You're the Coach: Line changes

[imyourhuckleberry]

Only one person on this thread is even in the ballpark.

Half of you have Hecht going to 3rd or 4th line.

This is Lindy Ruff's fav player.

He won't move down in the line up....he will move up..... to 2nd line.... somehow.... no matter how stupid it is.

 

[buffswords]

Vanek-Hodgson-Ennis
Foligno-Grigs-Pominville
Ott/Leino-Ott/Leino-Stafford
Gerbe-Hecht-Kaleta

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

Just get porter up here! He's probably better than Hecht not joking. The dude can just so more for this team as someone who can play a legitimate checking style....

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

Just get porter up here! He's probably better than Hecht not joking. The dude can just so more for this team as someone who can play a legitimate checking style....

 

[Jim Bob]

26-19-29
82-63-9
55-25-21
32-37-8

 

[OkimLom]

Vanek-Hodgson-Ennis
Foligno-Grigorenko-Pominville
Stafford-Ott-Gerbe
Hecht-Ellis-McCormick

 

[Myllz]

Vanek-Hodgson-Ennis
Foligno-Grigorenko-Pominville
Stafford-Ott-Gerbe
Hecht-Ellis-McCormick

Hell no. That'd be a great way to get Vanek to stop producing.

 

[TennisBalls]

VHP
Ennis-Grigs-Stafford
Foligno-Hecht-Ott
Gerbe-McCormick-Kaleta
Scott
Ellis

This. I really would like to see my boy Ennis and Stafford start clicking again.

 

[thekenneth]

this thread makes me miss derek roy.... ott hasn't been so hot this year yet either, granted it's a new team and he's been average not bad.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Vanek - Hodgson - Poms
Vanek - Ennis - Foligno
Vanek - Grigs - Ott
Vanek - McCormick- Scott

You forget this is a Lindy Ruff team! Let me fix those lines for you...
Hecht-Hodgson-Pominville
Matt Ellis!-Hecht-Ott
Foligno-Hecht-Stafford
Gerbe-Hecht-Kaleta

 

[The Washer]

I suggest you are mentally deficient if you would consider breaking up VHP. I would also suggest those wanting FES to remain broken up, to have a mental imperfection as well. How quickly everyone forgets what this line accomplished last year. Teams go years without ever finding a line with the type of chemistry they exuded.

All this because we dont have a talented RW for Grigs on the third line?
Madness. Leave the top two lines intact. Season Grigs on the third line with Ott and stop trying to pass the kidney stone that is the 2013 season. Hockey Heaven beings in 2014.

VHP
FES
Girgs-Grigs-Armia <-- Assuming Girgs in 2014 otherwise Otter until then
Ott-xxx-xxxx

*Dont take all the "mental" talk personally.

 

[wunderpanda]

Vanek-Grigorenko-Pominville ... need Grigs to play with talented guys to develop and not convinced Hodgson is anything more than a points parasite to Vanek

Ennis-Hodgson-Foligno .... if Hodgson is any good, he could jumpstart the second line

Gerbe-Ott-Hecht ... Ott is the best faceoff guy on the team and this line could agitate

Myers-Ellis-McCormick ... we know Myers can't play D, give him some run on the wing, can't be any worse than Stafford

 

[snapshot19]

Vanek-Grigorenko-Pominville ... need Grigs to play with talented guys to develop and not convinced Hodgson is anything more than a points parasite to Vanek

Ennis-Hodgson-Foligno .... if Hodgson is any good, he could jumpstart the second line

Gerbe-Ott-Hecht ... Ott is the best faceoff guy on the team and this line could agitate

Myers-Ellis-McCormick ... we know Myers can't play D, give him some run on the wing, can't be any worse than Stafford

Dumbest suggestions I've read. You don't develop a rookie on a top line as dominant as VHP has been. To even suggest what you appear to be suggesting in coho's abilities on the top line you have not watched any sabres games. You are just another clueless poster who has something against coho.

 

[Myllz]

Vanek-Grigorenko-Pominville ... need Grigs to play with talented guys to develop and not convinced Hodgson is anything more than a points parasite to Vanek

Ennis-Hodgson-Foligno .... if Hodgson is any good, he could jumpstart the second line

Gerbe-Ott-Hecht ... Ott is the best faceoff guy on the team and this line could agitate

Myers-Ellis-McCormick ... we know Myers can't play D, give him some run on the wing, can't be any worse than Stafford

Why is it important for Grigorenko to develop and not Hodgson? People seem to forget Hodgson is only 22 and this is only his second full season. It's every bit as important for Hodgson to be comfortable and develop as it is Grigorenko.

 

[The Washer]

Dumbest suggestions I've read. You don't develop a rookie on a top line as dominant as VHP has been. To even suggest what you appear to be suggesting in coho's abilities on the top line you have not watched any sabres games. You are just another clueless poster who has something against coho.

For some reason people are failing to see the obvious.

No Hodge = No Vanek

Hodge IS the ONLY reason for Vanek's success. He LOVES playing with the kid, thus LOVES playing the game again. Which is clearly obvious from the previous Tom's we've seen in the past. Dude is reinvigorated.

Take Hodge away and I'll wager anyone, anything, that old Tom returns. Any takers?

 

[wunderpanda]

Dumbest suggestions I've read. You don't develop a rookie on a top line as dominant as VHP has been. To even suggest what you appear to be suggesting in coho's abilities on the top line you have not watched any sabres games. You are just another clueless poster who has something against coho.

I've watched every game. Hodgson is bad at faceoffs. He has a terrible shot. He is weak defensively. and he was developed (propped up) last season with the Sedins and Kesler before he bottomed out here. Suddenly he looks good playing with Vanek.

Vanek makes centres look good, remember Luke Adam?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I suggest you are mentally deficient if you would consider breaking up VHP. I would also suggest those wanting FES to remain broken up, to have a mental imperfection as well. How quickly everyone forgets what this line accomplished last year. Teams go years without ever finding a line with the type of chemistry they exuded.

All this because we dont have a talented RW for Grigs on the third line?
Madness. Leave the top two lines intact. Season Grigs on the third line with Ott and stop trying to pass the kidney stone that is the 2013 season. Hockey Heaven beings in 2014.

VHP
FES
Girgs-Grigs-Armia <-- Assuming Girgs in 2014 otherwise Otter until then
Ott-xxx-xxxx

*Dont take all the "mental" talk personally.

Your 1st paragraph is a little contrdictory. Keep FES together based on last season (I'm not opposed), but don't split up VHP? When they started winning last season Vanek and Pominville were split up. The winning had more to do with sound defense, but splitting Vanek and Pominville put two lines out that were producing and looked at by opponents as scoring lines. V and P drawing the tougher assignments freed up FES to go wild. This season FES being used as a 2nd line is too hard a match-up for them. VH-Tropp, and Leino-Roy-Pominville formed the two scoring lines. That could translate to VH-Ott, and L-Grigs-P this season.

I don't exactly want to split up VHP right now, because they are SO good right now and I'd like to see if Leino can return and Grigs can step it up (both doubtful for the near future) in order to boost secondary scoring and take heat off FES. If the defense doesn't tighten up none of this matters. But if it does, and the secondary scoring doesn't pick up and they still struggle to win, the 2nd half of last season provides a clear plan B that worked.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Only one person on this thread is even in the ballpark.

Half of you have Hecht going to 3rd or 4th line.

This is Lindy Ruff's fav player.

He won't move down in the line up....he will move up..... to 2nd line.... somehow.... no matter how stupid it is.

I totally laughed at this, because yes, Ruff will have Hecht in the top 6 asap, so true.

I also laughed at the previous page's poster who had Hecht listed as "Hecht-Grigs-Pomms" on the second line.

 

[DJN21]

Can we get take-backsies on signing Hecht? jk

VHP obviously
Ennis-Grigs-Foligno
Stafford-Ott-Hecht (this could be a huge defense shutdown line or a black hole)
4th line of whomever is healthy and/or ruff doesnt scratch i.e kaleta,scott,gerbe,cody,ellis,porter...at this point until lines 2&3 can score idk that I care

 

[snapshot19]

I've watched every game. Hodgson is bad at faceoffs. He has a terrible shot. He is weak defensively. and he was developed (propped up) last season with the Sedins and Kesler before he bottomed out here. Suddenly he looks good playing with Vanek.

Vanek makes centres look good, remember Luke Adam?

YouTube coho for me and watch his goals last year against Detroit and Boston than come on here and tell me again why you think he has a terrible shot. Luke Adam shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as coho. And once again another clueless poster with some personal issues toward coho and clearly someone who watches hockey but doesn't understand or appreciate what coho has brought to the first line. To disagree and throw out random comments just to stir the pot just makes you look obliviously to the harsh reality that is coho is and will be a great NHL player.

 

[ZZamboni]

I've watched every game. Hodgson is bad at faceoffs. He has a terrible shot. He is weak defensively. and he was developed (propped up) last season with the Sedins and Kesler before he bottomed out here. Suddenly he looks good playing with Vanek.

Vanek makes centres look good, remember Luke Adam?

Is that the same Luke Adam that started sucking while he was on a line with Vanek? Hodgson is in his 2nd full year as an NHLer. Every year since he's been drafted he has improved. He needs to continue to work and develop. What young player doesn't? Thinking young NHLers should already be awesome with no need to develop and improve is simply dumb.
Was Miller really good his first year? No.
Was Biron? No.
Was Briere? No.
Was Drury? No.
Was Chara? No.
Was Yzerman? No.
Was Vanek? No.
Was Perry? No.


The list can go on and on and on. Think it thru. Because you're really not.

 

[RazielMoshman]

For some reason people are failing to see the obvious.

No Hodge = No Vanek

Hodge IS the ONLY reason for Vanek's success. He LOVES playing with the kid, thus LOVES playing the game again. Which is clearly obvious from the previous Tom's we've seen in the past. Dude is reinvigorated.

Take Hodge away and I'll wager anyone, anything, that old Tom returns. Any takers?

While I wouldn't go that far I'd agree Hodgson has really made that first line as formidable as it is. He is a genuine 1st line C talent.

 

[RattleYourSabre]

I suggest you are mentally deficient if you would consider breaking up VHP. I would also suggest those wanting FES to remain broken up, to have a mental imperfection as well.

VHP
FES
Girgs-Grigs-Armia <-- Assuming Girgs in 2014 otherwise Otter until then
Ott-xxx-xxxx

*Dont take all the "mental" talk personally.

First, no offense taken

Second: I think staying in the box without thinking about alternatives is more, as you put it, "mentally deficient" than anything else. In fact, I'm sure you've heard this before: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I actually agree that breaking up VHP is likely a poor idea. But, it doesn't hurt to think about the pros and cons to doing so. But if you do it, it's one of those things that the players have to be in agreement with or you may lose the team. It's a very slippery slope that might not be worth slipping down. Having said that, if you break them up, I don't think you take the young second year center away from the best scorer on the team. I think it would almost have to be Pommer that gets moved, if anyone. But again... slope that is slippery.

However, the second line simply isn't working. In a shortened season, the wait and see approach is a much tougher way to go. Everything gets clouded up. You've probably got a point that if you wait you may see some better hockey played. But is time a luxury we have? Those are the challenges we have to face in the shortened year.

Thanks for the post/discussion!

I've watched every game. Hodgson is bad at faceoffs. He has a terrible shot. He is weak defensively. and he was developed (propped up) last season with the Sedins and Kesler before he bottomed out here. Suddenly he looks good playing with Vanek.

Vanek makes centres look good, remember Luke Adam?

Hodgson is bad at faceoffs. I agree. But I certainly wouldn't say he has a terrible shot. He creates. He has a very high hockey IQ and finds a way to get the puck into the dirty area. He's also, as evidenced by some of his goals, not afraid to get down there and battle for position. I think you're underrating Hodgson a bit. He certainly benefits from Vanek (who wouldn't?), but for a second year pro, you need and want that to be the case. He certainly has room for improvement, but I think from an offensive standpoint he's been solid.

Just my opinion.

 

[Krieger Bot]

Vanek - Hodgson - Pominville

Obvious. 20+ minutes/night.

Ott - Hecht - Stafford

A line that can handle tough defensive matchups for us; hopefully without being a total black hole offensively. 17-18 minutes/night.

Ennis - Grigorenko - Foligno

Give them the light minutes. 13-14 minutes. Get Ennis away from defensive responsibilities and out of the middle. Stop asking Grigorenko to carry a line offensively. Give them someone in Foligno to do the heavy lifting.

Gerbe - Ellis - McCormick

A healthy McCormick playing on the wing can take a regular shift, whereas Scott really can't. Decent energy line that can play just shy of 10 minutes without getting torched defensively.

 

[sabresEH]

I totally laughed at this, because yes, Ruff will have Hecht in the top 6 asap, so true.

I also laughed at the previous page's poster who had Hecht listed as "Hecht-Grigs-Pomms" on the second line.

If you want to change things up and ville isnt back in the line up than whats wrong with winger familairty for the rookie center on line 2, so it can open up bad d pairings for the fes line(what they need to be successful). Ideally it would be leino with grigs and pomms and hecht can slot back into the 4c position. But who wants to stop and think about things for a second eh.