Let’s hope all that talk about pushing for the playoffs this season is just corporate speak.

The correct move is to let this tire fire burn for a bit. Salvage the correct pieces from the ashes and make smart moves at the deadline. Then it’s a race to the bottom for Hughes.

There isn’t a goalie available right now that is significantly better than what is in house that wouldn’t cost key assets. Same with forwards and defenseman for that matter.
- StepfordSam

Move Jake and Simmer and watch the tank begin

I don't understand retaining Hakstol. If Quenneville doesn't want to come here, make Gordon the interim and start fresh next year with a new coach.
- PLindbergh31

Get what your saying but maybe they like what Gordon is doing in Lehigh with there youngsters.

not disagreeing but there are a couple moving parts. not just as easy as move on, find interm, hire new coach.

Also, as much as people don't want to admit it you still have time to get out of this funk and make a run.

The issue with this team is that they really only have one player who generates offense regardless of who he plays with and that's Giroux.

Konecny and Voracek are both good offensive players but have produced a lot less when separated from Giroux.

I think you load up the second line with your next best group of offensive talent JVR-Patrick-Voracek. Give them a lot of o-zone starts and hope they produce.

Lindblom-Laughton-Simmonds
Weisse-Lehtera-Raffl

Both the 3rd and 4th lines will be defensively responsible lines. Run with those lines for the road trip and see what happens. If they do not get secondary scoring they are done.

Move Jake and Simmer and watch the tank begin
- dragonoffrost

Maybe I started drinking too soon this morning but I feel you could make those trades and still be able to make the playoffs this year.

The issue with this team is that they really only have one player who generates offense regardless of who he plays with and that's Giroux.

Konecny and Voracek are both good offensive players but have produced a lot less when separated from Giroux.

I think you load up the second line with your next best group of offensive talent JVR-Patrick-Voracek. Give them a lot of o-zone starts and hope they produce.

Lindblom-Laughton-Simmonds
Weisse-Lehtera-Raffl

Both the 3rd and 4th lines will be defensively responsible lines. Run with those lines for the road trip and see what happens. If they do not get secondary scoring they are done.
- mickel25

it felt like Lindblom and Patrick had something going for awhile.
Now OL is playing 4 mins a game cause Hak.

I think the season is over now. You don't want to see Fletcher make any shortsighted moves with the thought of salvaging this season in mind. I think he's smarter than that. Don't want to see prospects or picks traded for veteran rentals. We've been down that road before and know the results.
- PLindbergh31

How is it open when we've played 3 less games than most the NHL? 2-1 and suddenly were a game out.

it felt like Lindblom and Patrick had something going for awhile.
Now OL is playing 4 mins a game cause Hak.
- opeth_pa

To be fair he did start to slow up a little.

But I don't like Lindblom on the 4th line. I could understand maybe a game but then i would have moved him back up

Move Jake and Simmer and watch the tank begin
- dragonoffrost

If we move them both... which honestly I'd be okay with.. we need a ready now return. Sure you could get a throw in pick like a 2nd rounder but I need somebody who will play NHL minutes in this season.

I’d seen enough of the Patrick Simmonds JvR line the last game to never want to see it again.

I know Hak wants to give them a chance but I can’t see it working.

Unless you play JvR with either Giroux or Voracek you waste whatever JvR can give.

It’s not like JvR has earned anything, but if he’s not with a top playmaker he’s not going to score.
They signed him for a reason.

I would not break up G and TK, it’s the only thing working right now.

I’d try JvR with Patrick and Voracek.

The third line will be a mess but it is already.
Simmonds, Lindblom and ?

Laughton Raffl should be the basis of a 4th line and Hak should lean on them a bit to try and cut Couturier’s hard minutes.

I don’t see G going back to center although the argument to do it makes sense on paper.

If we move them both... which honestly I'd be okay with.. we need a ready now return. Sure you could get a throw in pick like a 2nd rounder but I need somebody who will play NHL minutes in this season.
- Tfaehner

Example would be say sens get told by stone he wont resign but we talk to his agent and he will sign here. Jake for stone I would get behind. Jake has term so he cant get out of Ottawa

Simmer may be harder to accomplish since hes expiring contract.

Maybe I started drinking too soon this morning but I feel you could make those trades and still be able to make the playoffs this year.
- J35Bacher

You can or you can tank. It's really a 50/50 chance of each.

So there is plenty of time for this team to make a run. A run at what?

A playoff victory or two? Are you all shareholders of a Comcast stock that would benefit from the added revenue?

Whoa dream big!

Example would be say sens get told by stone he wont resign but we talk to his agent and he will sign here. Jake for stone I would get behind. Jake has term so he cant get out of Ottawa

Simmer may be harder to accomplish since hes expiring contract.
- Tfaehner

I think you could move Simmonds to a contender and get back a young roster player. Like would Calgary move Bennett for Simmonds? Bennett seems to play in the bottom 6. Since Calgary leads their division would they like a vet like Simmonds going into the playoff run?

I’d seen enough of the Patrick Simmonds JvR line the last game to never want to see it again.

I know Hak wants to give them a chance but I can’t see it working.

Unless you play JvR with either Giroux or Voracek you waste whatever JvR can give.

It’s not like JvR has earned anything, but if he’s not with a top playmaker he’s not going to score.
They signed him for a reason.

I would not break up G and TK, it’s the only thing working right now.

I’d try JvR with Patrick and Voracek.

The third line will be a mess but it is already.
Simmonds, Lindblom and ?

Laughton Raffl should be the basis of a 4th line and Hak should lean on them a bit to try and cut Couturier’s hard minutes.

I don’t see G going back to center although the argument to do it makes sense on paper.
- Marc D

Makes all 3 of them inefficient on the ice. Also Voracek was MIA last night. And when majority of your "big guns" under-perform you are most likely to lose the battle.

So there is plenty of time for this team to make a run. A run at what?

A playoff victory or two? Are you all shareholders of a Comcast stock that would benefit from the added revenue?

Whoa dream big!
- StepfordSam

Because that experience also helps your young kids. I think being in the playoffs helps their development

Because that experience also helps your young kids. I think being in the playoffs helps their development
- J35Bacher

Yep playoff hockey is a different animal to learn to wrestle. It's good for the kids. Especially when you can face Pittsburgh and/or Washington.

The guys who want to have Patrick as a temporary 3C aren't crazy but there's no way they can break up that 1st line. It's the only thing consistently good.

So there is plenty of time for this team to make a run. A run at what?

A playoff victory or two? Are you all shareholders of a Comcast stock that would benefit from the added revenue?

Whoa dream big!
- StepfordSam

Sadly I agree

Their special teams play is at the bottom of the league

Young D with their #1 guy in a terrible funk and the rest of them playing in roles they are not best suited for

Huge question mark at goalie, will Elliot be effective or healthy the 2nd half and is Stollie a legit nhl back up (I think he might be)

Forward lines other then the 1st a bad mix currently

Not a real contender this year. They’d need a huge turnaround in multiple key areas just to make the playoffs

I think the best thing going on currently is the PK seems to be getting better..
4 games now without a goal if I remember right.
Early on in the season it felt like they might give up 4 PP goals per game .

I think you could move Simmonds to a contender and get back a young roster player. Like would Calgary move Bennett for Simmonds? Bennett seems to play in the bottom 6. Since Calgary leads their division would they like a vet like Simmonds going into the playoff run?
- J35Bacher

Most contenders dont want to give up roster players on cheap contracts for rentals but it's possible. More likely you target a 1st rounder or a close to ready prospect. The first rounder could always get flipped for NHL talent

RE JVR

JVR is not the kind of player who is going to create his own offense, he needs to have a quality playmaker who can feed him the puck where he likes it, in order for him to score with any regularity.

RE Coots

Did he make a bad play on the OT goal? Yup, without question. However, the real question comes in 2 parts:

A. Should have he been out there to start the OT?
Answer: IMO, no. You go all out to win in OT. The starting trio should have been G, Jake and Ghost

B. Are they overusing and over relying on Coots?
Answer yes: At the start of OT he had played over 23 minutes. That is simply too much ice time for a forward. He does this way too often and it's going to cause him to become fatigued late in games and thus make mistakes

What is the solution?

They have 2 choices. One, you go out and pick up another quality center who is at least a strong 3C who can step up on a 2nd line when needed. Or, you move Giroux to center. Laughton, Weal and Lehtera are not top 9 centers, no amount of tinkering with their linemates will make them top 9 centers.

Until a trade is made, my lines would be:
TK-Coots-Jake
JVR-Giroux-Raffl
Lindblom-Patrick-Simmonds
Laughton-Lehtera-Weise

And, if you really want an optimal lineup, you waive Neuvirth as soon as Elliott is good to go, and bring up NAK. Lehtera can join Weal in the Cote Suite and your 4th line is Weise-Laughton-NAK

All four lines have some size, and at least a couple guys who are average or better NHL skaters. The top 2 lines each have a quality playmaker and guys that can finish. They also have at least one quality defensive forward too. The 3rd line is a big line with skill that can play the cycle game and won't hurt you in any zone and the upgraded 4th line has wheels, a bit of size and grit and a bit of skill.

IMO, this is the best forward lineup they can ice without making a deal.
- BiggE

I was at the game and turned to my friend and said "No 28-93-53?". I didn't get that at all

Makes all 3 of them inefficient on the ice. Also Voracek was MIA last night. And when majority of your "big guns" under-perform you are most likely to lose the battle.
- missingmike

Voracek didn’t have the greatest night

I hate him playing with Laughton and Raffl

If you don’t want to see JvR Patrick Voracek at least go back to Lindblom Patrick Voracek

I'd keep Raffl around as an extra (popcorn) guy.

G-Coots-TK
Lindblom-Patrick-Jake
JvR-(center call up from Lehigh)-Simmonds/Weise
(wing call up from Lehigh)-Laughts-Simmonds/Weise

I'm just not seeing enough from Simmer right now that I'd be fine giving him a game or two on line 4.
- dragonoffrost

I hate getting involved with the line discussion but here is what I want to see. Providing JVR is okay with playing the right side.

Giroux-Couturier-JVR
Voracek-Patrick-Konecny
Limblom-Laughton-Simmonds
Raffl-Lehtera-Weise.

I think the best thing going on currently is the PK seems to be getting better..
4 games now without a goal if I remember right.
Early on in the season it felt like they might give up 4 PP goals per game .
- opeth_pa

I feel like G is being used more in PK recently which is why it has improved. I could be wrong though...

ttt