Gordon might be an option if Phoenix is shuffling some guys around too. Might also be one of those "his value to us is more than you're willing to pay" type guys. Granted, same thing is true of Boyle IMO.
He's really valuable to them. Came in as a 4th line faceoff specialist that Washington weirdly relied on a lot (huge qualcomp/PK TOI but no ES minutes) who turned into a very good third liner, and was even centering Doan before the Vermette trade.
Um, what about the 2011 playoffs and the season before that? Pretty much any time Lindy has wanted to match lines since Hecht-Connolly-Pominville in early 2010, Gaustad has been that center.
We had no centers left in the playoffs last year. Are you seriously going to argue he was being played that much because he was centering a checking line?
We used our top two lines as two way lines with Roy, Connolly and hecht as two way centers. I'm stunned posters don't know this and its even being debated. I guess biased disdain dies hard on here.
It wasn't just a case of icetime, he was matched up against Briere for those whole playoffs.
So going up against one of Philly's 3 top 6 centers makes him a checking line center? As one of our top 3 centers. Goose would have to be out against one of Giroux, Briere or Richards regardless.
He was used as a two way center like every other center on the team at the time.
So going up against one of Philly's 3 top 6 centers makes him a checking line center? As one of our top 3 centers. Goose would have to be out against one of Giroux, Briere or Richards regardless.
He was used as a two way center like every other cetner on the team at the time.
...just no.
Ruff viewed the Briere line as Philly's first line. Whenever he could, Butler-Myers/Gaustad was out there against them. Richards was checking Vanek/Pominville while that line was together, and Giroux was getting slotted around wherever.
Ruff viewed the Briere line as Philly's first line. Whenever he could, Butler-Myers/Gaustad was out there against them. Richards was checking Vanek/Pominville while that line was together, and Giroux was getting slotted around wherever.
.........just yes
Goose played 39.1 % on his 5 on 5 shifts against Briere and 38.2% of them against Giroux.
On the flip side Briere played roughly the same percentage of shifts against Nieds as he did against Goose 5 on 5. Myers and Butler were definately out there aginst him more than most though.
But you're right Goose was out all the time against Briere.
I know why you're trying so hard to make Goose a checking line center in that series and that he was always out against Briere. You want to use Briere's point totals as an arguement that Goose isn't a good defensive center.
Well guess what, Danny has lit up quite a few elite level checking centers. Staal this year being the most recent. If stopping Briere is the measure then I guess Staal can't hack it either.
BTW, if you want to see what someone being played against a specifiic line/center looks like. Exhibit A would be the Malkin/Courturier match up in this year's playoffs. 64.8% of Malkin's shifts were against Courturier and Giroux was a distant 2nd at 24.6%
Maybe I'm putting too much emphasis on the first few games of that series or something, before injuries warped all the lines, because I remember the Goose/Briere matchup being a talked-about thing...
And you're getting way ahead of me. We can't talk about Gaustad's effectiveness as a checker until we determine the span of time he was actually a checking line center.
For the context of this thread- I like him as a fourth liner in a checking role. As a third liner, the offensive responsibilites of that much icetime combined with the defensive assignments was too much for him, but if he can focus on agitating and not getting scored on, it might be a good revisit. I think his asking price makes that a moot point though.
Also, I'd offer Max Talbot's contract to either Prust or Dan Winnik.
Also also, I don't think Staal is an elite checking center. He's very good defensively and an elite PKer, but he's never really been great at shutting down the opposition's best in the same way that Backes/Bergeron/Hanzal/etc are. This is a point for another thread, but I thought the reason you trade for Staal is untapped offensive potential in an already good two-way frame, not because you want a guy who's going to be a perennial Selke favorite.
Last edited by struckbyaparkedcar: 06-25-2012 at 12:58 PM.
All depends on the price for these guys. Ideally, McClement and Carter would be my first two choices by a mile but who knows what they (and others) will command.
We never used a dedicated checking line until after the Devils game this season when the team switched to a defense first approach after all our dmen returned. Gerbe/Goose/Kaleta were the checking line and they were frequently on the ice with Sekera/Regehr. Thats the only time he was used as a dedicated checking line center in that role.
Roy, Connolly and Hecht with used as two way centers against top lines over the years. Goose was not used to specifically target the other teams top line until this season during the stretch I pointed out. In fact we haven't used a line like that since Peca/Cubro left. Which was use a dedicated checking line getting big ES minutes.
This criticism of Goose always drove me nuts. Getting on him for not being good in a role he was never used in until this season. Juts look at his qualcom in previous seasons, compared to our other centers, if you have any doubts. A big reason why he and gerbe tore things up offensively in the 2nd half of 10-11 was playing easy minutes.
Fair enough. I'm wrong.
I still don't think he'd be a good option for that role (and at the price he'll likely be fetching on the open market).
I don't think Gaustad's effort was ever an issue. He may not be the ultimate option for what we need, but playing hard hasn't really been a problem for him.
I agree entirely. My original post regarding Gaustad was worded poorly. It was corrected in my discussion with JJ earlier in the thread. Gaustad plays like a professional. He's a hard worker and a very good team guy.
Word out of NY is that the Prust is asking for 2 mil per. No thanks.
Exactly why no Goose. Not paying that much to a 4th line center unless hes named Ville Leino, and only then if there's a shiney new 30 goal scorer on the top 9.
I still don't think he'd be a good option for that role (and at the price he'll likely be fetching on the open market).
I don't think we are going to have a checking line going forward. So it goes back to being a moot point how good Goose would be in that role. Our 4th line is going to be an energy line that can hold its own defensively and has strong faceoff center. But its not going to play enough as a group to be considered a checking line.
I fully expect Ruff to go back to using 2 two way centers. Barring a trade, those centers will be Roy/Hodgson with Ennis' line getting lots of offensive zone starts and easier matchups.
No to Goose because of the money, and the fact that Ruff won't use him as a 4th line center. He's familiar with him, and will use him accordingly...same reason Hecht shouldn't be brought back.
No to Goose because of the money, and the fact that Ruff won't use him as a 4th line center. He's familiar with him, and will use him accordingly...same reason Hecht shouldn't be brought back.
When Ruff has had better options, Goose is always sent back to the 4th line. He has always been a fall back position after others fail for Ruff and not a first choice for the top 3 lines. Think Kennedy and Leino the last few seasons. Roy, Hodgson and Ennis are clearcut better options.
But I do agree that his contract demands will likely price him out of consideration.
I love the Ryan Carter idea after seeing him for the Devils in the playoffs. A Gerbe-Carter-Kaleta line even has some similarity to the Gionta-Carter-Bernier line that Jersey used.
I love the Ryan Carter idea after seeing him for the Devils in the playoffs. A Gerbe-Carter-Kaleta line even has some similarity to the Gionta-Carter-Bernier line that Jersey used.
Yeah, plus Pierre could talk about how similar that line is because OH GOD GERBE AND GIONTA ARE BOTH SHORT AND FROM BOSTON COLLEGE DOC. Can't wait.
