Schwartz-Stastny-Oshie
Jaskin-Backes-Berglund
Jokinen-Lehtera-Rattie
Ott-Goc-Reaves

Bouw-Petro
Shatty-Michalek
Jackman-Bortuzzo

2nd line (and third line) looking rough....

It would make more sense to me to have:

Schwartz/Stastny/Jaskin

Berglund/Backes/Oshie

Not sure what a better alternative would be.

Certainly not Porter.

Maybe Rattie gets one.

If not at least we will have a somewhat larger sample size of NHL experience to evaluate.

WebSant wrote:Not sure what a better alternative would be.

Certainly not Porter.

Maybe Rattie gets one.

If not at least we will have a somewhat larger sample size of NHL experience to evaluate.

Yeah, with the injuries this is pretty much the best we've got. I guess most teams lines would look rough when you remove their two leading scorers.

As for Jaskin, he shoots left and, I believe, has been playing LW recently, although I may be mistaken.

Maybe no need to confuse him by shifting him (back, I think) to RW.

Unlike last year's playoff, at least Ott stays on the fourth line.

Although there's no telling what kind of mixing and matching Hitch will do during the game.

Hopefully not much.

This is giving me flashbacks to the end of last year.

I actually like the look of Schwartz/Stastny/Oshie and was hoping those three would get a look together earlier this season. The other lines are a bit meh, but what are you going to do with your two best wingers out? A shame that it took until April for Hitch to try out Stastny on the top line.

ratonmono wrote:I actually like the look of Schwartz/Stastny/Oshie and was hoping those three would get a look together earlier this season. The other lines are a bit meh, but what are you going to do with your two best wingers out? A shame that it took until April for Hitch to try out Stastny on the top line.

It is a shame but line identities aside, he has been around the 18-20 minute mark lately which is top line minutes.

On the bright side, at least its not Joakim Lindstrom getting thrown into the lineup

SickMittsRomKnee wrote:

ratonmono wrote:I actually like the look of Schwartz/Stastny/Oshie and was hoping those three would get a look together earlier this season. The other lines are a bit meh, but what are you going to do with your two best wingers out? A shame that it took until April for Hitch to try out Stastny on the top line.

It is a shame but line identities aside, he has been around the 18-20 minute mark lately which is top line minutes.

Yes he seems to finally trust Stastny and I would suspect that his minutes boost has come a lot from playing the PK more. I actually do like the Stas/Berglund/Jaskin line but it just seems like Stastny got miscast for most of this season. I mean, Stastny has been known as a solid two way player his whole career it's been frustrating to see him languishing with bad wingers for much of the season.

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Schwartz-Stastny-Oshie
Jaskin-Backes-Berglund
Jokinen-Lehtera-Rattie
Ott-Goc-Reaves

Bouw-Petro
Shatty-Michalek
Jackman-Bortuzzo

2nd line (and third line) looking rough....

It's basically Top 9 Bingo, but I would rather see the LWers moved around a little in the Top 9, which I'm sure Hitch will accommodate during the game...

Jaskin-Stastny-Oshie
Jokinen-Backes-Berglund
Schwartz-Lehtera-Rattie

I think this looks pretty solid.

The top line consists of the best offensive players currently available (whom I believe have openly spoken about wishing to play together).

The second line consists of large men.

The third line is such a wild card, it has me very intrigued...Rattie and Lehtera are rookies in the NHL, paired with the most veteran player on the team. Fourth line gets to keep banging.

Jaybo and Petro need to get their shit straight, and reform their identity as our #1 D pairing.

Shatty has a solid partner to hold down the fort while he's wheelin' and deelin' in the offensive zone.

Jackman-Bortuzzo ..... Let's do this thing!

MissouriMook wrote:

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Schwartz-Stastny-Oshie
Jaskin-Backes-Berglund
Jokinen-Lehtera-Rattie
Ott-Goc-Reaves

Bouw-Petro
Shatty-Michalek
Jackman-Bortuzzo

2nd line (and third line) looking rough....

It's basically Top 9 Bingo, but I would rather see the LWers moved around a little in the Top 9, which I'm sure Hitch will accommodate during the game...

Jaskin-Stastny-Oshie
Jokinen-Backes-Berglund
Schwartz-Lehtera-Rattie

By the fourth shift it'll all be different

I like this. I think there's going to be pretty good chemistry between the top two lines.

I'llBeBackes wrote:I like this. I think there's going to be pretty good chemistry between the top two lines.

Me too...