Fifth Avenue Forum

So, from what I am able to garner, they've been running the lines as:

Guentzel-Sid-Kahun
Galchenyuk-Geno-Tanev
Cans-Jugs-Horny

Now, HCMS loves to **** with his lines, but this leaves Simon, Rusty, Blueger, ZAR battling it out for fourth line duty.

Just to say the words: every coach at every level plays around with lines...

I'm a big proponent of just getting good duos...find two guys that work well together and then you rotate a third wheel in situationally...Sid-Guentzel; Geno-Chucky...then you rotate the other players around...

So, from what I am able to garner, they've been running the lines as:

Guentzel-Sid-Kahun
Galchenyuk-Geno-Tanev
Cans-Jugs-Horny

Now, HCMS loves to **** with his lines, but this leaves Simon, Rusty, Blueger, ZAR battling it out for fourth line duty.

if chucky and geno have any chemistry at all, i'd call this a much improved group of forwards.

Several tweets made it appear they're playing well together.

I'll believe it when I see it written in huge letters on the side of a bus.

Just to say the words: every coach at every level plays around with lines...

I'm a big proponent of just getting good duos...find two guys that work well together and then you rotate a third wheel in situationally...Sid-Guentzel; Geno-Chucky...then you rotate the other players around...

Don't try to change my narrative.

I agree with you on the pairings. I was a fan of Cans with Sid and Jake but hated that HCMS moved Jake to RW where I believe he's less effective. Kahun seems to be getting a look as a more offensively capable Simon. I do wonder if Tanev is getting the look with Geno to help justify the contract a bit, but he seems like a player who is hellbent on causing destruction with his speed and body in a way that Rust kind of drifts away from (Max Talbot Syndrome), so he could open up a lot of space on the ice for those two.

I get the idea of the third line, but I really don't like Jugs, think we're paying Horny way too much to be used a shutdown RW with variable PP time, and think Cans will have to do all the heavy lifting speedwise if he's stuck with those two glaciers.

I wonder what will become of ZAR. HCMS doesn't seem too enamored with him, I remember reading offseason garbage about the player and organization disagree on what time of player he is, and after signing a two-year deal he's thrown back into the fourth line mix. Their trash defense is where they need to dump a player, but I wonder if ZAR ends up thrown in as a deal sweetener or is moved to open some cap space.

Tanev works his bag off. Malkin and Chucky, demonstrably, do not. So Tanev will go get pucks and play defense and stuff...Chucky is instantly the worst defensive forward on the team if he carries over anything from his previous spots...

I don't get what ZAR is myself...I think he's just going to be a tough fourth liner that hits things for fun...

How is Chucky defensively compared to Phil? More interested or equally disinterested?

Equally

At least Kessel had his career bests at defense in the 2016 playoffs...that's something Galchenyuk has never achieved...otherwise, they are similarly indifferent to participating. Phil showed the propensity that he can and just doesn't...Galchenyuk checks off "nope" in both columns...

Well there's something to be said for not even pretending to care.

They should flip flop wings on that second line though...Tanev is a man and all, but it's tough to win board battles (period) on your wrong side...

is it foolish to think that chucky coming to a team with expectations + a real "tone from the top" might make him act like he cares on defense...for at least one year?

Younger me has a different answer here...completely different. Current me says "**** it" if you can deliver the goods offensively and you'll kind of cover your point man, that's all. Let Tanev get supported by Geno in zone...don't try to reinvent the player, try to bring the best out of him...

You gave up a lot of goals by moving Phil. You will not replace him. I know, no matter what, Alex can't offset with preventing goals...so just please try to make up the automatic 80 points that Kessel brought as best you can...

Source of the post Let Tanev get supported by Geno in zone...don't try to reinvent the player, try to bring the best out of him...

This is my expectation from that line. We don't need to force people to change like that, because it simply doesn't work out.

Source of the post Let Tanev get supported by Geno in zone...don't try to reinvent the player, try to bring the best out of him...

This is my expectation from that line. We don't need to force people to change like that, because it simply doesn't work out.

Right. That'd be like forcing Iginla to play left wing.

That third group is the clear winner, imo.

I haven't seen Galchenyuk play enough to form a decent opinion, but yeah, the third group looks the best to me.

That third group is the clear winner, imo.

Is that because the point man was able to get the puck past the legs of the defender?

Yes.

You gave up a lot of goals by moving Phil. You will not replace him. I know, no matter what, Alex can't offset with preventing goals...so just please try to make up the automatic 80 points that Kessel brought as best you can...

Jake was like 3rd in the league in 5-on-5 points - tied with Ovenchkn. Now give him Phil's PP time: how many of Phil's 12 G/36 Pts does he pick up? Let's say he picks up 10 of Phil's PP goals. That leaves 17 total for Chuck to make up. And let's say 25 of Phil's PP pts. That leaves 55 pts. for Chuck.

The extra PP time sets Jake up for a monster year. My biggest hope this year is a 50 G/110 Pt. season for Jake.

I'm not sure I want to give Guentzel that spot or not yet...I kinda like him having his own unit with Letang to D around with for 40 seconds...maybe not permanently, but it helps to teach him a little bit about center ice management, multi-line puck carrying, etc. if he's always on the ice with Crosby, he doesn't get those game elements that could end up making him a better player...

Player development aside...getting 10 of those 12 power play goals is a tall order...but not as tall as 110 points haha...I like your optimism. Carry on.