I can handle Chris Neil getting 4th line minutes but giving him the 3rd line and sometimes 2nd line minutes while playing with Coling Greening is just asking to lose and never score.
I can handle Chris Neil getting 4th line minutes but giving him the 3rd line and sometimes 2nd line minutes while playing with Colin Greening is just asking to lose and never score.
Way too many people undervaluing Ottawas checking line. They hit a lot and are a big part of the reason Ottawa is so difficult to play against. Also Zibanejad is better than any winger Ottawa can trade for to play with Spezza. It's better to have him get decent minutes in the top 6 then have him centering the 3rd/4th line
I'd rather see Zibanejad at centre and Stone back on Spezza's wing.
Zib is definitely better at center. He needs to play in the top 6 though or else he'lll only get 10 minutues of ice time a game
YES! Benny FTC (coach)!I hate the current lines.
Michalek should be no where near Spezza. Zibanejad should be center. GSN is barf.
MacArthur-Turris-Ryan
Smith-Spezza-Stone
Conacher-Zibanejad-Michalek
Hoffman-Da Costa-Condra
Zibanejad looked fine on Spezza's wing last night, and Michalek looked pretty good out there too.
Zibanejad looked fine on Spezza's wing last night, and Michalek looked pretty good out there too.
Zibanejad looks fine at wing but looks better at center. I have no problem with him on wing until Stone is back.
Zibanejad looks fine at wing but looks better at center. I have no problem with him on wing until Stone is back.
3rd line + PP time.
Zibanejad looks fine at wing but looks better at center. I have no problem with him on wing until Stone is back.
most definitely. and easy to see
If you give conacher and Condra more ice time then niel, greening, and smith Ottawa becomes way to soft
I don't think that's necessarily true.
Centres in general I find are just more noticeable on the ice because of the space they occupy. Zibanejad as the centre was relied upon to do more, but as a winger he gets to play with better players and has more offensive opportunities. As long as there's another effective centre (Da Costa right now, who has been very good) to play on the 3rd/4th line I don't mind Zibanejad playing on the wing.
I don't think that's necessarily true.
Centres in general I find are just more noticeable on the ice because of the space they occupy. Zibanejad as the centre was relied upon to do more, but as a winger he gets to play with better players and has more offensive opportunities. As long as there's another effective centre (Da Costa right now, who has been very good) to play on the 3rd/4th line I don't mind Zibanejad playing on the wing.
I disagree. Not only does he play better, but he makes his line mates better. Michalek and Conacher have been playing "fine", but they were playing great when on Zib's line.
I don't have the numbers but I'd like to see the point break down of Zib at RW vs. C.
I think the lines are working just fine as they are. It would be nice to get a top 6 winger to play with Spezza, but it just doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Send Stone down when he gets healthy again as Da Costa has outplayed him. Zibanejad has been fine on the wing, but I wonder if Da Costa could play there? He thinks the game at a high level and plays a strong east-west game that could complement Spezza well. I would love to have a fast, strong defensive left winger to play on that line (which Michalek can be when he's playing at his best).
I also can't help but feel like Ryan needs to be taken off the Turris line.
Greening - Spezza - Ryan
MacArthur - Turris - Michalek
Conacher - Zibanejad/Da Costa - Da Costa/Zibanejad
Condra - Smith - Neil
Do eet.