Line Combos: Power Play: Should Rick Nash be on it?

[Boruto]

Going into the season, it would be a grave mistake to start limiting star players. If we want Nash to succeed and do his part (come playoffs), he needs to find consistency and confidence and we need the PP for that.

 

[TheTakedown]

Please no Girardi on the PP!

yeah, I think I'd rather see Freaking Dominic Moore or Kevin Klein on the power play over Girardi... Girardi's his stick handling skills are horrific... Klein can at least take a slap shot and hit the goalie

 

[TheTakedown]

Simply, yes. I would expect that with Pouliot gone we'll go back to having Nash on the power play. Probably with the Zuccarello 2nd unit.

Kreider-Stepan-St. Louis
McDonagh-Boyle

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello
Moore-Girardi

Incidentally, those should be our top 2 forward lines as well.

They should be, yeah... Giving Staal-Boyle 3rd pairing Even Strength time + power play should still keep him around 15-20 minutes per game, which would be ideal considering his age, and Staal's play at the end of last season.

I love that top 6... Step and St. Louis work VERY well together. Keeping Zucc with Brass, and slotting Nash on that line makes the top 6 VERY potent.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

-----------Kreider------------
Stepan-------------------MSL
-----Boyle------------McD

---------Brassard/Nash------------
Nash/Zucc----------------Zucc/Brassard/Nash
---Boyle------------Moore

 

[Mikos87]

The natural answer is yes, he is a scorer, I didn't understand having Pouliot over Nash on the PP, but now that he's gone, Nash can and should slot into that role.

My guess is that Nash is disinclined to take a beating in front of the net on the PP, and that was the reason AV kept him off of it.

Still, you don't keep a guy like that off the PP. My only hopes are that Nash has a off season of rediscovery and stops playing like the clam shell.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Id rather hank on the power play point than Girardi.

He's that bad.

It's John Moore and Boyle on unit 2. And mcd and Boyle on unit one.

Let Boyle earn his checks on the pp. Spell him with mad if need be.

No other defenseman but Boyle mcd or Moore should be there.

Maybe conor Allen once he gets comfortable.

 

[slipknottin]

Nash sucks in front of the net. That's why when he's out there he plays against the boards. He is of no use on the PP. Average shot, not a very creative distributor.

He just doesn't have a skill set that is useful out there on the PP

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

For whatever it's worth, I never thought that Nash being off the powerplay was a grave injustice. He's always trying to beat guys on the powerplay, which is his game. The powerplay is about maximizing space for the unit of five, which isn't his game.

Over the past four seasons, his powerplay scoring rate has only increased 26% from 5-on-5 to 5-on-4, a laughably low figure. Compare that to Brassard, who played on the same team for most of that period:

And yet, 2013-14 was the first season that Brassard got more powerplay time than Nash (Go AV!!!).

I think with one of the net-front spots vacated, he should and will take a spot back, though.

With the personnel the Rangers have now, this is how I would line up their PP units:

With Fast's spot hopefully taken over by an addition to the roster.

I'm hoping for Devin Setoguchi.

 

[Thirty One]

I'm hoping for Devin Setoguchi.

A right-handed shot would be a big plus for their powerplay, I would think. I like Lee Stempniak.

 

[Raspewtin]

For whatever it's worth, I never thought that Nash being off the powerplay was a grave injustice. He's always trying to beat guys on the powerplay, which is his game. The powerplay is about maximizing space for the unit of five, which isn't his game.

Over the past four seasons, his powerplay scoring rate has only increased 26% from 5-on-5 to 5-on-4, a laughably low figure. Compare that to Brassard, who played on the same team for most of that period:

And yet, 2013-14 was the first season that Brassard got more powerplay time than Nash (Go AV!!!).

I think with one of the net-front spots vacated, he should and will take a spot back, though.

With the personnel the Rangers have now, this is how I would line up their PP units:

With Fast's spot hopefully taken over by an addition to the roster.

I like these lineups.

But I don't like Nash at the front of the net. He just doesn't have the balance for it. Moved out of the crease way too easily.

 

[Raspewtin]

Id rather hank on the power play point than Girardi.

He's that bad.

It's John Moore and Boyle on unit 2. And mcd and Boyle on unit one.

Let Boyle earn his checks on the pp. Spell him with mad if need be.

No other defenseman but Boyle mcd or Moore should be there.

Maybe conor Allen once he gets comfortable.

Depending on how it goes, I might rather McDonagh on for the full 2 minutes than Boyle. Or maybe alternating that.

But agreed on everything else. I'd rather have Allaire on the point than Girardi.

 

[Blue Blooded]

I like these lineups.

But I don't like Nash at the front of the net. He just doesn't have the balance for it. Moved out of the crease way too easily.

That's where he has been the most successful though. He played there for Columbus until 2010-11 where he got moved out of there upon his own request. I'm not sure this was the point he was moved, but the drastic drop in Sh% suggests it. Look at the results:

In front:
07-08: 1.630 G/60, 4.425 P/60
08-09: 1.386 G/60, 4.390 P/60
09-10: 2.638 G/60, 4.748 P/60
Avg: 1.853 G/60, 4.511 P/60

Not in front:
10-11: 0.973 G/60, 2.432 P/60
11-12: 0.883 G/60, 3.311 P/60
12-13: 1.408 G/60, 3.285 P/60
13-14: 1.193 G/60, 2.385 P/60
Avg: 1.054 G/60, 2.860 P/60

Some of that is likely decline due to age, but overall he has been a lot better in front.

 

[OverTheCap]

That's where he has been the most successful though. He played there for Columbus until 2010-11 where he got moved out of there upon his own request. I'm not sure this was the point he was moved, but the drastic drop in Sh% suggests it. Look at the results:

In front:
07-08: 1.630 G/60, 4.425 P/60
08-09: 1.386 G/60, 4.390 P/60
09-10: 2.638 G/60, 4.748 P/60
Avg: 1.853 G/60, 4.511 P/60

Not in front:
10-11: 0.973 G/60, 2.432 P/60
11-12: 0.883 G/60, 3.311 P/60
12-13: 1.408 G/60, 3.285 P/60
13-14: 1.193 G/60, 2.385 P/60
Avg: 1.054 G/60, 2.860 P/60

Some of that is likely decline due to age, but overall he has been a lot better in front.

And therein lies my issue with Rick Nash. He prefers to be a perimeter player even though he is more productive when he goes to the middle of the ice. And I have to imagine after two concussions he will be even less inclined to stay in front of the net than he was in 2010-11.

Right now we don't have any other big bodied forwards to plant in front of the net so I'm sure we will see Nash there on the second PP unit at the very least. But if he doesn't have the willingness to battle and remain in the crease, then he may not be all that effective as a net presence.

 

[Raspewtin]

That's where he has been the most successful though. He played there for Columbus until 2010-11 where he got moved out of there upon his own request. I'm not sure this was the point he was moved, but the drastic drop in Sh% suggests it. Look at the results:

In front:
07-08: 1.630 G/60, 4.425 P/60
08-09: 1.386 G/60, 4.390 P/60
09-10: 2.638 G/60, 4.748 P/60
Avg: 1.853 G/60, 4.511 P/60

Not in front:
10-11: 0.973 G/60, 2.432 P/60
11-12: 0.883 G/60, 3.311 P/60
12-13: 1.408 G/60, 3.285 P/60
13-14: 1.193 G/60, 2.385 P/60
Avg: 1.054 G/60, 2.860 P/60

Some of that is likely decline due to age, but overall he has been a lot better in front.

Can always count on Blue Blooded to put my observations to rest .

That surprises me, like I said, his balance is not good and is moved out of the crease easily. And it's a little damning that he asked to not take abuse, so he can go back to the perimeter. Jeez.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

Simply, yes. I would expect that with Pouliot gone we'll go back to having Nash on the power play. Probably with the Zuccarello 2nd unit.

Kreider-Stepan-St. Louis
McDonagh-Boyle

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello
Moore-Girardi

Incidentally, those should be our top 2 forward lines as well.

I agree with this completely. Especialy those being our two lines. Nash Kreider should not be playing on the same line. It stiffles both of them. Nash and Zuc should be together in every situation. Nash had 10 goals in 11 games on a line with zuc. They split them up and he had nothing. They way AV was rolling lines last year we never really had a 1st 2nd and 3rd. We had a 4th that would get the puck from the d end to the o end and then 3 ines he would roll depending on who was playing best. We might not be able to do that with three lines this year but 2 lines for sure.

 

[Thirty One]

And it's a little damning that he asked to not take abuse, so he can go back to the perimeter. Jeez.

I wouldn't assume it was about the abuse. Playing on the outside allows you to be more creative and he probably felt that was where he was most useful on those talentless CBJ teams.

 

[Fanned On It]

Nash actually has a good snap-shot.. he should use it more.

 

[Idlerlee]

Has Nash ever deflected a puck into the oppositions net ?

 

[klingsor]

Depending on how it goes, I might rather McDonagh on for the full 2 minutes than Boyle. Or maybe alternating that.

But agreed on everything else. I'd rather have Allaire on the point than Girardi.

What's with this 2 minutes?

It's not gonna take us more than 1 minute to score.

 

[bernmeister]

Just a simple question/discussion. Should Rick Nash be on our PP?

I think he needs to be, in some capacity. The problem is where he would work best is where MSL will work best. I'd still like to see a PP set up:

Stepan - Nash - MSL

Boyle - McDonagh

Don't know if AV will do that, though.

I chose no because believe Nash should be dealt for cap relief + assets.
While he's still here, he could relieve MSL
so

Kreider - Miller - MSL/Nash

Staal/McDonagh - Boyle

should be the PP.

I am on record about maxing the speed of that line.

perhaps keeping it

Kreider - Miller - MSL
and
Zuc - Barassard - Nash

offers the 2 set line combo you seek.

 

[JohnC]

Has Nash ever deflected a puck into the oppositions net ?

Yes. He actually did it this year in the Kreider hat trick game against Vancouver

 

[Zuccarello Awesome*]

yes. frankly its idiotic that he wasnt on it to begin with.

This.

Who knows. He could've had a lucky bounce go in for him on the PP and changed his entire mentality / found his confidence. It could've changed everything. You don't take your best offensive player off the PP PERMANENTLY just because he's struggling. You let him work through it. Maybe bench him temporarily, but you've gotta put your best players in opportunities to succeed. That's the one glaring mistake AV made this season IMO.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

if Nash is on the PP he needs to take a page out of Jagr's book and play off the half boards since he's a big boy with a nice shot

 

[Beacon]

Nash should be traded for two quality second liners, who can then play on the PP. Otherwise our depth is shot.

 

[Raspewtin]

Nash should be traded for two quality second liners, who can then play on the PP. Otherwise our depth is shot.

No it isn't?

Just replace Pouliot.

The 2/3 center is the real concern.