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Perezhogin better stay on the first line


Funk Doc

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this guy needs to be on the first two lines at least cause his talents are being wasted on the fourth line with the pylon dagenais.

Keep him with Koivu and Zednik throughout this week and see how he performs because he was one of the best players saturday night against the leafs

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Its either him or pleks that is the fastest on the team..I love both and it got me thinking..What about a rookie second line..they would be great and fun to watch..higgins and pleks are both steady enough defensively to make up for any shortcomings in the experience dept. that would place ryder on the first line with koivu and we would finally get to see whether he was just the best goal scorrer on the second line or if he has true 1st line shot caliber.

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I liked the lines starting the Leafs game:

Perezhogin-Koivu-Zednik

Higgins-Plekanec-Ryder

Dags-Ribeiro-Bulis

Sundstrom-Bonk-Begin

I think Ribeiro and Bulis go great together, Perezhogin belongs on the first line (especially when Kovy is out) and Higgins and Pleks need constant ice time.

I hope they continue going with lines like that for a while.

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I also liked the lineup for the Leafs. Perezhogin shoudn't move off that first line for the rest of the year, unless he gets malaria or something. When Kovalev comes back, I say Zednik loses his job, not Perez. The guy is a 40 goal scorer waiting to happen.

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Originally posted by option+

I also liked the lineup for the Leafs.  Perezhogin shoudn't move off that first line for the rest of the year, unless he gets malaria or something.  When Kovalev comes back, I say Zednik loses his job, not Perez.  The guy is a 40 goal scorer waiting to happen.

Agreed. Perezhogin is even more valuable in the first line with Kovy in the lineup. I was upset when Zed knocked him off that line upon his return. Was even more upset to see him being droped to a few minutes a game shortly thereafter.

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I think you're overrating the guy. I'm fine with him getting experience on the top line while Kovalev is out, and he definitely had energy and looked dangerous at times Saturday. There were also times when he made bad plays. There was one shift where he lifted the puck high in the air while in the Toronto zone, not once but twice. They recovered it the first time, but it was an easy break out for Toronto the second. I'm sure Koivu and Zed were wondering, 'is that supposed to be a pass?' Anyway, I'm not trying to dump on the guy, because he's definitely the future, but to call him a 40-goal scorer and saying Zednik should be demoted in his favour is over the top, IMO.

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Just think the guy has the most offensive upside of the Habs youngsters and he needs first line play to develop and harness that. Sure vets are safer. Developing a rook with very high offensive upside, may be priceless.

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I agree that he needs minutes. A lot of players (most of them, I'm sure) have developed quite well on lines other than the first. It depends on who he's out there with, and if they connect.

It's a big gamble to put him on the first line, regardless of the outcome, for his 'development'. The needs of the team have to come first. Last time I checked, we still haven't mathematically made the playoffs!

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I said never that Perezhogin was going to score 40 this year, but he definitely will either next year or the year after (assuming he gets the playing time). Don't forget that he was averaging a point per game before Zednik came back and he was effectively benched.

He's faster than Zednik, has looked a better finisher, is better in open ice. He's given 110% every single game he's played. Can't say the same about Zed. And for all the talk about Perezhogin's bad D play, but Zednik isn't going to win the Selke any time soon, either.

If it's a choice between Zednik and Perezhogin, I'd pick Perezhogin every single time.

[Edited on 2005/11/28 by option+]

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Originally posted by option+

I said never that Perezhogin was going to score 40 this year, but he definitely will either next year or the year after (assuming he gets the playing time).  Don't forget that he was averaging a point per game before Zednik came back and he was effectively benched.

He's faster than Zednik, has looked a better finisher, is better in open ice.  He's given 110% every single game he's played.  Can't say the same about Zed.  And for all the talk about Perezhogin's bad D play, but Zednik isn't going to win the Selke any time soon, either.

If it's a choice between Zednik and Perezhogin, I'd pick Perezhogin every single time.

[Edited on 2005/11/28 by option+]

My thoughts exactly, especially considering the chemestry/relationship he seemed to have going with Kovalev.

I agree that a player doesn't have to develop in the first line. In this case, considering that Zed is the alternative and Perezhogin was doing quite well on that line, I think the first line is the best place.

Nothing against Zednik, I just don't think he can bring to the Koivu-Kovalev line what Perezhogin can bring in terms of complamenting that line's play, with a little time.

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I don't know about everybody else, but I've lost a lot of passion for Zednik. I feel that he is sort of like Rucinsky with better skill and more effort. He likes to shoot and I feel like the only he passes to is Koivu. This is why I'd rather see Perezhogin on the first line even after Kovy comes back.

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I agree with Crazy. Zednik I used to love when he was on the ice but he is not driving to the net as much as he has in the past. Maybe he is still not fully recovered from his injury but Zhogin is a much better fit. Also for our future it is good to play Zhogin with Kovy so he can learn from him.

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