canucksnihilist Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 a 4th line player that is capable of playing steady minutes on the 3rd line: perfect 4th line player. aka: you need young hungry players. u don't have to be bruising lug-heads. I don't know what the fascination with the cheap "steal" (well, ok they aren't steals... we did have one last year but waived him) in the bottom half of the roster is supposed to do besides make sure we don't have any space for young players and their development... really, if we lost all 3 of the players you have slotted in, we would probably be better off. prove me wrong then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clynch Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Too hard to make that kind of call. It all depends on who makes the team from the prospects. If no one can crack the lineup, then yes, we will need some help. If one or 2 can crack the lineup in the top 9 then the trickle down means it will be okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonMexico Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 We're obviously on the same page. I agree completly it's time for some young guys to step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkaruk98 Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 It concerns me that many younger players can't even make this team as a checking forward. It might not be your ideal role on the team, but getting on the team may provide you with a chance to do more. How hard is to be a 4th line guy? Provide some energy. Make a few hits. Be responsible in your own zone. Forecheck. Generate a scoring chance here and there. Isn't all this just some basic hockey fundamentals? Almost any guy who is drafted should be competent enough to do this. If all goes right, an injury, or just mistake free hockey, might allow you more icetime on the third line/2nd PP/PK and give you a chance to some more skills. Not to mention the pay difference betwen playing in the NHL and AHL should be enough motivation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drouin Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Santorelli will draw in. Santorelli-Richardson-Weise better than before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I'm far less concerned with the 4th line then I am with the second line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkaruk98 Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 I'm far less concerned with the 4th line then I am with the second line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The second line is an improvement from last year. 1) Healthy Kesler 2)Healthy Booth 3)Burrows who has great chemistry with Kesler Your concern my friend is in the wrong place it's the bottom six and the line combos we should think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmotamed Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Losing Lappy left us with a big hole to fill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzonsen Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I think Blomstrand could be a good fit with Richardson and Weise, and rotate Sestito in depending on opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Vintage Canuck- Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Does the fourth line need to be improved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkaruk98 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 That's my concern, our second line is injury prone. Chances are they will not be at or close to 100% at playoff time, then what? I'm far more concerned about it then our 4th line, no chance of a playoff run if our injury prone second line is injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The Canucks have been underestimating the importance of a good fourth line for years. They're not only there to provide pushback and depth scoring, they should also be able to eat up quality minutes against other teams top lines, so that our top 6 players can rest longer and be fresher. If Sestito and Weise are ever in the lineup at the same time, we have problems. Sestito needs to be sent to Utica until we need him. That 13th forward position should be used for a versatile forward what can play all 3 positions. And yea, it's crucial that somebody from the minors finally steps up. Whether it be Gaunce, Archibald, Mallet, or Blomstrand, we need somebody that can bring energy and pushback night in and night out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkaruk98 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 You bet they have! And I agree with an earlier post of yours, a real key might be the play of a rookie pushing a Chris Higgins back to the 4th line versus acquiring someone? I'm hoping to see something like Richardson and Lain (or Mallet) plus Higgins! Yes, we do have a stockpile of guys to compete. I have not seen Lain, or Richardson much for that matter. I understand Lain brings size AND speed, plus a decent face off prowess. What we really need is guys on our 4th line who will be a physical mis-match for teams. Richardson add's energy, another key component. But if he had that same physical dimension as King or Nolan, he would have be perfectly adequate and would still own a job in LA. Richardson might still be fine, but will need one if not two guys like King or Nolan (or Reeves from St Louis) on his line with him before I'll get excited? The last time I got excited about our 4th Rick Rypien was on it. And I'm not necessarily talking about fighting. That guy brought it! He had the energy, and he fore checked, and he hit, and he wasn't intimidated. I hope all these guys understand what we are looking for, the roles are up for grabs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Pretty much banking on Lain and Mallet being NHL ready. If Archibald is too that is a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniwaki Canuck Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 This is why our 4th line will be better this year. At last we have some options to draw on, which just hasn't been the case for several years. Another scenario is that Gaunce slots in on the 3rd line but Schroeder stays in the top 9 by adapting to the wing, which would push someone like Higgins down to the 4th, where he would raise the level of play. Agreed that Hansen is only moving up from the 3rd line, not down. Gillis has done a good job of stock-piling potential players to fill that line. We have three spots on that line and, Weise Gaunce Richardson Sestito Santorelli Mallet Lain assuming Schroeder,Higgins and Hansen play no lower than the top 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uber_pwnzor Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I cannot believe that we essentially traded Volpati for Sestito. I mean, apart from the fact that he's like eight feet tall, what does he bring? He loses every fight, he doesn't score and doesn't hit that much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogbyte Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I would like to have hope but as it stands now there is only one thing in our favour, and that's Tortarella. AV was an idiot when it came to playing the fouth line, but in all fairness he had crap players there. Unfortuantley nothing is really changing there as Richardson moves in but Lapierre was the strong point on that line anyway. I really wonder if Gillis is planning on Sestito playing every night. MG is so out to lunch sometimes. I'm pretty sure it's his job to figure out who is going to be playing there but as is typical he'll just sign a bunch of random bodies and leave it up to the coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BI3KSA- Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Thank god I'm not the only one who can't bare to watch Sestito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsyukian Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Depending on which of our rookies step up I think we could have a fourth line that features Richardson, Gaunce, and Higgins or Hansen. That's the type of fourth line we need to go deep. If Gaunce steps up and can be a young Ryan O'reilley type player, I think our chances go way up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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