberle
Perron - Arcobello - Gagner
Yakupov - Gordon - Hemsky
Jonensuu - Acton - Jones

I believe thats the ideal lineup when everyone is healthy. I think we should keep Arcobello at center and in the top 6 so he can continue to setup our better players and keep winning faceoffs. Gagner will better serve the team on the right wing. Well shift Yak to LW since he shoots left anyway and we would have too many RWs to play him there. He also gets to play with hemsky in this situation which I think would be ideal for Yak, and his defensive miscues would be compensated by the ultra defensive Gordon.

Id also consider swapping Gagner and Hemsky here.

What do you guys think?

I don't want Gagner playing on the wing. He's sucked on the wing in the past.
I don't want Yakupov playing left wing. I'd rather watch him flourish in his natural position first.
I'd rather have Pitlick on the team than Jones. Pitlick skates faster and seemed to be more effective on the forecheck during the last game.
Action doesn't need to be here.
 

Heavy Dee

Registered User
May 29, 2005
8,542
6,119
Hall rhh Yakupov
Perron arcobelo Eberle
Joensuu Gordon gagner
Gazdic pitlick jones
Smyth eager

Smid petry
Belov jschultz
Ference potter
Nschultz

We actually have some depth now
 

ManofSteel55

Registered User
Aug 15, 2013
31,864
11,992
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Hopefully this:

Hall - RNH - Hemsky
Yakupov - Arcobello - Eberle
Perron - Gordon - Gagner
Joensuu - Acton - Pitlick (if he keeps playing the hard checking style from his first game)

with Smyth and Gazdic drawing in once in a while. Jones and MacIntryre to OKC.
 

ManofSteel55

Registered User
Aug 15, 2013
31,864
11,992
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
I don't want Gagner playing on the wing. He's sucked on the wing in the past.
I don't want Yakupov playing left wing. I'd rather watch him flourish in his natural position first.
I'd rather have Pitlick on the team than Jones. Pitlick skates faster and seemed to be more effective on the forecheck during the last game.
Action doesn't need to be here.

Acton may not need to be here, but Gordon has proven he's a 3rd line center, and has produced, and neither Gagner or Arcobello are 4th line centers.
 

Draiskull

Registered User
Oct 26, 2005
23,320
2,160
Acton may not need to be here, but Gordon has proven he's a 3rd line center, and has produced, and neither Gagner or Arcobello are 4th line centers.

It wouldnt really be a 4th line if the wingers were say Smyth and Hemsky.

Joensuu-Nuge-Eberle
Hall-Gagner-Yak
Perron-Arcobello-Pitlick
Smyth-Gordon-Hemsky

Joensuu isnt a 4th liner either. Jones, Pitlick and Smyth all have also proven to be more than 4th liners.

MacT wanted everyone on bottom 6 to have the scoring dimension to their game. Looks like we will have that once\if everyone is healthy.
 

russ99

Registered User
Jun 9, 2011
3,499
2,435
IMO, we need a defensive third line to play vs. the toughs more than we need to spread the bigger players to all lines, or have three scoring lines that doesn't really work at the NHL level. Also the Oilers re-signed Gagner to play 2nd line center, he's staying there and has a better track record than Arcobello.

Hall - RNH - Eberle
Yakupov - Gagner - Hemsky
Perron - Gordon - Joensuu
Omark - Arcobello - Gazdic

Smyth - MacIntyre extras.
 

rockinghockey

Registered User
Oct 22, 2008
9,069
229
I do agree that Gordon should be the 3rd line centreman. I all so think that Arco has proven himself as the teams 2nd line centre man as he is better on faceoffs and better playing the two way game. That leaves Gagner as a winger.
Hall; RNH; Eberle
Perron; Arco; Yak
Gagner; Gordon; Hemsky
Smyth/Gadzic; Acton/Pitlick; Jones/Pitlick

Eager sent to the minors.
 

Hopelesslucicfan

Larsson fanclub 2016
Mar 14, 2009
8,156
2,124
Edmonton
I just don't see how you can justify playing any of our centers with two fourth liners.

arco is on a tear, gagner has proven he is a quality second line center, rnh is number 1, and gordon has shown to be very effective both offensively and defensively with half decent wingers.

To relegate any of them to playing with smyth/gadzic/pitlick right now seems like a punishment for playing well.
 

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