Sedin Struggles (Poll)

[smokes]

Daniel - Horvat - Baer (Daniel can be the playmaking passer)

Eriksson-Henrik-Rodin

Granlund-Sutter-Burrows

Boucher - Gaunce - Megna/Skille

 

My fix

 

 

[Neko]

Well Sutter seemed best with the Sedins aside Hansen of who's injured atm, and Granlund could take over centre and place Boucher or Rodin at wing.

 

Something like:

Sedin-Sedin-Sutter

Eriksson-Granlund-Boucher/Rodin

Baer-Horvat-Burr

Gaunce-Chaput-Skille/Megna

[stuman491]

11 hours ago, *Buzzsaw* said:

Sedins desperately need to get Hansen back... he is the only guy who both understands them and who also has the skills to play their game.

 

Burr understands, but he is a step behind... Megna can't finish unless he has a breakaway, and Eriksson is just not in sync.

A step behind who?  Certainly not Henrik and Daniel.  

I get that he isn't as quick as he used to be, but come on Willie at least give it a try.

[Phil_314]

It's so tough to watch them when they seem out of ideas especially in set plays.  Hank's basically always at the side wall, looking to thread a pass to Sutter or Stecher, either that or he switches spots with his brother.  Danny's always open as an option and I think he's more fluid (willing to try down-low net-crashing plays, move back to work the point or work along the side walls) but they've been and likely will always remain perimeter players which would only limit their versatility and effectiveness.  That's the danger of becoming creatures of habit, you can only thrive in certain situations (e.g. Twins on passing plays, working on the outside among themselves, or with a speedy shooting winger-- Danny used to be the shooter but he passes now too so no wonder point totals are dropping)  

Thing is, for people comparing them to Jagr (6'3", 230 lbs) or Jumbo Joe (6'4", 220), both those guys have much more strength than the Twins, who've always been finesse players.  Danny's 6'1", 190 and Hank's 6'2", 188 so it would've made sense for them to find other ways to succeed (more skill-based plays vs. power) but when your playbook is known to opponents and when your shooter stops shooting, no wonder they'll be in trouble.  Credit them for being more assertive than in the past, but they still need to seek to take more initiative in diversifying their game up more (that and have a shooter, at least of Hansen or Rodin caliber) for them to work effectively as a unit still IMO.  Ultimately it may take a splitting of the Twins to have effective lines.  

Eriksson - Hank - Hansen, Danny - Sutter - Granlund, Sven - Bo - Rodin/ Burr still looks like a solid top-9 and changes like this might help prolong their effectiveness.  With these line-mates I think each of them could still rack up some decent assist totals.        

[stuman491]

11 hours ago, oldnews said:

I haven't minded Megna for the most part - at least he's worked hard defensively and has never been a liability - but he did have a pretty poor game tonight and got on my nerves a few times (aside from drawing what could have been a key penalty with 5 minutes left.)   But tbh, this was a game where a number of guys didn't play well - and not the usual suspects, so I'm hesitant to single out Megna.

Still I think everyone, including WD, is aware that he's probably the 12th forward currently - and when the team is healthy, he's probably about 16th, so I'm not sure why people expect much more of him.  He hasn't produced, but he hasn't really hurt the team either.  And the type of role/minutes he's playing are more a matter of fit than they are the misconception that he's a top 6 forward - so I think people misinterpret this fact on a regular basis and assume it means that WD values him more highly than I suspect is the actual case.

 

 

For the most part I agree with you on Megna.  He works hard.  Plays a 200 ft game, which is something the Sedin's need on their line.  The problem is that the lack of production from our 1st line.  Megna can stay with the Sedin's, but they should not be given 1st line minutes and offensive zone starts.  Because it's clear they are not a first line as currently constructed.  

If Willie keeps on deploying the Sedin's as a 1st line then he should put a player on that line with more offensive upside.  Rodin or Boucher fit that bill.  Not suggesting this fixing this lines lack of scoring, but its worth a try. 

[CeeBee51]

1 minute ago, stuman491 said:

For the most part I agree with you on Megna.  He works hard.  Plays a 200 ft game, which is something the Sedin's need on their line.  The problem is that the lack of production from our 1st line.  Megna can stay with the Sedin's, but they should not be given 1st line minutes and offensive zone starts.  Because it's clear they are not a first line as currently constructed.  

If Willie keeps on deploying the Sedin's as a 1st line then he should put a player on that line with more offensive upside.  Rodin or Boucher fit that bill.  Not suggesting this fixing this lines lack of scoring, but its worth a try. 

Problem is you can't give them defensive zone starts either...... unless you're team tank.

[Type R]

51 minutes ago, stuman491 said:

Came here to say this.  They should be on separate power play units for sure.  I would be okay with keeping them together at full strength if as OP suggested they are deployed as a third line.  Would this type of deployment not also give them better match ups against worse D pairings?  

 

Absolutely would.  Line numbers these days is a mute point, what it boils down to is minutes, and IMO, minutes should be given to those producing.  Look at the Baertschi scratching, did wonders for him.  The way this is shaking down, the Horvat line is our legitimate #1 line, and should be playing 18-20mins a night.  Sutter & Henriks lines are a toss up still, but both lines have too many moving parts, and I think we should split them up as suggested earlier.  Henrik with Erikson Granland, and Sutter with Hansen and Daniel (we saw what Sutter and Hansen can do earlier this year).

Horvats PP for now should be our go to number one, and Henriks down to #2.  Sedins should really be at about 16-17m a night, maybe that might keep them fresh.  I don't mind seeing the Sedins in OT, but last night, we all know Bo should have been on the ice. 

[kloubek]

Do a search for "average 2nd line points nhl".  You'll see the average 2nd liner gets just over 40 points.  Projected, the Sedins still amount of average 2nd line players even when they are playing this "lesser" game.  (Assuming they don't get even slower as the season progresses).  So they should absolutely share top minutes with Bo and company.

[Beary Sweet]

Sedins are still being played constantly by Willie because they are still the leaders of the team. Willie believes that they still have enough in the tank to put up points on a nightly basis. however, time has passed by and they aren't the Sedins that we are used to seeing in their prime from 2011 for instance. Every player goes through struggles and the Sedins are going through without one of their leaders also in Honey Badger. what i'm trying to say is the Sedins are trying to teach the young guys how to play the game the right way and that you don't have to be an agitator and scrum like player to piss other teams off. Sedins are being paid like top line players and that's why Willie plays them. also next couple months could really tell where we are as a team. we're either fighting for a playoff spot or stuck in the bottom 3 alongside the Yotes and the Avs. I want the team to make the playoffs so it can give the young d core and forward core what it's like. it's a whole different animal compared to the regular season and that experience will only help guys like Baer, Horvat, Stecher, Tram, Hutty, etc. Burr, Boucher or Rodin should be given shots with the Sedins preferably Burr since we've seen in the past what they are capable of. also Rodin had nice chemistry with Baer and Bo in the preseason so its not a bad idea to put Rodin on Bo's flank. if they are concerned about reinjuring his knee, put Boucher in to see what we got in him.

[Type R]

51 minutes ago, smokes said:

Daniel - Horvat - Baer (Daniel can be the playmaking passer)

Eriksson-Henrik-Rodin

Granlund-Sutter-Burrows

Boucher - Gaunce - Megna/Skille

 

My fix

 

 

 

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you have Baertschi and Eriksson on their off wings.

 

I don't like Daniel on the top line, he's producing at a third line rate recently, and he would slow down the other two.  Leave Burrows in, thats a strong forechecking line, thats finding the net nicely.

 

I'm thinking:

Baer - Horvat - Burr

Granlund - Henrik - Eriksson

Daniel - Sutter - Rodin (Hansen)

Boucher - Chaput - Skille

 

Megna

Guance (Utica)

 

The 2nd and 3rd lines would fluctate icetime based on performance.

[Boudrias]

24 minutes ago, stuman491 said:

For the most part I agree with you on Megna.  He works hard.  Plays a 200 ft game, which is something the Sedin's need on their line.  The problem is that the lack of production from our 1st line.  Megna can stay with the Sedin's, but they should not be given 1st line minutes and offensive zone starts.  Because it's clear they are not a first line as currently constructed.  

If Willie keeps on deploying the Sedin's as a 1st line then he should put a player on that line with more offensive upside.  Rodin or Boucher fit that bill.  Not suggesting this fixing this lines lack of scoring, but its worth a try. 

Being negative on Megna is popular on CDC. I like his speed, back check and positioning. He actually creates quite few chances. The bottom line, however, is that he does have to convert his chances. He could easily have 10 or 12 goals with any puck luck. Unfortunately there have been many players who could make the same claim. If he got on a role he might just become a player.

[JM_]

I'm not sure why there is such a weird resistance to splitting up the twins, other than they're twins. The decision seems to be mystical. 

 

Any other pair of good players would have been split up 5 on 5 by now. It makes for so many other potential line combo's its hurting our chances not to try it imo. They've proven a few times they are great players without each other. 

[Tyndall2]

Hey Bo, you are awesome!  Congrats on making the All Star team.  Now you are benched during our overtime powerplay.  We need to watch the Sedins get out hustled and our skated.  Now watch Bo, you too can play like them.  They are so predictable that even the weakest penalty killers can figure them out.  Come on Willie, try something (or someone else)!

[hammertime]

Continue to use the Sedins to draw top competition while leaving the BBB and Granlund Sutter Loui lines to feast on weaker match ups.

[RRypien37]

7 hours ago, Emmetts said:

Lol reference thorton while yagr almost has a decade on them. 

 

Because I was comparing exact ages. Jagr is an anomaly and one of the greatest of all time. Why would I compare the Twins to him? 

[RRypien37]

4 hours ago, S'all Good Man said:

 

Thornton's enjoying whatever "juice" beverage Jagr is on. 

 

Jelly

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, S'all Good Man said:

I'm not sure why there is such a weird resistance to splitting up the twins, other than they're twins. The decision seems to be mystical. 

 

Any other pair of good players would have been split up 5 on 5 by now. It makes for so many other potential line combo's its hurting our chances not to try it imo. They've proven a few times they are great players without each other. 

 

Doesn't really accomplish much to split them IMO. We already have trouble finding one winger to play with them, why force us to find two (or four)? 

 

They/the team just need Hansen back is what the 'problem' is. They're at a point where they don't necessarily make their W all that much better and if anything, need a W that compliments them to be effective. They're old. It happens.

 

Doesn't mean they can't be effective and they're IMO more effective together than apart (so long as they have a compatible winger anyway).

 

Hansen gets healthy and we have 3 solid lines that are hard to match up with. Two of which can share D-zone starts.

 

Sedin, Sedin, Hansen

Granlund, Sutter, Eriksson

Baer, Horvat, Burr

 

Gaunce, Chaput, Boucher, Skille, Dorsett etc to make up the 4th.

 

Until then....we're kind of hooped one way or another as moving the pieces to strengthen one area only weakens another.

[JM_]

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

 

Doesn't really accomplish much to split them IMO. We already have trouble finding one winger to play with them, why force us to find two (or four)? 

 

They/the team just need Hansen back is what the 'problem' is. They're at a point where they don't necessarily make their W all that much better and if anything, need a W that compliments them to be effective. They're old. It happens.

 

Doesn't mean they can't be effective and they're IMO more effective together than apart (so long as they have a compatible winger anyway).

 

Hansen gets healthy and we have 3 solid lines that are hard to match up with. Two of which can share D-zone starts.

 

Sedin, Sedin, Hansen

Granlund, Sutter, Eriksson

Baer, Horvat, Burr

 

Gaunce, Chaput, Boucher, Skille, Dorsett etc to make up the 4th.

 

Until then....we're kind of hooped one way or another as moving the pieces to strengthen one are only weakens another.

 

We don't know that. And maybe by splitting them up  the "solution" is easier to find. Two faster guys with a single Sedin 

 

Listening to Benning today on 1040 it sounds like we've got what we've got, he's not going to try to make any TDL acquisitions. Sounds like he really wants to have a look at Rodin too. 

 

[aGENT]

Just now, S'all Good Man said:

 

We don't know that. And maybe by splitting them up  the "solution" is easier to find. Two faster guys with a single Sedin 

 

Listening to Benning today on 1040 it sounds like we've got what we've got, he's not going to try to make any TDL acquisitions. Sounds like he really wants to have a look at Rodin too. 

 

 

Some of us can infer 

[JM_]

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

 

Some of us can infer 

 

I guess I'm basing my thoughts on a couple of things: how good the twins have been when one has been injured, and that they do fine when only one is on a line 3 on 3 or 4 on 4. I also think they are skilled enough to adjust and might be able to extend their careers if they're not getting thumped in the corner night after night.