Your Teams 4th Line. Who? How does it rank?

[Big McLargehuge]

The Islanders 4th line is basically the ideal 4th line. I'm not shy about saying that I'm jealous of that line and they're the biggest reason the Islanders have been able to sustain this sort of play...they're the heart and soul of that team.


Unfortunately for the Penguins our 4th line is also the heart & soul of our team...withered and useless.

 

[Machinehead]

Stempniak-Moore-Fast (without Glass) - middle of the pack

With Glass - 31st

I thought people were exaggerating, but he is literally the worst, most ineffective NHL player I've ever seen. He would kill a line of himself, Lemieux, and Batman.

 

[Sharppi]

Cooke 4G 4A 8Pts in 26 games
Brodziak 6G 6A 14Pts in 42 games
Carter 3G 10A 13Pts in 44 games

Okay I guess, middle of the pack or something.

 

[c-carp]

The Blues 4th line is as good as any in the league

 

[McDNicks17]

I think if you're looking at who is doing the most heavy lifting, the Oilers 4th line has to be up there. The Oilers suck, but the 4th line definitely isn't the reason why.

- Hendricks and Gordon start in the offensive zone about 18% of the time and finish in the offensive zone close to 40% of the time.

- Gordon has taken the most defensive zone faceoffs in the league. He's 62% on the dot in the defensive zone.

- They almost split possession with a 48% and 46% Fenwick For. (I'm using Fenwick since their shot blocking is a big part of their game)

- They still contribute a little offensively. Gordon and Hendricks have a 0.93 and 0.95 for P/60 at 5v5. (Clutterbuck = 0.99, Cizikas = 1.11, Martin = 1.01, for comparison's sake).

 

[Callista Rhian]

I'm basically seething with jealousy right now. Out 4th line is, as mentioned, the 29th sh itiest in the league. (At least we don't have Glass. Small blessings.)

Adams-Ebbett-Sill kills everything. EVERYTHING. Any time we have any momentukm, they destroy it. Not only are they old, slow, and useless (Adams is 37 and geriatric), they take up roster spots that could go to young, talented up-and-comers.

I hate our 4th line. Hate. It. *sobs*

 

[deathtouchtrample]

With everyone healthy:
Adams-Lapierre-Sill

29th. Only reason it's not 30th is because Tanner Glass isn't on it.

With Malkin out it's Adams-Ebbett-Sill.

Sill is not in the lineup when healthy?

K-C-P
B-M-H
Comeau-S-D
Spaling-Lappy-Adams/Arco/Sill

Spaling-Lappy-Arcobello would be fine. Spaling-Lappy-Adams will probably be not a back-breaker.

 

[Callista Rhian]

Sill is not in the lineup when healthy?

K-C-P
B-M-H
Comeau-S-D
Spaling-Lappy-Adams/Arco/Sill

Spaling-Lappy-Arcobello would be fine. Spaling-Lappy-Adams will probably be not a back-breaker.

No Adams. Please, no Adams.

Also, I honestly think that

P-C-H
Co-M-B
K-S-D
Sp-Lappy-Arco

would be better.

 

[Pigskin]

Caps 4th line is basically

Chimera - Beagle - Wilson ... so we have a bit of everything there

Chimera has speed and is steady but is having a down season to a point thus his demotion from our 3rd line

Beagle is good in the dot and is a terrier who gives his all every game ... he is having a breakout season by his standards with a career high in goals and points i think already ... he will be commanding a bigger contract as he is a UFA very soon

Wilson (and Beagle) make guest appearances on the top line right now depending on what is needed ... Wilson as most know brings the aggression where its needed and his upside at this point is unknown ... we Caps fans hope he can be a top 6 power forward but not sure he has come on this season but there is still hope

Michael Latta makes guest appearances on our 4th line ... is fiesty, tough and has surprising skill at time

all in all ... I think its a pretty good 4th line and I'll rank it around 5th in the league without pretending to be an expert in every teams 4th line

 

[The Nuge]

Whats so great about the Isles 4th line other than the fact that they hit a ton? 31 points combined doesnt sound very impressive to me... Are they a great line defensively?

Im not trying to say they arent a good 4th line, but Im curious why people think they're the undisputed best.

Agreed. For comparison sake, the Oilers 4th line also has 31 points (Joensuu, Pinnizzotto, and now Klinkhammer have taken turns being the 3rd guy on the line, and combined for 9 points), but are MUCH better defensively, and still physical. Hendricks averages just under 3 hits a game, and Klinkhammer 5.5 (likely to drop a bit eventually). Martin averages just under 5, and Clutterbuck just under 4.

 

[Love]

Agreed. For comparison sake, the Oilers 4th line also has 31 points (Joensuu, Pinnizzotto, and now Klinkhammer have taken turns being the 3rd guy on the line, and combined for 9 points), but are MUCH better defensively, and still physical. Hendricks averages just under 3 hits a game, and Klinkhammer 5.5 (likely to drop a bit eventually). Martin averages just under 5, and Clutterbuck just under 4.

Totally. The Canucks 4th line has 40 points and Horvat has only played 32 games. Im not saying it's the best 4th line or anything, but I dont see why a ton of hitting makes a 4th line the best.

I think an ideal 4th line would combine hitting, a C who can win faceoffs, bringing lots of energy, good defensive play, and can chip in a bit offensively.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Apparently every team has the best 4th line in the league.

 

[Made Dan]

When Glass is in the lineup, he renders the line ineffective. Otherwise, with Dom Moore in the middle and two of Stempniak/Fast/Miller, they're generally very effective.

 

[TurdFerguson]

Apparently every team has the best 4th line in the league.

Everyone has the worst third line though.

 

[Diamondillium]

lol huge homer, watch all 29 other teams and then make an educated opinion about the best fourth line on a team, the team with the worst record defiantly doesn't have the best fourth line lets be real.
the maple leafs i consider a revolving door myself but its pretty brutal atm
Booth Smith Panik

One guy is done probably should have put him on the waiver wire already another a career ahler the other is an interesting piece though i dont know exactly what we have in panik but i would keep ahold of him for now

I'll be the first to admit that there are a million problems with the Edmonton Oilers. I will say, however, that the Oilers have a phenomenal 4th line (probably not best, but a damn good one), and it is probably the one positive in the entire organization.

That being said, as shown by the Oilers, a good 4th line cannot alone win you games.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Depends on the mix. Sharks never have the same 4th line due to injury.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Paille - Campbell - Cunningham

Bottom five in the league. Campbell is toast.

Its much better with Cunningham in there over Gagne though.

 

[boredmale]

Islanders 4th line is one of the best, the only real negative I can think about the line is you would like to have your 4th line center be above 50% on faceoffs.

 

[Nicko999]

I truly believe we have the worst 4th line in the league.

Bournival-Malhotra-Thomas

Bournival: 3 pts in 17 games
Malhotra: 1 pt in 44 games
Thomas: 0 pt in 5 games

Also combined -13.

 

[KingsHockey24]

We use to have the best fourth line in the NHL but now I'm not even going to post it because it's so bad due to injuries/transactions.

 

[boredmale]

Malhotra: 1 pt in 44 games

I am guessing the only reason he is still in the NHL is because his faceoff percentage is over 60%

 

[Nicko999]

I am guessing the only reason he is still in the NHL is because his faceoff percentage is over 60%

Pretty much! Therrien uses him in key faceoffs in the defensive zone and then he's off to the bench right after.
The guy is useless garbage otherwise. Even Tanner Glass has better "production" than him.

 

[QuadDeuces]

The Sabres have one of the best 4th lines in the league.

That's easy to do when you have four of them.

 

[JackTheTulip]

This is my ranking, could be very wrong though, please advise.

1. Detroit : Miller - Glendening - Jurco
2. Islanders : Martin - Cizikas - Clutterbuck
3. Ottawa : Condra - Lazar - Neil
4. Tampa Bay : Morrow - Boyle - Connolly
5. Washington : Chimera - Beagle - Wilson
6. Philadelphia : Bellemare - Lecavalier - Vandevelde
7. Buffalo : Deslauriers - McCormick - Flynn
8. Columbus : Tropp - Letestu - Boll
9. New Jersey : Tootoo - Sestito - Bernier
10. Florida : Kopecky - McKenzie - Upshall
11. Montreal : Prust - Malhotra - Thomas/Weise
12. Rangers : Stempniak - Moore - Fast
13. Boston : Paille - Campbell - Cunningham
14. Toronto : Booth - Smith - Panik
15. Carolina : Malone - McClement - Dwyer
16. Pittsburgh : Adams - Lapierre - Sill

 

[Chardo]

Whats so great about the Isles 4th line other than the fact that they hit a ton? 31 points combined doesnt sound very impressive to me... Are they a great line defensively?

Im not trying to say they arent a good 4th line, but Im curious why people think they're the undisputed best.

Plus 9 combined, all three positive. Unusual for a fourth line, especially one that often matches up against opponents second and third line. Besides hitting a lot, they forecheck relentlessly, create turnovers, and frustrate the hell out of the other team. Their success also leads to scoring chances and goals from the top line jumping on while they create their havoc. Just last night, Clutterbuck assisted a Tavares goal during a partial line change. Any fourth line that can do all they do, and still give up fewer goals than they score, is impressive.