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Should MacKinnon center one of Canada’s top two lines in Beijing?

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Should MacKinnon center one of Canada’s top two lines at the Beijing Olympics?

  • Total voters
    251
  • Poll closed .
lawrence

lawrence

Registered User
May 19, 2012
16,409
7,333
I don't see an issue why not. Or maybe the 3rd line? Canada usually goes with 3 offensive lines 1 checking line. so 3 1st lines and 1 4th line.
 

Ignite111

Registered User
Feb 9, 2017
1,197
591
I’m interested in seeing everyone’s reactions of Barzel after seeing him skate with ANY of team Canada’s 4 lines. Having a SLIGHT upgrade from Eberle and Komarov could possibly slow down Hfboards judgement of him as a player based on his point production. Oh, and also see him in offensive system instead of Trotz system.
 

Spoilers

Registered User
Jun 24, 2018
374
531
Not sure why people are saying MacKinnon with McDavid. Mac and Crosby are friends. It would make sense to put them on the same line.

McDavid and MacKinnon are also both puck carriers. They are similar players so it wouldn’t be a good fit.
 
Nihiliste

Nihiliste

Registered User
Feb 8, 2010
11,576
4,732
Barzal - Mcdavid - Point
Huberdeau - Mackinnon - Scheifele
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
O’reilly - Couturier - Stone

Line 1, Barzal and Point can skate with Mcdavid. Gives him an RH 1 timer option on the left side. Point can take defensive center responsibilities in the dzone.

Line 2, Mack is the play driver and puck carrier and isn’t the same type of high IQ player as Mcdavid and Crosby, so you give him 2 guys that can be more methodical, open up space and get into soft areas without the puck, and smart enough to give and go with him when they get the chance. Also gives him two shooting threats to pass to.

Third line the vet line with proven past chemistry. Strong defensively

4th line, either ROR or Couturier at center, can’t go wrong. I know ROR has played LW before for the Avs and for Canada and been successful. Along with Stone, these guys can totally neutralize the opposing competition.

Take Danault as an extra responsible shutdown and PK guy in case someone gets hurt.
 
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psycat

Registered User
Oct 25, 2016
3,284
1,183
McDavid - Crosby - Marchand
Stone - MacKinnon - Barzal
Huberdeau - Point - Bergeron

Something like that would be my setup, tried to make the lines all somewhat allround. 4th line there are so many options I didn't bother. I voted "no" but upon reflection probably yes but that would mean McDavid as a winger for first line.

Anyway you slice it Canada could replace their two first line centers and still be heavy favorites but that's the norm I suppose.
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
26,064
15,811
Vancouver
Ignite111 said:
I’m interested in seeing everyone’s reactions of Barzel after seeing him skate with ANY of team Canada’s 4 lines. Having a SLIGHT upgrade from Eberle and Komarov could possibly slow down Hfboards judgement of him as a player based on his point production. Oh, and also see him in offensive system instead of Trotz system.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call Canada's usual system offensive though really. They're usually all about dominating possession while making the safe play, not wanting to give the game away with a mistake, and assuming that eventually their talent will generate enough chances from that to score. The last two Olympic teams weren't really big scorers or had huge numbers numbers for the forwards. The Crosby line put up big numbers in the last World Cup, but I doubt Barzal ends up on the top line. Trotz could also end up being the coach anyway.
 
Captain97

Captain97

Registered User
Jan 31, 2017
7,777
7,491
Toronto, Ontario
My forward Line up for the Olympics, with Line names:

Barzal-McDavid-Mackinnon : Speeeeeeeed
Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron : Old Reliable
O'Reilly-Couturier-Stone : Shutdown Line?
Scheifle-Point-Stamkos : The Other Guys
Extra : Marner
 

majormajor

Registered User
Jun 23, 2018
26,331
32,134
Mackinnon/McDavid - Stone
Huberdeau - Point - Scheifele
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Perron - ROR - Marner

I don't think we even need to spell out who is center between McDavid and Mackinnon. Both guys are going to do all the transition work that falls in their laps. Let the first man back handle the down low work so you don't need to worry about awkward switches. And your faceoff man will depend on your location on the ice.

* I think people need to take David Perron seriously here. He's top 10 among Canadian scorers, a smart two-way guy, and his linemate in St. Louis is probably going to be a bottom six center for Canada. Best to keep Perron and ROR together then. It's not like you're giving up any scoring putting him there, he outscored the other options.

** Seeing a lot of Barzal and I'm not sure he's a good fit for this lineup. Maybe as a #13. Barzal is a guy that needs the puck a lot to be effective. That's not the type of guy that does well on Team Canada. Give them a one-touch maestro like Stone or Huberdeau. No puck hogs.
 

DJJones

Registered User
Nov 18, 2014
10,557
3,831
Calgary
I'd move McDavid to the wing. Whole team is centers and he does not play like a traditional center anyway.
 

authentic

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
26,097
11,145
WarriorofTime said:
Why would Canada waste MacKinnon the wing? Doesn't make sense. That's not as good a use of his skillset. He is a Center. Period.
Click to expand...

I don't think it would be a waste at all. Especially considering we've already seen how well he played in 2016 as a winger with McDavid and Matthews, two others centers. That line was absolutely dominant as it should be. You know how many centers will be on that team who are also much better at faceoffs and less suited to playing the wing than MacKinnon?

I would try something like this...

McDavid-Point-MacKinnon (Point is great on faceoffs and the best defensively, also has the speed to keep up with these two and of course has experience playing with top notch offensive players in Tampa)

Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron (They were extremely dominant before and should be again but only this time around Marchand might actually be the best player on the line)

Huberdeau-Barzal-Stone (Great two-way ability)

Stamkos-ROR/Couturier-Scheifele/Marner (This last line is a tossup for who makes it but I believe those are the candidates)

I think Point works better on the top line than Barzal because he is a much better finisher who I believe would compliment McDavid and MacKinnon better and he pretty much has the same speed as Barzal anyway. I think it makes more sense to play McDavid and MacKinnon together than apart and stack the top line because with a team that's already this deep and talented overall I just don't see why you wouldn't.
 
86Habs

86Habs

Registered User
May 4, 2009
2,588
420
authentic said:
I don't think it would be a waste at all. Especially considering we've already seen how well he played in 2016 as a winger with McDavid and Matthews, two others centers. That line was absolutely dominant as it should be. You know how many centers will be on that team who are also much better at faceoffs and less suited to playing the wing than MacKinnon?

I would try something like this...

McDavid-Point-MacKinnon (Point is great on faceoffs and the best defensively, also has the speed to keep up with these two and of course has experience playing with top notch offensive players in Tampa)

Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron (They were extremely dominant before and should be again but only this time around Marchand might actually be the best player on the line)

Huberdeau-Barzal-Stone (Great two-way ability)

Stamkos-ROR/Couturier-Scheifele/Marner (This last line is a tossup for who makes it but I believe those are the candidates)

I think Point works better on the top line than Barzal because he is a much better finisher who I believe would compliment McDavid and MacKinnon better and he pretty much has the same speed as Barzal anyway. I think it makes more sense to play McDavid and MacKinnon together than apart and stack the top line because with a team that's already this deep and talented overall I just don't see why you wouldn't.
Click to expand...

I would want the puck on McDavid's and MacKinnon's (and Crosby's) sticks as much as possible, and you would get that by cycling the offense through them at the center position on separate lines. McDavid is a center, and MacKinnon hasn't played the wing since very early in his career; why would a coach ask them to play a position that they're largely unfamiliar with in a short, high-pressure/high-stakes situation like the Olympics? Sometimes the best answer is the most obvious one.
 
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authentic

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
26,097
11,145
86Habs said:
I would want the puck on McDavid's and MacKinnon's (and Crosby's) sticks as much as possible, and you would get that by cycling the offense through them at the center position on separate lines. McDavid is a center, and MacKinnon hasn't played the wing since very early in his career; why would a coach ask them to play a position that they're largely unfamiliar with in a short, high-pressure/high-stakes situation like the Olympics? Sometimes the best answer is the most obvious one.
Click to expand...

Canada is stacked with centers and many less qualified for the wing than MacKinnon who like I said atleast did great there at the World Cup with McDavid in 2016. It's not like you couldn't just switch the lines up if that didn't work after a few games anyway.
 
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