Gagner looked like garbage in the preseason, he was the 4th or 5th best centre, so he'll start on the 4th line. If he proves with his play he should be on a better line and that he deserves more playing time, Quinn will make the change. Gagner coasted through camp, and this is the price he'll have to play. I like that Quinn looks like he is going to hold players accountable for their play.
I see your point but Gagner won't be able to prove anything playing with Moreau and Storts. Those 2 couldn't score if the puck was a beachball.
__________________ "He just ate up Robyn Regehr for dinner, a spectacular play by Hemsky, and Robyn Regehr has got doo doo all over his face" - Rod Phillips call on Hemsky's goal vs the Flames
If Brule and Gagner changed lines, the 4th line would be a complete liability. Atleast with Gagner there, we can scare the other team by wiffing on some open net passes.
Gagner will be useless on the fourth line with Stortini and Moreau. Gagner isn't a fit for that fourth line. The fourth line should be a checking/energy line. Is Quinn trying to turn Gagner into a checker?
I see your point but Gagner won't be able to prove anything playing with Moreau and Storts. Those 2 couldn't score if the puck was a beachball.
gagner has'nt proved anything playing with anyone else, he scored 2 more than moreau last year, 10 more than stortini. wow! i think sam being a pass first/set-up guy will benefit everyone on this line.
i don't see this as a typical 4th line, i like this line, and it could be affective, and they will see good ice time imo. but thats my opinion, i also think dustin penner will pot 32 this year.
I'd expect to see a layout something like this
1st 20m
2nd 18m
3rd 16m
4th 6m
With a hot 2nd or 3rd line stealing minutes from the 1st, and a hot 1st line stealing minutes from the 4th.
If someone is having an off-game, they get demoted to the 4th mid-game (maybe gagner is the primary callup guy?) so they're less of a liability. It always happens.
If your top 3 are rolling strong like they should be in an ideal world, you practically don't run a 4th line at that point. You want playing time? You compete like the guys in the top3, it's a scheme for creating internal competition which is necessary for win.
gagner has'nt proved anything playing with anyone else, he scored 2 more than moreau last year, 10 more than stortini. wow! i think sam being a pass first/set-up guy will benefit everyone on this line.
No more free lunches here. He is going to have to play his way back into Quinn's good graces. If he is as good as everyone seems to think, he will.
OMG, Guys relax, just because he practiced on the fourth line doesn't mean that he'll start the season on the fourth line and even if that's the case, that doesn't mean that he'll play the entire season on the fourth line...... Quinn seems to be experimenting a lot ie Jacques on the first line to see how the players mesh in his system.
from what i've seen gagner is lucky he's on the 4th line. brule earned his spot.
I wouldn't be the least surprised if Gagner doesn't have any points if he plays with those 2 the first 10 or 20 games. Gagner might start the season going 20 games without a point since he'll be playing with those 2.
Gagner will be useless on the fourth line with Stortini and Moreau. Gagner isn't a fit for that fourth line. The fourth line should be a checking/energy line. Is Quinn trying to turn Gagner into a checker?
I think it's pretty funny that for the last year you constantly complained that oiler fans would whine about all the same things they did with macT when/if a new coach is hired.
I wouldn't be the least surprised if Gagner doesn't have any points if he plays with those 2 the first 10 or 20 games. Gagner might start the season going 20 games without a point since he'll be playing with those 2.
If Gagner's any good, he'll mad-dangle the sh** out of the opposition's 4th-line and make his own points with or without help.
gagner has'nt proved anything playing with anyone else, he scored 2 more than moreau last year, 10 more than stortini. wow! i think sam being a pass first/set-up guy will benefit everyone on this line.
With anyone other than those 2 I'd agree. Not with Moreau and Storts since they couldn't score using a beachball.
No more free lunches here. He is going to have to play his way back into Quinn's good graces. If he is as good as everyone seems to think, he will.
I'm predicing that even if he does play well, he won't be getting more ice time. I'll say it now, he'll bee getting less than 6 minutes, maybe even less than 5 mintues and won't be able to prove anything.
With anyone other than those 2 I'd agree. Not with Moreau and Storts since they couldn't score using a beachball.
i'm guessing here but i think gretzky would be hard-pressed to have scored with a beachball, so im not picking up what your putting down? i mean have you ever tried hitting a beachball with your hand, never mind trying to beat a nhl goalie with it?
I wouldn't be the least surprised if Gagner doesn't have any points if he plays with those 2 the first 10 or 20 games. Gagner might start the season going 20 games without a point since he'll be playing with those 2.
Gagner went the first 19 games last year without scoring a goal, did he not? He was on the 2nd line mostly too and nothing lower than the 3rd line.
i'm guessing here but i think gretzky would be hard-pressed to have scored with a beachball, so im not picking up what your putting down? i mean have you ever tried hitting a beachball with your hand, never mind trying to beat a nhl goalie with it?
On ice too! Can't forget about that. That would be very difficult.
With anyone other than those 2 I'd agree. Not with Moreau and Storts since they couldn't score using a beachball.
I think you might be surprised, with the kind of space that Moreau and Stortini can create Gagner might have some extra room to do his thing. Both of them can skate decently well and shouldn't drag him down speed wise. I don't think Gagner needs to play with other players as creative as he is, he needs someone to do the crashing and banging for him. Not saying that it will work but I'm optimistic that it might.
Gagner will be useless on the fourth line with Stortini and Moreau. Gagner isn't a fit for that fourth line. The fourth line should be a checking/energy line. Is Quinn trying to turn Gagner into a checker?
This looks like Quinns way of trying to send a message to Gagner that he needs to bring his "A" game right from the start.
Gagner will have to earn his minutes and I am okay with that. As long as he is smarter with the puck and creates some chances I think that may be enough to get Quinns attention.
Gagner went the first 19 games last year without scoring a goal, did he not? He was on the 2nd line mostly too and nothing lower than the 3rd line.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I'm saying if he plays the first 20 games with those 2, he won't even have a point. By that I mean he won't have any goals or any assists. He'll be 0-0-0.
