Practice lines make the most sense!

[NanooseGuy]

The Canucks line pairings are logical and make the most sense. Here is why:

 

The Complete First Line (Sedin, Sedin, Eriksson)
The first line is a ‘given’; at least pairing Erikkson with the twins should be on opening day. 

 

The Second Line Pairing (Sutter and Hansen)
It is logical to start Sutter at centre rather than on the  wing. And Sutter should be the second line centre. Look what happened last year without Sutter at centre! This is the position that management sought him to fill. So who is going to play his right wing? Clearly, Hansen is second in line, in terms of depth and experience, with Rodin out. If Hansen is ineffective then Virtanen or Rodin are options.

 

The Third Line Pairing (Granlund and Baertschi)
Granlund has shown better skills at servicing his wingers than either Horvat or Gaunce. It makes sense for WD to have Granlund play third line centre as his game is less suited to the defensive, heavy hitting roll of a fourth line centre, while Horvat fills this role. Also, the combo of Horvat and Baertschi has shown defensive deficiencies. Therefore, it is logical to split these two up and to have Baertschi play with Granlund. Both have played well when teamed together. 

 

The Complete Second Line  (Gaunce, Sutter, Hansen)
This leaves either Burrows or Gaunce to fill the second line left wing role. Although this is a position that he has played in the past, Burrows is probably better than Gaunce in a more defensive role so he should play on the fourth line. This strategy leaves Gaunce to fill the second line left wing position.  If he falters, Burrows can be moved up.

 

The Complete Third Line (Baertschi, Granlund, Virtanen)
Virtanen is a better choice (other than Dorsett, or the injured Rodin) to play the right wing position on the third line. With Virtanen complimenting the Baertschi-Granlund pairing, this line should be tough to defend against.

 

The Complete Fourth Line (Burrows, Horvat, Dorsett)
Dorsett is the logical choice for the right wing position. It makes more sense to have Virtanen play either third or second line.
As I see it, this line’s job is to defend and, in many cases, against the opposition’s top line. Think of it this way: every goal that this line prevents is like scoring a goal! Fans will recall the many excellent years that Burrows played on the PK with Kesler. Hopefully, Horvat can be shaped to become as good as Kesler was.

 

 

 

 

[Fanuck]

People,  I believe,  have a problem with BoHo on the so called 4th line because typically 4th lines play minimal minutes with no special teams.  We all know BoHo is better than that.   If this so called 4th line isn't used as the 'typical' 4th line generally is, then it's a moot point.

[numb3r 16]

Why does it have to be Horvat on the 4th line? If WD wants to put someone defensive on that line why not Sutter, I mean Bo has a much higher offensive ceiling coming into his 3rd pro year I would love to see Bo centering the 2nd line with baertschi whom he already has great chemistry with.

[Gaudette Celly]

14 minutes ago, NanooseGuy said:

The Complete Fourth Line (Burrows, Horvat, Dorsett)
Dorsett is the logical choice for the right wing position. It makes more sense to have Virtanen play either third or second line.
As I see it, this line’s job is to defend and, in many cases, against the opposition’s top line. Think of it this way: every goal that this line prevents is like scoring a goal! Fans will recall the many excellent years that Burrows played on the PK with Kesler. Hopefully, Horvat can be shaped to become as good as Kesler was.

 

 

 

So then this line will get more icetime than the other three?

[NEON.KNEE]

I'm sure the lines will change often enough early on in the season.  Looking at this team on paper, I have a hard time figuring out the best combos as well.  

[coastal.view]

the least experienced line is the 3rd line noted above

and it will likely see the most limited minutes as a result

none on that line can penalty kill

and i see limited pp opportunities for them as well

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

I like Gaunce, but to justify that he will get more 5v5 ice time than Bo Horvat is laughable.  Honestly Gaunce should be the one anchoring the fourth line center, not 2nd line winger, especially since he hasn't even produced any respectable numbers int he NHL level.

 

Bo makes up the lack of 5v5 time on the PP and PK,but when you need a goal or someone to drive the play, it often happens 5v5. If you get into games where there is less special teams play, Bo will be sitting on the bench.

 

You want him to develop a defensive game, fair enough, but also put him in a situation to grow other areas of his game.  

 

 

[mpt]

What a terrible 2nd line.

[Phat Fingers]

I would rather see the lines like this. 

 

Sedins with Eriksson

Baer Horvat/Sutter Hansen/Rodin

Granlund Sutter/Bo Rodin/Hansen

Burrows Gaunce Dorrset 

Skille as the 13th forward. 

 

Virtannen to be injury call up, getting max minutes in the AHL with coach green. 

 

Virtannen can always change this with inspired play. I say make the kid hungry and work for it. 

 

I would think that Sutter and Horvat can mesh with different guys. I like Bo's size making space for Baer and Rodin. 

 

Hamsen seems like like a good fit with Sutter, Granlund plays a good two way game and can play make from the left wing. Granlund also needs to improve his face offs. Puck possession is key for this teams chances this year. 

 

Gaunce would do well with two veteran wingers starting his career shutting down other lines. A better than average fourth line. 

 

my take. 

 

EW 

[Jam126]

Why not move Gaunce down to 4C, make Granlund the second line LW and put Horvat with Bearstchi and Virt. WD confuses me.

[NanooseGuy]

1 hour ago, numb3r 16 said:

Why does it have to be Horvat on the 4th line? If WD wants to put someone defensive on that line why not Sutter, I mean Bo has a much higher offensive ceiling coming into his 3rd pro year I would love to see Bo centering the 2nd line with baertschi whom he already has great chemistry with.

the practice lines show Horvat as the 4th line. call it what you want but I believe that will be a checking line. And Horvat will get lots of minutes

 

[MaxVerstappen33]

No. This is bad asset allocation.

 

Horvat and Baestchi need to be on the same line. Period

[NanooseGuy]

1 hour ago, Hutton Wink said:

 

So then this line will get more icetime than the other three?

As I see it all 4 lines will rotate as the game dictates. what number you give to the Horvat line means nothing.

[mll]

10 minutes ago, Jam126 said:

Why not move Gaunce down to 4C, make Granlund the second line LW and put Horvat with Bearstchi and Virt. WD confuses me.

 

Because to quote WD “He can be really good defensively and I think we have to, I have to, help him concentrate on that a little bit more and not concentrate on the scoring.”  He says last year was unfair to him when they asked him to produce and this year he can go back to playing more his game.  

 

I am not sure that Horvat is too thrilled about it - Tomlinson was saying that Baer and Horvat were super excited to play together as that's what they believed at the start of camp.   But things changed.

[NanooseGuy]

1 hour ago, NEON.KNEE said:

I'm sure the lines will change often enough early on in the season.  Looking at this team on paper, I have a hard time figuring out the best combos as well.  

I agree

[MaxVerstappen33]

8 minutes ago, Jam126 said:

Why not move Gaunce down to 4C, make Granlund the second line LW and put Horvat with Bearstchi and Virt. WD confuses me.

seems like a "smartest guy in the room" kind of move. The obvious is just too easy. Willie has to show that he knows best.

 

Honestly though, Willy doesn't seem like that kind if guy

[Jam126]

Just now, mll said:

 

Because to quote WD “He can be really good defensively and I think we have to, I have to, help him concentrate on that a little bit more and not concentrate on the scoring.”  He says last year was unfair to him when they asked him to produce and this year he can go back to playing more his game.  

 

I am not sure that Horvat is too thrilled about it - Tomlinson was saying that Baer and Horvat were super excited to play together as that's what they were lead to believe at the start of camp.   But things changed.

I understand that but at least put someone that can score on his line. Burrows is one of my favourite Canucks of all time but he's not as great a fit as Bear. Dorsett is... Dorsett.

[xereau]

This team has a 1st line, and then three 3rd lines, with interchangeable parts.

 

Part IKEA, part good old ingenuity.  Benning should change his name to Jerry Rig.

 

Oh, and its not the first team by far to use this model in the NHL.

 

I see the ghost of Alain Vigneault, still creeping around in the team/mgtmt mindset, some 4 plus years after his last game behind the Vancouver bench.  He was a master at rolling a random bottom nine.  Remember the comments on this board?  People were confused, then angry, for a long time about it.  Remember the comments on TV?  Same thing.  Its always been "The Sedins + best winger of the 9 to 11", and a rolling menagerie of the 9 to 11 forwards in combinations that fall in, and out of favor, in the bottom three.

A more traditional line hierarchy is something that is established in teams with long term success.  Expect more of the same, until the day we become a bubble team with 2 second lines, and 2 fourth lines.  And then we can roil in those hopes and dreams for a season or two.  However......

 

The next big 1st Line Center is what this team should be looking for, and towards.

[NanooseGuy]

14 minutes ago, Jam126 said:

Why not move Gaunce down to 4C, make Granlund the second line LW and put Horvat with Bearstchi and Virt. WD confuses me.

My first thought was also Gaunce as 4C but as I mentioned in my original post, Baertschi and Horvat are not effective, defensively. They give up too many goals. WD has said this (as much as this) in the past.

[Jaku]

The fact Bo is on the 4th line is enough to give WD a head shake. You want offensive production - you don't play a young, incredibly talented, upwards trending, workhorse of a player on the 4th line with Burrows and Dorsett. Sutter or Gaunce is better suited for this role, not Bo. Not a fan of this move.