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Higgins back with Koivu starting tonight!


SAKS-AVENUE

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I'm not sure if this is thread worthy, but I started it anyway. Carb just seems to be making good solid decisions this year. While we all talk about bullshit trades and what ifs and what nots. The man pulls the trigger on something we didn't think about. HIGGINS!!!!!!!!!!

I'm pretty excited that he might just explode back on the first line. Where does that leave little TITZ,

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I'm not sure if this is thread worthy, but I started it anyway. Carb just seems to be making good solid decisions this year. While we all talk about bullshit trades and what ifs and what nots. The man pulls the trigger on something we didn't think about. HIGGINS!!!!!!!!!!

I'm pretty excited that he might just explode back on the first line. Where does that leave little TITZ,

I wonder if Carbo will make another "good solid decision" and break up the slowest line in hockey?

Lats - Smoke - Ryder

What a waste of a line.

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I can't say hockey's been my focus for the last couple of weeks, so take my "analysis" with a grain of salt, but I have to say that at the very least, nothing Carbo's done in the last 6 weeks or so has made me frustrated with him. Earlier in the season, calling out Markov, questioning Koivu about not calling a players only meeting, his atttitude to the refs, letting begin find out from the press that he was scratched, all of that really upset me. So to be fair, I have to point out that he hasn't done anything that made me go "WHY is this guy a coach in the NHL. He's sooooooooo unprofessional!" for a while.

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I wonder if Carbo will make another "good solid decision" and break up the slowest line in hockey?

Lats - Smoke - Ryder

What a waste of a line.

<

A waste of money in Ryder and smolinski i agree.

But as Kozed mentionned they are Matrix.

Nobody in this line is faster than any other sio they are all on the same time frame.

Latendresse never catches Koivu and lil Kots passes because they are too fast.

This and Higgins was wasting is time with Ryder along with any centre.

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Comes down to us needing a second consistantly productive line. Saku needs a pair of wingers, once again. Let's try Higgins again. Arg. Maybe, just maybe it is not every winger we have had in the last 7 years that is the problem here. I'm not saying... I am just saying. If you know what I mean.

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Yup, You guys are right. I got excited about Higgins and didn't realize the third would get the shaft. Well hopefully the boys on the third can push a little and surprise us but we are in Atlanta and they get the last line change. Which sucks if those guys are left to keep up with Recchi and Hossa . I suppose we'll see in a few hours.

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SO if I understand correctly the lines tonight will something like this...

Kovy - Plex - A. Kosty

Higgins - Koivu - S. Kosty

Latendresse - Smokes - Ryder

Dandy - Lapierre - Kostopoulos

Carbo knows that Lapierre and Latendrese like to play on the same line...why split them up. did they not score the GWG against washington? Give the kids a chance...stop changing lines all the time!

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In my mind, Kostopolous-Lapierre-Dandenault is actually the 3rd line. Smoke and Ryder are useless in comparison to those 3.

If Begin is ready, the time is now to bench Ryder again... or deal him and end it already. This would be my fully healthy lineup:

A Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Kovalev

Higgins - Koivu - S. Kostitsyn

Latendresse - Lapierre - Dandenault

Begin - Smolinski - Kostopolous

Markov - Komisarek

Hamrlik - Streit

Bouillon - Gorges/O'Byrne

Huet

When O'Byrne gets healthy, he should be assigned to Hamilton to get some action in, then called back up and platoon with Gorges as the 6th d-man.

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smolinski should play with latendresse and ryder on the snail line...at least to start the game.

as for Higgins, he got what he wanted, now he better put up numbers on the board or else shut up and play with whomever the coach feels you should be playing with.

long term, though, it should work better with saku and sergei. at least higgins has the speed to follow them.

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A Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Kovalev

Higgins - Koivu - S. Kostitsyn

Latendresse - Lapierre - Dandenault

Begin - Smolinski - Kostopolous

Markov - Komisarek

Hamrlik - Streit

Bouillon - Gorges/O'Byrne

Huet

That would be perfect. Exactly how I think the lines should be!

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smolinski should play with latendresse and ryder on the snail line...at least to start the game.

as for Higgins, he got what he wanted, now he better put up numbers on the board or else shut up and play with whomever the coach feels you should be playing with.

long term, though, it should work better with saku and sergei. at least higgins has the speed to follow them.

I don't understand.... did he complain or make some sort of comments indicating unhappiness at his linemates??

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SO if I understand correctly the lines tonight will something like this...

Kovy - Plex - A. Kosty

Higgins - Koivu - S. Kosty

Latendresse - Smokes - Ryder

Dandy - Lapierre - Kostopoulos

Carbo knows that Lapierre and Latendrese like to play on the same line...why split them up. did they not score the GWG against washington? Give the kids a chance...stop changing lines all the time!

Chicago.

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I just remember that since 2000 when Rucinsky was Saku's linemate, we have had problems getting wingers to play consistantly with him. When has he ever had linemates that were a true first line? He has put up some respectable numbers a couple of times, at least as far as a second line centre is concerned, but that's all I see. A second line centre, with great heart, trying to be a first line centre and making all kinds of wingers look bad. Even Higgins doesn't give his all any more when teamed with him. Why? How many wingers must we try before we try a new centre? I am so glad Kovalev has found his linemates. At least we have a very good first line this year. Now can Saku please decide on his wingers aand make it work with them on the second line. If not, kindly ask for a trade.

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I don't think Koivu gets to choose his wingers, Carbo doesn't seem like the kind of coach who lets a player (regardless of whether its the team captain or not) choose his linemates. Just look at the amount of line juggling he does.

Besides, the Higgins Koivu Ryder was the most consistent last season - and I recall him doing pretty well with Zednik for a while.

As for Rucinsky, less said the better, always reminds me of the Roy trade.

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Smon, Higgins Koivu and Ryder the most consistent line? What are you talking about? They were arguably the worst top line in the league. Minus 80 combined or something like that.

Minus 80 is not good.

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I don't think Koivu gets to choose his wingers, Carbo doesn't seem like the kind of coach who lets a player (regardless of whether its the team captain or not) choose his linemates. Just look at the amount of line juggling he does.

Besides, the Higgins Koivu Ryder was the most consistent last season - and I recall him doing pretty well with Zednik for a while.

As for Rucinsky, less said the better, always reminds me of the Roy trade.

No, I am sure the coach selects his line mates. I was meaning for himself, psycologically. He has to know by now which of the current line-up is best suited to his playmaking. When ever he is paired with them he should show it. I don't know, I just don't get him. He was always, until the disaster missing the playoffs last year by dropping the final game to the Leafs, 100% defendable in my eyes. Now I really notice his two sides.

When he brings it, he can dominate. He doesn't most nights lately. We need a better "2nd" line then any we have seen lately.

I think the "Matrix Line" (love that!) worked but I hated it every time they were countered buy Hossa. Scary stuff! Ryder pots another, back to Koivu's line soon? Love baby bro too, but he doesn't finish much. I say Mikey has a couple of 6 goals in 3 game stretches and finishes with 20. Then we will have guys on here defending him as a keeper, 20-30 goal guy. He is what he is but missed two 6 in 3 stretches early thus shy of 30. Always been streaky. Give him top time and he will get a hat trick now and then. Just rather have a consistant goal scorer than a streaky one. We just don't have anyone who can consistantly finish for Saku, and I don't get why.

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Sergei Kostitsyn is a rookie, and while many aspects of his game are NHL caliber, they aren't NHL dominant or NHL savvy, even. He won't put up big points because he hasn't developed to the point of learning how to put up points in the NHL (finding the right spots, the timing, etc.). His bro just figured it out. The fact is, Sergei wouldn't be in the NHL if Ryder hadn't dropped the ball.

Saku is getting older. He's not playing indifferent hockey, but he is breaking down. He might feel let down that he can't compete like he used to, but don't think he's giving up on the team. Giving up isn't in his nature. Never has been, never will be.

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Smon, Higgins Koivu and Ryder the most consistent line? What are you talking about? They were arguably the worst top line in the league. Minus 80 combined or something like that.

Minus 80 is not good.

Well, defensively they were not good that's obvious, but they produced fairly well which is the reason Carbonneau kept them together last season.

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Sergei Kostitsyn is a rookie, and while many aspects of his game are NHL caliber, they aren't NHL dominant or NHL savvy, even. He won't put up big points because he hasn't developed to the point of learning how to put up points in the NHL (finding the right spots, the timing, etc.). His bro just figured it out. The fact is, Sergei wouldn't be in the NHL if Ryder hadn't dropped the ball.

Saku is getting older. He's not playing indifferent hockey, but he is breaking down. He might feel let down that he can't compete like he used to, but don't think he's giving up on the team. Giving up isn't in his nature. Never has been, never will be.

Really I think Sergei is NHL savvy he makes very few mistakes and creates a lot of space in the offensive zone. His passing is excellent which says a lot about his vision as well.

Maybe he would not be here if Ryder had not played they way he had but oh well I don't think Sergei can be sent down he is physical and not a liability and his potential is super high.

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