The only reason to move Giroux from C is to kick start his 5v5 production.

I think Patrick makes the team but not sure I believe he nailed down the #2C spot.
Everything I'm reading says his defense is good so why not start the season at #3C.

Lindbolm, Weal and Konecny have actually played LW.

This top 9 makes more sense to me:

Lindbolm - Filpulla - Giroux
Weal - Courterier - Voracheck
Konecny - Patrick - Simmonds

...but Filppula will struggle a bit.
- JGHawley

A gifted skater, playmaker, and sniper like Coots does not belong on the 1st line

Not every team can have a genius like Bill Peters as coach who can take a bottom five roster and push it all the way to bottom seven.
- Feanor

The only reason to move Giroux from C is to kick start his 5v5 production.

I think Patrick makes the team but not sure I believe he nailed down the #2C spot.
Everything I'm reading says his defense is good so why not start the season at #3C.

Lindbolm, Weal and Konecny have actually played LW.

This top 9 makes more sense to me:

Lindbolm - Filpulla - Giroux
Weal - Courterier - Voracheck
Konecny - Patrick - Simmonds

...but Filppula will struggle a bit.
- JGHawley

Biggest concern with Patrick is his acceleration. He's shown the skill and smarts but skating is holding him back from really asserting himself in a game. I also think it will get him burned a lot if he's tasked with checking the league's best players.

I agree with moving Giroux to the right side because he's looked at his best when attacking from it but downgrading the quality of his line mates is counter productive.

Biggest concern with Patrick is his acceleration. He's shown the skill and smarts but skating is holding him back from really asserting himself in a game. I also think it will get him burned a lot if he's tasked with checking the league's best players.

I agree with moving Giroux to the right side because he's looked at his best when attacking from it but downgrading the quality of his line mates is counter productive.
- Baxter27

Coots will be going up against the best players, not Patrick

Lyon up for tonight's game. Did Neuvirth pull a muscle while changing a diaper this morning?

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Mike Milbury will stand in for Eddie Olczyk as the color analyst for NBC on NHL broadcasts.

Another reason to hope for a speedy recovery for Edzo

Lyon up for tonight's game. Did Neuvirth pull a muscle while changing a diaper this morning?
- BiggE

lol

Lyon up for tonight's game. Did Neuvirth pull a muscle while changing a diaper this morning?
- BiggE

I thought Neuvirth was playing since Elliott played last game?

So with the injury bug hitting St. Louis, do we have any spare parts that fit for them. I don't need a huge return.

Read, maybe even Weise.

Or will they just go out and get Iginla or Jagr.

The only reason to move Giroux from C is to kick start his 5v5 production.

I think Patrick makes the team but not sure I believe he nailed down the #2C spot.
Everything I'm reading says his defense is good so why not start the season at #3C.

Lindbolm, Weal and Konecny have actually played LW.

This top 9 makes more sense to me:

Lindbolm - Filpulla - Giroux
Weal - Courterier - Voracheck
Konecny - Patrick - Simmonds

...but Filppula will struggle a bit.
- JGHawley

the major reason to move giroux off center is because he's soft as jello

Still prefer Giroux at Center but don't understand the brewing hate for Filppula as a Top 9 center. He's looked very solid in the pre season games I've seen.

If the stacked top line keeps progressing I don't mind this one bit.

Giroux-Couturier-Voracek
Weal-Patrick-Simmonds
Lindblom-Filppula-Konecny
- Baxter27

Filppula is solid. He's still easily a Top 9 forward here.

So with the injury bug hitting St. Louis, do we have any spare parts that fit for them. I don't need a huge return.

Read, maybe even Weise.

Or will they just go out and get Iginla or Jagr.
- J35Bacher

They said today they had discussed signing Jagr.

Coots will be going up against the best players, not Patrick
- YuenglingJagr

Not sure what match up' Hakstol will be looking for if Coots is centering Giroux and Jake. Could go best on best or use whatever third line, maybe even 4th line he assembles to check them. Either way, I see Weal-Patrick-Simmonds getting sheltered as much as possible.

So with the injury bug hitting St. Louis, do we have any spare parts that fit for them. I don't need a huge return.

Read, maybe even Weise.

Or will they just go out and get Iginla or Jagr.
- J35Bacher

I can't see them taking on Weise's term. Maybe read half retained, but supposedly they did reach out to Jagr.

Not sure what match up' Hakstol will be looking for if Coots is centering Giroux and Jake. Could go best on best or use whatever third line, maybe even 4th line he assembles to check them. Either way, I see Weal-Patrick-Simmonds getting sheltered as much as possible.
- Baxter27

This will be good for Simmonds. He may reach 40 goals and his trade value will never be higher.

Biggest concern with Patrick is his acceleration. He's shown the skill and smarts but skating is holding him back from really asserting himself in a game. I also think it will get him burned a lot if he's tasked with checking the league's best players.

I agree with moving Giroux to the right side because he's looked at his best when attacking from it but downgrading the quality of his line mates is counter productive.
- Baxter27

I'm assuming Hextall will keep Patrick on the opening day roster but I feel it would be in his best interest if he was returned to the Juniors.

He doesn't look NHL ready. He hasn't stood out in any of the games. Perhaps because of his rehab he is missing a strong first step and a third gear. But I want to see more from the 2nd overall pick, not just a player who does the little things well. I want my 2nd overall pick to do the big things well also. If he was the 22nd pick I'd doubt there'd be a discussion.

Courterier is a third line center on a serious SC contender. Move him around all you want. Sorry. He tried. He is what he is. Accept it.

Not sure what match up' Hakstol will be looking for if Coots is centering Giroux and Jake. Could go best on best or use whatever third line, maybe even 4th line he assembles to check them. Either way, I see Weal-Patrick-Simmonds getting sheltered as much as possible.
- Baxter27

Coots is the best defensive center on the team, so not using him in that manner would be an error. Laughton looks as though he will be able to take some defensive responsibility. Putting 28-14-93 together as a line to get more offensive chances just seems counter productive. It seems like a way to get their point totals up, not actually win hockey games.

I agree that Patrick should start off sheltered.

I'm assuming Hextall will keep Patrick on the opening day roster but I feel it would be in his best interest if he was returned to the Juniors.

He doesn't look NHL ready. He hasn't stood out in any of the games. Perhaps because of his rehab he is missing a strong first step and a third gear. But I want to see more from the 2nd overall pick, not just a player who does the little things well. I want my 2nd overall pick to do the big things well also. If he was the 22nd pick I'd doubt there'd be a discussion.

Courterier is a third line center on a serious SC contender. Move him around all you want. Sorry. He tried. He is what he is. Accept it.
- 77rams

We really need to lose the 1c/2c/3c labels in Today's NHL there is no set pecking order and teams don't really want to roll out 2 offensive lines and then a checking line and an energy line as much anymore.

So with the injury bug hitting St. Louis, do we have any spare parts that fit for them. I don't need a huge return.

Read, maybe even Weise.

Or will they just go out and get Iginla or Jagr.
- J35Bacher

how about Lehtera?

Lyon up for tonight's game. Did Neuvirth pull a muscle while changing a diaper this morning?
- BiggE

They let Elliott travel cross country today.

https://www.therecord.com...nto-badgers-hall-of-fame/

Courterier is a third line center on a serious SC contender. Move him around all you want. Sorry. He tried. He is what he is. Accept it.
- 77rams

Couturier's been the Flyers most productive ES scorer for the last two years while playing with almost every winger on the team, and out performing all of them. Accept it.

They let Elliott travel cross country today.

https://www.therecord.com...nto-badgers-hall-of-fame/
- Feanor

badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger MUSHROOM MUSHROOM

I'm assuming Hextall will keep Patrick on the opening day roster but I feel it would be in his best interest if he was returned to the Juniors.

He doesn't look NHL ready. He hasn't stood out in any of the games. Perhaps because of his rehab he is missing a strong first step and a third gear. But I want to see more from the 2nd overall pick, not just a player who does the little things well. I want my 2nd overall pick to do the big things well also. If he was the 22nd pick I'd doubt there'd be a discussion.

Courterier is a third line center on a serious SC contender. Move him around all you want. Sorry. He tried. He is what he is. Accept it.
- 77rams

To me Patrick looks NHL ready. Remember that neither Stamkos or Tavares walked into the NHL dominating and that would be the tier to hope for, even that's putting expectations a little high. However he needs to improve that first step before he's relied on as an impact player in the NHL.

I'm not going to get into the labels associated with line ups. Couturier just needs to be put in a position to play a ton of quality minutes because he's a hell of a hockey player.

To me Patrick looks NHL ready. Remember that neither Stamkos or Tavares walked into the NHL dominating and that would be the tier to hope for, even that's putting expectations a little high. However he needs to improve that first step before he's relied on as an impact player in the NHL.

I'm not going to get into the labels associated with line ups. Couturier just needs to be put in a position to play a ton of quality minutes because he's a hell of a hockey player.
- Baxter27

Good problem to have huh?
- dragonoffrost

Yes and no. There are at least six players on this roster I wish wasn't here.