i like mixing up the lines but i dont like that third line any better than the last one. they need to find more vet balance with the kids. also, cogliano needs to stop playing center for the rest of his life.
Yeah some good points. I thought Hall and Ebs had some nice chemistry going. Though I think Eberle is so easy to play with that he could have some chemistry with anyone with half a clue offensively.
I know the dislike for Cogliano is at an all time high lately. But the last game IMO was the best game Cogs has played in some time. It seemed clear he was making an increased effort to play gritty, get his nose dirty in the tough areas and working his tail off. If Cogs can manage to keep that up and we know Brule will too. It at least has the possibility of a line that could work. Do you think there might be too much speed on that line?
Cogs showed some guts and drive last game, no doubt. That said I still don't see the offensive upside with him. His best bet is concentrating on a 2 way game and becoming Horcoff's successor (minus the salary ). As for the speed on that line, I'm not sure about that, but I do sense a lack of a puck carrier and a guy that can slow the game down when necessary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by missinthejets
to me it seems like he's still treated these first few games as an extension of preseason. Just throw everyone out there and see what looks like it's working. Gave them a few games see exactly what he's working with... Maybe I'm wrong but I really think that as the year goes on you'll see more dedicated PP units.
IMO the coaching staff is echoing the wishes of the management to make sure that this is a rebuilding year, get a feel for the players and be in no big rush to try and win games.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oilerdiehard
I thought they looked good together as well. Though as soon as MPS was put with Hemmer it seemed like he decided to stop shooting. He just wanted to give Hemmer the puck every time, even if he was in great shooting position in close.
I am hoping Paajarvi also adjusts soon to the physicality of the NHL. During the rookie tourney and then most of the preseason he driving towards the middle of the ice and along the boards pretty hard. Then Regehr rocked him with a clean hard hit I want to say it was late in the second last preseason game? It seems like since then he is much more hesitant to drive into the middle of the ice and is rushing to get rid of the puck early if any defender comes skating at him along the boards. I do not want to say he is afraid of contact. But he seems tentative now physically. Not sure if anyone else is seeing that?
Maybe Magnus got a little banged up from that hit? Not sure, but he hasn't looked like himself of late, seems more worried about making mistakes than trying to make plays.
Quote:
Originally Posted by joestevens29
Gregor said Renney hinted that these lines might just be a way to keep the guys on their toes and that they could be going back to the orginial lines.
What would be the point? Kind of silly if you ask me.
__________________ Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated
i like mixing up the lines but i dont like that third line any better than the last one. they need to find more vet balance with the kids. also, cogliano needs to stop playing center for the rest of his life.
Yup, all they need to do is switch Cogs and Hemsky and then they will be golden. Every line will have an identity and every line will have a different gameplan. Those are my exact lines as well for this current team.
I am a little worried about the Penner - Gagner - Eberle line. Not a huge amount of speed there.
I think the idea behind that line is going to be cycling. Penner is the best cycler we have on this team. Fantastic along the boards.
Eberle has shown he's smart at cycling and does win puck battles. More often than not too.
Gagner, well in his rookie year I remember he used to be pretty nifty around the net. Not the best cycler, but could make passes in tight quarters.
With the line, I think the idea is, if by chance Gagner wins a faceoff, we dump it in and form the cycle, and those three get chemistry, it'd be on of those 'hem them in their own zone' type lines. Add to that Gags being the playmaker surrounded with Eberle and Penner, could be quite an effective line if chemistry is right.
i like mixing up the lines but i dont like that third line any better than the last one. they need to find more vet balance with the kids. also, cogliano needs to stop playing center for the rest of his life.
I'm really liking these lines at least as an experiment. It kind of buries Horcoff but gets him out on some easy minutes. The second line would be interesting just to see what could occur there.
I see the first line as creating a lot on the cycle and moving the puck around well. Penner is a great puck magnet for a cycle game and can buy the others some time to get open and provide puck support. Consider this a more elite version of the kidline(ignoring that Penner's older.)
Anyway I almost never get into these lineup dancecards and in recent seasons it would make me sick to think of how many Moreau-Cogliano-Stortini combinations there could be on a team.
But suddenly, with some talent on the club, its fun to look at the configurations.
I thought PRV and Hemsky looked good together in preseason, just not on the powerplay. Other than that they were getting dangerous rush after rush from the outside all game.
Hemsky also has the best ability to hit Paajarvi at speed. whether it's from the defensive or neutral zone.
I know the dislike for Cogliano is at an all time high lately. But the last game IMO was the best game Cogs has played in some time. It seemed clear he was making an increased effort to play gritty, get his nose dirty in the tough areas and working his tail off.
Personally as others have said... I think there is still a lot of line combo experimentation going on to see which players will have the most chemistry with each other. In the pre-season there wasn't a single game where the entire starting roster played together so these first 5-10 games is still essentially an extension of the pre-season.
I think everyone is still getting their regular season legs back and we will see gradual but steady improvement as they all learn each others strengths (and compensate for each others weaknesses).
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Summing it all up that's one huge list of massive changes and I'm not surprised they are still tweaking and finding the best line combos as I don't think there's anyway possible you can expect everything to run smoothly out of the box from day one.
I didn't want to quote the entire post, so I shortened it for the benefit of others here. I really thnk this post is one of the things we have forgotten about here. All the "newness" is going to take some patience...something I am positive nobody here lacks, right.....right?
I think the idea behind that line is going to be cycling.
They still need to gain the zone in order to set up and cycle. Any trapping team could be a problem for that group since they don't have the speed to break through the neutral zone.
I'm serious! Cogs cannot win FO's so why keep another small winger around that also cannot score?
100% agreed on this...Better to have a small winger that can finish. I respect the drive Cogs is showing (hustle too), but he needs to bury the good chances he's getting. It's almost like he's handcuffing himself by tring too hard.
Sort of a pet peeve, but i dont like these mock line ups where hemsky is on the second line. he is the best player on this team. His line is the 1st line, doesn't matter who his line mates are.
personal i don't like 3 scoring lines, i wanna try scoring-scoring-grinding-energy
with our current line up we cant do that so this year we should go with
Hall Gagner Hemsky
PRV Horcoff Eberle
Penner Brule cogs/omark
jones fraser smac/stortini
but next year i wanna see something along the lines of
Penner Hall Hemsky (with hall get sometime playing center this year of course depending on how he plays)
PRV Gagner eberle
____ Horcoff _____
____-_____-stortini
trading brule,cogs, omark all 3 in a package for a young defensive d men
I don't understand why they do not put Brule at center and Cogs on the wing. Lots of speed on that line though. Plus that line up takes Hall out of the spotlight a bit. I think Hemsky and Paajarvi will have great chemistry and Gags and Eberle could find some serious chemistry. The playmaker and the finisher.
Penner is simply good on any line, Horcoff is the defensive concience on whatever line he is on as well. I give these lines an A-. (A+ if Brule was at center).
As far as the forth line, those guys need to play together for awhile to get some real chemistry...but the potential is there.
At some point I think I would like to see Hall Brule Jones together. I think the other players would be aware of Jones on the ice and free up Brule and Hall a bit.
i like mixing up the lines but i dont like that third line any better than the last one. they need to find more vet balance with the kids. also, cogliano needs to stop playing center for the rest of his life.
I'm surprised that after years and years of the Oilers trying to get Hemsky a legit LW goal scorer they have yet to try him on a line with Hall in regular or pre-season.
I'm surprised that after years and years of the Oilers trying to get Hemsky a legit LW goal scorer they have yet to try him on a line with Hall in regular or pre-season.
I think its a little bit about protection. He ll play against the first defensive pairs. Might just be a sheltering thing for a number 1 overall pick.
MPS wasnt drafted as high and has played against men (even though he has been exposed as a young rookie so far), i think the pressure is off him a little and he doesnt need the big sheltering like hall needs.
I'm surprised that after years and years of the Oilers trying to get Hemsky a legit LW goal scorer they have yet to try him on a line with Hall in regular or pre-season.
I thought I recalled a triple h line in preseason. Joey Moss Cup maybe?
). As for the speed on that line, I'm not sure about that, but I do sense a lack of a puck carrier and a guy that can slow the game down when necessary. 
