lines

[WOOTPOKER]

don't know if theres been a thread about line combos for the upcoming season, but ive been messing around with ideas in my head and i really cant seem to find the perfect blend.

theres several issues with our line combos (altho lots of these issues are good issues to have)

1. we have 4 number one centers (richards, briere, carter, giroux)
2. does giroux stay at center or move to wing?
3. you almost are obligated to have leino-briere-hartnell together, meaning you have to find the right mix with the remaining top 6 guys
4. we have an abundance of great forwards, meaning we wont be able to clearly label a first or second or even third line..which isnt a bad thing.

like i said..these are mostly all good issues to have..but it leads me to wonder..how do the lines stack up? who does zherdev play with? where does giroux play? does richie remain our top line center or move down to a checking role? does carcillo remain with richie? does carter stay at wing?

right now i wouldnt mind seeing something like this...

zherdev richards carcillo
leino briere hartnell
vanriemsdyk giroux carter
powe betts lappy/shelly


thoughts?

 

[flyersfan4706]

I say

Carcillo Richards Carter
Leino Briere Hartnell
JVR Giroux Zherdev
Powe Betts Lappy

Shelly is worthless. He is only worthy of our fourth line, yet at the same time he isnt.

 

[anderwho2513]

don't know if theres been a thread about line combos for the upcoming season, but ive been messing around with ideas in my head and i really cant seem to find the perfect blend.

theres several issues with our line combos (altho lots of these issues are good issues to have)

1. we have 4 number one centers (richards, briere, carter, giroux)
2. does giroux stay at center or move to wing?
3. you almost are obligated to have leino-briere-hartnell together, meaning you have to find the right mix with the remaining top 6 guys
4. we have an abundance of great forwards, meaning we wont be able to clearly label a first or second or even third line..which isnt a bad thing.

like i said..these are mostly all good issues to have..but it leads me to wonder..how do the lines stack up? who does zherdev play with? where does giroux play? does richie remain our top line center or move down to a checking role? does carcillo remain with richie? does carter stay at wing?

right now i wouldnt mind seeing something like this...

zherdev richards carcillo
leino briere hartnell
vanriemsdyk giroux carter
powe betts lappy/shitty


thoughts?

Those are my lines, assuming you're just listing center and winger and not paying attention to RW vs LW, save for the 3rd line. Giroux was drafted as a winger, and Carter has historically struggled on the wing. Switch them and you got a winner.

And you spelled that guy's name wrong on the 4th line, but I fixed it.

 

[awaz]

i'm a little unorthodox.. but a few notes before i show em..
1. the off-season is a long time, i dont think chemistry is really kept over the 3 month break, especially when a trio only played together for a month or two.. leino, briere, and hartnell looked great in the playoffs, no doubt, and i wouldn't be opposed to switching back to them if these line combos dont work out

2. i think richards plays out of his element.. he's a checking center with more offensive skills than a normal checking center.. he's not a 'playmaker', IMO.. he should be playing with rough and tumble guys that are gunna be solid on defense, and a huge pain to play against..


so here they are..

leino.briere.zherdev
jvr.carter.giroux
hartnell.richards.carcillo
lappy.powe/betts.shelley (powe/betts because betts might not be ready to go oct.1)

mesz.pronger
timo.coburn
carle.odonnell

leighbooshovsky (i'm hoping bobrovsky gets a couple NHL games this season)

couple post-scripts.. that top line might lack a little on defense, especially if Z hasn't improved.. but, i think it has enough offensive talent to be out there against team's checking line and top d-pair.. i think that line, offensively, is a legit #1 line.. a line that you look to when you are in desperate need of a goal.. richards line is my havoc line that i wanna see so bad.. carter's line.. giroux can set em up, hopefully carter can knock em down, and jvr can go to the net.. i'm hoping JvR adds some muscle this off-season and develops that drive to get to the net

defensively.. mesz played his best with chara.. chara and pronger are very similar players.. timo/coburn.. timo seems like the only guy that can get coburn to play well, and they looked really good late last season and into the playoffs.. coburn was our best d-man for stretches in the playoffs.. i think walker starts as the 7th, waived if the flyers need to make a move.. bartulis starts the season in the AHL

 

[scottflyers88]

carter-richards-zherdev
hartnell-briere-leino
jvr-giroux-carcillo
shelley-betts-laperierre

 

[flyersfan4706]

I still want a new Legion Of Doom type line. Leino, Harntell, and Briere would be the one that deserves a name IMO

 

[anderwho2513]

Legion of Doom 2nd Ed. was supposed to be JvR-Richards-Giroux.

 

[awaz]

legion of havoc

hartnell.richards.carcillo

*slaps hands together like he just cooked something awesome*

 

[flyersfan4706]

Shelly-Richards-Betts

Social Disorder

 

[awaz]

on the bright side of the gagne move.. we wont have the 'french connection'.. that woulda been terrible..

woulda been a good line tho (simon.danny.claude)

 

[flyersfan4706]

That line woula been awesome

 

[indyflyr]

giroux seemed to really blossom when he played center at the end of last season.

how about trying leino-giroux-briere?

talk about mad skills line.

 

[awaz]

giroux seemed to really blossom when he played center at the end of last season.

how about trying leino-giroux-briere?

talk about mad skills line.

i like that group of players.. i like briere at center though.. i think he's almost half the player on the winger..

only problem i'd see there is giroux and leino are both at their best when they have the puck on their stick..

 

[TOX1]

How 'bout - The Hartnell Line

Mr. Me, Myself and I can play with himself because, after all, that is all he cares about.

 

[awaz]

How 'bout - The Hartnell Line

Mr. Me, Myself and I can play with himself because, after all, that is all he cares about.

has he passed into the realm of unforgivable for you tox? i know you hate him

i expect him to return to his old self this season and be a valuable part of the team.. granted i have been let down before

 

[indyflyr]

i like that group of players.. i like briere at center though.. i think he's almost half the player on the winger..

only problem i'd see there is giroux and leino are both at their best when they have the puck on their stick..

yes he is half the player at wing, when 5 on 5. but he cannot hold his own defensively as a center. he has proven that over and over. so he's a wing, like it or not.

i couldn't agree more with you about giroux and leino lugging the mail. i got so freaking exited watching them in the playoffs last year. other than lindros and forsberg, i can't remember two guys who can carry the puck in traffic on the flyers. it has been too long since we had that in the lineup.

 

[TOX1]

has he passed into the realm of unforgivable for you tox? i know you hate him

i expect him to return to his old self this season and be a valuable part of the team.. granted i have been let down before

I don't know awaz. I know I'm all over the guy, but I've managed guys with his attitude and work ethic for years and they've always eventually disappoint me, so my track record with his kind of lazy fuck isn't great.

Since the Flyers (and us) are stuck with him for at least another year, I hope you're right and last season was just a blip on his radar and he'll be a more productive player this coming season.

I hope!

 

[indyflyr]

what we've seen from hartnell is more or less what we are going to get. he's not gonna be much better or worse. at the end of the day he's 3 mill guy getting paid 5 mill. that's his crime.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

what we've seen from hartnell is more or less what we are going to get. he's not gonna be much better or worse. at the end of the day he's 3 mill guy getting paid 5 mill. that's his crime.

Yep not Harts fault that he's overpaid but to be honest when he's on he's a very effective player. I expect him to get back to 30 goals if they leave the Briere line together....they sure had some chemistry and who cares if the other team scores a couple on them they will score 4!

I think the key to all of this is how well Carts plays on the wing and if he moves to center how well does either Richie or Giroux play on the wing? One thing I've noticed is that Richie and Carts have zero chemistry together so they better have them on different lines....unless of course they find it during training camp.

Would you guys move Mez up to the 2nd pairing with Kimmo or keep Coburn there? I'm not sure on that....

I could live with this or switch Zherdev and JVR although Richie may protect Zherdev's defensive shortcomings.
zherdev richards carcillo
leino briere hartnell
vanriemsdyk giroux carter
shelley betts lappy

 

[awaz]

Yep not Harts fault that he's overpaid but to be honest when he's on he's a very effective player. I expect him to get back to 30 goals if they leave the Briere line together....they sure had some chemistry and who cares if the other team scores a couple on them they will score 4!

I think the key to all of this is how well Carts plays on the wing and if he moves to center how well does either Richie or Giroux play on the wing? One thing I've noticed is that Richie and Carts have zero chemistry together so they better have them on different lines....unless of course they find it during training camp.

Would you guys move Mez up to the 2nd pairing with Kimmo or keep Coburn there? I'm not sure on that....

I could live with this or switch Zherdev and JVR although Richie may protect Zherdev's defensive shortcomings.
zherdev richards carcillo
leino briere hartnell
vanriemsdyk giroux carter
shelley betts lappy

i wouldn't do what you have.. just cause that puts 2 more offensively minded d-men together.. IMO the d-men will be split

'Offense' (puck mover)
Timo
Mesz
Carle

'Defense' (physical presence)
Coburn
Pronger
O'Donnell

1 of each will play on a pair.. i think mesz is going to play with pronger.. carle had a really good season yes, but i think mesz is the better d-man.. mesz had his best seasons with chara, pronger will bring out the best in him..

we really have a good defense.. i think every time i think about it it gets better..