...what, are you trying to get me to root for the Red Wings or something?
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Sullivan O'Reilly Wilson
Kostitsyn Goc Erat
Hornqvist Legwand Dumont
Ward Smithson Tootoo
Legwand should return tonight, I put him in instead of Spaling, though I'd like to see Dumont or Ward sit instead.
Suter Weber
Klein Bouillon
Franson O'Brien
Lindback
Dekanich
I am praying it is Ward. A line of Legwand Dumont and Horny may get a few good scoring chances... Spaling is a beast. We must have him in against the Wings PP.
Can't say I mind Leggy skating with the shutdown line tonight, but Dumont doesn't need to become a perma-scratch. I'd hate to see him pushed out of the door like that. Plus he's rather expensive to not be skating.
cooper's blog said legwand skated between ward and smithson and spaling between tootoo and hornquist....i.e. dumont is out
but that was yesterday
Cooper's blog didn't make sense to me. He said that Dumont and Spaling rotated through line drills with Hornqvist and Tootoo. Why would three RW's go through drills as the fourth line?
If Spaling stays in the lineup, I'd suspect that either Dumont or Tootoo are scratched, but if Spaling is scratched, then your looking at Smithson dropping down a line to play center and likely Tootoo or Dumont moving up the lineup.
I don't know what our bottom six will look like tonight. We've again got too many square pegs to fit into the round holes!
Cooper's blog didn't make sense to me. He said that Dumont and Spaling rotated through line drills with Hornqvist and Tootoo. Why would three RW's go through drills as the fourth line?
If Spaling stays in the lineup, I'd suspect that either Dumont or Tootoo are scratched, but if Spaling is scratched, then your looking at Smithson dropping down a line to play center and likely Tootoo or Dumont moving up the lineup.
I don't know what our bottom six will look like tonight. We've again got too many square pegs to fit into the round holes!
If Leggy can handle normal minutes, it shouldn't be that hard.
Ice the following lines:
10-9-74
26-16-33
71/29-11-27
25-13-29/22
Go with that and you're good. Keeps the "hot" lines together, has two two-way lines (Goc and Leggy's) that can be even better by swapping 33 and 27 or 33 and 71 if Dumont plays, and a pretty good scoring line in 26-16-x. It also keeps a very strong energy line together.
There's no reason to hamper your offense even further by keeping any one of 25, 13, or 22 on a "scoring" line when you don't have to. You basically weaken two lines, plus ice a line that wouldn't score on Dickerson Road.
This team is the only team I've ever seen that has an offensively skilled player return from injury and it redeploys it's lineup to provide overall less offense.
If Leggy can handle normal minutes, it shouldn't be that hard.
Ice the following lines:
10-9-74
26-16-33
71/29-11-27
25-13-29/22
Go with that and you're good. Keeps the "hot" lines together, has two two-way lines (Goc and Leggy's) that can be even better by swapping 33 and 27 or 33 and 71 if Dumont plays, and a pretty good scoring line in 26-16-x. It also keeps a very strong energy line together.
There's no reason to hamper your offense even further by keeping any one of 25, 13, or 22 on a "scoring" line when you don't have to. You basically weaken two lines, plus ice a line that wouldn't score on Dickerson Road.
This team is the only team I've ever seen that has an offensively skilled player return from injury and it redeploys it's lineup to provide overall less offense.
It's maddening.
Overall, I largely agree, but...
We know Legwand is going to receive top minutes shadowing the Wings top line, but Dumont and Hornqvist on the wings don't really make that possible.
Ward and Smithson or Tootoo are a more likely combo for that role. Leaving the square pegs on the fourth line. Dumont and Hornqvist need a center with offensive skill. Spaling has not yet proven to be that man. Tootoo is likely uneffective vs. Detroit and has been fading into the background the last stretch. Dumont is in the doghouse and just doesn't fit as a fourth liner. Spaling is going to likely stay in the lineup for his PK skills. And then lastly, we've got Hornqvist coming off a 30 goal season and desperately needing to find linemates that can put the puck on the net.
We know Legwand is going to receive top minutes shadowing the Wings top line, but Dumont and Hornqvist on the wings don't really make that possible.
Ward and Smithson or Tootoo are a more likely combo for that role. Leaving the square pegs on the fourth line. Dumont and Hornqvist need a center with offensive skill. Spaling has not yet proven to be that man. Tootoo is likely uneffective vs. Detroit and has been fading into the background the last stretch. Dumont is in the doghouse and just doesn't fit as a fourth liner. Spaling is going to likely stay in the lineup for his PK skills. And then lastly, we've got Hornqvist coming off a 30 goal season and desperately needing to find linemates that can put the puck on the net.
Too many square pegs to sort out...
I'm ok with Hornqvist on a two-way line. For those that aren't, sit Dumont (likely anyway I suspect) and have Legwand center Ward and Wilson. Move Hornqvist back with O'Reilly and Sullivan. Let Smithson, Spaling and Tootoo play on the energy line together.
It accomplishes the same goal of a scoring line and two two-way lines without neutering yourself offensively.
If Leggy can handle normal minutes, it shouldn't be that hard.
Ice the following lines:
10-9-74
26-16-33
71/29-11-27
25-13-29/22
Go with that and you're good. Keeps the "hot" lines together, has two two-way lines (Goc and Leggy's) that can be even better by swapping 33 and 27 or 33 and 71 if Dumont plays, and a pretty good scoring line in 26-16-x. It also keeps a very strong energy line together.
There's no reason to hamper your offense even further by keeping any one of 25, 13, or 22 on a "scoring" line when you don't have to. You basically weaken two lines, plus ice a line that wouldn't score on Dickerson Road.
This team is the only team I've ever seen that has an offensively skilled player return from injury and it redeploys it's lineup to provide overall less offense.It's maddening.
Hold up there and take it easy cowboy.....you're making too much sense.
I'm ok with Hornqvist on a two-way line. For those that aren't, sit Dumont (likely anyway I suspect) and have Legwand center Ward and Wilson. Move Hornqvist back with O'Reilly and Sullivan. Let Smithson, Spaling and Tootoo play on the energy line together.
It accomplishes the same goal of a scoring line and two two-way lines without neutering yourself offensively.
Why not put Hornqvist with Legwand and Ward and leave the Sully, O'R, Wilson line stay put. They have been a huge threat the last 3 games. Hornqvist can still bang and crash and rush the net with Leggy and Ward
Why not put Hornqvist with Legwand and Ward and leave the Sully, O'R, Wilson line stay put. They have been a huge threat the last 3 games. Hornqvist can still bang and crash and rush the net with Leggy and Ward
I'm ok with that and did so originally. Some have concerns with Hornqvist in a two-way role (which I believe was what Seth was getting at), so I swapped Wilson and Hornqvist.
It puts Wilson in more of a two-way role and Hornqvist in a more strictly scoring role (although on a line that I believe doesn't maximize his abilities).
Regardless, my point is that defense hasn't been this team's consistent problem over the past several games and it made little sense that the team get's more defensive by adding an offensively skilled player back into the lineup.
It will be interesting to see what line up they go with tonight. As many have said adding Legwand, who is an offensive two way player should not make you turn your lines into more defensive roles.
Taking Wilson off the 16 -26 line (and they have been adding a lot of offense) and putting him in more of a two way roll will take away quite a bit of offense. Not sure that is what the Preds need.
Is Hornqvist no good in the D zone, or am I missing something? Just trying to figure out what would be accomplished there. Is Wilson that much better than Hornqvist in D zone?
I'm ok with that and did so originally. Some have concerns with Hornqvist in a two-way role (which I believe was what Seth was getting at), so I swapped Wilson and Hornqvist.
It puts Wilson in more of a two-way role and Hornqvist in a more strictly scoring role (although on a line that I believe doesn't maximize his abilities).
Regardless, my point is that defense hasn't been this team's consistent problem over the past several games and it made little sense that the team get's more defensive by adding an offensively skilled player back into the lineup.
I think (read: hope) a lot of it has to do with who is coming back and the timing. It's Legwand, our best defensive forward, and we're playing Detroit, a team that can threaten with basically any line right now. As defensive-minded as Trotz is, that tendency to ice a shutdown team increases exponentially when it comes to playing Detroit.
I wouldn't mind Spaling on a wing that is centered by Legwand as a good defensive line and bump Smithson to fourth line center. I think Spaling is just as good defensively and may be a little better than Smithson offensively.
