yeah, but lets face it.. montreal and buffalo arent exactly the cream of the crop in the East.

buffalo is a playoff team.. but they are no pens, or rangers, etc.
- Dozzer

Agreed.

Put it this way...if we play the way we have, I think we finish above the following:

- Montreal
- NYI
- Florida
- Winnipeg
- Calgary
- Columbus

So our third line is playing the role of our second line, our second line is playing the role of the third line?
- systemtool

exactly.

remember how carlyle has said he "mis-used" lupul in anaheim?

well.. that was on the second line. carlyle is a line matcher. he has specific roles for each line.

watch tonight.. i'll bet money that grabo is lined up against crosby.

or it could be the first line depending on how they play, personally we put too much emphasis on line numbers, Randy has said he will give more ice time to Kadri, so Lupul will follow suit. I think you needed a shooter on that line, so it may work.
- LeafMan

Good point just put Kadri between kessel and lupul and let them role

Perfect blue print for finishing in the bottom 5. A concept that has always escaped the Leafs. Hopefully Nonis is smarter than the 2 previous Leaf GM's.
- GCHonda

That is the Oilers blueprint. They've perfected the drafting first overall model.

yeah, but lets face it.. montreal and buffalo arent exactly the cream of the crop in the East.

buffalo is a playoff team.. but they are no pens, or rangers, etc.
- Dozzer

Barely.

Offer Getzlaf the Moon. Only way I can see it.
- Jimmy_wiener

Getzlaf: Hair transplant would do

Agreed.

Put it this way...if we play the way we have, I think we finish above the following:

- Montreal
- NYI
- Florida
- Winnipeg
- Calgary
- Columbus
- Pen15

i know it sounds crazy but i am not too sure on the bolded.

Barely.
- A_Tree

Fu!k Buffalo

Barely.
- A_Tree

lol your response only reinforces my point

i know it sounds crazy but i am not too sure on the bolded.
- Dozzer

I questioned putting florida in there...but COLUMBUS!?

Really?

This is another fallacy. There isn't a league wide unwritten law that the standard 1st through 4th line groupings should appear. It may be most widely used, because it's easiest to address lines by skill alone. Every team puts their own twist on line matching.
- A_Tree

Im talking in general typical hockey sense. Of course any team could do it differently but its a common formula used all the time at every level of hockey. Except maybe timbits hockey.

Its not a fallacy, not sure why you're going to that extent.

this is not the word I would used ore like
not educated to be polite.
- dmnted

STOP 1UPing ME!

Offer Getzlaf the Moon. Only way I can see it.
- Jimmy_wiener

may not be enough...I am skeptical he is even available for the leafs to offer anything

Getzlaf: Hair transplant would do
- hooligoon

nah, he's accepted reality and shaved it off this year... finally

exactly.

remember how carlyle has said he "mis-used" lupul in anaheim?

well.. that was on the second line. carlyle is a line matcher. he has specific roles for each line.

watch tonight.. i'll bet money that grabo is lined up against crosby.
- Dozzer

Definitely, no doubt.

exactly.

remember how carlyle has said he "mis-used" lupul in anaheim?

well.. that was on the second line. carlyle is a line matcher. he has specific roles for each line.

watch tonight.. i'll bet money that grabo is lined up against crosby.
- Dozzer

Yea, I have faith in Carlyle. Seems to have a plan and system in place. No reason to doubt him until/if the losing becomes a pattern.

lol your response only reinforces my point
- Dozzer

You're welcome

I questioned putting florida in there...but COLUMBUS!?

Really?
- Pen15

the way they are playing? they're dangerous.. they have NO aspirations this season.. its like they have already been eliminated from the post season and have gone into spoiler mode..

not to mention bobrovsky is playing really well.

3 points in their first 2 games.. not too shabby

Good point just put Kadri between kessel and lupul and let them role
- Yeti1181

then they get top D pairings and top shut-down focus. Not good.

Leafs don't have a "3rd line" per se.

Grabo's line has always been matched against Crosby's line. Splitting Lupul and kessel means Pens have to make a choice on who to shut down.

Long as the minutes are still there for both, worth a look.
- Big_Lightnin

I honestly blame EA Sports NHL Hockey 94.

Fans now have it ingrained in their heads that there is a scoring line 1, scoring line 2, checking line.

Is the checking line forbidden from trying to score?

STOP 1UPing ME!
- A_Tree

If video games has taught me anything, it's that being 1up'ed gives you another life

may not be enough...I am skeptical he is even available for the leafs to offer anything
- senstroll

Sadly....if Anaheim returns to form from years past, we might not even get a shot at Perry.

Im talking in general typical hockey sense. Of course any team could do it differently but its a common formula used all the time at every level of hockey. Except maybe timbits hockey.

Its not a fallacy, not sure why you're going to that extent.
- systemtool

It may be a common formula, but it's not always useful. That's all.

That is the Oilers blueprint. They've perfected the drafting first overall model.
- faceto27

Watching that game last night, the Oilers need 5 stay at home defenseman, those forwards don't know how to back check, it is all go in the offence zone and then they look like their skates are in concrete going back to their own zone. Lots of odd man rushes for the opposition.

Agreed.

Put it this way...if we play the way we have, I think we finish above the following:

- Montreal
- NYI
- Florida
- Winnipeg
- Calgary
- Columbus
- Pen15

Goddamn you. That puts us 11th. Add more to your list.