Tangradi could greatly benefit from being a third wheel on a neal/malkin line. He can get his top six minutes but not be expected to score. Go to the net and blow people up. Malkin's the puck carrier and Neal is the shooter.
I didn't hear the interview either but would be very surprised if the staff is committed at this point to going 3C or not 3C. They're not going to make that decision before FA is past and before camp has even started. My guess is they'll try it both ways in camp and unless one way is clearly better than the others, they'll try it both ways throughout October. Your final decision will be made in November sometime probably.
Also...
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Tangradi could greatly benefit from being a third wheel on a neal/malkin line. He can get his top six minutes but not be expected to score. Go to the net and blow people up. Malkin's the puck carrier and Neal is the shooter.
...assuming he has an outstanding (not just good) camp...I'd be OK trying that for 20 games and see where it leads, though more ideally, he could (for this year) replace TK on the third line and play with Cooke and Staal. If the hustle and endurance are there and he chips in some points / deflections on the #2 PP maybe, I'd be all for it.
Using Malkin as a winger is overpaying for a winger.
Maybe, but worst case scenario you move him back to center and suck it up with someone else at wing. If you overpay a free agent wing its not so simple to fix.
Also, there's no doubt in my mind that a healthy and motivated Malkin has the potential to be the best wing in the league.
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Originally Posted by mpp9
Tangradi could greatly benefit from being a third wheel on a neal/malkin line. He can get his top six minutes but not be expected to score. Go to the net and blow people up. Malkin's the puck carrier and Neal is the shooter.
Not to sound like a jerk, but I am worried about what will benefit the team, not Eric Tangradi. I like the kid and I hope he proves he deserves a spot on the roster, but don't give it to him because it would benefit him, give it to him if he is the best option to help the team.
I think the 1st line, you just continue making Tangradi play a dumb man's game. Go to the net. That's about it.
2nd line you have Laich helping Geno on draws and he brings an element that Geno has worked well with before
3rd line would be our x-factor. I also think it'd keep Kunitz healthy for 82 games.
That'd probably be the best offensive 4th line in the league. I know people don't like Letestu in that spot, but I really think he could handle it. He's not overly physical but he plays mistake free hockey, and is a jack of all trades.
Maybe in a year. Tangradi is not ready for top line duty. Also, we need Matt Cooke in the lineup or at least another player like him. I think we need a bit more grit in the bottom 6 than that.
I didn't hear the interview either but would be very surprised if the staff is committed at this point to going 3C or not 3C. They're not going to make that decision before FA is past and before camp has even started. My guess is they'll try it both ways in camp and unless one way is clearly better than the others, they'll try it both ways throughout October. Your final decision will be made in November sometime probably.
Idk. Maybe they feel like they've seen enough and they know what they're dealing with. To me it's already pretty damn clear that one way is better. A few shifts during camp isn't going to alter the well-known reality of what Staal and Malkin are.
FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.725m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Scottie Upshall ($3.000m)
James Neal ($2.875m) / Evgeni Malkin ($8.700m) / Eric Tangradi ($0.845m)
Matt Cooke ($1.800m) / Jordan Staal ($4.000m) / Tyler Kennedy ($2.000m)
Mike Rupp ($0.900m) / Mark Letestu ($0.625m) / Craig Adams ($0.675m)
/ / Nick Johnson ($0.550m)
DEFENSEMEN
Paul Martin ($5.000m) / Zbynek Michalek ($4.000m)
Brooks Orpik ($3.750m) / Kristopher Letang ($3.500m)
Matt Niskanen ($1.500m) / Ben Lovejoy ($0.525m)
Deryk Engelland ($0.566m)
GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m) / Brent Johnson ($0.600m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $63,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,837,500; BONUSES: $127,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $562,500
A healthy and motivated Malkin also has the potential to be the best center in the league
Didn't say otherwise.
I am 100% in favor of 3C model if we have the wings to do it. But I can understand the point in moving Staal up too. Either way, my point is that Malkin isn't necessarily going to be overpaid just because he's playing wing.
Though I think I would try Staal on the wing again
Idk. Maybe they feel like they've seen enough and they know what they're dealing with. To me it's already pretty damn clear that one way is better. A few shifts during camp isn't going to alter the well-known reality of what Staal and Malkin are.
One way also requires an extra top-6 winger. Unless we want to hope someone comes along and pulls a Max Talbot every year in the playoffs.
I am 100% in favor of 3C model if we have the wings to do it. But I can understand the point in moving Staal up too. Either way, my point is that Malkin isn't necessarily going to be overpaid just because he's playing wing.
Though I think I would try Staal on the wing again
That is a good point you make. Hopefully Geno earns his money next year and then some, regardless of where he plays.
One way also requires an extra top-6 winger. Unless we want to hope someone comes along and pulls a Max Talbot every year in the playoffs.
Yeah... but last year this team didn't have a legitimate top six option in James Neal that it does, now. I really do think that people are going to be surprised at the impact he'll have on the lineup when he's healthy and has a real center to work with. I really don't think that people should take much away from what he did (or more accurately, didn't do) last season.
One legit winger on each scoring line along with a third wheel type that can help create room, provide some speed and grit and help in the defensive end should be fine throughout most of the season. Not to mention getting Staal back to the third line where he belongs, will thrive and create big matchup problems for opposing teams.
I certainly won't begrudge Shero for going out and getting another option for the right wing. But I get the feeling that he'll save his cap space and wait until the deadline when deals for impact players are much easier/cheaper to come by.
I certainly agree with those who want Malkin in the middle, with Staal on his wing. They've shown great chemistry before and have had more than just a "little" success.
A point that noone is bringing up is that Staal probably wants to play with Malkin. They're close friends, they've played well in the past, and I'm sure Staal wants the chance to play a top 6 role. He'd probably do whatever he has to, and play whatever postion he has to, for the chance to play with Geno. And they can obviously work out some scheme in which Staal stays the more defensive minded forward entering and exiting the offensive zone. When it comes to play in our own zone, I don't think you really lose any of Staal's "shutdown" qualities.
And I personally don't even care if Staal takes faceoffs, neither one of them are really any good right now. Neither Staal or Geno have ever been above 50% for their careers, playoffs or reg season, so you may as well just make Malkin get better at it. And if you're that worried about it let Staal take draws in the defensive zone, it's not really a big deal.
People need to stop acting like there will be some major flaw in our lineup if we don't have Staal at 3C. The way I looke at it, there's a major flaw if he isn't in our top 6, notably 2 right wings.
That 3rd line is more than capable of neutralizing teams best players and wreaking havoc in their zone. I'd love to see it, and watch Tangradi develop his game opposite Cooke.
Sounds like DB will run the 3C model as the default lineup but will mix and match depending on the situation in the game. Balancing Staal centering the best third line in the league with the idea that Sid, Malkin, Staal are his best three forwards and will see ice time with one another. He did flat out say that Sid and Geno are his top 2 centers so that really solidified for me the 3C model for next year.
Sounds like DB will run the 3C model as the default lineup but will mix and match depending on the situation in the game. Balancing Staal centering the best third line in the league with the idea that Sid, Malkin, Staal are his best three forwards and will see ice time with one another. He did flat out say that Sid and Geno are his top 2 centers so that really solidified for me the 3C model for next year.
Which is the best approach IMO, The 3C model can be the default but some games Staal and Geno should play together depending on the situation.
From that article, this quote from Bylsma supports the idea that they'll be going back to the 3 Center model:
"I think Sidney and Geno are our top two centermen. If you want to go in that direction, [Staal is our] third center, but they are our top three forwards and they will play top three forward minutes and they will be in top three forward positions"
This would seem to indicate that, just like in 2009, the three centers will all occasionally get double-shifted to help cause matchup problems for the opposing teams. Plus, of course, Staal will eat up minutes on the PK.
From that article, this quote from Bylsma supports the idea that they'll be going back to the 3 Center model:
"I think Sidney and Geno are our top two centermen. If you want to go in that direction, [Staal is our] third center, but they are our top three forwards and they will play top three forward minutes and they will be in top three forward positions"
This would seem to indicate that, just like in 2009, the three centers will all occasionally get double-shifted to help cause matchup problems for the opposing teams. Plus, of course, Staal will eat up minutes on the PK.
Now lets just hope that they all can remain healthy for a full season.
From that article, this quote from Bylsma supports the idea that they'll be going back to the 3 Center model:
"I think Sidney and Geno are our top two centermen. If you want to go in that direction, [Staal is our] third center, but they are our top three forwards and they will play top three forward minutes and they will be in top three forward positions"
This would seem to indicate that, just like in 2009, the three centers will all occasionally get double-shifted to help cause matchup problems for the opposing teams. Plus, of course, Staal will eat up minutes on the PK.
I just listened and agree to an extent. It will be the default line-up, but unlike 2009, Staal will also get moved around a lot.
