Hartsburg to split up top line

PKC wrote:

cash wrote:

504Heater wrote:
Not really a shocker or anything, but it's nice to see Hartsburg thinking things through a little.

Now...if he panics when we're struggling early (and we will struggle early) and puts them back together, then it's a moot point, but if he spreads it out permanently, then we might be onto something.

This team's one tough team to play against, so we'll get our fair share of power-plays - and that's the optimum time to re-unite the top line.

I completely agree. I don't think the struggles will be as profound as some of you guys are making it seem, but I do think it will take some time for this team to gel.
I would really like to see all three of them on different lines. Something like this would be interesting:
(no specific order)
Foligno - Fisher - Heatley(purposely on the right)
Winchester - Vermette - Alfredsson (solid line imo)
Kelly - Spezza - Donovan (make Spezza earn those points on his own)
Ruutu - Bass - Neil (everybody's favorite fantasy checking line)

Yeah I don't see our 7 million dollar center on the third line.

I could definitely see:

Vermette-Spezza-Heatley
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Foligno-Kelly-Donovan
Ruutu-Bass-Neil

He did say "in no specific order". But I'm with you -- I just don't see Kelly and Donovan as anything but 3rd liners. Kelly did fill in on the top line, but that's only because Heatley, Fisher and Vermette were all out, wasn't it?

wprager wrote:

PKC wrote:

cash wrote:

504Heater wrote:
Not really a shocker or anything, but it's nice to see Hartsburg thinking things through a little.

Now...if he panics when we're struggling early (and we will struggle early) and puts them back together, then it's a moot point, but if he spreads it out permanently, then we might be onto something.

This team's one tough team to play against, so we'll get our fair share of power-plays - and that's the optimum time to re-unite the top line.

I completely agree. I don't think the struggles will be as profound as some of you guys are making it seem, but I do think it will take some time for this team to gel.
I would really like to see all three of them on different lines. Something like this would be interesting:
(no specific order)
Foligno - Fisher - Heatley(purposely on the right)
Winchester - Vermette - Alfredsson (solid line imo)
Kelly - Spezza - Donovan (make Spezza earn those points on his own)
Ruutu - Bass - Neil (everybody's favorite fantasy checking line)

Yeah I don't see our 7 million dollar center on the third line.

I could definitely see:

Vermette-Spezza-Heatley
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Foligno-Kelly-Donovan
Ruutu-Bass-Neil

He did say "in no specific order". But I'm with you -- I just don't see Kelly and Donovan as anything but 3rd liners. Kelly did fill in on the top line, but that's only because Heatley, Fisher and Vermette were all out, wasn't it?

spezza, fisher, and vermette were out.

PKC wrote:Ideally, my favorite balance for the team lineup would be:

Foligno-Spezza-Heatley
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Vermette-Kelly-Zubov
Ruutu-Bass-Donovan

Was Neil traded for a pick?

Neil was traded for anything we could get for him. As was McAmmond.

wprager wrote:

PKC wrote:Ideally, my favorite balance for the team lineup would be:

Foligno-Spezza-Heatley
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Vermette-Kelly-Zubov
Ruutu-Bass-Donovan

Was Neil traded for a pick?

i would rather have Zub up and neil out

PKC wrote:Ideally, my favorite balance for the team lineup would be:

Foligno-Spezza-Heatley
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Vermette-Kelly-Zubov
Ruutu-Bass-Donovan

I actuallly really like that - I guess no one has much faith in McCammond. Where's Neil as well?

That's 3 impressive lines - but I'm definitely such a homer - I think we have too many good players now.

PKC wrote:Neil was traded for anything we could get for him. As was McAmmond.

The article states that Neil's job is likely a little safer now with the departure of Brian McGrattan...Its a great article too; imo every Sens fan should read it.

Post a link.

I like you're lines PKC.

I think Ottawa keeps Neil though. He may not score, or make the smartes play everytime, but he's tough, well liked, and a good guy to have around. So maybe Zubov doesn't make the team except for a call-up. Or if Winchester's AHL bound as some suggested in that article.

http://senators.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=381066

Tukker wrote:
i would rather have Zub up and neil out

I've never seen Zubov play. I've seen Neil play well and poorly. I don't mind him on the 4th line (where I think Zubov would be wasted).

Plus there's that one-way contract thingie. He'd have to be traded.

Why are so many against splitting the Speatley combo?

We saw how well Heater did at the WC with Nash - we could give him Fish instead. Put Fish on the wing, and Vermette centre and the forecheck to spring the puck loose for Heater would be awesome.

Without Heater, Spezza would still have Alfie, but both are playmakers before finishers, (more so Spezza than Alfie though), so Spezza would have to commit to using his shot more - which is lethal. Maybe Foligno so that Alfie doesn't have to bang around so much? Or maybe someone else if they show the stuff in camp.

With Vermette, and one of the kids to round out the lines, all should work, no?

Acrobat wrote:Why are so many against splitting the Speatley combo?

We saw how well Heater did at the WC with Nash - we could give him Fish instead.

Without Heater, Spezza would still have Alfie, but both are playmakers before finishers, (more so Spezza than Alfie though), so Spezza would have to commit to using his shot more - which is lethal.

Add in Vermette, and one of the kids to round out the lines, and all should work, no?

I think a Vermette - Spezza - Alfredsson would be a great line. They would be the skill line, followed by the power line of Foligno/Winchester - Fisher - Heatley

PKC wrote:Neil was traded for anything we could get for him. As was McAmmond.

They both were traded to Edmonton for Schremp. AHHH dreaming

cash wrote:

Acrobat wrote:Why are so many against splitting the Speatley combo?

We saw how well Heater did at the WC with Nash - we could give him Fish instead.

Without Heater, Spezza would still have Alfie, but both are playmakers before finishers, (more so Spezza than Alfie though), so Spezza would have to commit to using his shot more - which is lethal.

Add in Vermette, and one of the kids to round out the lines, and all should work, no?

I think a Vermette - Spezza - Alfredsson would be a great line. They would be the skill line, followed by the power line of Foligno/Winchester - Fisher - Heatley

And both would be scary to play against...
Isn't that what we want?

PKC wrote:Neil was traded for anything we could get for him. As was McAmmond.

You would be surprised what Neil could bring. A lot of teams would be trying to acquire him - and for a good player too. Barker for Neil could've happened, not sure why it didn't actually. I guess Murray wanted to see how the Mez thing shook out.

Neil, Fisher, Vermette, Kelly, Foligno, and Winchester are players that almost every team wants.

Acrobat wrote:

cash wrote:

Acrobat wrote:Why are so many against splitting the Speatley combo?

We saw how well Heater did at the WC with Nash - we could give him Fish instead.

Without Heater, Spezza would still have Alfie, but both are playmakers before finishers, (more so Spezza than Alfie though), so Spezza would have to commit to using his shot more - which is lethal.

Add in Vermette, and one of the kids to round out the lines, and all should work, no?

I think a Vermette - Spezza - Alfredsson would be a great line. They would be the skill line, followed by the power line of Foligno/Winchester - Fisher - Heatley

And both would be scary to play against...
Isn't that what we want?

I think splitting up Heatley and Spezza could vastly improve this team. The Worlds were a good example of how Heatley can live without Spezz. He was given the chance to handle the puck more and set up plays. But he still was not the primary puck handler on his line. Getzlaf did that and he set up heatley very nicely fort e whole tourney. I think Heatley needs to have a playmaker on his line. So how about making Heatley-Fisher-Alfie into a line and then signing Glen Murray to be Spezza's new Heatley. Then on the second line we have Vermette-Spezza-Murray. Spez and Vermy make up for Murray's speed issues and Murray becomes the triger man on that line. It could work.