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2016-'17 Lineup


Taro T

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  • 4 weeks later...

So, now that we know Vesey isn't going to be a Sabre, our forward lineup as of now will be some combination of:

 

Ennis - O'Reilly - Okposo

Kane - Eichel - Reinhart

Foligno - Larsson - Gionta

Deslauriers - Girgensons - Moulson

 

The top two LWs are probably interchangeable, but I threw Kane on line 2 for kicks as those three seemed to be playing better together towards the end of the year. Also assuming Girgs is signed (RFAs always are).

 

Are we ok going into the season with the lineup looking something like this, or would everyone ideally feel more comfortable adding another piece to the forward group?

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So, now that we know Vesey isn't going to be a Sabre, our forward lineup as of now will be some combination of:

 

Ennis - O'Reilly - Okposo

Kane - Eichel - Reinhart

Foligno - Larsson - Gionta

Deslauriers - Girgensons - Moulson

 

The top two LWs are probably interchangeable, but I threw Kane on line 2 for kicks as those three seemed to be playing better together towards the end of the year. Also assuming Girgs is signed (RFAs always are).

 

Are we ok going into the season with the lineup looking something like this, or would everyone ideally feel more comfortable adding another piece to the forward group?

 

might as well get comfortable with those forwards.  It's what we've got.

 

Man, I hate the idea of Girgensons as a 4th line player.  He's more effective than Foligno IMO.

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I'm of the same mind, I doubt Murray has plans to upgrade further. I like the group and I'm reasonably confident they can contend for a playoff spot, at least for the better part of the year.

 

You are also probably right about Foligno/Girgensons, but if Bylsma wants Girgensons at C and/or he's most effective there, that's probably where he fits in, unless he supplants Larsson.

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I'm of the same mind, I doubt Murray has plans to upgrade further. I like the group and I'm reasonably confident they can contend for a playoff spot, at least for the better part of the year.

 

You are also probably right about Foligno/Girgensons, but if Bylsma wants Girgensons at C and/or he's most effective there, that's probably where he fits in, unless he supplants Larsson.

 

I'm not so sure about that. If he planned to plug Vesey into a top-6 spot, I don't think his fallback is just to slide Ennis there...not ideally, anyway. Frankly, penciling both Deslauriers and Moulson into regular duty is a bit nauseating to me.

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I'm not so sure about that. If he planned to plug Vesey into a top-6 spot, I don't think his fallback is just to slide Ennis there...not ideally, anyway. Frankly, penciling both Deslauriers and Moulson into regular duty is a bit nauseating to me.

Well, you are the one who brought my attention to the idea of adding Nash, and while it seems unlikely at this point, I'd be firmly onboard and frankly excited by that. It would be a short term commitment and I think a Nash - Eichel - Reinhart line could be seriously exciting. Nash isn't going to be missing those Eichel set up tap ins like we saw happen so often last year.

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I'm with you.

 

Of course you are.

 

Foligno to me is a quintessential 4th liner.  Girgensons seems to me to offer more than that.  I'd put him with Gionta and Larsson before Foligno regardless of the end of last season.  That does result in a hole at center ice on the 4th line though....

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Of course you are.

 

Foligno to me is a quintessential 4th liner.  Girgensons seems to me to offer more than that.  I'd put him with Gionta and Larsson before Foligno regardless of the end of last season.  That does result in a hole at center ice on the 4th line though....

 

Not that I really expect this to happen, but if we were to add another winger capable of playing in the top-9, we could shift Reinhart to center and Foligno-Larsson-XXX becomes the 4th line. Something like this:

 

UFA/trade-O'Reilly-Okposo

Ennis-Eichel-Girgensons

Kane-Reinhart-Gionta

Foligno-Larsson-competition

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This forward group is far from certain. Bailey is going to make this team. Nylander may have a shot as well now that Vesey is out of the picture. I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Rodrigues makes a run at a 4th line job. I can also see Kane being traded.

 

I think there are only 7 positions "set". Reinhart, Okposo, Eichel, and ROR will be in the top 4 and Foligno, Larsson and Gionta will play together as either the 3rd or 4th line. That leaves 6 jobs up for grabs with Kane, Ennis, Moulson, Girgensons, Deslauriers, Bailey, Nylander, and Rodrigues fighting for them.

 

Personally, I'd like to see Moulson, Girgensons and Ennis put back together as the 3rd line, but I'll settle for Bailey as a sub for Ennis.

I'm thinking....../

Kane ROR Reinhart

Ennis Eichel Okposo

Moulson Girgensons Bailey

Foligno Larsson Gionta

Deslauriers

 

I love this lineup. 4 lines that can score. Size, speed and toughness throughout the lineup. At least one physical player on each line, and at least one scorer on each line. If Moulson can step up his passing, we'd have a playmaker on each line.

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This forward group is far from certain. Bailey is going to make this team. Nylander may have a shot as well now that Vesey is out of the picture. I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Rodrigues makes a run at a 4th line job. I can also see Kane being traded.

 

I think there are only 7 positions "set". Reinhart, Okposo, Eichel, and ROR will be in the top 4 and Foligno, Larsson and Gionta will play together as either the 3rd or 4th line. That leaves 6 jobs up for grabs with Kane, Ennis, Moulson, Girgensons, Deslauriers, Bailey, Nylander, and Rodrigues fighting for them.

 

Personally, I'd like to see Moulson, Girgensons and Ennis put back together as the 3rd line, but I'll settle for Bailey as a sub for Ennis.

I'm thinking....../

Kane ROR Reinhart

Ennis Eichel Okposo

Moulson Girgensons Bailey

Foligno Larsson Gionta

Deslauriers

 

I love this lineup. 4 lines that can score. Size, speed and toughness throughout the lineup. At least one physical player on each line, and at least one scorer on each line. If Moulson can step up his passing, we'd have a playmaker on each line.

I'm a little worried about the Dzone with that third line.
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Girgensons was one our best D Zone forwards last season and Bailey has improved dramatically as a two way player. I agree on Moulson, but he has to play somewhere.

 

He really doesn't, though. 13th forward, Rochester, whatever. There is zero reason to put him in the lineup unless he earns it in camp and preseason. After the last year and a half, he should be treated like a rookie as far as playing time goes.

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Anyone interested in giving Ennis/Gigensons/Moulson a shot as a misfit toys offensive third line?

The Larsson line is an effective defensive third line.

 

Okposo/O'Reilly/Kane would be a very effective two-way first line.

 

Then do you let Fasching Bailey Baptiste Nylander and Rodrigues battle for the spot with Eichel/Reinhart?

Or do you sign a Hudler, Tanguay, Mike Richards vet to play with them and let the kids marinate?

This is where I would have liked Vesey.

 

Finally, we need a veteran seventh defenceman. How about Seidenberg?

Edited by dudacek
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I think if Ennis is healthy he'll end up on the top 2 lines, simply because when healthy he's a really good offensive player.

 

I think Moulson will be given a shot at earning top-9 minutes, but it's about 80% likely that he doesn't get there and ends up where TBPhD predicts.

 

I think Foligno and Zemgus will be fighting it out for that LW spot with Larsson and Gionta and that Zemgus will end up ahead, putting Foligno on the 4th line with the understanding that he'll flex up to the 3rd when there's an injury.

 

I'd guess either Bailey or Fasching ends up on the 4th line, but Nylander spends the year in Rochester.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if GMTM brings in a Nash or a Hudler but won't be surprised if it doesn't happen either.

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