Location: I wouldn't even trade [Marner] for McDavid -- UsernameUnknown Joined: 02.19.2009
Jul 13 @ 9:50 AM ET
Ok fellers, hear me out:
Carlyle is quoted as saying the following: “He’s a big man and we’re going to try him playing in the middle for us”.
Where in that statement do you see him referring to the top line?
If it's a defensively responsible (one of the better Corsi's in the league), first man back center we're looking for, one that can take on tough assignments and play against other team's top lines, that man can and should be Grabovski. I know they tried that in the past (I think when Versteeg was on the wing), but I think it's really worth looking at again.
Not only does that look better for our top line, but now all of sudden we have a "problem" at the #2 hole that's much more feasible to solve with our center depth:
Bozak? Looks much better as a #2, still not my first choice.
Kadri. Isn't that where he's been projected to play since we drafted him? top 6 center.
JVR. Much rather see them experiment here than elsewhere.
Connolly, yup, kind of exactly where his career point production puts him.
Here's the knock though: Grabovski along with Kulemin played a shutdown role against team's best lines all year long last year. That role now has to be filled by our bottom 6. Doable? Well, lets have a gander kids:
Kulemin McClement Frattin: size, speed, checking, defensive responsibility. I like it. Against team's top lines? If they share the load with:
Komarov/whoever Steckel Brown: great on the draw, some grit, some energy/nastiness.
Carlyle is quoted as saying the following: “He’s a big man and we’re going to try him playing in the middle for us”.
Where in that statement do you see him referring to the top line?
If it's a defensively responsible (one of the better Corsi's in the league), first man back center we're looking for, one that can take on tough assignments and play against other team's top lines, that man can and should be Grabovski. I know they tried that in the past (I think when Versteeg was on the wing), but I think it's really worth looking at again.
Not only does that look better for our top line, but now all of sudden we have a "problem" at the #2 hole that's much more feasible to solve with our center depth:
Bozak? Looks much better as a #2, still not my first choice.
Kadri. Isn't that where he's been projected to play since we drafted him? top 6 center.
JVR. Much rather see them experiment here than elsewhere.
Connolly, yup, kind of exactly where his career point production puts him.
Here's the knock though: Grabovski along with Kulemin played a shutdown role against team's best lines all year long last year. That role now has to be filled by our bottom 6. Doable? Well, lets have a gander kids:
Kulemin McClement Frattin: size, speed, checking, defensive responsibility. I like it. Against team's top lines? If they share the load with:
Komarov/whoever Steckel Brown: great on the draw, some grit, some energy/nastiness.
Thoughts? Discuss. - gravyface
Essentially, Carlyle prefers to use a matchup line with low scoring to matchup against the top lines, and from all indications, he wants to use McClement. IMO, that means he'll likely play with a guy like Kulemin.
That frees up Kessel and Grabo's lines for offensive situations which should "up" their numbers.
