Move Granlund to a line with two bigger players in Brodziak and Setoguchi. Don't really care if Granlund is center or wing, but I think that line could be really effective.
That leaves a real solid 3rd line of Clutter-Cullen-Bouchard, which had some success last year.
Granlund should be a winger until he's adjusted to NHL properly. They did exactly that in FEL and WC. His first season in FEL when he was a winger resulted in 39 games, 36 points. WC 9 games, 9 points.
Don't see any harm in trying before sending him to AHL.
Move Granlund to a line with two bigger players in Brodziak and Setoguchi. Don't really care if Granlund is center or wing, but I think that line could be really effective.
That leaves a real solid 3rd line of Clutter-Cullen-Bouchard, which had some success last year.
This. What he really needs is a koivu on his line. someone to grind out corners and cycle for him. I was thinking either bring brodz up to the 2nd or trying out coyle or smthing.
Granlund should be a winger until he's adjusted to NHL properly. They did exactly that in FEL and WC. His first season in FEL when he was a winger resulted in 39 games, 36 points. WC 9 games, 9 points.
Don't see any harm in trying before sending him to AHL.
Just brainstorming here, fellas. Just listing some options to see if anything stands out (as most of you have already come up with)
Zucker-Cullen-Granlund or Zucker- Brodziak-Granlund
Parise-Koivu-Heatley
Zucker-Cullen-Butch (love the thought of PMB driving down the right side, cutting back and hitting a streaking Zucker). My hopes would be PMB can feed Zucker like he did Rolston. Plus, Zucker has earned a chance at this point. Has been best player all year long in the AHL. All Cullen has to do is get puck to one of those two and not be a defensive liability.
Granlund-Brodziak-Clutterbuck
Parise-Koivu-Granlund (not a fan of splitting our top line)
Heatley-Cullen-Seto (wasn't this our first line last year?)
Parise-Koivu-Coyle
Heatley-Cullen-Granlund or Heatley-Granlund-Butch or Heatley-Granlund-Seto
Not sure. All I know is I think Zucker has earned a shot to play in the top 6.
I don't know. IMO player should earn the 1st line spot. Sounds weird that someone could get 1st line minutes because he's not playing well enough.
Single individual can't be more important than the team. If Granlund isn't good enough yet.. ..they must consider other options. He's not alone in the darkness, but underperforming.
Some coaching skills are also needed. Granlund is frustrated, confidence isn't there. Is it.. doghouse, give him more time.. move him to wing.. send back to Houston? Somehow this situation must be unlocked, hard to tell what's the best option.
Bouchard-Brodziak-Heatley might be a more producived 2nd line than the one we currently have.
Granlund would certainly have more space playing with Parise and Koivu.
And Clutter-Cullen-Setoguchi would be quite the speedy forechecking line.
I would have no problem with MG on 1st, DH on 2nd. Might give the young'n some confidence. Heatley very Bruno-like, good from blueline-in, and pp, but that's about it.
I don't know. IMO player should earn the 1st line spot. Sounds weird that someone could get 1st line minutes because he's not playing well enough.
Single individual can't be more important than the team. If Granlund isn't good enough yet.. ..they must consider other options. He's not alone in the darkness, but underperforming.
Pretty much this. While I would like to see Granlund on that 1st line RW, just so see what he's capable of, it's too early. Plus it would send a negative message to the team. Imagine yourself as Dany Heatley for a second.
Mike Yeo: "Hey Dany"
Dany Heatley: "Sup"
MY: "About today's lines..."
DH: "Yeah? I'm with Koivu and Zach, right?"
MY: "Well, you're dropped to second line with Brodziak and Seto"
DH: "Wha? I've been point per game, and scoring goals? And our line has been damn good! I mean..."
MY: "It's not about your play, it's about the kid. You know, Granlund. He needs confidence, and that's the best place for him right now"
DH: "Well, what about me?"
How would you answer as Mike Yeo? Exactly. As I said, it would be a treat to watch Parise - Koivu - MG together. In fact, if it'd click, it would - dare I say - even be better than the current first line. However, Granlund needs to show he deserves that spot. Nick Johnson showed it. Kyle Brodziak showed it. And earlier, Antti Miettinen and Andrew Brunette showed it. Hell, Mikko Koivu showed it in the past.
There's no use to keep a player in the NHL just because he was drafted high. That being said, Granlund has not been horrible, or bad. He's been mediocre, he's got good passing and his vision is great, and he's speed is decent. Not good, but decent in the NHL level. However, as others have stated, his game in FEL and also in AHL relied a lot on slowing the play around him rather than being faster than others. The way he was able to stay calm and make the perfect play from nearly anywhere on the offensive zone was sheer brilliance, and result of tremendous natural talent and countless hours spend on the ice.
However, he has entered an entirely different realm right now. He's been hailed as a prodigy, and even the savior of Finnish hockey. And when you look at him and how he was able to lay waste on opponent after opponent in Finland, it's no stretch. He was - and is - something special. But this is NHL, where damn near everyone is something special. Only the fittest survive, and while there's no questioning his ability to create plays and his hockey IQ, he's lacking pure physicality and brute strength to succeed. And he needs those tools before he can do what he does best.
Whether it's best for his development to send him to AHL or learn the game in NHL, that I don't know. He is a highly intelligent player, so maybe it's best to let him get used to the NHL level and take this season as an experience. Maybe, in the end, it allows him to become a better player, and it's certainly a good lesson for him.
Only time will tell. I have faith in Mike Yeo and rest of the coaching staff, they've shown their ability to make the right decisions. The ball - or the puck - is in your court, Mikael. Make sure to put it to good use.
Pretty much this. While I would like to see Granlund on that 1st line RW, just so see what he's capable of, it's too early. Plus it would send a negative message to the team. Imagine yourself as Dany Heatley for a second.
Mike Yeo: "Hey Dany"
Dany Heatley: "Sup"
MY: "About today's lines..."
DH: "Yeah? I'm with Koivu and Zach, right?"
MY: "Well, you're dropped to second line with Brodziak and Seto"
DH: "Wha? I've been point per game, and scoring goals? And our line has been damn good! I mean..."
MY: "It's not about your play, it's about the kid. You know, Granlund. He needs confidence, and that's the best place for him right now"
DH: "Well, what about me?"
How would you answer as Mike Yeo? Exactly. As I said, it would be a treat to watch Parise - Koivu - MG together. In fact, if it'd click, it would - dare I say - even be better than the current first line. However, Granlund needs to show he deserves that spot. Nick Johnson showed it. Kyle Brodziak showed it. And earlier, Antti Miettinen and Andrew Brunette showed it. Hell, Mikko Koivu showed it in the past.
There's no use to keep a player in the NHL just because he was drafted high. That being said, Granlund has not been horrible, or bad. He's been mediocre, he's got good passing and his vision is great, and he's speed is decent. Not good, but decent in the NHL level. However, as others have stated, his game in FEL and also in AHL relied a lot on slowing the play around him rather than being faster than others. The way he was able to stay calm and make the perfect play from nearly anywhere on the offensive zone was sheer brilliance, and result of tremendous natural talent and countless hours spend on the ice.
However, he has entered an entirely different realm right now. He's been hailed as a prodigy, and even the savior of Finnish hockey. And when you look at him and how he was able to lay waste on opponent after opponent in Finland, it's no stretch. He was - and is - something special. But this is NHL, where damn near everyone is something special. Only the fittest survive, and while there's no questioning his ability to create plays and his hockey IQ, he's lacking pure physicality and brute strength to succeed. And he needs those tools before he can do what he does best.
Whether it's best for his development to send him to AHL or learn the game in NHL, that I don't know. He is a highly intelligent player, so maybe it's best to let him get used to the NHL level and take this season as an experience. Maybe, in the end, it allows him to become a better player, and it's certainly a good lesson for him.
Only time will tell. I have faith in Mike Yeo and rest of the coaching staff, they've shown their ability to make the right decisions. The ball - or the puck - is in your court, Mikael. Make sure to put it to good use.
Pretty much this. While I would like to see Granlund on that 1st line RW, just so see what he's capable of, it's too early. Plus it would send a negative message to the team. Imagine yourself as Dany Heatley for a second.
Mike Yeo: "Hey Dany"
Dany Heatley: "Sup"
MY: "About today's lines..."
DH: "Yeah? I'm with Koivu and Zach, right?"
MY: "Well, you're dropped to second line with Brodziak and Seto"
DH: "Wha? I've been point per game, and scoring goals? And our line has been damn good! I mean..."
MY: "It's not about your play, it's about the kid. You know, Granlund. He needs confidence, and that's the best place for him right now"
DH: "Well, what about me?"
How would you answer as Mike Yeo? Exactly. As I said, it would be a treat to watch Parise - Koivu - MG together. In fact, if it'd click, it would - dare I say - even be better than the current first line. However, Granlund needs to show he deserves that spot. Nick Johnson showed it. Kyle Brodziak showed it. And earlier, Antti Miettinen and Andrew Brunette showed it. Hell, Mikko Koivu showed it in the past.
There's no use to keep a player in the NHL just because he was drafted high. That being said, Granlund has not been horrible, or bad. He's been mediocre, he's got good passing and his vision is great, and he's speed is decent. Not good, but decent in the NHL level. However, as others have stated, his game in FEL and also in AHL relied a lot on slowing the play around him rather than being faster than others. The way he was able to stay calm and make the perfect play from nearly anywhere on the offensive zone was sheer brilliance, and result of tremendous natural talent and countless hours spend on the ice.
However, he has entered an entirely different realm right now. He's been hailed as a prodigy, and even the savior of Finnish hockey. And when you look at him and how he was able to lay waste on opponent after opponent in Finland, it's no stretch. He was - and is - something special. But this is NHL, where damn near everyone is something special. Only the fittest survive, and while there's no questioning his ability to create plays and his hockey IQ, he's lacking pure physicality and brute strength to succeed. And he needs those tools before he can do what he does best.
Whether it's best for his development to send him to AHL or learn the game in NHL, that I don't know. He is a highly intelligent player, so maybe it's best to let him get used to the NHL level and take this season as an experience. Maybe, in the end, it allows him to become a better player, and it's certainly a good lesson for him.
Only time will tell. I have faith in Mike Yeo and rest of the coaching staff, they've shown their ability to make the right decisions. The ball - or the puck - is in your court, Mikael. Make sure to put it to good use.
You make some good points in your post. I have been a proponent for Granlund on the top line as a wing, but I do agree that he needs to earn the position. I believe the kid has the skill, it would not be because he was just drafted high. I will concede that maybe he has not earned the position yet, and that should also be a factor.
If I'm Mike Yeo, I don't tell him that he's being moved down to the second line to make room for the rookie. I'd tell him that he's being moved to the second line because Setoguchi and Bouchard need a talented finisher to get their line going. And Heatley's enough of a veteran to say, "OK" and take that job in stride.
Spread the 1st liners to make three solid lines. Every line has one player who's has a more defensive role (Cullen, Clutterbuck, Brodziak). Every line has a right-handed shot.
Parise has been the best player so far, I firmly believe he could still do well with those linemates and even help Setoguchi find his game as well. Granlund and Koivu would definitely have chemistry and Clutterbuck would make it a good mix. Bouchard in the 3rd would have 2 big bodies to make space for him and he'd feed Heatley.
So three equally solid lines. All can play defense, all can score goals. If one line has an off night, you still have two solid lines that'll definitely pot goals.
Spread the 1st liners to make three solid lines. Every line has one player who's has a more defensive role (Cullen, Clutterbuck, Brodziak). Every line has a right-handed shot.
Parise has been the best player so far, I firmly believe he could still do well with those linemates and even help Setoguchi find his game as well. Granlund and Koivu would definitely have chemistry and Clutterbuck would make it a good mix. Bouchard in the 3rd would have 2 big bodies to make space for him and he'd feed Heatley.
So three equally solid lines. All can play defense, all can score goals. If one line has an off night, you still have two solid lines that'll definitely pot goals.
Good post, Puhis.
