Mackcanuck Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Looking for better even-strength play from his forward lines, Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins made some major changes in practice on Monday that featured moving winger Alex Burrows back with familiar linemates Henrik and Daniel Sedin.It’s part of a quest for better even-strength play – an area in which the Canucks have struggled in recent games and where Burrows will bring a needed net-front presence against the visiting Islanders on Tuesday.“I think Burrows has been good on that line in the past,” said Desjardins. “We haven’t used it for a while. I’ve tried to balance our lines, to where I see different combinations at. It might be a chance to see that combination. Burr is already with them on the power play, so it’s not like you’re brining a guy from a different unit.”A major ripple effect sees right winger Radim Vrbata – who’s spent virtually every shift with the Sedins this season – moving to the second line, with centre Nick Bonino and winger Chris Higgins. Desjardins downplayed it, but clearly the intention is to jump-start that unit with a player who can generate offence and has no hesitation to shoot the puck. Vrbata has been a terrific free agent signing this season and has produced 16 goals already, but his game is finding shooting lanes, not screening goaltenders.Jannik Hansen returned to the fourth line to take Burrows’ spot there. The third line, with Brad Richardson between Shawn Matthias and Zack Kassian, remained the same. http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/01/05/coach-desjardins-juggles-lines-for-islanders-game/ I like it! From the dog house with Tortasaurus to the 1st line and #1 PP with Willie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbdoubleu Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Article on Burrows, and his importance on his linemates 5-on-5 corsi numbers: Ultimately this move is more likely aimed at helping out the top-line. The twins are playing decently after a miserable 2013-14 campaign, and are comfortably on pace for 70-plus points. Their two-way game has fallen off somewhat though, as Daniel and Henrik are controlling just about 53 percent of 5-on-5 shot attempts at even-strength this season. That mark is well below the 60 percent Corsi For percentage the twins have managed in nearly 1500 minutes with Burrows over the past four seasons. On a team level, Burrows has been Vancouver's best two-way forward at even-strength and it's not all that close. All eight skaters with whom Burrows has logged at least 75 minutes at 5-on-5 this season have done better by Corsi For percentage when sharing the ice with Burrows than they've done otherwise. Recently the under-rated defensive forward has been caddying for 19-year-old Bo Horvat on the Canucks' fourth-line. Burrows' diminished role at evens can be connected with troubling directness to the massive drop off in the Canucks' overall form at 5-on-5 over the past two weeks. ... Do we ever need him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerrDrFunk Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 With the way both Burrows and Vrbata have been playing recently, I think it's a great move. If anyone on the team can kickstart the 2nd line it's Vrbata and Burrows looks like he's gotten the monkey from last season off his back. I wouldn't be surprised if both lines can pick up a point or two 5 on 5 tomorrow. If not, we're exactly where we started so what could it hurt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklas Bo Hunter Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 bringing up his value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KING ALBERTS Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 But... Do we really need him? Regards, G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Time to get the Sundins going! A major ripple effect sees right winger Radim Vrbata – who’s spent virtually every shift with the Sedins this season – moving to the second line, with centre Nick Bonino and winger Chris Higgins. Desjardins downplayed it, but clearly the intention is to jump-start that unit with a player who can generate offence and has no hesitation to shoot the puck. Vrbata has been a terrific free agent signing this season and has produced 16 goals already, but his game is finding shooting lanes, not screening goaltenders. Three hesitants on the same line is not a recipe for much success. Might even be worth splitting them at some point unless Daniel gets back to shooting, because the only shots Henrik takes are at empty nets when there's no-one within 50 feet of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apollo Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Well now I feel awkward. I'll have to eat my post. At last... THE CHAMP IS HERE! Canucks first line Daniel - Henrik - Ethan Hunt Regards, Tom Cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Am.Ironman Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 But... Do we really need him? Regards, G Why have people stolen Gollumpus' trademark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdatb Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Why have people stolen Gollumpus' trademark? because there's kids on the internet and you know how they love to copy others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetica Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I just saw that on the Twitter feed. Awesome! I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully he can get the Sedins going. He's already proven (yet again) that he's awesome on any line, is a team player who will play anywhere his coach asks him to, and is one of the hardest working guys on our team. He also provides that front of the net presence and distraction factor that the Sedins need for their Sedinery to really be effective. I would assume Vrbata is going on the second line, which will hopeful get it going again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starmie Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Finally, boner gets a scorer to play with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlaevang Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 This should be interesting. I really hope it works for everyone involved and I am glad they kept Kass and Matthias together. If this works we could have three lines generating significant offence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayRayDown Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I just saw that on the Twitter feed. Awesome! I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully he can get the Sedins going. He's already proven (yet again) that he's awesome on any line, is a team player who will play anywhere his coach asks him to, and is one of the hardest working guys on our team. He also provides that front of the net presence and distraction factor that the Sedins need for their Sedinery to really be effective. I would assume Vrbata is going on the second line, which will hopeful get it going again. The Sedins have a combined 17p in their last 6 games. So the Sedins are already going. This move is to improve the second line which Hansen has been playing on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William_Clarkson Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I hope this works out well. Vrbata will still get to play with them on the powerplay so it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KING ALBERTS Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Why have people stolen Gollumpus' trademark? I'll post what I like, even if it's signing off on a nickname that you can see on the same screen of every post, and looks completely retarded. Regards, G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoted Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Finally, boner gets a scorer to play with That just sounds wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Like the move, burr is much better at keeping the cycle alive and retrieving pucks. Regards, N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'll post what I like, even if it's signing off on a nickname that you can see on the same screen of every post, and looks completely retarded. Regards, G Oh I'll agree with you. What you're doing is retarded man. Might be just better to...I dunno, let it go? If something so very small bugs you that much my man you've things you need to work on Regards Hippy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higgyfan Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'll post what I like, even if it's signing off on a nickname that you can see on the same screen of every post, and looks completely retarded. Regards, G So bothered by such little things. Good move to put Burr with the twins. They have become overly reliant on Vrbata to do the scoring. Hopefully Danny will pick up the challenge. Burr has great hockey sense and works harder than anyone on the team. Looking forward to see how Bones will do with a linemate that can score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KING ALBERTS Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Oh I'll agree with you. What you're doing is retarded man. Might be just better to...I dunno, let it go? If something so very small bugs you that much my man you've things you need to work on Regards Hippy Regards Hippy! Regards, G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.