Nine1One Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Lines at practise: Bourque-Pleks-Blunden Patches-DD-Cole Moen-Eller-AK Darche-Gomez-Noke As per Johnn Lu I really dont understand this whole Blunden on the top line thing... he's last years moen duh. except this years moen is actually scoring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Lines at practise: Bourque-Pleks-Blunden Patches-DD-Cole Moen-Eller-AK Darche-Gomez-Noke As per Johnn Lu I really dont understand this whole Blunden on the top line thing... Martin got tons of heat for his lines but IMO RC's lines haven't been any better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwdemonwolf Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'd prefer: Bourque-Plekanec-Kostitsyn Patches-DD-Cole Moen-Eller-Gomez Darche-Nokelainen-Blunden We keep the Two And A Half-men line which is working well, Plekanec gets two big wingers with speed and talent and finish, Gomez gets to play with better players and the fourth line is a proper fourth line. EDIT: Or what Miasun said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 And guys like Palushaj and Engqvist rot in Hamilton because we have to play Darche and Blunden... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nine1One Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 And guys like Palushaj and Engqvist rot in Hamilton because we have to play Darche and Blunden... I like blunden up here, just not on a top line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like blunden up here, just not on a top line. What's the point of playing someone like him in a season like this? We're not going anywhere, so we may as well bring up a couple of kids and finding out whether they can contribute. I know everyone is riding the incredible high of a one-game winning streak, but we've got to be realistic. Over half the season is in the books and we look far closer to being a lottery team than a contender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaas Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Lines at practise: Bourque-Pleks-Blunden Patches-DD-Cole Moen-Eller-AK Darche-Gomez-Noke As per Johnn Lu I really dont understand this whole Blunden on the top line thing... Cunneyworth seems absolutely allergic to breaking up either the Eller or DD line. DD, fine - its been clicking well for a while, but aside from the "once in a lifetime night" (eller's own words) I dont think there's anything magical about that line. Yes, AK & Eller have been working well together & Moen has been having a career year, but its still always more logical to give your top centre (plekanec) support when his wingers get traded, vs. leaving your second and third line intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nine1One Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Cole DD Patches Bourque Pleks AK (I think we had a line with those numbers before) Moen Eller Palushaj (he should get another shot up here I think) Blunden Gomez Moen and this line should do fine as a 4th line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaas Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 I know everyone is riding the incredible high of a one-game winning streak.. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Cunneyworth seems absolutely allergic to breaking up either the Eller or DD line. DD, fine - its been clicking well for a while, but aside from the "once in a lifetime night" (eller's own words) I dont think there's anything magical about that line. Yes, AK & Eller have been working well together & Moen has been having a career year, but its still always more logical to give your top centre (plekanec) support when his wingers get traded, vs. leaving your second and third line intact. It's Koivu-Higgins all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeanCountingHab Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 At this point I would welcome Moen with open arms to the Pleks line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 At this point I would welcome Moen with open arms to the Pleks line. It's sad that we'd be so happy to replace one grinder on a scoring line with another, better grinder on a scoring line. Kostitsyn or Eller would be better fits (and Eller makes sense, given our current surplus of centers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeanCountingHab Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 It's sad that we'd be so happy to replace one grinder on a scoring line with another, better grinder on a scoring line. Kostitsyn or Eller would be better fits (and Eller makes sense, given our current surplus of centers). They sure would. Then you could let Gomez center the 3rd line and get a little more out of his skill set. (Yes, yes, I know Gomez and AK hasn't worked out and therefore should never be attempted again. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 They sure would. Then you could let Gomez center the 3rd line and get a little more out of his skill set. Exactly, it's a positive trickle-down effect for all the forward lines. But no, let's not hold back Mike Blunden, Scoring Superstar from his destiny. (Yes, yes, I know Gomez and AK hasn't worked out and therefore should never be attempted again. ) And if the third member of the line is a north-south guy like Moen, the line might have impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIASUN Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Well in fairness to Blunden he does have more goals than Tomas Kaberle and Scott Gomez combined over the last 100 games combined........ Silver lining...anyone....no?!?!?! I tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Where I'd go from here, given how well Gomez has played: Pacioretty-Plekanec-Kostitsyn Gomez-Eller-Cole Bourque-Desharnais-Palushaj/Weber Moen-Nokelainen-Blunden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nine1One Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Where I'd go from here, given how well Gomez has played: Pacioretty-Plekanec-Kostitsyn Gomez-Eller-Cole Bourque-Desharnais-Palushaj/Weber Moen-Nokelainen-Blunden I like that third line. Palushaj and Bourque should do fine on a third line with DD feeding them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grecohab Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Bourque Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole Moen-Eller-Blunden Darche-Nokaleinen-Gomez Roll all 4 lines for once, please... Emelin-Subban Kaberle-Gorges Weber-Diaz I think these d-pairings, is something i haven't seen this year. Limited time for the 3rd pairing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIASUN Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Gomez Plekanec Bourque Pacioretty Desharnais Cole Moen Eller Kostitsyn Darche Noke Blunden Gorges Subban Emelin Kaberle Gill Diaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grecohab Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Gomez Plekanec Bourque Pacioretty Desharnais Cole Moen Eller Kostitsyn Darche Noke Blunden Gorges Subban Emelin Kaberle Gill Diaz Gomez playing first line minutes is a reward for his contribution point wise? And don't bother replying that you have to play your 7M player top line minutes. Send the underachievers home...Enough is enough... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123 Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Gomez playing first line minutes is a reward for his contribution point wise? And don't bother replying that you have to play your 7M player top line minutes. Send the underachievers home...Enough is enough... So you think Blunden is better there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingminotaur Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Gomez playing first line minutes is a reward for his contribution point wise? And don't bother replying that you have to play your 7M player top line minutes. Send the underachievers home...Enough is enough... Silly argument. If you keep playing Gomez with grinders and restricting his minutes, you're reducing his chances of producing, and anyway, since returning from injury he's been working hard and chipping in with points. Fans kill me sometimes, you expect perfection out of the box and anything less is grounds for repeated punishment. I don't like Scott's contract, and I hated the trade that brought him to Montreal, but he's been injured for most of the year and on just about every team it's a given that your best players don't lose their positions simply because of injury. Since his return, he is playing some of the best hockey I've ever seen him play as a Hab. He's doing all the little things right, he's going to the high-traffic areas, skating on the forecheck like a maniac, competing for the puck. That's only five games since he's been back and regaining your form after a lengthy injury layoff takes time. But fans seem to want to punish him for his contract and for the whole miserable trainwreck of a season which IMO has very little to do with Scott's performance -- he's been injured most of the way but NOT the problem when he's been in the lineup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Silly argument. If you keep playing Gomez with grinders and restricting his minutes, you're reducing his chances of producing, and anyway, since returning from injury he's been working hard and chipping in with points. Fans kill me sometimes, you expect perfection out of the box and anything less is grounds for repeated punishment. I don't like Scott's contract, and I hated the trade that brought him to Montreal, but he's been injured for most of the year and on just about every team it's a given that your best players don't lose their positions simply because of injury. Since his return, he is playing some of the best hockey I've ever seen him play as a Hab. He's doing all the little things right, he's going to the high-traffic areas, skating on the forecheck like a maniac, competing for the puck. That's only five games since he's been back and regaining your form after a lengthy injury layoff takes time. But fans seem to want to punish him for his contract and for the whole miserable trainwreck of a season which IMO has very little to do with Scott's performance -- he's been injured most of the way but NOT the problem when he's been in the lineup. I agree with everything you said, and like I've pointed out before, I think any people want or expect him to try and make up for both his contract and last season's performance in one game. It's as if anything less than a 5-game goal-scoring streak coming back from injury is unacceptable. Like you, I feel Scotty's been one of our 203 best forwards since his return and while I don't necessarily think he needs to play 22-24 minutes on the top line, it is imperative that we give him quality linemates (be it using him as a center or as a winger) to 1) make use of his level of play and 2) boost his trade value. It just makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIASUN Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Although weep and Ted justified my lines and went beyond it, I think from a hockey standpoint those are actually the best possible lines we have. Gomez - Pleks - Bourque Scott is actually pretty good in the corner and at making passes out of it, bourque drives the slot and this might allow Plekanec to try finishing more plays instead of always being forced to set the table. Two and a half men line Next question. Moen Eller Kostitsyn Proven success/chemistry together and probably our most reponsible hardworking line across the board. Yes, that includes Ak. Darche Noke Blunden Crash, bang and annoy. A 4th line filled with 4th liners although novel to our coaches may just work. Gorges Subban Emelin Kaberle Gill Diaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwdemonwolf Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'd like to see us stick to these lines when White comes back: Gomez-Plekanec-Bourque Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole Moen-Eller-Kostitsyn Darche-White-Blunden For the defense, I'd actually try putting Gill back with Subban for a stint. Hal has been solid recently and he and Subban have worked in the past. Does not give us a proper first D-pairing but we can split the work load more evenly among the D. Gorges-Emelin Gill-Subban Kaberle-Diaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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