Bobby Kittleberger: Re-Shuffling Anaheim's Line Combinations It's hard to be excited about the Anaheim Ducks' line combinations, especially their current fourth line situation. Here's one way to make it a lot better.

Steel between Terry & Silf 3rd line
Rakell / Getz / Eaves
Kase/ Rico / Pears
Cogs / Gibbons / Richie

Kes ain’t playing this yr with that hip Or if he does it’ll be short.

Kase on the first line

Kase deserves much better and not sure how effective Kessler is going to be going forward so I would switch him and Henrique.

Steel between Terry & Silf 3rd line
Rakell / Getz / Eaves
Kase/ Rico / Pears
Cogs / Gibbons / Richie

Kes ain’t playing this yr with that hip Or if he does it’ll be short.
- dozerD10

I guess this is assuming Kes plays. So far we haven't heard anything otherwise.

I guess this is assuming Kes plays. So far we haven't heard anything otherwise.
- Bob Kittleberger

No way he makes it a whole year - so even if he gets a 30 or so games - Sam is still going to see significant time. He Terry and Silf could be real nice.
Then you can keep Pears with Kase and Rico who had some nice chemistry and drop Richie to the 4th line with Gibbons and Cogs and mix in some of the guys from SD if need be.
Ricky Raks with Getz and Eaves is still a monster first line.

I am not sure Kes OR Eaves are guarantees. I'd love for them both to be healthy and going though.
I would assume Kevin Roy gets a good shot, too, given how weak we are on the left side. I could see a kid line of Roy, Steel, and Terry - would be fast and balanced.
I also agree that Kase will see time with Getzy, but not sure how that'll work with Pears - given that Perry is losing his wheels, maybe it makes sense to lower his 5on5 and make him a power play specialist? Just a thought.

I think Silf deserves more than fourth line time. He's got more offensive upside than he gets credit for.

I think Silf deserves more than fourth line time. He's got more offensive upside than he gets credit for.
- Videoj

My point is that he plays on the 4th line but that Carlyle can then play the fourth line longer. I.E., ignore the tradition of the fourth liner's role.

Bobby Kittleberger: Re-Shuffling Anaheim's Line Combinations
It's hard to be excited about the Anaheim Ducks' line combinations, especially their current fourth line situation. Here's one way to make it a lot better.
- Bob Kittleberger

you're spreading yourself a bit too thin with that lineup. I understand wanting 4 decent lines, but that lineup screams "mediocrity!" to me


Kesler and Perry are no longer good enough to have a fringe player like Gibbons ride shotgun with them on a 2nd line.

Can Kase play LW at all? If so, I'd slot him in there for Gibbons and move up Silf/Cogliano to play with Henrique on a really solid 2-way line that can play against top lines. Play that "3rd line" more than a typical 3rd line and play the 4th line less minutes. At least the top 9 would look solid then.

Unless a kid like Steel makes the lineup, it's a tough roster to spread into 4 "solid" lines without sacrificing top 6 scoring.

There is also no Ritchie in this lineup. I think we'll see much of the same to be honest:
Rakell-Getzlaf-Eaves
Cogs-Kesler-Silf/Kase
Silf/Kase-Rico-Perry
Ritchie-Gibbons-Rowney
Steel and Terry are injury call ups for Kesler and Eaves respectively. If Silf or Kase don't work on the RS then Ritchie moves up and Gibbons and Rowney shift over and then you have the weakest of Perry, Silf, Kase Eaves play on the 4th line. That is how I see things playing out. Though I am still of the mind that Silf is traded before the new year.

Rackell, Getzlaf, kase
Ritchie, henrique,silfverberg
Cogliano, steele, Perry
Kesler, Gibbons, eves

Kesler can play wing. And playing him on the 4th line will give him time to work into the lineup. Silfverberg needs a shot away from Kesler. And steele can help cogs and Perry gets some more offense. Also giving kase a better shot at prime minutes. And Terry can Slot in Gibbons spot or Ritchies if we don't resign him.

There is also no Ritchie in this lineup. I think we'll see much of the same to be honest:
Rakell-Getzlaf-Eaves
Cogs-Kesler-Silf/Kase
Silf/Kase-Rico-Perry
Ritchie-Gibbons-Rowney
Steel and Terry are injury call ups for Kesler and Eaves respectively. If Silf or Kase don't work on the RS then Ritchie moves up and Gibbons and Rowney shift over and then you have the weakest of Perry, Silf, Kase Eaves play on the 4th line. That is how I see things playing out. Though I am still of the mind that Silf is traded before the new year.
- DBLiuzzi

Leaving Ritchie out was done on purpose

Leaving Ritchie out was done on purpose
- Bob Kittleberger

For all the flack Ritchie gets he is still a solid 3rd liner. He just needs to reduce the dumb penalties. I'd love to see him shoot more and get more involved. End of the day he is likely on the 4th line this year and I am okay with that.

For all the flack Ritchie gets he is still a solid 3rd liner. He just needs to reduce the dumb penalties. I'd love to see him shoot more and get more involved. End of the day he is likely on the 4th line this year and I am okay with that.
- DBLiuzzi

Yep the penalties need to stop - He can and should start on the 4th line this yr - he def has skills and can be productive and has showed that. Just remember he is still only 22 - I think this yr he bounces back nicely.

For all the flack Ritchie gets he is still a solid 3rd liner. He just needs to reduce the dumb penalties. I'd love to see him shoot more and get more involved. End of the day he is likely on the 4th line this year and I am okay with that.
- DBLiuzzi

Believe it or not I think he got more upside. But it's going to take time. He just now starting to use his size better and if he combines that with better positioning he should be around a 40 point player. Right now playing on the 4th line to learn play better defence and work on his intangibles might not be a bad thing. As long as he is get 10 plus minutes and playing with some veterans that the can learn from.

Steel between Terry & Silf 3rd line
Rakell / Getz / Eaves
Kase/ Rico / Pears
Cogs / Gibbons / Richie

Kes ain’t playing this yr with that hip Or if he does it’ll be short.
- dozerD10

Ya I was quite surprised that a Ducks Blogger didn't seem to realize that Kes is out long term. Rico should be getting a bigger offensive role, and a chance to prove he is worth that big extension. Also, Silfver is no fourth liner, and the lines should certainly be 3 heavy with 4th getting 6 minutes a night.

Ya I was quite surprised that a Ducks Blogger didn't seem to realize that Kes is out long term. Rico should be getting a bigger offensive role, and a chance to prove he is worth that big extension. Also, Silfver is no fourth liner, and the lines should certainly be 3 heavy with 4th getting 6 minutes a night.
- bikeguy99

If you have definitive information, please provide, because right now that's just a rumor.

If you have definitive information, please provide, because right now that's just a rumor.
- quackup

Well it's a pretty good rumor ... don't ya think. I've seen him twice this summer once just a couple weeks ago and it's pretty obvious that he is not going to be 100% no matter what he or Ducks say. Just watching him walk he was not 100% - Like I said earlier he may play 30 or so games but not many more and his effectiveness is going to be really hampered either way.

Well it's a pretty good rumor ... don't ya think. I've seen him twice this summer once just a couple weeks ago and it's pretty obvious that he is not going to be 100% no matter what he or Ducks say. Just watching him walk he was not 100% - Like I said earlier he may play 30 or so games but not many more and his effectiveness is going to be really hampered either way.
- dozerD10

It may be a very good "rumor" but it's still a rumor. I have read nothing regarding his playing state. Like I said, until there is verified information suggesting otherwise, any suggestion he may miss the season is still a rumor.