I know, i know it seems like a bad idea breaking up the one thing that works. But those 2 are the only 2 players on this team that can be classified as playmakers and they play together. Anisimov can be too but hes a rookie.
Higgins Drury Gaborik
Avery Prospal Callahan
Kotalik AA PAP
That would atleast give us some sort of playmaker on each line and balance things out a little bit atleast until Brandon gets back.
In hindsight signing Zherdev would have been a good idea. I was against it originally but this team outside of Vinny and Gabby have 0 playmaking ability on the forward lines.
I know, i know it seems like a bad idea breaking up the one thing that works. But those 2 are the only 2 players on this team that can be classified as playmakers and they play together. Anisimov can be too but hes a rookie.
Higgins Drury Gaborik
Avery Prospal Callahan
Kotalik AA PAP
That would atleast give us some sort of playmaker on each line and balance things out a little bit atleast until Brandon gets back.
In hindsight signing Zherdev would have been a good idea. I was against it originally but this team outside of Vinny and Gabby have 0 playmaking ability on the forward lines.
I think Artem Anisimov will show you wrong here in the future. He is Showing glimpses of this now already. At the moment he is a puppy. He will be something to watch in the future.
Agree with you on the sentiment on Zherev:
I know there is no looking back - but
We could have been something like this on F instead:
Prospal - Dubi - Gaborik
Zherdev (accepted arbitrators decision or lowballed him later as UFA) - AA - Avery
Higgins - Drury - Cally
Byers - Boyle - Lisin
Orr (resigned)
Voros in the minors/traded
Kotalik never signed
Brash never signed
Next year - Grachev would take Averys spot (he would slide down to 3rd and replace Higgins - who becomes UFA and walks). Sangs would take Rozis spot (Rozi is hopefully dealt in the offseason/deadline - probably costing us a pick and/or prospect). The cap savings could be spent on resigning Staal + Girardi + Prospal (eventually) & adding a bit of sandpaper on the D.
There is very little doubt that this above team would have been a bit more lethal (5 on 5 at least) than the squad we now render. A contender? Probably not... There would also have been around half a million extra in cap space left - eventually to be spent on the veteran bonecrushing, creaseclearing 7th D everybody is talking about.
Grachev, AA, Lisin (if resigned), Cally, Dubi, Byers, Boyle would all be a year older and as they all are still - I hope - under development this would improve the team. On the D Staal, MDZ, Sangs, Gilroy and Girardi are all young and rising. This is a very bright side to look fwd to.
Ridding ourselves of Drury and/or Redden seems very difficult as of now (you never know though...) - but this illustrates our problem with these 2 horrendous contracts. We could theoretically here have Hossa (instead of Drury) and Bouwmeester (instead of Redden). And a hardnose D too. Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. But this is NOT FANTASY HOCKEY.
Oh well - we got what we got. Forgot about that...
I think Artem Anisimov will show you wrong here in the future. He is Showing glimpses of this now already. At the moment he is a puppy. He will be something to watch in the future.
Agree with you on the sentiment on Zherev:
I know there is no looking back - but
We could have been something like this on F instead:
Voros in the minors/traded
Kotalik never signed
Brash never signed
There is very little doubt that this team would have been a bit more lethal (5 on 5 at least) than the squad we now render. There would also have been around half a million extra in cap space left - eventually to be spent on the veteran bonecrushing, creaseclearing 7th D everybody is talking about.
Oh well - we got what we got. Forgot about that...
I agree 100%. A lot of people feel this way too. Easily a better team right there.
HOWEVER, how effective would our PP be without Kotalik?
-Mara should have been resigned (if he took the salary he got in MTL)
-Betts should have been resigned (if he took the salary he got in PHI)
-Boyle should be playing in Hartford for a year. I think he's only gonna get better and it a waste on the 4th line.
They are the ONLY two players up front that had any chemistry.
Drury needs to be with offensive players. I keep saying this over and over.
Drury is NEVER going to do anything with clones of himself on his wings.
Prospal - Drury - Gaborik
Should be the top line.
I could care less what the bottom 3 lines are, as long as Callahan is NOT logging 19 minutes per game. And Lisin and Avery are in the top six.
Gaborik, Prospal, Lisin, Avery, Anisimov, and Dubinsky(when healthy) are the only forwards that do anything at even strength, and therefore should be the top six forwards.
Higgins, Callahan, Kotalik, Boyle, Brashear, Voros, do squat at even strength.
I'd like to see Higgins get taken off the first line, maybe put Prospal back on wing there and put AA between him and Gabby.
Also a very interesting idea. But then we got all the playmakers on one line?
These other guys need to step up with goals
Calling Capt Clutch, Higgins, Lisin, Cally, Avery, Boyle, Brash, Voros and Dubi (upon return)!!!!! Get with the program and start scoring some goals! Or leave the island of Manhattan.
Kotalik and AA get a bit of slack here - especially AA being a rookie and looking at 35-40 pts with limited icetime so far...
And yeah - Kotalik is God awful 5 on 5. Here +/- is telling the truth...
They are the ONLY two players up front that had any chemistry.
Drury needs to be with offensive players. I keep saying this over and over.
Drury is NEVER going to do anything with clones of himself on his wings.
Prospal - Drury - Gaborik
Should be the top line.
I could care less what the bottom 3 lines are, as long as Callahan is NOT logging 19 minutes per game. And Lisin and Avery are in the top six.
Gaborik, Prospal, Lisin, Avery, Anisimov, and Dubinsky(when healthy) are the only forwards that do anything at even strength, and therefore should be the top six forwards.
Higgins, Callahan, Kotalik, Boyle, Brashear, Voros, do squat at even strength.
Since we are paying our Captain topline Superstar money and you may very well be right regarding Drurys optimal surroundings (we have tried everything else) - yes I gotta agree - put him there. Then its time to put up or waive the NM clause. And no - I do not give a squat about the intangibles!
Keep Prospal and Gaborik together and just go balzy and move a Lisin, Girardi, Rozsival, McDonaugh package.............Carolina or Aneheim may be willing at this pt and Rangers could get quite a good return
Higgins Prospal and Gaborik are fine together. They have played well together. Don't see a Problem here. No scoring right wing on the second line. It is if Drury needs to play right wing himself. Avery Dubinsky Drury on the second line. Dubinsky is not here so Drury centers the second line. Maybe move Kotalik there. Lisin Anisimov Callahan got a goal in the last game. Maybe they will follow it up.
I think it's too much of a kneejerk reaction to break up those two when they go one game without any points. I would've liked to seen them broken up last night considering nothing was working for them, but lets give it at least another game before we do this. Gaborik's leading the league in goals and Prospal has a lot to do with it.
Keep Prospal and Gaborik together and just go balzy and move a Lisin, Girardi, Rozsival, McDonaugh package.............Carolina or Aneheim may be willing at this pt and Rangers could get quite a good return
oh ok, so lets roll with 4 rookie defenseman the rest of the year? No thanks.
Going all the way back to Renney, I am sick and tired of the lines being juggled all the time. When we finally get some chemistry going the lines change and there goes all that progress. Gaborik and Prospal have great chemistry as evidenced by them being the only point producers at the moment.
I think the don't fix what aint broke adage applies here, especially since it's a change being proposed right after a bad loss. Weather the storm folks...
I think it's too much of a kneejerk reaction to break up those two when they go one game without any points. I would've liked to seen them broken up last night considering nothing was working for them, but lets give it at least another game before we do this. Gaborik's leading the league in goals and Prospal has a lot to do with it.
Its not about a reaction to them not scoring last night. Its about the fact that no other lines are. You cannot be a 1 line team in the NHL and right now were all about Prospal and Gabby. If they dont score we lose.
Don't break them up, put Avery on that line. For some reason I can see Avery doing very well on that line. With people drawing attention to him, this leaves Prospal and Gaborik wide open. Also having two play makers on a line with Gaborik might actually work out well.
I am a huge fan of Avery, so don't get me wrong, but let's not kid ourselves here--he doesn't belong on the top scoring line.
You're right, he's not a top line player. But other than Gaborik and Prospal, who is? We have to put someone else up there. Might as well go with a hot hand, and Avery is playing better than most everyone.
Higgins-prospal-Gabb
Avery-dru-cally
lisin-aa-PA
Voros-boyle-kotalik
when dubi comes back
Prospal-Dubi-Gab-give it a shot if nothing is their still brake up the line bring higgins back up possibly move dubi to wing he played a few games last year their personally don't want to see him as a winger though, but don't move AA lower then the 3rd line
Higgins-dru- Cally-team USA line maybe?
Avery/lisin-AA-PA
lisin/avery-boyle kotalik
when needed grit, add brash or voros in place of a boyle
Avery is very underrated by HF'ers and NY fans. The guy has good speed and play making skills. He would add a little grit and back checking with Prospal and Gaborik. It would also free up depth for the other lines.
