Possible playoff lineups

[Peace Frog]

Assuming all return healthy in time for the playoffs (with the exception of Gaustad and Connolly), which lineups would you start on offense?

 

I propose the following:

 

Hecht - Briere - Pominville (no tweaking needed here)

 

Paille - Drury - Kotalik (Cap'n Clutch & Co.)

 

Vanek - Roy - Stafford (the SRV line)

 

Mair - Zubrus - Afinogenov (Dainius & Max together with The Grinder)

 

Your thoughts?

[drnkirishone]

I think Max could make a good winger for Drury and Kotalik. They need someone to carry the puck alot and Max can certainly do that. Also Max is a pretty damn good passer when he wants to be. So Drury and Kotalik would get some fine scoring chances

[wjag]

I think I would go with:

 

Zubrus, Drury, Stafford

Pomminstein, Briere, Hecht

Max, Roy, Vanek

Paille, Mair, Kotalik

[deluca67]

I think I would go with:

 

Zubrus, Drury, Stafford

Pomminstein, Briere, Hecht

Max, Roy, Vanek

Paille, Mair, Kotalik

 

Roy has taken off without Max. I would switch Zubrus and Max.

 

This may be all out the window if Connolly is healthy.

[That Aud Smell]

on february 27, i specifically recall people from washington saying that zubrus plays center, or nothing at all -- that's he's ineffective and lost if you try to stick him on a wing. so i can't see putting zubrus on a wing. i might be more inclined to move roy back to the drury line, which is where he did a lot of his damage last spring. either that, or have zubrus center a "fourth" line.

[Wraith]

on february 27, i specifically recall people from washington saying that zubrus plays center, or nothing at all -- that's he's ineffective and lost if you try to stick him on a wing. so i can't see putting zubrus on a wing. i might be more inclined to move roy back to the drury line, which is where he did a lot of his damage last spring. either that, or have zubrus center a "fourth" line.

 

That's funny because I've read time and again the Zubrus is not a natural centerman and that he was put there because of a glaring need in Washington.

[norfend]

on february 27, i specifically recall people from washington saying that zubrus plays center, or nothing at all -- that's he's ineffective and lost if you try to stick him on a wing. so i can't see putting zubrus on a wing. i might be more inclined to move roy back to the drury line, which is where he did a lot of his damage last spring. either that, or have zubrus center a "fourth" line.

 

I heard yesterday on WGR that Drury was practicing with Zubrus on his wing.

[inkman]

Assuming all return healthy in time for the playoffs...

This is where I stopped. I hope it happens but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Doohickie]

Where's Peters???

[inkman]

At home...

[Sabresince70]

OK. How about:

Zubrus Drury Max

Vanek Roy Stafford (connolly)

Hecht Briere Pominville

Paille/Kaleta/Ryan Mair Kotalik

 

Drury gets scoring on one side, size on the other and both cancertainly skate.

The Roy/Vanek/Stafford line remains as does Briere's line.

The fourth line will remain a high energy line with the threat of Kotalik always present.

If Connolly comes back, Stafford goes to the fourth w/ Mair and Kotalik, and no team can match the four lines for consistancy.

A side note - I think Mair has done everything asked of him since the injuries and has shone that he is not aliability on any line. I know he has no scoring numbers, but remember who he has played with through the first 50 games.

[nfreeman]

It's looking increasingly likely that Max won't be back for the beginning of the playoffs. I am choosing to believe that connolly will be. Accordingly, my lines are:

 

Connolly-Briere-Hecht (illegal in 26 states; Lindy likes TC and DB together)

Drury-Zubrus-Kotalik (Zubrus will need to backcheck honestly to stay here)

Roy-Vanek-Stafford (Can Vanek deliver in his sophomore postseason? Can Stafford in his 1st?)

Mair-Pominville-Ryan/Paille/MacArthur (Pommer can play anywhere)

 

When Max returns, I see Danny's and Roy's lines staying together and:

 

Zubrus-Max-Kotalik

Drury-Mair-Pominville

 

We are gonna rock.

[Goodfella25]

I just hope Drury can get some set linemates because I think if Danny gets the same linemates night in and night out, so should Drury since he's our other premier center (I'm not trying to turn this into a Drury vs. Briere debate). I think Paille-Drury-Kotalik is a great line. Paille can work the boards and knows how to backcheck, and hell even Kotalik will go into the corners every now and then. The problem, however, is that Mair would end up on a line with Afinogenov and Zubrus...kind of strange. Here are my lines(in no particular order)

 

LW--C--RW

Hecht--Briere--Pominville

Paille--Drury--Kotalik

Vanek--Roy--Stafford/Connolly

Mair/MacArthur--Zubrus--Afinogenov

 

I think Paetsch is better suited on Defense to spell Kalinin or Numminen.