Max Pac

[BCHabnut]

I will catch a lot of flack for this, and I hope I am wrong, but I think Eller needs his own line. I would like to see him get the oportunity to play with offensive players, but at this point, it's about team wins. Eller just can't seem to finish. He is an great player, and he makes such smart plays. His poise and control in his own end, just shouts Shutdown guy. He is a little too talented to be called that, but in the early stages of his career, this is where he seems to shine. I'm not saying that is where he will be forever, but I would like to see his developement embrace the shutdown role as well as offensive opportunities. I know I am always preaching about shutdown guys, but when you play against Jordan Stall, you see the importance of this role. Stall is a beast.

[Colin]

I want to see Gomer, Gio and Cammi together for a little while. Back that up with Plexitude, MaxPax, and Captain Cole. Let's see what those lines can bring. Ultimate finesse followed by a more north-south attack. Keeps the opposition on its toes.

[Willey101]

Where does that leave DD.....is he your 3rd line center or 3rd line LWer?

[Colin]

Where does that leave DD.....is he your 3rd line center or 3rd line LWer?

To be honest, I don't really care where it leaves him. Completely overrated player, IMO. Good vision, terrible defensively, easy to knock off the puck, and a bit of a turnover machine. If he has to be in the lineup, insulate him with bigger, defensively responsible guys. Eller and Moen, I suppose. Unfortunately, DD is a coach favourite somehow, so him getting demoted probably isn't going to happen anytime soon.

[Willey101]

To be honest, I don't really care where it leaves him. Completely overrated player, IMO. Good vision, terrible defensively, easy to knock off the puck, and a bit of a turnover machine. If he has to be in the lineup, insulate him with bigger, defensively responsible guys. Eller and Moen, I suppose. Unfortunately, DD is a coach favourite somehow, so him getting demoted probably isn't going to happen anytime soon.

I agree but he also puts up huge points. I mean he is 4th on the team in points, 2nd in assists, and hovers around 50% in the faceoff circle. I would still love to see what Eller can do with elite players but none the less cannot argue Desharnais is productive. Still not sure what to make of the guy yet.

[Colin]

I agree but he also puts up huge points. I mean he is 4th on the team in points, 2nd in assists, and hovers around 50% in the faceoff circle. I would still love to see what Eller can do with elite players but none the less cannot argue Desharnais is productive. Still not sure what to make of the guy yet.

He reminds me of a young Ribeiro without the attitude, actually. He can dance, can pass, and puts up points, but unless you can insulate him, his line will be scored on more than they'll produce. So as much as production is great, I think his value is only found between big and defensively responsible guys. Even now, he's a -1 and is on a serious cold streak; he doesn't look good out there these days. So even though he's putting up points, I think as Gomer finds his game, we have a top-six that leaves him on the outs. (And any Ribeiro reference is only to early in that guy's career. Ribsy is also a bigger player.) The good news is that, even if he's relegated to a third line, he can still have a guy like Eller and even Kosty (when healthy) which means you can have three solid lines.

I suppose the counter-point to all that is that, if you mix and match your offensive assets across three lines, you can keep DD in the lineup and still have three lines that can produce. I don't think Eller has been given a legit shot at centre, however, and I'd prefer him to DD in the long run. That said, Eller has been fringe all year for some reason that few can figure out.

[Willey101]

I'm with you on Gomez. The guy has hustled his ass off the past 2 games. It is time to reward him to see if he can produce. Question is to we reward him by putting him with Gio on the 3rd line or we we re-shuffle all the lines again. I personally wan tto see some flow some wouldn't mess up that 2 and a half men line. But if DD doesn't produce then I am swapping him and Eller.

[Colin]

Flow would be awesome, but let's be honest here, there's been little of that all season because of injury and coaching decisions. I'm actually surprised DD has been left on a largely untouched line because every other line has been modified after a shift or two each game. I think it's time he was shuffled, actually. He either needs a kick in the pants to get his game back, or we all need to see a potential reality that he's really not a full-time NHL player, but is useful for stretches as an injury replacement. He puts good pressure on the better players, though, which is useful. As for Gomez, I think it's required that his ice time start increasing to see if he can match his play and production for the ice time of a #1/2 guy.

[Willey101]

I like Gomez. Love his sense of humour and apparently he is extremely well liked in that locker room......I thought he would have a big bounce back year and he looked great in the pre-season. Play him next game against Carolina as a reward for what he did. Perform well and keep him there, if he flounders them drop him back to the 3rd.

I really don't like Gio playing with Plekanec anyway.

[Commandant]

Again I leave DD where he is right now, because his line is still scoring. However if it gets cold, I move him out. Long term he's probably a LW though and Eller is probably a C.

For now, I'd go with

Cammy - Pleks - Eller

Patch - DD - Cole

Moen - Gomez - Gionta

[Willey101]

I like those lines.

Really can't wait to see Moen back on the 4th however where he belongs. I am fed up of seeing a mish-mash of players and almost a waste of ice time. Palushaj on the 4th line is counter productive. I mean if they are going to play only a few shifts with guys who can't score then just bring in a 4th line type you will throw the body around and try to crate momentum with physicality.

I think Palushaj has a future in the NHL as a 3rd liner but let's play with with some guys who can actually score to see what he has in him.

[Commandant]

I too would like to see Palushaj with some better players, but it seems obvious the coaching staff doesn't trust him enough to give him that kind of ice time at this point.

He's still young though, and I agree he could be a third line guy down the line.

As much as we don't really like Moen in the top 9 he's been productive though, so far. But i still think when AK is back, Moen is a 4th liner, and Palushaj can hopefully be a point per game guy in Hamilton.

[Willey101]

I too would like to see Palushaj with some better players, but it seems obvious the coaching staff doesn't trust him enough to give him that kind of ice time at this point.

He's still young though, and I agree he could be a third line guy down the line.

As much as we don't really like Moen in the top 9 he's been productive though, so far. But i still think when AK is back, Moen is a 4th liner, and Palushaj can hopefully be a point per game guy in Hamilton.

DOn't get me wrong right now I am fine with Moen in the top 9 because he knows his job, protects the puck well and is actually producing, what else can you ask for right. Just saying I want to see him on the 4th so hopefully JM doesn't go with 4th line LW Gomez in his place. I am really looking foward to seeing what Moen-Nokelainen-White can do as a line. Has alot of potential as an energy line capable of playing a defensive role.

[bbp]

DOn't get me wrong right now I am fine with Moen in the top 9 because he knows his job, protects the puck well and is actually producing, what else can you ask for right. Just saying I want to see him on the 4th so hopefully JM doesn't go with 4th line LW Gomez in his place. I am really looking forward to seeing what Moen-Nokelainen-White can do as a line. Has alot of potential as an energy line capable of playing a defensive role.

That right there is what I am looking forward to when we are healthy haha, that will be such a entertaining line!

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

Again I leave DD where he is right now, because his line is still scoring. However if it gets cold, I move him out. Long term he's probably a LW though and Eller is probably a C.

For now, I'd go with

Cammy - Pleks - Eller

Patch - DD - Cole

Moen - Gomez - Gionta

i still believe gomez plays best when going north south. he has played his best hockey when going up the middle but since last year all i've seen from him is his usual out wide play.. mark my words his first goal will come when he re-grows the balls to go right up the gut and to the net! who better then Cole to remind him of this

gionta gomez cole all north/south hockey players

thats my line

[BCHabnut]

i still believe gomez plays best when going north south. he has played his best hockey when going up the middle but since last year all i've seen from him is his usual out wide play.. mark my words his first goal will come when he re-grows the balls to go right up the gut and to the net! who better then Cole to remind him of this

gionta gomez cole all north/south hockey players

thats my line

Do you want Cole on the left side though? He is so good on the right side. Otherwise I would agree.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

Do you want Cole on the left side though? He is so good on the right side. Otherwise I would agree.

i put him on the right!! but looks like gomez has gone down again!

[JMMR]

Do you want Cole on the left side though? He is so good on the right side. Otherwise I would agree.

Then put Gionta on the left side then.

If you really wanted to try that line.

[Willey101]

We won last night so there is much to rejoice but there was so much with that game that I didn't like.

1)Palushaj has to be sent back down to Hamilton because he is just not getting an opportunity to play. Send him down and recall a guy like Willsie or Blunden or even Conboy for that 4th line. It's not like they are playing much anyway so let's just bring someone who can provide a different element.

2) Eller is seriously in the JM doghouse. I thought he had a very strong game last night but until Gomez was injured Eller was reduced to 4th line ice duty. Not used in OT as far as I saw and of course not one of the shooters in the SO. Let's play this kid with some offensive talent to see what he can do.

3) DD is struggling. He did well in the faceoff circle but he was invisible. I think it's time to drop him to the 3rd line and let him go against 3rd defense pairings instead of the oppositions best. Eller as the 2nd line center? Imagine the difficulty trying to contain a Pacioretty-Eller-Cole line.

4) I really hate the Cammalleri-Plekanec-Gionta line. 3 offensive talent but unable to cycle and contain players because of a general like of size. I have a feeling JM will stick with this trio but we definitely need some size on this line. Injury to Gomez and a lack of AK46 complicates things but something has to switch up.

5) Weber frustrates me beyond belief. He struggles passing, he struggles containing players in his own zone, he struggles with his vision in the offensive zone. He is a younger,right handed version of Bergeron. I think he has the abilities but given the fact that we are extremely small on D, he has to be moved.

Apart from that I am glad Emelin is progressing. he has more confidence now, is making much better passes, is reading his defensive responsibilities "better". I am glad to see he is slowly becoming where most of us were hoping he'd be.

Moen has been great. So responsible defensively, seems to be in the right position offensively, and is a big body out there to at least keep some players honest.

[Commandant]

Agreed on most of that.... but with Gomez hurt again, Palushaj has to stay up; and Gionta was taken off the Plekanec line in the first period last night, and replaced with Cole. I'd stick with that.

I'd go with

Cam - Pleks - Cole

Patch - Eller - Gio

Moen - DD - Palush

Darch - Noko - ????

next game personally.

Not sure if they call someone up, or use Weber/St. Denis at forward; or if Engqvist is healthy.

[Willey101]

Agreed on most of that.... but with Gomez hurt again, Palushaj has to stay up; and Gionta was taken off the Plekanec line in the first period last night, and replaced with Cole. I'd stick with that.

I'd go with

Cam - Pleks - Cole

Patch - Eller - Gio

Moen - DD - Palush

Darch - Noko - ????

next game personally.

Not sure if they call someone up, or use Weber/St. Denis at forward; or if Engqvist is healthy.

I like those lines.Palushaj and DD played alot together in the AHL. With the injury to Gomez for sure he has to stay as well because he does have more offensive talent then anyone in the hammer. Weber as the 4th winger is what makes sense to me right now although by doing so it means someone else is playing on the wrong side on D. Chance to try Emelin perhaps?