Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXVII: Lot’s of Fools in April

[Daves a mess]

Right.

Kakko and Laf could slash Quinn’s tires and stay in the lineup.

Imagine if Panarin pulled Quinn aside in practice and said " Hey coach , I like the way that Blackwell guy plays. Can you give the guy a shot on my line against Pitt?"

"Sure Bread. That seems doable". Let's give it a go and seewhat happens".

Never happened in pro team practice chats along the wall during a break?

 

[Edge]

Are you aware of an overall plan/concept though. For example, does the team think they have too many skilled wingers, or are they ok with that moving forward and planning to ice a top 9 with average centers?

Any idea what they perceive to be the team’s weakness, and what they think the strength to deal from might be?

Some comments include a desire for more of a north-south style. I think they'd like a little more speed. There's definitely a desire for more experience in the lineup.

I don't know if they view it as too much skill, so much as not enough balance.

 

[Peltz]

I feel like you need to have leadership and youth on each line. I don’t think having 3 kids on a line is a good idea.

My lineup:

Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Laf-Zibby-Buch
Kreider-Chytil-Kravtsov
4th line

I think ice time breakdown percentage for each shift should be something like.

1st line - 35%
2nd line - 35%
3rd line - 25%
4th line - 5%

I don't think they'd put Kreider on a 3rd line right now because they just gave him that huge contract extension and it would make the GM look like he overpaid for a 3rd liner.

Maybe they'll do it in a year or two after Laf gets more comfortable. But I doubt we see that until it's clear that Laf is the clear number 2 LW.

 

[Peltz]

Some comments include a desire for more of a north-south style. I think they'd like a little more speed. There's definitely a desire for more experience in the lineup.

I don't know if they view it as too much skill, so much as not enough balance.

But then why not give Gauthier a bigger role? He's clearly a north-south style player. Unless I'm not sure what a north-south style player really looks like.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Edmonton’s player development model “f*** Wins, Give the Kids the Car Keys”.

Was the issue in Edmonton with the kids?

 

[kovazub94]

I have no issue with Quinn experimenting with lines. But I agree the KZB linemated can definitely do with a little space for a bit.

I agree. But I really don’t want to see Gauthier out for PDG.

Just two examples of how perceived "Quinn's apologists" actually do have things that they disagree with the head coach. Personally, I've been asking to try moving Kreider down to Chytil's line for about a week or two already (but on the other hand I completely understand hesitation to promote Lafreniere as a result).

And at this point Gauthier is >>>>> PDG

 

[Heckler81]

I don't think they'd put Kreider on a 3rd line right now because they just gave him that huge contract extension and it would make the GM look like he overpaid for a 3rd liner.

Maybe they'll do it in a year or two after Laf gets more comfortable. But I doubt we see that until it's clear that Laf is the clear number 2 LW.

that is why I had the ice time breakdown percentages. Even though Kreider is in the 3rd line, he would still get 15 min of ice time a night.

Something like:

1st line - 20 min
2nd line - 20 min
3rd line - 15 min
4th line - 5 min

 

[Kodiak]

Just two examples of how perceived "Quinn's apologists" actually do have things that they disagree with the head coach. Personally, I've been asking to try moving Kreider down to Chytil's line for about a week or two already (but on the other hand I completely understand hesitation to promote Lafreniere as a result).

And at this point Gauthier is >>>>> PDG

"Quinn apologist" here. (I guess? The point I've been making on the Quinn topic is that some people refuse to give him ANY credit for ANYTHING.) I'm not a fan of the current lines. We're the youngest team in the NHL, but now our top 6 is made up of 5 players aged 27-29 and one 25-year-old. That's not a good look. We actually seem to have a general consensus on the board that we want to see the youth spread out through the forward lines so they can all get more minutes.

 

[Edge]

But then why not give Gauthier a bigger role? He's clearly a north-south style player. Unless I'm not sure what a north-south style player really looks like.

I think they'd like to get him to a point where they trust what he's doing out there.

Without getting into a debate as to whether one agrees or disagrees with the approach to Gauthier, he's definitely a player they are pumping a lot of time and resources into. So there's definitely a desire for him to be part of that "solution" as it were.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

I don't think they'd put Kreider on a 3rd line right now because they just gave him that huge contract extension and it would make the GM look like he overpaid for a 3rd liner.

I'm fairly certain this is not a thought when decisions are made.

 

[Off Sides]

More experience, what does that mean? Kind of sounds like a way to say they need more vets because stuff like Staal, Smith, Jack Johnson, McQuaid works out so well. Maybe they can trade for Marleau so they can celebrate him beating Howe's games played record, let the confetti fly.

 

[haveandare]

Some comments include a desire for more of a north-south style. I think they'd like a little more speed. There's definitely a desire for more experience in the lineup.

I don't know if they view it as too much skill, so much as not enough balance.

More experience is interesting. I feel like there’s already maybe too much experience for the young players to fit in once they get up to speed more. For example, once Laf gets going, there’s still Kreider and Panarin on that side. There’s just Buch on the right but there’s Kakko, Kravstov and Gauthier who should be top 9 players. I almost wonder where more experience could even fit up front.

 

[Fitzy]

Part of the north south thing is that even our 4th line is refusing to dump the puck in and go after it in situations where that would clearly be preferable.

They're all trying to make fancy plays and passes at the blueline like the rest of the roster.

I don't need to see Rooney Howden and Di Giuseppe trying drop passes and creative plays. Our 4th line should be playing Torts style hockey, minimizing turnovers and making the opponent fight the full length of the ice to get scoring chances.

 

[Off Sides]

North/South, maybe they can also bring back the left wing lock.

 

[DudMan28]

I think Gauthier would benefit, more so then others, from playing on a line and sticking there for a while. I think it takes a little while for guys to learn how to work with speed and get the most out of it. Think of some of the plays guys try with Kreider - firing off the end boards and letting him beat out icings, flipping over the defense and letting him skate into an area, etc. Need to play with some skill guys and stick there for a bit.

 

[rangers1314]

 

[RangersFan1994]

so PDG is gonna be our future, he reminds me of Emerson Etem bust

 

[NYR Viper]

This bothers me more than it should and it has all year.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

I F'nning hate Quinn.

 

[Fitzy]

I’m not exactly bullish on Gauthier but we really aren’t giving him any chance to get in a rhythm.

Hajek has gotten a much longer leash and idk why... this is the equivalent of sitting Hajek for Bitteto every other game

 

[Hire Sather]

Gauthier is going to end up being given away and it's a shame

 

[jay from jersey]

Gauthier is going to end up being given away and it's a shame

Mark my words this kid is going to have a very good career as a 3rd RW some where. Unfortunately I don’t think it will be here due to the numbers game

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

delete, double post

 

[pld459666]

I don't think they'd put Kreider on a 3rd line right now because they just gave him that huge contract extension and it would make the GM look like he overpaid for a 3rd liner.

Maybe they'll do it in a year or two after Laf gets more comfortable. But I doubt we see that until it's clear that Laf is the clear number 2 LW.

It would be extremely foolish to bury Lafreniere because of optics

 

[Elliman]

i’d love to see Quinn give these lines a chance.

Kreider - Chytil - Buchnevich
Lafreniere - Zibanejad - Kakko
Panarin - Strome - Kravtsov