Line-up ideas

[anotheridiot]

so

Cat-Toews-Highmore/Q2
Kuba-Kampf-Kane
Sikura-Dach-Smith
Highmore/Q2-Carp-Nylander

with possibly Kurashev getting the call-up and you can move one of Q2/Highmore/Sikura/Nylander out.

Any timetable on Saad or Jewels? What a mess.

I'm for firing Stan if he won't make a coaching change with the elite guys that are available in Babcock/Crawford/Leavolette

That doesn't happen every day, there is a new franchise out there and other firings coming soon. Jump on it or get the **** out of here. JC is garbage and likely delusional to boot like most of his generation.

I dont know about Jewels, he has been skating with the team for a while, but they keep holding him out. I think a lighter player would have been in a game by now, but Jewels is hard, *** porn hard, and is gonna be back in protocol quiker than a Kubalik or Sikura. I thought if Sikura did not score his first goal, Jewels would have played yesterday.

I hope they give Highmore as much of a shot as Nylander is getting. I remember reading something about him getting alot of praise from some big named NHL players for team canada at some international deal they just did. Dont know if it was playing or trying out or what. Plus he led the ice hogs with 24 goals last year.

He will probably get a chance to step up next game I hope.

 

[Raskolnikov]

The current situation is just survive...but when the boys get back, if Gus is still here I am seriously going to recommend this look...

Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane
Boqvist-Dach-Kampf
Jewels-Carp-Smith

Boqvist is far more dangerous than Q/Highmore/Sikura combined. Stop asking him to defend and let him freelance a bit. I'd like his stick on the ice more but he isn't a defender. Maybe it helps the defense some though to roll 7.

 

[ruprecht]

Hawks have a Top 10 Penalty Kill in large part due to Carpenter imo

 

[Raskolnikov]

anybody want to discuss Bovqist to forward. Is it really that unprecedented or wild? I feel like the resistance is it fucks his development but currently we aren't getting the most out of him. I see his potential really being stifled by defensive responsibilities and him dropping lob shots from 40 feet is cute but **** the guy is dangerous skating toward the net. So put him in position to do so.

He could boost a 2-way line like Dach/Kampf...

Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane
Boqvist/Jewels-Dach-Kampf/Carp
Jewels/Boqvist-Kampf/Carp-Smith

 

[Tater]

anybody want to discuss Bovqist to forward. Is it really that unprecedented or wild? I feel like the resistance is it fucks his development but currently we aren't getting the most out of him. I see his potential really being stifled by defensive responsibilities and him dropping lob shots from 40 feet is cute but **** the guy is dangerous skating toward the net. So put him in position to do so.

He could boost a 2-way line like Dach/Kampf...

Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane
Boqvist/Jewels-Dach-Kampf/Carp
Jewels/Boqvist-Kampf/Carp-Smith

 

[Raskolnikov]

How is Barrets team looking in the frozen four hierarchy?

We really need another forward. I suppose they will trade for one before they change course on Boqvist this early.

 

[Raskolnikov]

So I'll just go ahead and fix it since they seem incapable of moving on from Nylander experiment. The only way I see to play is

#1 Saad-Toews-Kubalik
CAt-Strome-Kane
Jewels-DAch-kampf
Nylander-Carp-Smith


You could try

#2 Jewels-Toews-Dach
Cat-Strome-Kane
Saad-Kampf-Kubalik
Nylander-Carp-Smith

but I think it puts too much on the 18 year old.

but

#3 Saad-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Strome-Kane
Trade-Dach-Kampf
Jewels-Carp-Smith

seems to be the way to spark that fourth line by giving it a danger/speed element. Any thoughts on trade targets that would fortify the Dach-Kampf pairing?

Getzlaf?
Or...surely the Vegas Knights have a spare forward?

 

[Raskolnikov]

Looks like Hagel for 3 games to the all-star break.

2x for 3 games
Kubalik-Toews-Kane
Jewels-Carp-Dach
Cat-Kampf-Saad
Hagel-Smith-Nylander

Kubalik-Toews-Jewels
Cat-Carp-Kane
Dach-Kampf-Saad
Hagel-Smith-Nylander

3 for after break
Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Disco-Kane
Jewels-Kampf-Dach
Sikura-Carp-Smith

Kubalik-Toews-Kane
Cat-Dach-Disco
Jewels-Kampf-Saad
Sikura-Carp-Smith

Cat-Toews-Saad
Kubalik-Disco-Kane
Jewels-Kampf-Dach
Kurashev-Carp-Smith

I hope Kurashev or Entwhystle get a look next.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Looks like Hagel for 3 games to the all-star break.

2x for 3 games
Kubalik-Toews-Kane
Jewels-Carp-Dach
Cat-Kampf-Saad
Hagel-Smith-Nylander

Kubalik-Toews-Jewels
Cat-Carp-Kane
Dach-Kampf-Saad
Hagel-Smith-Nylander

3 for after break
Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Disco-Kane
Jewels-Kampf-Dach
Sikura-Carp-Smith

Kubalik-Toews-Kane
Cat-Dach-Disco
Jewels-Kampf-Saad
Sikura-Carp-Smith

Cat-Toews-Saad
Kubalik-Disco-Kane
Jewels-Kampf-Dach
Kurashev-Carp-Smith

I hope Kurashev or Entwhystle get a look next.

man...I was giddy when I saw the lines today.

Kubalik-Toews-Jewels
Cat-Carp-Kane
Dach-Kampf-Saad
Hagel-Smith-Nylander

That was my second recommendation, but I thought JC did even better even before the first period was played. I was excited when it flashed over the screen.

Tonight we got

Kubalik-Toews-Jewels (produced in first 30 seconds, plus a Toews PP)

Saad-Carp-Kane (produced a Kane to Saad)

Cat-Kampf-Dach

Highmore-Smith-Nylander



Credit where credit is due. Great structure JC! Flipping Cat and Saad made that pretty and feels right.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Drake has lots of experience playing alongside elite players, you could say his game was forged that way.

That said, did anyone else see Toews flip out and "what the ****!?" him when he got his 4th penalty yesterday?

Lol!! The score was such I could laugh at it, but props to all the guys who bought into finishing strong before the break, they bought themselves a second season. Congrats.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I am going to be taking a break for a bit to get right, but I'll leave a few line-up ideas behind. Injuries forced Kubalik into some better situations for him, and I think what I see is a player who is exceptional when on the counter attack.

1.
Kubalik-Toews-Jewels
Saad-Strome-Kane
Cat-Dach-Kampf
?-Carp-Smith

2.
Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane
Shaw-Dach-Kampf
Jewels-Carp-Smith

Depending on game and situation you can power up that Toews line, but I think you get more defensive value out of Toews without Kane and it actually leads to Kubalik getting more counter chances without.

Anyway, there are so many ways to do these things but just my 2 cents, I'm pretty fond of these formations to begin games and if you want to power up the Toews line with Kuba-Taser-Kaner sometimes it makes sense.

JC's
Kubalik-Toews-Jewels
Saad-Dach-Kane
Cat-Strome-Kampf
Nylander-Carp-Smith

This is certainly interesting but Nylander is useless, and its not the most effecient use of Dach on faceoffs. I like the veterans carrying the kid but its actually pretty stupid tactically. He isn't crisp enough to get the most out of those wings, and Stromes touch and faceoff experience is far too valuable.

Meanwhile Cat can score off chaos by being quick to rebounds, I would let Cat-Dach-Kampf sort out how to junk up the game and get Cat some rebounds. If anything flip him and Jewels if Cat can't hang with Dach-Kampf defensively.

Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane
Jewels-Dach-Kampf
Highmore-Carp-Smith

is probably the best we can do all around.

you get Saad-Kubalik with the speed counter, Cat WILL lite up the orb across from God, and Jewels has to make do with the big fast bodies...but his goals are skate and scrap anyway. Tough mother ******, but he can eat his anywhere and Cat needs the platter and can use the platter. You get Cat caught in this 200 foot shit and he drowns, isn't there when you need him.

I love Saad going but I keep urging to put him back with Kubalik only with Toews this time. They will all eat together and all can skate on the counter.

If Jewels-Dach-Kampf suffers try Carp or Smith there.

I've got to see the top 6 of

Kubalik-Toews-Saad
Cat-Strome-Kane

before I will ever let it go. I have been on that since week 1 when we saw what Kubalik-Kampf-Saad could do.

 

[anotheridiot]

Kane can play with anyone.

Cat seems to do better with Strome, Smith and Carpenter seem to get along well, Dach needs a faceoff guy playing forward. I have said before that Kubalik has some Hossa traits, the backcheck when he has a puck taken away is like a bulldog. I just like to see Kane and Cat after a strong PK. If its a quick change where there is no faceoff immediately required, Kubalik with them would be strong, but Strome will do. Its like a secret weapon.

I agree that Saad belongs top 6, dont like him shoved down to the third line, so any rotation of Kane Toews, Saad, Kubalik on the two top lines makes sense, so I tend to agree with the Saad, Toews, Kubalik top with Kane back with cat and strome as our strongest 6. Dach deserves to play on the third line until he can handle faceoffs. Smith and Carp are made for the fourth line, preferably with Jewels.