The not-so Top Line. Let this stat sink in a bit...

[murraycraven]

Over the course of the 6 game road trip the top line was -20 ... minus twenty!  

 

Maybe time for the Chief to split these bums apart?!

[Phlyer1]

Over the course of the 6 game road trip the top line was -20 ... minus twenty!  

 

Maybe time for the Chief to split these bums apart?!

Literally!!!!!

[mojo1917]

wow that's some hard core , epic suckitude.

There isn't much chemistry twixt those guys, I don't see where the team is hurt by tinkering with lines 1 and 2 at this point.

[flyercanuck]

Hartnell has become totally useless. That year and a half left on Brieres caphit is starting to look pretty good right about now.

[flyerrod]

Hartnell has become totally useless. That year and a half left on Brieres caphit is starting to look pretty good right about now.

I don't think I would go that far.....Briere's play severely tapered off before his buy out. Granted I am sure that part of it was injury related but Hartnell is still producing more than Briere was when he was here(his last year).

Edited December 12, 2013 by flyerrod

[Samifan]

Every top line in hockey needs a cool nickname, looks like we have one for Giroux's line: Sub-Zero!

[brelic]

wow that's some hard core , epic suckitude.

There isn't much chemistry twixt those guys, I don't see where the team is hurt by tinkering with lines 1 and 2 at this point.

Start with Schenn on the top line with G and Voracek. And have Schenn play a power forward role, getting to the front of the net. ON the top line, no one goes to the front of the net. A bunch of perimeter players.

Voracek's passing is atrocious this year. Just throws it into traffic hoping for the best. And Hartnell is rather unskilled if he's more than 5 feet away from the front of the net.

So, maybe Schenn provides G with a better passing option.

Other than that, I've got nothing. Then you end up with a second (fourth?) line of Hartnell, Simmonds, and Raffl... none of which are centermen. The thought of that line makes me ill, actually.

[murraycraven]

Funny you say that FC...  I said the same thing to my son watching the game last night!

 

Would anyone consider moving Schenn to the top line center and then dropping Hartnell to the 3rd?   Giroux - Schenn - Jake?

[murraycraven]

That is great Sami!!

[Samifan]

Thanks MC.

[murraycraven]

Sorry Brelic... just saw your post!

[flyercanuck]

@flyerrod

 

I'm not saying Briere was better...I'm saying there's only a year and a half of his contract left.

[flyerrod]

@flyerrod

 

I'm not saying Briere was better...I'm saying there's only a year and a half of his contract left.

Gotcha....and agree with that whole heartedly.

[fanaticV3.0]

Funny you say that FC...  I said the same thing to my son watching the game last night!

 

Would anyone consider moving Schenn to the top line center and then dropping Hartnell to the 3rd?   Giroux - Schenn - Jake?

 

The third line is the only one that's been playing well lately. I wouldn't want Hartnell to rub off on them.

[murraycraven]

@fanaticV3.0.... completely agree.  I would move Cooters line up to # 2

[fanaticV3.0]

@fanaticV3.0.... completely agree.  I would move Cooters line up to # 2

 

They have been playing well enough to warrant the promotion. It can't hurt anything.

 

The only problem I can see is that if you still want to shake up the first and end up putting Schenn with G, who is going to center the 3rd?

[brelic]

They have been playing well enough to warrant the promotion. It can't hurt anything.

They pretty much are already based on their TOI.

[fanaticV3.0]

They pretty much are already based on their TOI.

 

All three of them? I knew Couturier was, but didn't realize the other two were.

[doom88]

All three of them? I knew Couturier was, but didn't realize the other two were.

He and Read both get PK time.

---

Why not flat out make the Couturier line the first line? The have Schenn center Giroux and Voracek, and Hall center Simmonds and Hartnell. That leaves an energy line of Rinaldo, Raffl, and a call up. No more Rosehill.

Or better, why not.

[fanaticV3.0]

He and Read both get PK time.

---

Why not flat out make the Couturier line the first line? The have Schenn center Giroux and Voracek, and Hall center Simmonds and Hartnell. That leaves an energy line of Rinaldo, Raffl, and a call up. No more Rosehill.

Or better, why not.

 

Because every time we give a young player the ok to be the man he seems to **** his pants. I'd rather avoid f-cking with his (or Giroux's) head by doing anything that bold/blatant.

[doom88]

Because every time we give a young player the ok to be the man he seems to **** his pants. I'd rather avoid f-cking with his (or Giroux's) head by doing anything that bold/blatant.

Well, Giroux can put on his big boy pants and suck it up. He's getting paid.

Just don't call Couturier the best player in the world or make him captain...

[radoran]

Downie-Couturier-Read is effectively 2A or 2B already - probably 2A with VLC out.

 

It can be very effective to have a 2A/2B situation, but only if you have a legit 1st line - which has obviously been lacking.

[ruxpin]

Not sure what I would do with the 5v5 lines, but the third line would be there as a unit as PP1.

 

I know that stretches Read and Couturier a bit given that they are both on the PK and Hartnell and Timonen insist on taking penalties, but hell, they're young.  I'd do it anyway.

 

As for 5v5,

 

I'm just looking at overall number of shifts in December, and it does not break it down between 5v5, PK, and PP....it's just total (ESPN stats).

It may be that Read and Coots are already playing first line time but being called the third line.  Both have as many or more shifts as Giroux  (Read 131, Coots and Giroux both 127).    All are more than Hartnell and Voracek (113, and 114) and Downie is right there with 107.    Seems to me that there's not a lot of difference between first and third line already.   

 

The ATOI comes out a little different.

 

It's Giroux 21:05

Read 20:15

Coots 19:28

Harts 17:36

Voracek 17:24

Downie   15:48

 

I guess Giroux because he's playing both PK and first line PP.     Read and Coots more than Harts and Voracek because of PK, but the latter play first unit PP.

I wish I could find something that showed 5v5 time only.   If someone has that it could be interesting.

 

But okay, call the Coots line the 3rd line, the 2A or the first, they're still a group.   You're still left with two lines that utterly suck.  You can mix and match those six and hope for chemistry, but we've seen other variations/mixtures of those six with not much to write home about.   Even Simmonds really needs to show up.

 

If the cap allows it, I start benching people and plug in with AHLers.   Whether that's Jesus...er...McGinn and Holmstrom or Straka I don't care.  Just to start sending a message.  At 16 goals against in three games, what is there to lose?   Start waking some people up.  If they're going to sleep out there, it doesn't really matter where you put them.   So if they want to sleep, give'em a comfy chair in the press box.

[fanaticV3.0]

Well, Giroux can put on his big boy pants and suck it up. He's getting paid.

Just don't call Couturier the best player in the world or make him captain...

 

Given his play this year, I'm not so sure he can.

 

Then there's the reality of it actually happening. He is getting paid, which is why it ain't gonna happen. In today's day and age, the most that is gong to happen to him is decreased ice time and even then it wouldn't be for a whole game. It would be something along the lines of him getting skipped over for a shift or two in the third. That's about it.

[fanaticV3.0]

Not sure what I would do with the 5v5 lines, but the third line would be there as a unit as PP1.

 

I know that stretches Read and Couturier a bit given that they are both on the PK and Hartnell and Timonen insist on taking penalties, but hell, they're young.  I'd do it anyway.

 

As for 5v5,

 

I'm just looking at overall number of shifts in December, and it does not break it down between 5v5, PK, and PP....it's just total (ESPN stats).

It may be that Read and Coots are already playing first line time but being called the third line.  Both have as many or more shifts as Giroux  (Read 131, Coots and Giroux both 127).    All are more than Hartnell and Voracek (113, and 114) and Downie is right there with 107.    Seems to me that there's not a lot of difference between first and third line already.   

 

The ATOI comes out a little different.

 

It's Giroux 21:05

Read 20:15

Coots 19:28

Harts 17:36

Voracek 17:24

Downie   15:48

 

I guess Giroux because he's playing both PK and first line PP.     Read and Coots more than Harts and Voracek because of PK, but the latter play first unit PP.

I wish I could find something that showed 5v5 time only.   If someone has that it could be interesting.

 

But okay, call the Coots line the 3rd line, the 2A or the first, they're still a group.   You're still left with two lines that utterly suck.  You can mix and match those six and hope for chemistry, but we've seen other variations/mixtures of those six with not much to write home about.   Even Simmonds really needs to show up.

 

If the cap allows it, I start benching people and plug in with AHLers.   Whether that's Jesus...er...McGinn and Holmstrom or Straka I don't care.  Just to start sending a message.  At 16 goals against in three games, what is there to lose?   Start waking some people up.  If they're going to sleep out there, it doesn't really matter where you put them.   So if they want to sleep, give'em a comfy chair in the press box.

 

I think making the Couturier, Read, and Downie like the #1 PP line is a nice way to send a message to Giroux, Voracek, and other guys who need a kick in the ass.

 

McGinn? Lol, that's a good one rux. Play McGinn, you silly SOB.

 

I don't think they have a deep enough farm system, that's part of the problem. What are they going to do, scratch Giroux and Voracek and plug in Akeson and McGinn (who we already know hates puppies, kittens, and children). Who is that gonna help?