I'm bored, just felt like starting a thread about what lines we could have once Lats comes back. But make it serious. Dont put guys out of place just for the heck of it, know what I mean?

I'd go with:

Tanguay - Plekanec - Kovalev
Higgins - Koivu - Kostitsyn
Latendresse - Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Pacioretty - Metropolit - Dagostini


Or to have some toughness on each line...

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Kovalev
Latendresse - Koivu - Tanguay
Higgins - Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Stewart - Metropolit - Kostitsyn

Of the "all your eggs in the same basket" stuff...

Tanguay - Koivu - Kovalev
Higgins - Plekanec - Kostitsyn
Latendresse - Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Pacioretty - Metropolit - Dagostini

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Kovalev
Tanguay - Koivu - Kostitsyn
Latendresse - Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Higgins - Metropolit - Dandenault

PPK was proven to work, TKK has never been tried from what I remember, LLK was proven to work, and HMD is a dark horse line of "constant effort, no finish" that may or may not put up points.

Getting Kostitsyn on the freaking RW is the main point. Separating our two best puckhandlers in Kovalev and Kostsitsyn gives you better line options, in my opinion.

I'd vote for this one but would put whoever can hold a stick instead of d'Agostini-14



oh, oh that's good, that's good.

I cancel my vote to Kozed.
Demote frikkin Higgins to the 4th until he learns to shoot (7.55% success )

I 100% endorse this lineup, and I've always thought that Kosty plays better sans-Kovy.

You know what's really sad? You look at pretty much any lineup created here with the potential skill-set available, and you just have to say that this should be a very complete group of forwards. If everyone played anywhere close to potential, we should be competitive every night, and downright scary on a great many nights.

Incidentally, I think Trizzard's lines are nicely balanced. Having said that, Koz's first combo is also a strong one.

What I'd personally like to see is a coach who can choose lines AND STICK WITH THEM FOR MORE THAN ONE SHIFT.

This is very close to what I want to see. It allows Carbo to roll 4 lines and *theoretically* not have to worry about defenisve zone coverage.

I dont really get that. Kosty-Plex-Kovy have been together most of the season. Higgins-Koivu are always together. Laps & Kosto have been together since December. Can't fault the coach if injuries screw things up or players take the season off (Sergei Kostitsyn).

and the winner is :

TRIZZAK

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/270690.html

Since lats is not here yet, Higgins replaces him on the 3rd
and since O'Byrne sucks, Dandy plays D
so the 4th is made up of Stewart - Metro - D'Ago

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/270690.html

I can't think of a better line that what Carbo had on that two man advantage yesterday.... I mean Metropolit-Koivu-Kovolev.... can any line possibly have more promise then that line??

Seriously, was talking to my bro yesterday and I was bitching at Carbo for 1. not giving a bigger role to Pax (check!) and not splitting Kost from Kov (check!)

so, kuddos to Carbo for listening to me.

Are you Carbo?

According to RDS this is what Carbo has going on today and I must say I like it.

Tanguay-Koivu-A.Kostitsyn
Pacioretty-Plekanec-Kovalev
Higgins-Lapierre-Kostopoulos
Stewart-Metro-D'Agostini

PER RDS

Wow, posted an hour before me.

Maybe I refresh the thread next time before making my post?

Carbo must be reading our board. I've been clamoring that Kosty always looks better on the RW and away from Kovy. Hopefully it'll work out with Saku. It should because Kosty loves to carry the puck and Saku can't do it anymore,

Same here, and Hinsideout has quoted a Hfboards poster who has been "clamoring" that for a while over there too. He was quoted because he came out with actual stats...


the stats are approx as follows :

Kost without kovalev : 20 pts in 19 games
Kost with Kovalev : 13 pts in 30 games.

(it's really approximate... but just to tell you, the ratio is 1ppg away from Kov. and 0.3 ppg when lined with Kov.)

Those stats dont really surprises me. Kosty is like Kovy and a whole bunch of other protoypical Russian wingers: (Kovalchuk, Semin, Ovie, ec.) as in they are brought up to play on their off-wing (ie. right shot on the LW, left shot on the RW) because they'll use their speed to cut in front of the net and have a better shot.

N-American style is the opposite. Because in the defensive/neutral zone your stick side has to board-side so you dont have to turn around to clear the puck.

That's one of the reasons why Latendresse, who came in the NHL as a RW, was moved to the LW. And Kosty too. But both are way more comfortable offensively on the RW because its more natural for them, they can give themselves way more options to shoot or pass.

Here is what i would do:

Pacioretty/Plekanec/Kovalev
Tanguay/Koivu/A.Kostitsyn
Latendresse/Lapierre/Kostopolous
Higgins/Chipchura/S.Kostitsyn

Dandy, Stewart and Metro spares, with Diago sent down to Hamilton

I realize Chips and SK are in Hamilton right now, but SK brings much more to the table than any of the above. Could try Higgins at centre with Stewart on the wing for more grit.

With all the criticism about SK, i would have to say that he's produced as much as Higgins and he's just in his 2nd full year. Also SK brings the Habs some much needed grit and is usually pretty reliable on the backcheck.

Liked the way Pax played with Pleks and Kovy earlier.

Another thought is this:

Pax/Pleks/Kovy
Tangs/Koivu/Lats
AKosty/Laps/S.Kosty
Higgins/Chips/Kostopolo

Lats seemed to play good with them when Higgins was out.

You know what's funny, I've heard Carbo using words in interviews that I've read throughout the day on boards. Can't remember any off the top of my head but it happens often, stuff he doesn't usually say too.

I saw the Atlanta game a row back from the home team corner. I have to say Saku looked good in real life. He is a little bull. Compared to even Komi and O.B, Saku's legs and calves are huge!!!!! I couldn't believe it. Amazing in the face off circle, my eyes couldn't even see what he was doing to win all the time. So much finesse once the puck bounces up.

Anyways, I hear you Kozed on how you think he looks worn, but the whole team is dry and lifeless. I think he's got juice left in the tank and he'll come out of it once we get rolling. If we get rolling.


He doesn't have a very heavy shot that's for sure, but he looked really good up close.

Kovalchuk? Wow.......if we could get him somehow? He dances when he skates with the puck at top speed. It's actually kind of freaky. Kovalev has giant leaps on everyone too. But even in warm-ups all he did was hit posts.


I like these new lines. I just wish we had that bonafide C that everyone could follow production wise. Our boys just aren't naturals at putting the puck in the net.

Those lines look better, but I'd flip kosto and dago

Ouch i would not like to be called names like that in Montreal.

Hey Carbo ! just juggle the lines again, that will save the year.
The solution will come in the last stretch, you had 63 games to figure lines.

It's just getting funnier everyday.

The guys under 6-0 have no choice. To stay on their skates when they've got a 6-4, 220 pound lean on them they need to have tree trunks for legs. Ever seen Bouillon's legs? The guy isnt called Cube for nothing.

Anyway, my point wasnt that Koivu looks worn, just that he doesnt carry the puck anymore. Injuries chipped away at his speed but most of all at his agility. He cant spin on a dime like he used to and that was what his game was about. I believe that's the main reason why now he's less effective when pressured and more prone to caught up the puck. He needs space and time he can't create for himself. Having a guy like Kosty who can draw 1, 2 defenders on his with his speed should help.

Petrov's abs were impressive... almost body-builder quality... that sounds gay, but I mean, I couldn't help but notice it...

Theoren Fleury's legs were just inhuman. Each of his tighs was almost as big as his torso.

that's because he had the torso of a 5'6" guy

I hope that line works sooooooooo bad. Kosto and Tangs should rejuvenate our worn out little Captain. Since we are talking about body mass, Andrei is pretty friggin big too. He looks a lot bigger then Komi when they stand next to each other even though Komi has 4 inches and 40 pounds on him.

I bet Boullion is thick, but I always thought they called him the Cube because of the Knorr Beef Boullion Cubes. Well I'm sure it's a bit of both.

5'5" torso is still wide.

so, the lines stay the same for tomorrow?

I hope so!

Almost same lines... with the exceptions that

Dandy is in on the 4th line with Metro and Stewart

d'Ago is in on the 2nd line instead of Max Pax (here's your right shot on the PP)

and the pairings are all different.

Markov - Komi
Schneider - Gorgeous
Hamrlik - O'Byrne

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/270871.html

That's what i thought!

Two things I didn't really get about the lines tonight:

From the start, A. Kost was on the LW and Tangs was on the RW, while as per (habsworld posters in general) the opposite is more natural and works better.

At the end of the game, Schneider went back with Markov (althought that might be just because they wanted to generate more offense. )

Heres my toughness lines:

Latendresse - Koivu - Tanguay
Higgins - Plekanec - Kostitsyn
Pacioretty/D'Ags- Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Stewart - Metropolit - Kovalev



OK, the 2nd line isnt tough, but they were great together 2 years ago. Plus for the less tough lines all you need to do is always make sure the defensive pairing has at least 1 Dman thats willing to fight out when they are out.

So Obyrne, Gorges and Bullion shouldnt play together, and Markov, Hammer, + Komi shouldnt play together, unless Stewart, BGL, are out on the ice.

In the Edm game Souray x-checked Tangauy right in the mouth and nobody did anything. There always has to be somebody out there what will do something. I'm not talking the typical Kosto wrastling do something or the usual Komi shovefest either.

I know most will think putting Kovy on the 4th line is crazy, but it would work. Kovy is getting older and cant be playing huge minutes every night so I would reserve him for certain roles. I'd have him do PK over PP. Sounds insane putting such an offensive player on PK but he is one of the Habs best PK and he would be a constant SHG threat. Kovy loves to try to deke out the entire opposition so let him giver on the PK. That way it wont matter when he coughs up the puck and it would be uber sweet when he actually pulls it off. I'd still play him on the PP, but the 2nd PP line. Kovy doesnt block shots so he wont get injured blocking any. Most players dont try to shoot when he's around, and the end up passing the puck back and forth on the outside. Most players are afraid he'll block and intercept any shot and be off on a break away.