Best Possible Line Combos

[Bee Sheriff]

DISCLAIMER: I am about to do a thing. I may end up looking very stupid in this thing, or I may end up making my first posting in my eventual legacy as the Steven Hawkings of hockey, either way check this out.

I took some looks at a few metrics (SF%) (SA/60) (CF%) (CA/60), and by pulling apart the numbers and then adding some positional/handedness chemistry and common sense, i came up with these line combos as the apparent best paper lines for the Kings thus far this season:

5v5:
Gaborik - Kopitar - Carter
Pearson - Lewis - Toffoli
Clifford - Stoll - Williams
King - Richards - Brown
Nolan, Andreoff

Muzzin - Doughty
McNabb - Greene
Martinez - McBain
Regehr

PP:
Gaborik - Kopitar - Lewis
Muzzin - Doughty

Pearson - Carter - Toffoli
McNabb - McBain


PK:
Kopitar - Williams
Muzzin - Doughty

Carter - Lewis
McNabb - Greene


Notes:
- Trevor Lewis: Stats alone, he has been playing a game that screams for more responsibility and ice time. For me, this has been kind of obvious by just the eye test. He plays one of the most intense and driven games on the team.
For forwards, the team has the highest shots for when he is on the ice, and the lowest shots against when he is on the ice, he also has the second highest corsi rating (to Gaborik), and overall lowest CA/60.
- McNabb: He's seemed to improve every game this season judging by eye test alone. His improvement has translated to a well rounded game that makes him reliable in any situation. He's right behind Muzzin and Doughty in CF% and SF%, while second only to Muzzin in CA/60 and SA/60. My only gripe about McNabb is that he is always looking for the big hit along the boards, which I'm not yet certain is a good or bad thing for the team.
- Richards and Brown: Umm...Intangibles? These guys simply aren't getting it done stats-wise. Both of them consistently ranked as two of the worst forwards in every category. The Captain and the former Flyers' Captain both offer a lot in the locker room, so is told, but their on-ice reliability is becoming a serious and legitimate concern.
- Clifford and King: Not much to say here besides the fact that they seem to have switched roles as far as what they have to offer, except Dwight don't fight.


Stats can be found here

Click to read more...

 

[Eye of Ra]

No chance for Weal?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

No chance for Weal?

Weally not right now

 

[rajuabju]

I say: LETS DO IT

 

[Chain]

They look good but I still like That 70's Line and not just on the PP, and in your lineups I would switch Stoll and Richards myself.

Is it just me or have McBain and McNabb played as well as Doughty on the PP lately? McBain has made some nice passes the last few games.

 

[damacles1156]

McBain is a productive PP player, always has been his whole NHL career.

 

[DonKingKong]

I think it is time for the 70's line to be put back together and to move Willie up to RW on the 11/12 line. Get Willie's scoring back on track before the playoffs (all things providing) and spread out the scoring more.

 

[tsanuri]

I think it is time for the 70's line to be put back together and to move Willie up to RW on the 11/12 line. Get Willie's scoring back on track before the playoffs (all things providing) and spread out the scoring more.

I don't like having 12/11/77 together but they are the hottest line in the league right now. And the PP is working. Now is not the time to break the 3 of them up.

 

[DonKingKong]

I don't like having 12/11/77 together but they are the hottest line in the league right now. And the PP is working. Now is not the time to break the 3 of them up.

Your right but it has to be done sometime. I guess wait until they cool off or until a couple of weeks before the playoffs depending on how it goes. That 70's line was the hottest line in the NHL before they were broken up or at least I thought they were.

 

[damacles1156]

Your right but it has to be done sometime. I guess wait until they cool off or until a couple of weeks before the playoffs depending on how it goes. That 70's line was the hottest line in the NHL before they were broken up or at least I thought they were.

Broken up due to zero production in November. At some point Sutter will put Carter back at Center.

But right now it's not a need. Toffoli/Pearson are having up and down efforts, like all young players do. Carter doesn't have to worry about Defense playing with Kopitar.

 

[DonKingKong]

Broken up due to zero production in November. At some point Sutter will put Carter back at Center.

But right now it's not a need. Toffoli/Pearson are having up and down efforts, like all young players do. Carter doesn't have to worry about Defense playing with Kopitar.

All true but that doesn't stop me from feeling like we are putting all our eggs in one basket. I hope that we get it straightened out before too long and get some balanced scoring going before the playoffs. Not a crippler but still something to look forward to happening.

 

[damacles1156]

All true but that doesn't stop me from feeling like we are putting all our eggs in one basket. I hope that we get it straightened out before too long and get some balanced scoring going before the playoffs. Not a crippler but still something to look forward to happening.

What's important is that Kopitar/Gabo/Carter GOT going. All three were in the middle of career worst slumps.

Sutter had to do something to get those going, it was causing losses.

Williams couldn't even get Kopitar going, it was pretty bad.

 

[Bee Sheriff]

They look good but I still like That 70's Line and not just on the PP, and in your lineups I would switch Stoll and Richards myself.

Is it just me or have McBain and McNabb played as well as Doughty on the PP lately? McBain has made some nice passes the last few games.

Reputation would suggest this but according to the numbers, Stoll has been, while not by much, a better player in more minutes than Richards.


What does everyone think of the idea of giving more responsibility to Lewis?

 

[triplcrown]

Best possible line combos?
Just a couple of changes...

I kind of like:

Gaborik/Kopitar/Jari Kurri
for the 1st line
and
Martinez/Chris Chelios
for 2nd D pair.

...