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Line combinations?


SOOPAVILLIN

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Personally I would go with Pacioretty-DD-Palushaj on 1 line. This line tore it up in Hamilton and Pacioretty and Palushaj have chemistry going back to Michigan.

I like Cole and Pleks together so the question is who plays LW......I would like AK46 back in that spot.

Gio and Gomez together with Eller?

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  • 2 years later...

Interesting. So:

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gionta

Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher

Bournival - Briere - Bourque

Moen - White - Parros

?

PPG Line, EGG line, Killer B's. Nice.

Oh if ONLY the PPG line would produce at that rate, and ironic that the EGG line rarely lays one. Such misnamed lines!

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Elias-Gionta-Gomez was "EGG" line years ago. But, who cares, it still works.

I would guess, DD will not be missed tomorrow (How are whales and DD alike; both get confused when surrounded by ice).

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If the PPG line lived up to their name, they'd only produce a goal and two assists every three games, which would be pretty poor.

I haven't looked at the stats, but isn't that better than what they're doing right now? No, can't be. Please Gods of the Forum that can't be.

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I haven't looked at the stats, but isn't that better than what they're doing right now? No, can't be. Please Gods of the Forum that can't be.

Only Pacioretty would be on that pace, with 3 points in 9 games. Pleks has 13 points in 18 games and Gio has 9 points in 17 games.

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I like the idea of putting Briere at center. If you look at his stats, they never dropped dramatically until he was shifted to winger on Philly. Would be interesting to see if he could still produce as center after playing 2+ years on the wing.

I'm more than a fan of DD in the pressbox. How many chances does he need to get going? Especially when there's little positives you can take from his game this season.

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The juggling goes on, but EGG deserves to stay together, which seems to be pretty common consensus. I liked the Pleks, Gio, Bournival combo. I do not get why they are not still together, they were bright together. Some of Gio's best games were in that combo, Bournival seems to invigorate him and Pleks is always reliable defensively but Bournival's speed seems to open up space for him in the offensive zone as well. I can see Briere, Pax, Bourque working out well or at least as a decent third line and I kind of like the 4th combo of White, DD, Moen as DD can hopefully provide some speed or "energy" while not being in a role where offence is expected. Lower the expectation and let him over deliver (? hopefully), rebuild some confidence at least worth the shot for a game until Prust returns to demolish his former team.

Either way Prust and Emelin can not return soon enough, no need to rush them back this early in season, but if they are good to go and play their type of game....Yeehaw, a whole new team i.m.h.o.

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Guest Stogey24

I like the idea of putting Briere at center. If you look at his stats, they never dropped dramatically until he was shifted to winger on Philly. Would be interesting to see if he could still produce as center after playing 2+ years on the wing.

I'm more than a fan of DD in the pressbox. How many chances does he need to get going? Especially when there's little positives you can take from his game this season.

I think these next few games are going to be DD's final chances to prove him self. Hammy is the next step.
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Lines today:

Galchenyuk - Eller - Prust
Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher
Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta
Moen - Briere - Bournival

Markov - Subban
Gorges - Emelin
Bouillon - Diaz

I feel bad for Bournival, he plays well and gets demoted so that Prust, who isn't a good offensive player, stays in a scoring role. The balance is there but is that going to get it done? Emelin with Gorges is also worth noting, I guess the easing him back in strategy is done now.

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I really don't get MT. These lines are friggin stupid. In trying to spread around the offence, he is killing what offence there is.

He breaks up the only line that has consistently been good and saddles them with a 4th liner. It's bad enough that DD continues to be given mire rope, when he should have been hung by all the rope he's already been given. Yet Bournival who is one of the more consistent players is on the 4th line.

Lines today:

Galchenyuk - Eller - Prust

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Moen - Briere - Bournival

Markov - Subban

Gorges - Emelin

Bouillon - Diaz

I feel bad for Bournival, he plays well and gets demoted so that Prust, who isn't a good offensive player, stays in a scoring role. The balance is there but is that going to get it done? Emelin with Gorges is also worth noting, I guess the easing him back in strategy is done now.

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Lines today:

Galchenyuk - Eller - Prust

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Moen - Briere - Bournival

Markov - Subban

Gorges - Emelin

Bouillon - Diaz

I feel bad for Bournival, he plays well and gets demoted so that Prust, who isn't a good offensive player, stays in a scoring role. The balance is there but is that going to get it done? Emelin with Gorges is also worth noting, I guess the easing him back in strategy is done now.

I agree with you. Maybe MT is looking to change jobs, if he continues like this it's just a matter of time. Last year Prust did ok with the kids but the EGG line has been the only consistent line this year and if it was not for them this team would be really bad. DD scores one goal in a shoot out and suddenly is back in the good book...WTF. They need to score during the game not hope the goalies keep it at 0 and take it to a shoot out..

I also feel sorry for Price and Budaj they get no offensive support.

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I feel bad for Bournival as well, Bourque was lost on the RW. I'd like to see Briere get the types of chances that DD is getting. At least he's now back at center, but not exactly playing with the talent that DD is with. I will say that at least DD appears to work. It's not for lack of effort that he is struggling. His great year is directly attributable to Cole having a monster year. I think Cole was much more the reason for that line's success than Patches (who I'm starting to see as Zednik...sweep in wide of the net, shoot wide...drill puck off the corner boards and out of the zone it goes. If he starts only using one hand on the stick and one hand to keep his checker at arms length, then he's become a full-on Zednik.)

I also don't have a hate-on for Bouillon, but I really wish he was simply unavailable for some reason. His usage is just bizarre. PP (ugh), late minute situations, etc.

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The parallel with Zednik is thought-provoking...and unsettling. Patches MUST be an impact power forward if the rebuild is going to succeed.

I agree about Bournival as well. Frankly, I think he has a chance of being one escape route out of the slump; if we can get him into the top-9 and being productive, that would help to compensate for the fact that Briere, DD, Patches and Bourque are all stinking out the joint. Clearly, MT prefers a different approach, which is to try to get at least one or two of those other guys going.

That said, all the griping about line-juggling is a bit futile. All NHL coaches juggle their lines like crazy, especially when the team is struggling. We can yelp about specific decisions, but Therrien is just following the standard coaching template in constantly rejigging in the desperate hope that something clicks. As for Honey Boo-Boo, we're not losing games because of the usage of Bouillon; we're losing them because 4 of our supposedly top-9 forwards are utterly lost at sea. Until that changes, we won't win.

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While all coaches do line juggling and injuries are a big reason for these, it's still best to let players gain some chemistry. Therrien is really trying to spread the wealth. There is no fourth or first lines in that lineup. You'll also notice there's a player with size on each line.

I actually like Patches - DD - Gallagher because that was a pretty hot line last season. Would prefer Bourque with Galchenyuk/Eller though. Like I most I prefer lines that have a clear purpose just because it's easy. That said, DD and Briere should really be switched. Kind of funny how redundant Briere makes DD look.

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The parallel with Zednik is thought-provoking...and unsettling. Patches MUST be an impact power forward if the rebuild is going to succeed.

Patches has never been a power forward. He's big and could stand to be more physical, but that's never been his game. This little slump he's in has been overblown - I think he's been one of the forwards that's created the most since he came back into the lineup, he just hasn't been getting the bounces (along with the rest of the team).

You're right about Bournival - he's been one of the most reliable forwards so far this year. Responsible in his own end, makes the right play, contributes on offence. There could be some potential there with Briere.

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OK, forget "power forward." How about "big body who drives to the net."

I also thought his slump was overblown, but his last couple of games were discouraging. Instead of getting better he seems to be getting worse.

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OK, forget "power forward." How about "big body who drives to the net."

I also thought his slump was overblown, but his last couple of games were discouraging. Instead of getting better he seems to be getting worse.

Patches is one of the softest forwards on the team.

He has a lot of skill and excellent speed, his positioning is pretty good and he needs to work on his passing.

He does not drive the net on a regular basis and shy's away from many hits.

I love Patches and wish he played like Gallagher but it true that it's not his game.

I am happy to see him on the PK though because he is for sure dangerous on odd man rushes.

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Guest Stogey24

To steal a bit from Stogey:

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Galchenyuk - Eller - Bournival

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher

Prust - Briere - Moen

This team really needs to trade a few bodies for one.

Looks good. Little bit of a jam at centre. White has played so well, its hard to scratch him...
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