Line Combos: 2013 Line Combos Thread II

[this providence]

Brodziak hate has gone off the deep end around here as of late, it seems.

He's entrenched in his role on this team because he plays said role to the T. Plus/minus doesn't mean much of anything in the grand scheme of things and those who were expecting the offensive output of last year are not accounting for the difference in the type (and amount) of minutes he's logging.

 

[Jarick]

Don't hate Brodziak, just don't see why you run two scoring lines a quasi-checking line, and a grinder line centered by your top prospect.

Why not run three scoring lines and a pure shutdown/defensive line centered by Brodziak with Konopka taking draws on the left?

 

[this providence]

I've stopped attempting to understand Yeo's decisions and approach. It's getting to the point where he appears to be in over his head.

With that said, Brodziak wouldn't be moving off that 3rd line with pretty much any coach at the helm. Plays too balanced and dependable of a game.

 

[DeuceMN]

It's funny reading all these posts.

Most of us agree on what we are seeing and why we get frustrated with the team. We just disagree on some of the reasons for these issues.

I don't care who's right or wrong, I just hope it gets figured out. It wouldn't hurt for some of our concerns to be answered either...


God I missed hockey!!!!!!!

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

+/- is an antiquated stat that will someday go the way of the wins stat in baseball. Too many other factors to consider it an extremely accurate indicator of play.

 

[Circulartheory]

How about this, start with your checking line.

Brodziak - Konopka - Rupp/Mitchell

There's no offense to this line and who cares. Konopka takes draws on the left, Brodziak takes draws on the right, or whatever. Throw these guys out for most of your D zone starts.

Top line:

Parise - Koivu - Heatley

Then put together some lines with some balance:

Bouchard - Cullen - Setoguchi
Zucker - Granlund - Clutterbuck

Or put together lines based on speed:

Zucker - Cullen - Setoguchi
Bouchard - Granlund - Clutterbuck

My problem there is Brodziak is our best defensive forward and playing him 8 minutes a night because of his less-talented teammates doesn't seem too beneficial for the team as a whole.

 

[Sportsfan1]

Parise-Koivu-Heatley
Zucker-Cullen-Setoguchi
Bouchard-Brodziak-Mitchell
Rupp/Konopka-Granlund-Larsson

Not my ideal lines, but I understand Yeo wanting to keep top two lines intact given how well they are playing the last few games, and I think this is what you will see him role with initially

 

[Blizzard6411]

Brodziak brought it tonight. Looked very good. That whole line created some great chances.

 

[Beegoalie]

Brodziak brought it tonight. Looked very good. That whole line created some great chances.

Yes I think playing with more skilled guys benefits Brodziak. He likes to be the bull on the line and that guy who is physical and gets to the net. Bouchard has the finesse game that complements a Brodziak and his ability to create space for his line mates similar to Brodziak-Havlat or Brodziak-Heatley last season.

That being said that whole line looked great. Bouchard was noticeable tonight and hopefully Clutter isn't out long term.

It seems we finally found some chemistry in that top 9. This is a good thing...too bad it is coming at the expense of MG 64's ice time however

 

[hokijanari]

So I guess Yeo is now ready to swap Cullen and MG

 

[DeuceMN]

These lines looked pretty good last night!

I hope they stay together for Calgary , and I hope they put in the effort they did against the Oil.

I am wondering if Konopka should get his 4C spot back. He was doing a pretty good job forechecking and causing the opposing teams strife, and with Clutter out, it wouldn't hurt to have a little more of an edge added back.

 

[keppel146]

parise-koivu-heatley
coyle-cullen-seto
pmb-brod-granlund
rupp-konopka-mitchell

potential against calgary. I could see line combos getting really switched up again

 

[tomgilbertfan]

parise-koivu-heatley
coyle-cullen-seto
pmb-brod-granlund
rupp-konopka-mitchell

potential against calgary. I could see line combos getting really switched up again

No zucker?

 

[bozak911]

you absolutely do not break up the zucker-cullen-seto line. Those three all have way too much N-S speed together to split up.

Put Coyle back on the top line.

move heatley down.

I feel like I've typed these before...

Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Zucker - Cullen - Setoguchi
Heatley - Brodziak - Bouchard

 

[WildisLaw]

I'd like to see Granlund with Koivu before he asks to be traded. Yeo hasn't even tried it! Coyle didn't even score last time. This is ********

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

Idea:

Move Heatley to the point and tee his one-timer up from Suter

 

[WildisLaw]

Stoner has been awful and needs to go back to 3rd pairing where he belongs with Spurgeon. Bring back Pizza you ********.

 

[Beegoalie]

you absolutely do not break up the zucker-cullen-seto line. Those three all have way too much N-S speed together to split up.

Put Coyle back on the top line.

move heatley down.

I feel like I've typed these before...

Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Zucker - Cullen - Setoguchi
Heatley - Brodziak - Bouchard

Absolutely terrible idea to move Heatley from the top line. He was the best offensive player on the ice other than Cullen against Edmonton and has been getting a ton of chances lately. You don't break up a line that is producing chances like that. I guarantee if Heatley continues to get chances he will start potting about .5 goals per game. Which is exactly what we need from a top line winger.

You move Heatley to the 3rd line and you eliminate his game completely. He can produce on that line..maybe he isnt a 50 goal scorer anymore but he is a shoe in 25-30 goal guy with Parise and Koivu in a full season. Coyle is not ready to produce at that level..will he in his career? Maybe...time will tell. I project and hope for him to be a 25 goal 30 assist guy down the road..

But right now moving Heatley anywhere other than alongside Koivu and Parise kills Heatley's game completely and in no way is a benefit to the team. The only way for him to be successful and for us to get maximum value out of his game(and help the team in biggest possible way) is to keep that top line together.

 

[SirGoose]

Hey guys, just wanted to stop by and ask what's going on with Konopka?

He was really mishandled with the Sens and it seems much of the same is going on in Minnesota.

Do you think he'll end up slotted back as the #4c for the majority of the season, even though Yeo doesn't seem to dig him that much?

 

[Gaps]

Hey guys, just wanted to stop by and ask what's going on with Konopka?

He was really mishandled with the Sens and it seems much of the same is going on in Minnesota.

Do you think he'll end up slotted back as the #4c for the majority of the season, even though Yeo doesn't seem to dig him that much?

The 4th line has been recently centered by a prospect who doesn't really have any business on that line. Konopka took one dumb penalty a couple of games back, and has been scratched since. I hope to see him back on the 4th line tomorrow. Whether there's anything else going on with him and Yeo is anyone's guess, but I'm going to start suspecting something if he's a healthy scratch tomorrow.

 

[PariseSuterKoivu]

A Butch-Granlund-Coyle line would be worth a look. Have they tried that yet?

 

[Puhis]

Hey guys, just wanted to stop by and ask what's going on with Konopka?

He was really mishandled with the Sens and it seems much of the same is going on in Minnesota.

Do you think he'll end up slotted back as the #4c for the majority of the season, even though Yeo doesn't seem to dig him that much?

Hard to say. The 2nd line is really clicking, no reason to break them up. The 3rd line is currently Bouchard-Brodziak-Coyle, as of Clutter's injury. That said, I'm expecting either promotion for Granlund (no use having him play 4C) or demotion to Houston, which probably would be best for his development right now. And if that's done... Well, the 4C spot opens for Konopka again.

He should really be our 4C, but with Zucker coming and apparently staying, there's simply no room.

 

[Puhis]

A Butch-Granlund-Coyle line would be worth a look. Have they tried that yet?

Not sure if I like two rookies on the same line.

At least we FINALLY get to see Bouchard-Brodziak-Coyle tomorrow.

 

[Jaykay]

Not sure if I like two rookies on the same line.

At least we FINALLY get to see Bouchard-Brodziak-Coyle tomorrow.

I think the bigger problem would be Bouchard and Granlund on a line together. They already tried that and they couldn't hold their own defensively, which is why Cullen immediately got promoted back to the 2nd line.

 

[BusQuets]

Heatley has really handcuffed Yeo. He knows that Heatley is pretty much useless and defensive liability on any line he is but Koivu and Parise can minimize that danger. And Yeo doesn't have balls to healthy scratch Heatley either.