Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: JVR, Injury Updates, Fletcher on first 10 GP, World Cancer Day

Fletch seems to have a penchant for saying all the right things.

Fletch seems to have a penchant for saying all the right things.
- Tomahawk

The 'I don't know' comment was quite insightful

If all healthy, when coots comes back Hayes could center raf and NAK. Roll 4 lines.

If all healthy, when coots comes back Hayes could center raf and NAK. Roll 4 lines.
- Peter Richards

Seriously?

Fletch seems to have a penchant for saying all the right things.
- Tomahawk

He really does, the physical is winning 50-50 battles was a great one for me. Says he’s not stuck in the Stone Age and he’s looking at the right things.

If all healthy, when coots comes back Hayes could center raf and NAK. Roll 4 lines.
- Peter Richards

Maybe Hayes centering Gus and Ghost, really get things going

He really does, the physical is winning 50-50 battles was a great one for me. Says he’s not stuck in the Stone Age and he’s looking at the right things.
- ClaudeFather

That's exactly right. That's all the toughness you need in today's NHL.

That's exactly right. That's all the toughness you need in today's NHL.
- MJL

Seriously?
- MJL

If jvr laughts and bee continue to have chemistry why not? When healthy we are deep. Also depends on how other lines are playing but would put coots back with tk and Oscar.

If jvr laughts and bee continue to have chemistry why not? When healthy we are deep. Also depends on how other lines are playing but would put coots back with tk and Oscar.
- Peter Richards

Hayes is not a line center.

Hayes is not a line center.
- MJL

Oh. I thought he was a center

Maybe Hayes centering Gus and Ghost, really get things going
- ClaudeFather

So what are your lines when all healthy. Do you keep people together who are on a roll or have chemistry, do you break lines up and go back to almost opening night? I guess I just look at the possibilities and like to speculate. But there are a lot of variables. Like patty. His d game is good but he hasn’t always shown chemistry with other. Playing with jake and g is good. G helps on face offs. Our 3 rd and 4 th lines have almost identical minutes. And a v goes with who’s hot that game. Lines always change. Also thin Hayes raf and NAK could still be a good shutdown line. How they played the last couple games. And perfectly fine if Scott goes back.

But if over the ne t week jvr bee and Scott continue to play well together and produce I would consider it.

Tough break for Frost, was hoping he would make an impact this year.

So what are your lines when all healthy. Do you keep people together who are on a roll or have chemistry, do you break lines up and go back to almost opening night? I guess I just look at the possibilities and like to speculate. But there are a lot of variables. Like patty. His d game is good but he hasn’t always shown chemistry with other. Playing with jake and g is good. G helps on face offs. Our 3 rd and 4 th lines have almost identical minutes. And as goes with who’s hot that game. Lines always change. Also thin Hayes raf and NAK could still be a good shutdown line. How they played the last couple games. And perfectly fine if Scott goes back.

But if over the ne t week jvr bee and Scott continue to play well together and produce I would consider it.
- Peter Richards

valid question, heck even throw in it appears Bunnaman has earned a spot. So in your theory of chemistry you would be breaking up the 4th, who very well could have been our best line over the last 2 games. Laughton has really come on but it does appear JVR and Bee have some chemistry going, probably easy to drop Hayes in and let Laughton go back to the 4th line, with him playing well that line will still buzz. Does Hayes affect the chemistry of JVR and Farabee? Could be, he has the puck more than Laughton and plays a higher risk game.

Frost or Schenn at least Schenn can play hockey

valid question, heck even throw in it appears Bunnaman has earned a spot. So in your theory of chemistry you would be breaking up the 4th, who very well could have been our best line over the last 2 games. Laughton has really come on but it does appear JVR and Bee have some chemistry going, probably easy to drop Hayes in and let Laughton go back to the 4th line, with him playing well that line will still buzz. Does Hayes affect the chemistry of JVR and Farabee? Could be, he has the puck more than Laughton and plays a higher risk game.
- wcorvette

It’ll be interesting especially since we all know it will change as well. Yeah bunnie has improved since last year. On the pk now too. But again if he stays in who comes out if all healthy? Just curious to me

Thanks for the update on all the injuries and the write up bill. Good stuff.

Didn’t realize ratcliffe had a collapsed lung.

Oh. I thought he was a center
- Peter Richards

It should've said 4th line center.

So what are your lines when all healthy. Do you keep people together who are on a roll or have chemistry, do you break lines up and go back to almost opening night? I guess I just look at the possibilities and like to speculate. But there are a lot of variables. Like patty. His d game is good but he hasn’t always shown chemistry with other. Playing with jake and g is good. G helps on face offs. Our 3 rd and 4 th lines have almost identical minutes. And a v goes with who’s hot that game. Lines always change. Also thin Hayes raf and NAK could still be a good shutdown line. How they played the last couple games. And perfectly fine if Scott goes back.

But if over the ne t week jvr bee and Scott continue to play well together and produce I would consider it.
- Peter Richards

Hayes is a scoring line center, not a defensive checking line center. He needs to play with scorers, not 4th line forwards.

It should've said 4th line center.
- MJL

Just on paper. Coach and game dictate minutes. And I get Scott back to 4c. But look at what a v did recently. The “4th” line was rolling so Morin played on the “3rd” line for under 6 minutes. As I mentioned above. If jvr Scott and bee play great together the next week or so until coots gets back do you break up that line? From your response I’ll take that as a yes. What are your lines if all healthy?

Hayes is a scoring line center, not a defensive checking line center. He needs to play with scorers, not 4th line forwards.
- MJL

I consider him more of a two way player I guess. Can handle defensive responsibilities and chip in on offense. His offense has improved over the years.

So what are your lines when all healthy. Do you keep people together who are on a roll or have chemistry, do you break lines up and go back to almost opening night? I guess I just look at the possibilities and like to speculate. But there are a lot of variables. Like patty. His d game is good but he hasn’t always shown chemistry with other. Playing with jake and g is good. G helps on face offs. Our 3 rd and 4 th lines have almost identical minutes. And a v goes with who’s hot that game. Lines always change. Also thin Hayes raf and NAK could still be a good shutdown line. How they played the last couple games. And perfectly fine if Scott goes back.

But if over the ne t week jvr bee and Scott continue to play well together and produce I would consider it.
- Peter Richards

Yea it’s going to be tough for sure, as mentioned I feel like Bunnaman has earned a spot as well. Someone has to be the odd man out. Glad I don’t make those decisions.

I consider him more of a two way player I guess. Can handle defensive responsibilities and chip in on offense. His offense has improved over the years.
- Peter Richards

Being a two way player doesn't mean you're not a scoring line player. Good teams don't have good players playing on shut down lines. All of your lines need to be good two way lines. Hayes is far more of an offensive player than he is a defensive center. He is a good PKer but average defensively at 5 on 5.

Being a two way player doesn't mean you're not a scoring line player. Good teams don't have good players playing on shut down lines. All of your lines need to be good two way lines. Hayes is far more of an offensive player than he is a defensive center. He is a good PKer but average defensively at 5 on 5.
- MJL

I don’t disagree with most of this. Again, Where does coots slot, what are your lines?