Break up VHP and get a better balance to this lineup

[Havok89]

Hodgson for ROR straight up..
Vanek - Grigorenko - x
Ott - ROR - Pominville
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford

Future center depth of Grigorenko, ROR, Girgensons. Ennis used as a top six winger who can fill in and play center if needed (much like Briere).

I don't see Colorado wanting Ennis since they already have Duchene. Hodgson is probably more appealing to them.

Grigorenko's already staying this year, put him in a position where he can succeed (with Vanek on his wing). Buffalo hasn't had a player with his potential in a long time, and I feel his development is more important to the franchise going forward, than this season.

 

[HockeyH3aven]

Hodgson for ROR straight up..
Vanek - Grigorenko - x
Ott - ROR - Pominville
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford

Future center depth of Grigorenko, ROR, Girgensons. Ennis used as a top six winger who can fill in and play center if needed (much like Briere).

I don't see Colorado wanting Ennis since they already have Duchene. Hodgson is probably more appealing to them.

Grigorenko's already staying this year, put him in a position where he can succeed (with Vanek on his wing). Buffalo hasn't had a player with his potential in a long time, and I feel his development is more important to the franchise going forward, than this season.

Wrong thread.

 

[RattleYourSabre]

I posted a similar topic a few weeks ago and people were a lot more up in arms about it then than they seem to be now... For the record, I think youre on to something...

 

[Irving Zisman]

Just flip the RWs to see if you can get something going. They are both not going well, can't hurt to try.

VHS
FEP

Not a bad idea, actually.

Hey, we agree on something for once!

 

[Montag DP]

I say let's split up Ruff - Patrick - Adams to spread out the suckage more evenly across the league.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Hodgson for ROR straight up..
Vanek - Grigorenko - x
Ott - ROR - Pominville
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford

Future center depth of Grigorenko, ROR, Girgensons. Ennis used as a top six winger who can fill in and play center if needed (much like Briere).

I don't see Colorado wanting Ennis since they already have Duchene. Hodgson is probably more appealing to them.

Grigorenko's already staying this year, put him in a position where he can succeed (with Vanek on his wing). Buffalo hasn't had a player with his potential in a long time, and I feel his development is more important to the franchise going forward, than this season.

I'm not interested in getting rid of any Sabre just for the effect, so I'm not against or for moving Hodgson. I'd rather move Ennis than Hodgson. If Colorado wanted Hodgson, I'd counter Grigorenko for O'Reilly, and roll with Hodgson, O'Reilly, and Ennis (maybe Girgensons with Ennis at wing) as my top three centers.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Just flip the RWs to see if you can get something going. They are both not going well, can't hurt to try.

VHS
FEP

I'm not sure I'd want to use those lines necessarily, but VHS would give a new meaning to "roll the highlight film"...

 

[Luceni]

Thats what I wanna see:

Leino - Ennis - Pominville
Foligno - Hodgson - Stafford
Vanek - Grigorenko - Ott
I - don't - care

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Vanek - Hodgson - Foligno would be interesting to watch.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

I'd rather keep V-H-P together and add talent to the club for the 2nd/3rd lines. We don't currently have enough talent to spread over 3 lines

 

[kirby11]

I say let's split up Ruff - Patrick - Adams to spread out the suckage more evenly across the league.

You get an internet high five
As for the lines...hmm...I'd try
Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Hecht-Grigs-Poms
Gerbe-McCormick-Kaleta

 

[thefifagod]

Thats what I wanna see:

Leino - Ennis - Pominville
Foligno - Hodgson - Stafford
Vanek - Grigorenko - Ott
I - don't - care

You get an internet high five
As for the lines...hmm...I'd try
Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Hecht-Grigs-Poms
Gerbe-McCormick-Kaleta

I don't see how either of these setups fix the issue at hand, that being having a line that is able to handle going against the other team's top lines defensively.

 

[Jim Bob]

I don't see how either of these setups fix the issue at hand, that being having a line that is able to handle going against the other team's top lines defensively.

I don't see the solution to that issue on this roster.

 

[thefifagod]

I don't see the solution to that issue on this roster.

While it's true they certainly don't have the pieces for an elite defensive line, the best option they have is probably Ott-Hecht-Kaleta. It also keeps the top lines intact. There's no reason to break up VHP or FES if the problem we are attempting to solve isn't solved by breaking them up. Outside of that, the best set of lines I've seen in here are JJ's but I just don't like Gerbe in that role.

 

[Jim Bob]

While it's true they certainly don't have the pieces for an elite defensive line, the best option they have is probably Ott-Hecht-Kaleta. It also keeps the top lines intact. There's no reason to break up VHP or FES if the problem we are attempting to solve isn't solved by breaking them up. Outside of that, the best set of lines I've seen in here are JJ's but I just don't like Gerbe in that role.

Forget an elite defensive unit, they don't even have the pieces to really make an above-average one.

9-55-36 may be one of the most annoying lines in the NHL. But, they aren't a shutdown line by any stretch.

 

[thefifagod]

Forget an elite defensive unit, they don't even have the pieces to really make an above-average one.

9-55-36 may be one of the most annoying lines in the NHL. But, they aren't a shutdown line by any stretch.

Probably not (I never said that they did), but this is the best option they have in my opinion.

 

[Jim Bob]

Probably not (I never said that they did), but this is the best option they have in my opinion.

And that gets back to my take that the answer to the problem isn't on the roster today.

All Ruff has is a bunch of misfit parts for the bottom six right now.

 

[kirby11]

And that gets back to my take that the answer to the problem isn't on the roster today.

All Ruff has is a bunch of misfit parts for the bottom six right now.

Agreed. So I tried going for lines with a balance of offense and defense, such as ennis w/ ott and poms w/ grigs (although F-H-V would suck in their own end). I also would hope poms would rebound and help grigs. Too bad hecht would be a black hole of suck for them.
This team desperately needs ROR. Or competent bottom 6 energy players besides kaleta and sometimes mccormick

 

[dma0034]

I'd like to see:

Vanek - Hecht - Scott
Kaleta - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ott - McCormick - Ennis
Gerbe - Hodgson - Stafford


Just kidding....

Vanek - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Ennis - Pominville
Gerbe - Grigorenko - Ott
Kaleta - Hecht - Scott

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Foligno - Hodgson - Vanek
Ott - Hecht - Poms
Ennis - Grigs - Stafford
the others

basically
1st line
2 way line
feasting on opponents bottom liners/Dmans
Scott, Mccormick, Kaleta killing line

Just flip the RWs to see if you can get something going. They are both not going well, can't hurt to try.

VHS
FEP

I propose a mix of these two, but with a little added tweak, that being Grigorenko.

Vanek-Hodgson-Stafford: We go from "VHP: Come get your shots" to "VHS: Roll the highlight reel".
Gerbe-Ott-Foligno: I thought Gerbe and Foligno seemed to have some good chemistry the other night generating chances. Two-way change of pace.
Ennis-Grigorenko-Pominville: give the rookie some offensive talent to play with, let him use his imagination.
Scott-McCormick-Kaleta: just break stuff.

 

[Chainshot]

Keep Hecht out of the top 9 and it might work. That means finding another center of some stripe. But keep Hecht the hell out of the top 9.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

No matter what line combo you send out that defense is still playing behind it, and on top of that changing lines doesn't convince people they need to hustle on the back check.

 

[Chainshot]

No matter what line combo you send out that defense is still playing behind it, and on top of that changing lines doesn't convince people they need to hustle on the back check.

True. The level of urgency among the forwards to be come back, to stay back, and to engage their check is pretty piss poor.

 

[Djp]

My lines...

Folignio-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Hecht/Leino- Grigorenko-Pommenville

If Leino comes back, later in games they sub Hecht for Grigs as they have been doing. If Leino doesnt play they sub Kaleta or Gerbe on this line.

 

[Sentrix]

Have to roll three scoring lines. I agree with this.
I dislike Hecht too but 19 & 26 would at least give him better chances.

(No particular order for top three)

Ott-Grigorenko-Pominville
Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
Vanek-Hodgson-Hecht
Gerbe-Scott-Kaleta