Blaming that solely on Brule is a touch unfair don't you think?
Penner-Cogs-Brule can be a solid line, we've seen it before and as recently as a few weeks ago. It goes to show you how valuable a big body with skill like Penner can be. IMO you could put any other Oiler on that line and it wouldn't be nearly as effective as it is with #27 on there. With some luck our 3rd line could produce as well, I like the idea of Paajarvi joining a line with 2 players with chemistry, hopefully they keep him there for awhile and he can gain chemistry with them and start to build his confidence.
Renney said on the video on the oilers web that it's probable that he will keep Reddox and Omark together and he sure sees some synergy between them but his concern is whether he should play them with a winger or a center, that's why he tried Reddox at C this training.
Also fun listening to Omark trying to talk English with a big snus (snuff) under his lip.
Blaming that solely on Brule is a touch unfair don't you think?
I didn't think he was doing so, but don't you think it's at least a symptom that your team isn't being all it can be?
IMO a 2nd line of Cogliano/Brule/Penner is mediocre at best...it would have flashes of quality play, but over the long haul it simply wouldn't put up the numbers. It'd be no different than when we were running with Stoll and Torres on our 2nd line.
It would be a above average to very good 3rd line though, depending if Penner's in the mood to compete and Brule/Cogs aren't running around like headless chickens.
Put it this way: When I see a lineup card with both Brule and Cogliano in our top 6, I don't consider it good tidings. I consider it making do with what meager scraps we have.
I didn't think he was doing so, but don't you think it's at least a symptom that your team isn't being all it can be?
IMO a 2nd line of Cogliano/Brule/Penner is mediocre at best...it would have flashes of quality play, but over the long haul it simply wouldn't put up the numbers. It'd be no different than when we were running with Stoll and Torres on our 2nd line.
It would be a above average to very good 3rd line though, depending if Penner's in the mood to compete and Brule/Cogs aren't running around like headless chickens.
Put it this way: When I see a lineup card with both Brule and Cogliano in our top 6, I don't consider it good tidings. I consider it making do with what meager scraps we have.
I didn't say otherwise, Horcoff, O'Sullivan, there were other major problems with our top 6 last year, hell Penner was really the only guy besides Hemsky early in the year that did worth a damn. This is a rebuilding club so I'm not sure why people would expect there to be top quality guys in the top 6 especially at the center position? Gagner, Horcoff, Cogliano, Brule, Fraser, none of those guys scream top 6 IMO. This is precisely why we need to cross our fingers and hope that we can somehow land Couturier or at least maybe Strome or RNH this upcoming draft.
with Hall there is no point in putting him at centre because he's most effective as a winger, playing with wreckless abandon, either carrying the puck into the zone off the wing himself or doing a quick turn and receiving a pass at centre ice or the opposing blue line with speed. Just let the kid play his natural position. He's going to be a gamebreaking, goalscoring machine who's primary concern is to score.
As for Penner, why? because he's big? he doesn't have the stamina play centre as good as he may be defensively, they'd have to limit his minutes, thus making him less effective. He still gets some time on the PK now and takes draws as well, while being a pretty steady offensive contributor.
Perfect post.
The one time Penner should be playing "Center" is on the PP:
with Hall there is no point in putting him at centre because he's most effective as a winger, playing with wreckless abandon, either carrying the puck into the zone off the wing himself or doing a quick turn and receiving a pass at centre ice or the opposing blue line with speed. Just let the kid play his natural position. He's going to be a gamebreaking, goalscoring machine who's primary concern is to score.
As for Penner, why? because he's big? he doesn't have the stamina play centre as good as he may be defensively, they'd have to limit his minutes, thus making him less effective. He still gets some time on the PK now and takes draws as well, while being a pretty steady offensive contributor.
and when Penner does play center can we throw the "C" on him? I think it would be awesome to have Penner as a full time center but when Hall does fill out more, I'd like to try him at center.
and when Penner does play center can we throw the "C" on him? I think it would be awesome to have Penner as a full time center but when Hall does fill out more, I'd like to try him at center.
Just checking but when you say "throw the 'C' on him" you don't mean make him captain I hope. Sure when he decides to play he is truly dominant. Heck, on night where he gets emotionally connected to the game he takes over the offensive zone! The problem is that this happens so rarely that he isn't a reliable leader. His tendency to quit on a play is maddening!
Given this, it isn't so surprising to me that they made Horcoff captain and took the A away from Penner. As much as I despise Horcoff, I prefer his leadership to Penner's play-when-I-feel-like-it style. Could you imagine if the team played like him? I guarantee that if Penner was captain there would be a surge of people buying new TVs due to the fact that they would have smashed their old one.
As for the subject of this thread, I'm intrigued by the Paajarvi, Reddox, Omark line. That could be a real offensive surprise. Although I expect the minutes to be spread out quite a bit for them and the 4th line. Jonesy will be given ample chance to score those even strength goals he seems so adept at scoring.
At any rate, with the return of Schremp and the line shuffle, this should be a great game to watch!
Just checking but when you say "throw the 'C' on him" you don't mean make him captain I hope. Sure when he decides to play he is truly dominant. Heck, on night where he gets emotionally connected to the game he takes over the offensive zone! The problem is that this happens so rarely that he isn't a reliable leader. His tendency to quit on a play is maddening!
Given this, it isn't so surprising to me that they made Horcoff captain and took the A away from Penner. As much as I despise Horcoff, I prefer his leadership to Penner's play-when-I-feel-like-it style. Could you imagine if the team played like him? I guarantee that if Penner was captain there would be a surge of people buying new TVs due to the fact that they would have smashed their old one.
As for the subject of this thread, I'm intrigued by the Paajarvi, Reddox, Omark line. That could be a real offensive surprise. Although I expect the minutes to be spread out quite a bit for them and the 4th line. Jonesy will be given ample chance to score those even strength goals he seems so adept at scoring.
At any rate, with the return of Schremp and the line shuffle, this should be a great game to watch!
I think we're going to have to give Anton Lander the "C" when he makes the big club, kids the next most heart and soul player the Oilers have had since Smyth.
I think we're going to have to give Anton Lander the "C" when he makes the big club, kids the next most heart and soul player the Oilers have had since Smyth.
No no no, let's stop giving the C to grinder types. Give it to Hall or Eberle in a few years, maybe Whitney.
I didn't think he was doing so, but don't you think it's at least a symptom that your team isn't being all it can be?
IMO a 2nd line of Cogliano/Brule/Penner is mediocre at best...it would have flashes of quality play, but over the long haul it simply wouldn't put up the numbers. It'd be no different than when we were running with Stoll and Torres on our 2nd line.
It would be a above average to very good 3rd line though, depending if Penner's in the mood to compete and Brule/Cogs aren't running around like headless chickens.
Put it this way: When I see a lineup card with both Brule and Cogliano in our top 6, I don't consider it good tidings. I consider it making do with what meager scraps we have.
Fine when we are healthy just call them the third line then.
but for real Lander is a leader.
