Line Combos: CBJ Roster Discussion/Line Combos/Injury Report

NotCommitted

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Jul 4, 2013
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Macelli must be compared with Marchenko, Johnson and Chinakhov.

And you could easily make an argument he's shown more so far in his career than any of those guys. Marchenko I feel pretty confident about, what he's shown in the NHL so far I think the floor is pretty high for him. Johnson and Chinakhov both look like they've taken a step forward but Johnson is out with a shoulder injury (again :( ) and while Chinakhov has all the tools to be great top-6 wing he's yet to show he can be that consistently. I think the odds are good he can, but you never really know until players actually do it.

I'm not saying Macelli is necessarily a player the Jackets should be targeting, but if he somehow ended up here it's not like he'd be stuck in the bottom-6 by default because top-6 winger spots are blocked by guys clearly better than him. He could easily become the best player of the 4. AFAIK he was usually the guy driving offense for his lines with the Coyotes.
 

MoeBartoli

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I know the coaches wanted to get more balance in the lines and also want to get Fantilli going. But moving Chinakov off the top line has hurt the top line and not been that beneficial to Fantilli or Chinakov - individually or as a line.

The top line is still good but prior to the move it looked like a legitimate top line. I’d be fine with switching Sillinger and Chinakov.
 

VT

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And you could easily make an argument he's shown more so far in his career than any of those guys. Marchenko I feel pretty confident about, what he's shown in the NHL so far I think the floor is pretty high for him. Johnson and Chinakhov both look like they've taken a step forward but Johnson is out with a shoulder injury (again :( ) and while Chinakhov has all the tools to be great top-6 wing he's yet to show he can be that consistently. I think the odds are good he can, but you never really know until players actually do it.

I'm not saying Macelli is necessarily a player the Jackets should be targeting, but if he somehow ended up here it's not like he'd be stuck in the bottom-6 by default because top-6 winger spots are blocked by guys clearly better than him. He could easily become the best player of the 4. AFAIK he was usually the guy driving offense for his lines with the Coyotes.
Only we have to think about the lineup for the future as well and Jenner and Johnson will be back. What then? He's not a top player, they're easy to do without.
 
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NotCommitted

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Only we have to think about the lineup for the future as well and Jenner and Johnson will be back. What then? He's not a top player, they're easy to do without.

But by that some token all the guys Maccelli would be battling for ice time with are easy to do without, none of them have truly been "top players" for the Jackets for any length of time yet. I'm not saying Jackets should be going out of their way to get this guy but it's not like the forward depth is so phenomenal he would be completely surplus to requirements.

For now I'd be perfectly happy to give big minutes to all the home grown talent and see what they can do, but chances are some of them won't work out or won't be long term pieces because they want out, ask too much money, struggle with injuries or whatever. So if a guy like Maccelli happened to be available in a trade that makes sense, I wouldn't be so quick to turn it down just because there are CBJ drafted players in the org who might (or might not) be just as good as him - like I said it's entirely possible he'd be the best of the bunch.
 

NotWendell

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I'd rather keep our defensive corps the way it is and let Matechuk season. Average defense and average goaltending gives us a fighting chance to stay at .500
 

VT

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Future would be something like this:

Chinakhov-Monahan-Marchenko
Voronkov-Fantilli-Maccelli
Jenner-Sillinger-KJ
ZAR/Pyyhtiä-Danforth-Olivier

Easy
Poor Johnson. Instead using his playmaking qualities - playing with Jenner and Sillinger.
But by that some token all the guys Maccelli would be battling for ice time with are easy to do without, none of them have truly been "top players" for the Jackets for any length of time yet. I'm not saying Jackets should be going out of their way to get this guy but it's not like the forward depth is so phenomenal he would be completely surplus to requirements.

For now I'd be perfectly happy to give big minutes to all the home grown talent and see what they can do, but chances are some of them won't work out or won't be long term pieces because they want out, ask too much money, struggle with injuries or whatever. So if a guy like Maccelli happened to be available in a trade that makes sense, I wouldn't be so quick to turn it down just because there are CBJ drafted players in the org who might (or might not) be just as good as him - like I said it's entirely possible he'd be the best of the bunch.

Chinakhov - Monahan - Marchenko
Voronkov - Fantilli - Johnson
Pyyhtiä - Sillinger - Brindley
ZAR - Danforth - Olivier

Jenner will play only in the end of the season.... if.

I do not think any reason to get Macelli for Provorov. If trade, for a better player.
 

majormajor

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Poor Johnson. Instead using his playmaking qualities - playing with Jenner and Sillinger.


Chinakhov - Monahan - Marchenko
Voronkov - Fantilli - Johnson
Pyyhtiä - Sillinger - Brindley
ZAR - Danforth - Olivier

Jenner will play only in the end of the season.... if.

I do not think any reason to get Macelli for Provorov. If trade, for a better player.

Leaving aside the Maccelli discussion, I think we should be trying very much to have a situation where we are forced to have a KJ or Maccelli caliber player on the third line. Three scoring lines are the norm for most of the better NHL clubs and it is in no way a waste of talent. It is the goal.
 

VT

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Leaving aside the Maccelli discussion, I think we should be trying very much to have a situation where we are forced to have a KJ or Maccelli caliber player on the third line. Three scoring lines are the norm for most of the better NHL clubs and it is in no way a waste of talent. It is the goal.
I'd be fine with a quality defensive third line, something along the lines of Coleman - Gourde - Goodrow. And not Johnson with Jenner and Sillinger.
 
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majormajor

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I'd be fine with a quality defensive third line, something along the lines of Coleman - Gourde - Goodrow. And not Johnson with Jenner and Sillinger.

KJ would be the most effective defensive player (and offensive of course) if he was on a line with Jenner and Sillinger. Ultimately I expect him to play higher up in the lineup but if that's your third line winger you have a great team.
 

cbjthrowaway

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Chinakhov - Monahan - Marchenko
Voronkov - Fantilli - Johnson
JvR - Sillinger - Brindley
Aston-Reese - Danforth - Olivier

Where do you see a spot for Macelli?
the correct answer is:
chinakhov - monahan - marchenko​
maccelli - fantilli - johnson​
voronkov - sillinger - danforth​
astron-reese - kuraly - olivier​
extras: JVR (can rotate in with ZAR) and lebanc/tuna. brindley goes to the AHL.​
then in a magical world where the whole roster is healthy:

chinakhov - monahan - marchenko​
maccelli - fantilli - johnson​
sillinger - jenner - voronkov​
ZAR - danforth - olivier​
extras: JVR + kuraly (who is only playing 10 min a night anyway).​

four functional lines, two that are clear scoring lines and two that are checking/matchup lines. and L4 doesn't even have to be a checking line – it can be one of those "we're gonna put our fourth line against your fourth line and dominate those minutes" type lines.

I dont see us acquiring a long term winger. Ideally, we get a guy who can play top 6 but can slide down as necessary. I dont want him particularly but a guy like Saad.
been thinking about him + bjorkstrand a lot lately (both guys have been brought up) as guys who fit what the team needs right now. would much prefer maccelli to both but i could see either guy being made available around the deadline.

i think two years of term left is the sweet spot, which incidentally all of bjorkstrand, saad and maccelli have.
 

SteelCityCannon

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been thinking about him + bjorkstrand a lot lately (both guys have been brought up) as guys who fit what the team needs right now. would much prefer maccelli to both but i could see either guy being made available around the deadline.

i think two years of term left is the sweet spot, which incidentally all of bjorkstrand, saad and maccelli have.
I would kill to have Bjork back. Not sure what Seattle would want or would even be open to it.
 

majormajor

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I would kill to have Bjork back. Not sure what Seattle would want or would even be open to it.

Seattle is very unlikely to sell anyone with a continuing contract even if the team has a bad year. They'd need to have a catastrophic season to be selling off players like Bjorkstrand.

They're actually trying to be good now, they're just bad at it.
 
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stevo61

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Seattle is very unlikely to sell anyone with a continuing contract even if the team has a bad year. They'd need to have a catastrophic season to be selling off players like Bjorkstrand.

They're actually trying to be good now, they're just bad at it.
Sounds familiar
 
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CBJWerenski8

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We had three lines rolling incredibly well against edmonton

Chinakhov-Monahan-Marchenko
Silly-Fantilli-Pyyhtia
ZAR-Danforth-Olivier

Not sure we had more than one line play well for long stretches of the past two/three years.

They look engaged. They look like they have a belief in themselves. They know where they have to be. This is a fun team to watch.

What are everyone's rankings of Columbus top 3 forwards?
I’m going to include KJ even if it was only, what, 4 games?

Monahan, Chinakhov (although he’s cooled lately), and KJ.
 

cbjthrowaway

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What are everyone's rankings of Columbus top 3 forwards?
  1. monahan - super smart player, elevates his linemates, takes on tough matchups and wins his minutes. he's been a legit 1C so far.
  2. johnson- before the injury he was absolutely controlling play whenever he was out there. he's also learned how to play fast and use his skill and smarts at top speed. looks like a building-block type player out there.
  3. marchenko - he's gotten way harder on pucks, he's disruptive on the forecheck, and has really grown as a player.
honorable mentions: chinakhov, olivier and danforth. will also note that fantilli has had a few big time flashes of his talent and those should come more frequently if they keep this line together.
 

spintheblackcircle

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then in a magical world where the whole roster is healthy:

chinakhov - monahan - marchenko​
maccelli - fantilli - johnson​
sillinger - jenner - voronkov​
ZAR - danforth - olivier​
extras: JVR + kuraly (who is only playing 10 min a night anyway).​

ZAR doesn't play over JVR, Kuraly or LaBanc
 

GoJackets1

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the correct answer is:
chinakhov - monahan - marchenko​
maccelli - fantilli - johnson​
voronkov - sillinger - danforth​
astron-reese - kuraly - olivier​
extras: JVR (can rotate in with ZAR) and lebanc/tuna. brindley goes to the AHL.​
then in a magical world where the whole roster is healthy:

chinakhov - monahan - marchenko​
maccelli - fantilli - johnson​
sillinger - jenner - voronkov​
ZAR - danforth - olivier​
extras: JVR + kuraly (who is only playing 10 min a night anyway).​

four functional lines, two that are clear scoring lines and two that are checking/matchup lines. and L4 doesn't even have to be a checking line – it can be one of those "we're gonna put our fourth line against your fourth line and dominate those minutes" type lines.


been thinking about him + bjorkstrand a lot lately (both guys have been brought up) as guys who fit what the team needs right now. would much prefer maccelli to both but i could see either guy being made available around the deadline.

i think two years of term left is the sweet spot, which incidentally all of bjorkstrand, saad and maccelli have.
In this dream lineup I’d probably swap Maccelli and Silly. Get some playmaking on each of the middle six lines.
 

majormajor

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What are everyone's rankings of Columbus top 3 forwards?

We can only rank what we're seeing in the last few weeks, because so much has changed. It would be incredible if we get this level of play from Monahan, Marchenko, and Chinakhov, and if KJ picks up where he left off when he comes back. We'll have to wait and see.

Monahan is perhaps the most important forward because he's our only real top center option. He's been very very good. But you could also evaluate them relative to average players in their position - and all of Marchenko, Chinakhov, and KJ have looked like star players. KJ was electrifying our PP and it hasn't looked as good without him. And Chinakhov and Marchenko are driving play at an elite level.

So Monahan looks to me like an average top liner and the other three look above average (in this brief window of time), but Monahan is the most important to us, if that makes sense.
 

thebus88

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ZAR doesn't play over JVR, Kuraly or LaBanc
Olivier-Danforth-Sillinger-ZAR-JVR-LaBanc-Kuraly is my ranking. I still think Malatesta deserves to be in the mix.

For the top end, it’s Chinakhov-Johnson-Marchenko-Monahan.

As major points out, there are aspects that separate Monahan, good and bad. Center and age. Then again, KJ might be ready to play center at this point. I dream for a healthy Monahan/Jenner center combo.
 

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