Line Combos: Line Discussion Thread

[Beacon]

Wait people were expecting MZA to play tonight?

After a 5-2 win? Without getting a practice in?

Yeeeaaahhh

I am not expecting him to play tonight, but let's remember that this is different from what Fasth or Lindberg would have to go through, seeing as MZA has two years of fairly recent Torts coaching under his belt.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Agreed, definitely different from Fast/Lindberg.

If they have a stinker he will likely dress in Montreal.

 

[Wolfy*]

I am not expecting him to play tonight, but let's remember that this is different from what Fasth or Lindberg would have to go through, seeing as MZA has two years of fairly recent Torts coaching under his belt.

He did practice today, but he's just off a transatlantic flight, then you're kind of tired

 

[Green Blob*]

Wait people were expecting MZA to play tonight?

After a 5-2 win? Without getting a practice in?

Yeeeaaahhh

Considering how useless Pyatt has been? Yes.

Guess Iginla won't play any games soon for the Pens, Pens are on a 13 game winning streak and he hasnt practiced.

 

[Tawnos]

and if you think it's going to take a professional hockey player months to get accustomed to a smaller, regulation rink, you've clearly never actually played the game

It took Zucc that long when he first came over. It took Silfverberg that long this season. So clearly you haven't been paying attention.

(Not saying rink size is the only factor in this, but one of a few)

 

[The Gloaming]

Considering how useless Pyatt has been? Yes.

Guess Iginla won't play any games soon for the Pens, Pens are on a 13 game winning streak and he hasnt practiced.

Yep. Iginla=Zuccarello



Zuccarello is coming over from Europe, came off a long flight, jet lag and such. Give him some practice time first.

 

[clmetsfan]

Considering how useless Pyatt has been? Yes.

Guess Iginla won't play any games soon for the Pens, Pens are on a 13 game winning streak and he hasnt practiced.

Yes, Iginla:Zuccarello is a perfect 1:1 comparison. And putting Zuke on the 4th line makes perfect sense given his stalwart defensive reputation.

 

[Glennsoe]

I really love zuke saying that this is the Place I want to play...I love the players and everyone involved With the Club...

Shows he's head is at the right Place...

A little bummed that he's not playing tonight, but I can wait...

I'll still watch tonight game cheering everyone on while ever so timely look over at my mza jersey and nodding my head at it...

 

[Wolfy*]

I really love zuke saying that this is the Place I want to play...I love the players and everyone involved With the Club...

Shows he's head is at the right Place...

Well Roy Johansen (his national team coach) certainly didn't agree. -"Don't go back to the Rangers and their stoneage hockey. You'll be better off in many other NHL-clubs". In other words, that was a nice comment about Tortorella

 

[Jackpot]

Awww, poor wee guy's gonna be tired... Not like he didn't find the time to squeeze in some Zzzzz's in those big comfy 1st Class lounge chairs

 

[Green Blob*]

Yes, Iginla:Zuccarello is a perfect 1:1 comparison. And putting Zuke on the 4th line makes perfect sense given his stalwart defensive reputation.

What does skill have to do with anything whether a player should play or not. Plus Zucc is still better then pretty much our entire bottom 6.

 

[fredrikstad]

Zuccarello isn't playing tonight. Torts said Zuccarello isn't a sure thing to play on Saturday either.

And I find that very reasonable. Gotta think he need to get rid of some jet-lag and skate with the team a few times first.

 

[Green Blob*]

Confused, someone clear this up for me please, isnt Zucc under contract to his KHL next season? I remember reading that and remember reading the teams president even saying Zucc will be back for them next season. But now i'm reading he is out of the KHL contract?

Whats going on? Is he under contract with his KHL next season or not?

 

[Valiante]

Whats going on? Is he under contract with his KHL next season or not?

http://blueshirtsunited.com/videos/2880/zuccarello-i-m-happy-to-be-back#.UVSwkxxrhUU

at 02:40. He doesn't seem to know the answer to that question himself, so god knows lol

 

[Beacon]

He did practice today, but he's just off a transatlantic flight, then you're kind of tired

I travel across the ocean on a very regular basis, so I have no doubt that MZA is tired and won't play tonight, but the point I was making is that it's different for a guy who already played on this team, and instead of taking weeks to learn the system, he would need a few days to get back into it.

 

[3rd Guy High]

and if you think it's going to take a professional hockey player months to get accustomed to a smaller, regulation rink, you've clearly never actually played the game

Have you ever actually played the game? Because at higher levels rink size makes a HUGE difference.

I think it's overstated most of the time but it really does make a difference.

 

[ncmike]

I really like the lines they rolled with last night.

If you work MZA in I think you go with something like this

Hags-Step-Nash
Pyatt-Richards-Callahan
MZA-Miller-Gaborik
Kreider/Powe/Asham-Newbury-Boyle

I wouldn't mind seeing Pyatt sit for a game or two, either. He's been kind of invisible lately.

Your have Pyatt with Richards but you would like him to sit?

Kreider played well with Richards and Boyle. He needs to play with talented people to succeed. Don't bury him Ono the fourth line.

 

[Glennsoe]

I'm curious as to what Torts means here, it's from the pre game media thinghy

“Zucc isn’t in the lineup tonight,” John Tortorella said Thursday morning, not wanting to go into detail. “We’ll talk about that tomorrow.”

I take it as, he's not playing tonight but we can talk about it tomorrow when we're not playing a game..

Or am I way of here ?

 

[JohnC]

^ He's not playing and he'll talk about it tomorrow when they don't have a game in a few hours they have to think about?

 

[Placid]

Confused, someone clear this up for me please, isnt Zucc under contract to his KHL next season? I remember reading that and remember reading the teams president even saying Zucc will be back for them next season. But now i'm reading he is out of the KHL contract?

Whats going on? Is he under contract with his KHL next season or not?

Its complicated.

Zuke has an NHL-out clause in his contract with Metallurg.

However, i think that out clause only goes into effect after the KHL season ends (officially 30th of April or something), so i guess that Zuke was technically still theirs, and they could have made life difficult for the transfer.

They solved that in what appears to be an unusual manner. Instead of ending the contract due to the clause, they apparently "loaned him" to the Rangers for the remainder of the season (note, this is just what i've read, i've not seen anything official on it).

If that is true however, Zuke should still be under contract with Metallurg for next season (there has also been some writing in Norwegian papers on Metallurg wanting clarifications on this and that as they are restructuring the team).

Unless he uses the clause once the KHL season ends.

That is my understanding of it at least

 

[ncmike]

I'm always reluctant to remove PKers from the lineup. Especially with how thin the Rangers are getting with them. It's easy to say trade Boyle, but that leaves the Rangers with only a few PKers.

I would say Powe could just be added to the lineup, but at this point he's just the odd man out with how well Newbury and Asham are playing.

Given the players we have now I'd guess a lineup like this:
Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Miller-Gaborik
MZA-Richards-Callahan
Asham-Newbury-Boyle


I'm sensing a trade is in the works.

You have everything changed from the Philly game except the first line. Why would change everything up. The key to winning is finding what works then gently tweaking things. Not wholesale changes like the team did in the off season

 

[JimmyG89]

No issues with Zuke not being in the lineup tonight. Hoping he can go against Montreal. Not an overly physical team that does have smaller players. Could be a good spot to get him in a game to get comfortable and gain some confidence in playing NHL style games. Noob, Asham, and Boyle should be the 4th line at this point. Montreal also does not have a big fighter without Prust. Would not mind Powe in for that game as well. Need good skaters vs Montreal. I think Zuke can take a top 9 spot at this point. Funny enough with the depth of last year he was in the AHL. Now he leaves and they lose a lot of depth. He would have played from day 1 had he not went to the KHL.

 

[schabadoo]

Well Roy Johansen (his national team coach) certainly didn't agree. -"Don't go back to the Rangers and their stoneage hockey. You'll be better off in many other NHL-clubs". In other words, that was a nice comment about Tortorella

If he wants to play for a different NHL team, I think he'd have to come back and play for the Rangers first, as they hold his rights.

 

[Green Blob*]

Well now, the PP has looked great tonight, and our offense is shining. No need for him on Saturday.

 

[Wolfy*]

Well now, the PP has looked great tonight, and our offense is shining. No need for him on Saturday.

Absolutely no need, just send him back home...

There's now a huge pressure on the hobbit to save the big club, that's why he said this:

-"I'm not Wayne Gretzky, but I'll do my best"