Taro T Posted December 20, 2016 Report Share Posted December 20, 2016 You make some solid points, but there is no way Reinhart was ever in trade discussions at this point in his career Jack or no Jack. Sam is a top 6 player on this team and you don't trade away a top 2 overall pick in his 2nd NHL season. These are just growing pains. Are we going to start complaining that Jack has only scored in 4 of his 9 games this season? Are people going to start comparing Sam to CoHo? I agree that where Sam fits in the top 6 is the big question, especially as I don't see ROR moving to LW any time soon. I think it will depend on who is ultimately on the LW and how DD constructs the lines. Here is how I look at our top 6 1) ROR - great two way player who can focus on goals or assists depending on his linemates. 2) Eichel - superstar who can do anything, but his goal scoring ability is paramount for this team. 3) Okposo - kind of a RW version of ROR, but might be a better playmaker then ROR. 4) Reinhart - I always thought of him as a playmaker first, and his net front presence last season was a huge surprise. However, i think his long-term place is a playmaker. 5) Nylander - showing in Roch, that he is more playmaker then goal scorer so far. Who is the 6th? A scorer like Kane or Baptiste? Someone else? I like the following for 2018-19 Nylander Eichel Okposo Baptiste ROR Reinhart If Baptiste or Carrier is 6th, those are what I'd run w/. Though somone would have to be on his off-wing, would really like to see what Fasching could do on Eichel & Okposo's line. Bump Nylander to other line in that case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 If Baptiste or Carrier is 6th, those are what I'd run w/. Though somone would have to be on his off-wing, would really like to see what Fasching could do on Eichel & Okposo's line. Bump Nylander to other line in that case. Interesting thought. Bigger faster Marcus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted December 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 He's played really well tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Interesting thought. Bigger faster Marcus. Yeah, but not near as good looking as Marcus while fighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Sam's shift on Risto's goal was him at the top of his game. Lovely set-ups to ROR and Foligno before finding Risto. Each time he went back, calmly got the puck and made another sweet pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Good points here. I haven't seen much of Nylander, until he does something I'm not going to forecast him into the top 6.... is he Ennis? or Afinogenov? Who knows. Same with Baptiste... to me, he forecasts as more of a 3rd liner. Speaking of Ennis, if healthy he can be a dynamic player and deserves consideration for a slot in the top 6. I'd like to see a healthy version of him with Eichel and whoever. With Eichel creating space, Ennis will have room to dance around and do what he does. My problem with Reinhart is that he's not a very good skater and the league is trending toward quicker, faster, more agile players. He's a cerebral puck mover, which is valuable, but I don't know that's enough to garner a spot in the top 6. Ultimately I see him at center, and if so, he'd be out of the top 6... which isn't terrible. Imagine a 3rd line with Reinhart, Baptiste or Bailey, and a maybe an Ennis or Fasching in a few years, could be fun to watch. Sadly, I fear Ennis is travelling the same road as Tim Connolly and will never again be the dynamic player we saw during the tank years. I also worry the Samson's foot speed is his biggest drawback and may keep him from being an elite NHLer. However he has great hands and a great hockey mind and this should allow him to compete at a consistent top 6 role in his career. How much speed do you really need to play the PP? Ideally, I'd like to see him play with a speedster and a physical forward to create space for him to work his magic. I think that combo was basis for the success of Kane, Jack and Sam last season. Now that Kane has found his game and Jack is healthy, maybe it's time to re-try the combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcrusho Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 He's fourth on the team in points. What do you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Sadly, I fear Ennis is travelling the same road as Tim Connolly and will never again be the dynamic player we saw during the tank years. I also worry the Samson's foot speed is his biggest drawback and may keep him from being an elite NHLer. However he has great hands and a great hockey mind and this should allow him to compete at a consistent top 6 role in his career. How much speed do you really need to play the PP? Ideally, I'd like to see him play with a speedster and a physical forward to create space for him to work his magic. I think that combo was basis for the success of Kane, Jack and Sam last season. Now that Kane has found his game and Jack is healthy, maybe it's time to re-try the combo. I agree, I think it's time to put Reinhart back with Eichel for a few games. Not sure I would lump Ennis in with Connolly. Ennis seems like he's generally liked by his peers in the locker room, and has a genuine love for the game. It sucks that he's had to deal with the concussions and now his groin issues. That said, he's still relatively young at 27, I don't think we've seen the last of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 I'd like to see Kane-Eichel-Okposo. Drops mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 I think part of all this concern is the way we went about acquiring both Samson and Eichel was so painful for the fanbase, that we want to see immediate returns from our suffering. We forget that these are 19 and 20 yr old players, and the amazing ability of Eichel to be a difference maker day 1 has skewed our expectations of young players into unrealistic territory. Reinhart's development is exactly in line with how a young high pick should be, as he is #4 in points on the team and a key contributor as a 2nd year player. We as a fanbase cannot hold him up to the same standard as Eichel, who is a elite generational talent and has deviated completely from the standard development tree. Give it time, and see where we are when our #2 picks are in their primes as 25 yr old players. This is a great post and something that's important to keep in mind. Color me confused. Sam had 42 pts last year and is on pace for 41 this season. His 23 goals last year make this season look like a slump I guess, but his goals to assists ratio is more like I expected when he came out of jrs. 2g for 3a. He has 3 pts in 8 games in December, not great, but not far from his season average. Call this a slump if you want. He is too talented a player to "slump" for to long. Leave him on the ice and let him work through it. He will. Agree with this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Samson is back, 3 pts in his last 2 games. Jack is now asleep. No points in 4 straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Should Jack be sent to the minors? Or at least be kept off the power play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkard Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Should Jack be sent to the minors? Or at least be kept off the power play? Put him on the 4th line with Deslauriers and Girgensons. They can be the disappointment line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Here's an idea that occurred to me last night: Reino's assist on Larsson's goal was a thing of beauty. Dudacek's point on Reino all along has been that Reino should be playing center (or centre, as you prefer), and that his talents are being squandered at wing. Why not try Reino at #3 center, with Kane and Gionta on the wings? Yes, that would result in bumping Larsson to #4C, which might be a bit unfair to him, but they need to try something -- both for the offense generally and for Reino in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig22 Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Why not try Reino at #3 center, with Kane and Gionta on the wings? I think if the season gets to the point where it's lost, then I would move him there. Form the basis of a team with 4 real lines next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Here's an idea that occurred to me last night: Reino's assist on Larsson's goal was a thing of beauty. Dudacek's point on Reino all along has been that Reino should be playing center (or centre, as you prefer), and that his talents are being squandered at wing. Why not try Reino at #3 center, with Kane and Gionta on the wings? Yes, that would result in bumping Larsson to #4C, which might be a bit unfair to him, but they need to try something -- both for the offense generally and for Reino in particular. I like the idea, and Jack's best shift by far last night came with those two wingers, and they contributed by winning puck battles several times and finding him with the puck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 After seeing him play last night, I don't think I want him away from Center when O'Reilly gets back. TIme to try rolling out 3 lines then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marions Piazza Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 After seeing him play last night, I don't think I want him away from Center when O'Reilly gets back. TIme to try rolling out 3 lines then. I don't know if that's a good idea, If you throw RoR on a different line and roll three lines, you'd have to break up Kane-Larsson-Gionta and they have been very good especially Kane as of late. You don't mess with a good thing. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 After seeing him play last night, I don't think I want him away from Center when O'Reilly gets back. TIme to try rolling out 3 lines then. I don't know if that's a good idea, If you throw RoR on a different line and roll three lines, you'd have to break up Kane-Larsson-Gionta and they have been very good especially Kane as of late. You don't mess with a good thing. . It's a god problem to have- too much center depth. The beauty is that Reinhart can play wing or center and I think it only behooves the team to get him playing both positions well, then we can replace a top center with a top center if someone gets injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Playing Sam at wing is short-term thinking. Him at centre is what is best for this franchise long-term. We've got wings coming. I'd like to see Sam develop before they get here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samson's Flow Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Playing Sam at wing is short-term thinking. Him at centre is what is best for this franchise long-term. We've got wings coming. I'd like to see Sam develop before they get here. I would absolutely like to see Samson play at center now and going forward. Our lack of wing depth should not prevent us from playing our best players in their best positions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Playing Sam at wing is short-term thinking. Him at centre is what is best for this franchise long-term. We've got wings coming. I'd like to see Sam develop before they get here. Other than on faceoffs and PPs, is the whole LW, C, RW even a thing anymore? Isn't all F1, F2, F3 now and everyone pretty much plays everything depending on who gets there first? (I'm obviously over-simplifying but you know what I mean.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Other than on faceoffs and PPs, is the whole LW, C, RW even a thing anymore? Isn't all F1, F2, F3 now and everyone pretty much plays everything depending on who gets there first? (I'm obviously over-simplifying but you know what I mean.) Call it want you you want. Sam needs to be in the middle of the play, a hub and a distributor, not a lurker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 I don't know if that's a good idea, If you throw RoR on a different line and roll three lines, you'd have to break up Kane-Larsson-Gionta and they have been very good especially Kane as of late. You don't mess with a good thing. . How about throwing Snook on Jack's LW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 How about throwing Snook on Jack's LW. This is something that I'm very surprised hasn't been tried yet, through two years of abad 5v5 play. We don't exactly have a solid base of success with what we do, so why not give Jack and Ryan a week together every now and then to try to get things going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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