Lapa
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- Feb 21, 2010
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2013/2014 Minnesota Wild News and Notes - New Division and New Expectations
- Thread starter tyratoku
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All things will change by Friday. I think would look more in to line combos tomorrow not today.
Don't look to much into lines today do it tomorrow. http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/229877841.html
Engebretson
Thank you, sweet rabbit
I'm sure they're just trying things out with the extra time between now and the next game, but yeah, Yeo's doing some Ruxin-style tinkering in today's practice.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
tomgilbertfan
#WhyBother
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Which would be fine, except we are one player short of being able to do that. Fontaine isn't a legit NHL 1st line wing, and neither is Heatley anymore. Coyle and Parise would be just as handicapped as Parise and Koivu.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
Russo says the Coyle and Koivu lines will be first and second, not using the third line as a checking line.
Again:
Parise-Coyle-Heatley
Niederreiter-Koivu-Brodziak
Cooke-Granlund-Pominville
Mitchell-Konopka-Fontaine
So...Granlund and Pominville play well for a couple games and will get less ice time? Brodziak and Heatley are getting more ice time?
No idea what the hell is going on here.
Again:
Parise-Coyle-Heatley
Niederreiter-Koivu-Brodziak
Cooke-Granlund-Pominville
Mitchell-Konopka-Fontaine
So...Granlund and Pominville play well for a couple games and will get less ice time? Brodziak and Heatley are getting more ice time?
No idea what the hell is going on here.
Lapa
Global Moderator
- Feb 21, 2010
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So we live in a universe where..
You play well, you get demoted to 3rd line with less ice time
and when you suck for 13 games..
You get promoted to the first line and get a **** load of ice time?
Seriously.. What a ****ing joke if that's the case vs. Habs.
You play well, you get demoted to 3rd line with less ice time
and when you suck for 13 games..
You get promoted to the first line and get a **** load of ice time?
Seriously.. What a ****ing joke if that's the case vs. Habs.
Who said anything about ice time? Ask yourself if they'd really jump into the game assuming a guy who has been out a while with a knee injury is going to pick up first line minutes right away. They'll end up double shifting Koivu and Parise.
Lapa
Global Moderator
- Feb 21, 2010
- 13,179
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Good point. Still, I think this means Poms & Granlund will get a bit less ice time.
I just don't like Heatley potentially getting more ice time. He's gotten a lot of **** this season, but he's a bit useless at this point.
Behind the scenes: Media day
(wild.com)
_______________
Fun to see how tight of a group the youngsters are. Didn't see Nino, though.
(wild.com)
_______________
Fun to see how tight of a group the youngsters are. Didn't see Nino, though.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
More Russo
So it's essentially checking line that can score, checking line that can score, and scoring line that can check? I just think this has potential to backfire big time.
The third line worked fairly well because the guys aren't necessarily possession players but are disrupters. They can skate and break up plays, then get the play moving down the other end. The top two lines worked well because they were holding on to the puck in the offensive zone.
What I worry this will do is put guys that traditionally have had trouble maintaining the possession with scorers, which could destroy the puck possession they've done well so far.
I like putting Koivu on a checking line because he likes to stay high and doesn't really want to do anything other than pass the puck. But if they do get in the offensive zone, Brodziak can't really handle the puck well or cycle that great. And Nino can do those things well but IMO should be playing more in the open ice so he can use his shot more.
I like Parise with Coyle who is going to be faster and likely more offensive minded than Koivu, and that will create more opportunities for Parise to get rebounds, as well as get him away from the rut of playing along the boards and stuffing the puck near the side of the net. But then Heatley is a major disrupter with the puck because he can't forecheck or hang on to it very well, but he also doesn't have the speed to attack on the rush, and he can't get back on the backcheck. That could be trouble, which is why they are getting Fontaine some reps. He's looked good on the rush but with the cycle, not so much. He's not quite strong enough on the boards and doesn't win enough puck battles.
Granlund and Pominville seems to be good, especially on the rush, as Poms looks to shoot more and Granny has been hitting him with nice passes. But then what is Cooke doing on the line? He can play a little bit, but wouldn't it make more sense to put Nino there, who's another weapon and can open up some space? Is Cooke going to come away with the puck on the board battles to set up the plays?
Just a ton of question marks here. It's like they have found roles for players but then are going to put them in different roles. Like preseason experimentation a month into the season.
So it's essentially checking line that can score, checking line that can score, and scoring line that can check? I just think this has potential to backfire big time.
The third line worked fairly well because the guys aren't necessarily possession players but are disrupters. They can skate and break up plays, then get the play moving down the other end. The top two lines worked well because they were holding on to the puck in the offensive zone.
What I worry this will do is put guys that traditionally have had trouble maintaining the possession with scorers, which could destroy the puck possession they've done well so far.
I like putting Koivu on a checking line because he likes to stay high and doesn't really want to do anything other than pass the puck. But if they do get in the offensive zone, Brodziak can't really handle the puck well or cycle that great. And Nino can do those things well but IMO should be playing more in the open ice so he can use his shot more.
I like Parise with Coyle who is going to be faster and likely more offensive minded than Koivu, and that will create more opportunities for Parise to get rebounds, as well as get him away from the rut of playing along the boards and stuffing the puck near the side of the net. But then Heatley is a major disrupter with the puck because he can't forecheck or hang on to it very well, but he also doesn't have the speed to attack on the rush, and he can't get back on the backcheck. That could be trouble, which is why they are getting Fontaine some reps. He's looked good on the rush but with the cycle, not so much. He's not quite strong enough on the boards and doesn't win enough puck battles.
Granlund and Pominville seems to be good, especially on the rush, as Poms looks to shoot more and Granny has been hitting him with nice passes. But then what is Cooke doing on the line? He can play a little bit, but wouldn't it make more sense to put Nino there, who's another weapon and can open up some space? Is Cooke going to come away with the puck on the board battles to set up the plays?
Just a ton of question marks here. It's like they have found roles for players but then are going to put them in different roles. Like preseason experimentation a month into the season.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Do not like.
This is the kind of shakeup you do if you're having trouble getting or maintaining pressure, which we are not.
This is the kind of shakeup you do if you're having trouble getting or maintaining pressure, which we are not.
I agree with Jarick.
I'm confused. Do they make this experiment in order to say that they tried to split Parise and Koivu but it didn't work..?
I think they should keep up with the good things and try to fix weak links. But this mess looks that somebody is just trying to destroy everything. Hope I'm wrong.
I'm confused. Do they make this experiment in order to say that they tried to split Parise and Koivu but it didn't work..?
I think they should keep up with the good things and try to fix weak links. But this mess looks that somebody is just trying to destroy everything. Hope I'm wrong.
tomgilbertfan
#WhyBother
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