Lucic Krejci Pastrnak
Marchand Bergeron Eriksson
Smith Soderberg Griffith
Paille Kelly Cunningham

I'd like to see them give this lineup a shot. Definitely has offensive potential. Probably the most frustrating thing this season is that they haven't changed up the lines. They've kept them as close to the same as possible through all the injuries... Time to mix it up a bit
- Shaundre93

Actually a pretty compelling lineup. hard to see them breakup L3 when they have chemistry together, but I get your point. I'd almost be ready to call up koko as well.

take a look at something like:

Lucic Krejci Pastrnak
Marchand Bergeron Smith
Koko Soderberg Eriksson
Paille Kelly Cunningham

Bergy and Lucc out tonight.. what a gross looking lineup tonight vs DET:

Marchy - Krejci - Smith
Kelly - Soderberg - Loui
Paille - Campbell - Caron (VOMITTT)
Fraser - Cunningham - Griffith

This could be ugly!

Actually a pretty compelling lineup. hard to see them breakup L3 when they have chemistry together, but I get your point. I'd almost be ready to call up koko as well.

take a look at something like:

Lucic Krejci Pastrnak
Marchand Bergeron Smith
Koko Soderberg Eriksson
Paille Kelly Cunningham
- MrBeanTown

Yeah, I just feel like stronger linemates for Loui and weaker competition for Smith would benefit both players. We're on the same page though. If you don't have the cap space to acquire a scorer put your young guns in a position to succeed and cross your fingers. And for (frank)s sake get Campbell out of the lineup. I get it, he has the heart of a lion and all that stuff but he just has no offensive skills at all. That 4th would be a very solid, speedy line.

Also, I like Cunningham but I'm not seeing what he's doing better than Griffith. So a rookie hit a rough patch (shocker!) Griffith was scoring goals. I'd like to see him on the top unit till Pastrnak is done with the Wjc

Bergy and Lucc out tonight.. what a gross looking lineup tonight vs DET:

Marchy - Krejci - Smith
Kelly - Soderberg - Loui
Paille - Campbell - Caron (VOMITTT)
Fraser - Cunningham - Griffith

This could be ugly!
- MrBeanTown

Oops this can't be cause Fraser JUST got claimed by the Oilers!

Oops this can't be cause Fraser JUST got claimed by the Oilers!
- MrBeanTown

One piece of the seguin trade already gone

One piece of the seguin trade already gone
- 77emac77

Meh, 13th fwd at best, BUT, was hoping they could have at least pout him in a trade or something. Not great management losing him for nothing.

His team is spiraling out of control at such a record pace........

Wtf is chia doing?

Fraser is grabbed off waivers......Ericksson is a third line player.....Smith is a third line player playing on Bergy's wing and he and Ericksson are both streaky players........Joe Morrow has looked good but......mhhhh, put him in the AHL.......

I went back and looked at the numbers for individual players during our three....four good years.......

We had a bunch of second and third line players hit there peak ALL AT the right time.......Horton, Lucic, Marchand, Pevs, Kelly,

Dr. Recchi retired......Chara and Seindenberg are going to be 4 years older...if we make the playoffs.

The simple reality is that the pluses for this team ARE strength down the middle.....Bergy and Krejic are BOTH great players.

The problem is they carry there lines and are supposed to carry a team full of third line players.

Solderberg IS a good third line center......we have a team full of potential third line centers plying n the AHL as well.

********deep breath********

Another Plus......Soon.....this year, next year......we will have a relatively young, skilled, and speedy backend that should be NHL reliable.

Dougie, Morrow, Miller, Bartkowski, Krug, Warsofsky, Trotman and some kids like Linus Arnesson that I hope turns into another stud at D....big D minded Swedish kid.

Chia and management know how to daft and develop D men......

Final Plus....Goalie.....we are stacked.....Rask, whether you like the contract or not.......Svedberg, Subban, and a kid in college Zane Gothberg I think.....

MINUS.......we have little talent on our top six wing......too many streaky players......too many third line type grinding players.

His team is spiraling out of control at such a record pace........

Wtf is chia doing?

Fraser is grabbed off waivers......Ericksson is a third line player.....Smith is a third line player playing on Bergy's wing and he and Ericksson are both streaky players........Joe Morrow has looked good but......mhhhh, put him in the AHL.......

I went back and looked at the numbers for individual players during our three....four good years.......

We had a bunch of second and third line players hit there peak ALL AT the right time.......Horton, Lucic, Marchand, Pevs, Kelly,

Dr. Recchi retired......Chara and Seindenberg are going to be 4 years older...if we make the playoffs.

The simple reality is that the pluses for this team ARE strength down the middle.....Bergy and Krejic are BOTH great players.

The problem is they carry there lines and are supposed to carry a team full of third line players.

Solderberg IS a good third line center......we have a team full of potential third line centers plying n the AHL as well.

********deep breath********
- JIwasinskiJr

Dude, you gotta chill. Chia put himself in a tough spot going all in last year. But, he put together a fantastic team. Imagine Eriksson and Seids don't get hurt last year and were able to play to their full potential. That was 100% one of the 3 best teams that season (Chi, La). They got beat by a hot goalie and star defense man, and we had no Seidenberg in a 7 game series.

Fast forward to now, and the team is absolutely a mess. They have 4 5m in dead cap space... If it wasn't for that they'd be able to patch the wholes through trade and they'd probably be fine. But they can't, so its probably going to be a struggle to get into the playoffs. I'd still have confidence in this group in a 7 game series vs most of the teams in the east, barring injury. I think Pastrnak makes a difference when he's done with the wjc, there's no way he doesn't get a shot with Lucic-Krejci. He's exactly what that line needs.

Next offseason, lots of contracts will be up. The bonus penalties will be gone, and PC is going to have the flexibility to really overhaul the roster, which I think he will (the bottom 6 at least). THATS when I will judge how good of a gm PC is.

Dude, you gotta chill. Chia put himself in a tough spot going all in last year. But, he put together a fantastic team. Imagine Eriksson and Seids don't get hurt last year and were able to play to their full potential. That was 100% one of the 3 best teams that season (Chi, La). They got beat by a hot goalie and star defense man, and we had no Seidenberg in a 7 game series.

Fast forward to now, and the team is absolutely a mess. They have 4 5m in dead cap space... If it wasn't for that they'd be able to patch the wholes through trade and they'd probably be fine. But they can't, so its probably going to be a struggle to get into the playoffs. I'd still have confidence in this group in a 7 game series vs most of the teams in the east, barring injury. I think Pastrnak makes a difference when he's done with the wjc, there's no way he doesn't get a shot with Lucic-Krejci. He's exactly what that line needs.

Next offseason, lots of contracts will be up. The bonus penalties will be gone, and PC is going to have the flexibility to really overhaul the roster, which I think he will (the bottom 6 at least). THATS when I will judge how good of a gm PC is.


- Shaundre93

I understand the idea of "they haven't played to there potential" argument.

My point is that, they exceeded or peaked at there potential for the last four years.

Go through the lineup and think about EACH INDIVIDUAL player........

LUCIC....1) inconsistent,
2) considered dirty and takes bad penalties (has a reputation with officials and gets phantom calls)
3) skills have digressed (especially his shot),
4) does not play to anywhere close to his potential (Bergy and Solderberg have more hits during games then him)
5) TURNOVER MACHINE (bad passes especially in the D zone, and just inside the O zone blueline)
6) UNRELIABLE (he was considered one if not the best PWF in hockey.......so why is Big Z in front if the net on our PP instead of him? Z could use the rest and would be fresher come playoffs....but we can't rely on Lucic to do what he should and sit in front of the net.....Bergy goes to the dirty area in front more than anyone else on the team and I consider him a skill player.... )
7) $6 million a year AND only one year left after this one under contract (keep him and sign this off season or trade him?)

With Lucic he isn't worth $6 a year and will make more than that in free agency.......so when will his trade value be the highest?

A.) So we over pay him this off season.

B.) Loss him to free agency and let him walk.

C.) Trade him next year as a rental.

D.) Trade him now for a good player (the league still over values him.....well many teams do) or for high picks.

D......NOW......not necessarily a rental because he has one more year under contract.

MARCHAND........see most of Lucic's issues.

But also.....1) holds the puck and try's to go through people too often.
2) Seems to have PEAKED to me along with Lucic.
3) Streaky
4.) again see Lucic's list because most of his......turnover machine....bad penalties.....officials make phantom calls......

SMITH........he had ONE good year last year and he too is supposed to be a superstar.

Again, inconsistent, streaky.......although he battles......isn't turnover prone as much...no bad reputation.

Top line RW.......UMMM.....we don't have one if those......

ERICKSSON......inconsistent, streaky........probably a third liner on a Cup run team.....

Ericksson is a very good possession player.....he is second on the team after Bergy in Corsi.....

I DO NOT COUNT smith and Marchand as second and third because no matter who plays with Bergy they have good possession numbers......

COUGH COUGH.......Seguin was a top player in the NHL when playing with Bergy.....isn't he supposed to be not good D wise....?

So.....Erickson is by the numbers a very good possession/two way forward.....

A) he is overpaid for a third liner.......

B) Chris Kelly is also overpaid for a third liner AND isn't as skilled OR good a possession player as Erickson.

ERICKSSON......inconsistent, streaky........probably a third liner on a Cup run team.....

Ericksson is a very good possession player.....he is second on the team after Bergy in Corsi.....

I DO NOT COUNT smith and Marchand as second and third because no matter who plays with Bergy they have good possession numbers......

COUGH COUGH.......Seguin was a top player in the NHL when playing with Bergy.....isn't he supposed to be not good D wise....?

So.....Erickson is by the numbers a very good possession/two way forward.....

A) he is overpaid for a third liner.......


B) Chris Kelly is also overpaid for a third liner AND isn't as skilled OR good a possession player as Erickson.
- JIwasinskiJr

yep.. just a little over 40 games to go. Play better or die. This is the team.


Hey Ty- time for new blog, been pushed off the page.