Winchester on top line?

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=249820&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl

Hartsburg experimented with Winchester on the top line with Spezza and Heatley.

I'd like to see that. And Foligno with Vermette/Fisher and Alfredsson. But would the Sens play Vermette or Fisher outside the top 2 lines?

DashRiprock wrote:http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=249820&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl

Hartsburg experimented with Winchester on the top line with Spezza and Heatley.

I'd like to see that. And Foligno with Vermette/Fisher and Alfredsson. But would the Sens play Vermette or Fisher outside the top 2 lines?

I've been expecting Winchester or Foligno to start on the top line for months now, so this comes as no surprise to me. Let's just hope he (or Foligno) does something with the opportunity.

aye ^ I'm putting a lot of my lofty expectations for this team on that hope.

I know Winchester is a virtual unknown, but I have a hard time believing Foligno is ready for the top-6. I know he's bulked up and w/e, but I didn't see anything last season that tells me he's ready - already...

Foligno was one of our better players in the playoffs. He is exactly what we need and have wanted for our top line.

Thats not really what I'm talking about.
I know he was solid at the end of the year and the kid looks like a real playoff performer. That being said, Shean Donovan was also one of our best players down the stretch and is also a real playoff performer; but I wouldn't put him on the top line and expect a whole lot...

The question is: Does Foligno truly have what it takes (at this stage in his career) to be a top line winger, regardless of his linemates? And does he line up well next to Heatley and Spezza; will there be chemistry between them?

DashRiprock wrote:http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=249820&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl

Hartsburg experimented with Winchester on the top line with Spezza and Heatley.

I'd like to see that. And Foligno with Vermette/Fisher and Alfredsson. But would the Sens play Vermette or Fisher outside the top 2 lines?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/09/17/senators_lines_trainingcamp/

It's Foligno with Kelly and Alfredsson.

Vermette - Fisher - Neil apparently. I don't like the thought of that because it give Chris Neil the false impression that he should be a scorer. He's with Vermette and Fisher, 2 50+ point guys and over 20 goals a piece. It makes me a little nervous to have Neil there.

But, it's only training camp mind you.

Jarkko Ruutu, Cody Bass, Shean Donovan
Jim O'Brien, Shawn Weller, Matt Carkner (plus Mick Lawrence)

Nick Foligno, Chris Kelly, Daniel Alfredsson
Ilya Zubov, Dean McAmmond, Brad Isbister
Kaspars Daugavins, Alexander Nikulin, Greg Mauldin (plus Chaz Johnson)

Antoine Vermette, Chris Neil, Mike Fisher
Denis Hamel, Peter Regin, Ryan Shannon
Jeremy Yablonski, Josh Hennessy, Danny Bois (plus Zack Smith)

As for the defensive pairings, it was:

Chris Phillips, Anton Volchenkov (1)
Geoff Waugh, Christoph Schubert
Guillaume Lepine, Tomas Kudelka

Filip Kuba, Jason Smith (2)
Derek Smith, Luke Richardson
Ben Wright, Chris St. Croix

Brian Lee, Alexandre Picard (3)
Mattias Karlsson, Brendan Bell
Mitch Ganzak, Brandon Roach

Posted by Michael Sharp - the B Sens Blogger here:

http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckPersona&U=35113aac4c7a458894ac4bec54d9f136&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a35113aac4c7a458894ac4bec54d9f136Post%3a446264a9-ddf4-4444-8aa9-5f5ac3dd4f03&sid=sitelife.pressconnects.com

I think that tells you a lot about the initial thought process, heading into camp - Both Schubert and McAmmond were playing with D-Sens on day 1.
Certainly it won't stay that way, but it still works as a good indicator.

cash wrote:I think that tells you a lot about the initial thought process, heading into camp - Both Schubert and McAmmond were playing with D-Sens on day 1.
Certainly it won't stay that way, but it still works as a good indicator.

It's an indicator that a trade is coming for sure. This is crazy, Schubert's good enough to be on the top pairing of the German national team. I would prefer seeing him in the top 6 - but at the expense of who?

McAmmond's gone, if anyone will take him. We have guys coming out the ying-yang that can replace him. I assume they want Zubov to spend at least half a year in Bingo to try to double his points and goals, but even then we have Shannon and Isbister who would be just fine in a qusi-4th line role.

And if we end up trading Schubert + for a top 6 forward, what then? LOL. Someone would still get bumped from the lineup. And unless it's Bass or Foligno, which is not probably, it has to be a guy with a one-way like Donovan. It's all very strange. The TB trade definitely gave us a surplus of D - which is either a very good thing - or will breed bad feeling and lead to Schubert asking for a trade - or losing his confidence.

I have to admit, I can't really remember this kind of competitive situation in Ottawa before.

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

(McAmmond)

Those are my ideal forward lines personally.

504Heater wrote:

cash wrote:I think that tells you a lot about the initial thought process, heading into camp - Both Schubert and McAmmond were playing with D-Sens on day 1.
Certainly it won't stay that way, but it still works as a good indicator.

It's an indicator that a trade is coming for sure. This is crazy, Schubert's good enough to be on the top pairing of the German national team. I would prefer seeing him in the top 6 - but at the expense of who?

McAmmond's gone, if anyone will take him. We have guys coming out the ying-yang that can replace him. I assume they want Zubov to spend at least half a year in Bingo to try to double his points and goals, but even then we have Shannon and Isbister who would be just fine in a qusi-4th line role.

And if we end up trading Schubert + for a top 6 forward, what then? LOL. Someone would still get bumped from the lineup. And unless it's Bass or Foligno, which is not probably, it has to be a guy with a one-way like Donovan. It's all very strange. The TB trade definitely gave us a surplus of D - which is either a very good thing - or will breed bad feeling and lead to Schubert asking for a trade - or losing his confidence.

I have to admit, I can't really remember this kind of competitive situation in Ottawa before.

A couple of points on this:

-- No question about it, we have too many players, up front and on the blue line. Either we're headed for some movement or we're going to go with an unprecedented 22-man roster. I agree that, based on these lines, McAmmond and Schubert look like the most likely guys to be move. Schubie would be a shame, but it might have to happen.

-- Shannon is a top-6 guy or bust. He'll never last in a bottom-6 role. He's too small and lacks the defensive awareness needed to play in that position. He won't make this roster coming out of camp, but he might be a shot in our top 6 if we have a few injuries or if Winchester / Foligno really bust.

-- It'll be a competitive camp for sure, but the roster is pretty much set. Zubov, Shannon, Isbister, etc. will not be making it. The only question marks are which of the 13 forwards is out (Bass? McAmmond?) and which of the 7 D is out (Schubert? Picard?). In my mind, those are already settled questions, although I can see us trying to do something to keep Schubert around in a role like he played for us last year (4th liner / PP and PK D).

You're right about Shannon - that's a top 6 or nothing. An injury reserve guy for sure.

I hope we don't lose Schubert - and if we do, I really hope we get something of value for him - and I hope Picard works out.

504Heater wrote:You're right about Shannon - that's a top 6 or nothing. An injury reserve guy for sure.

I hope we don't lose Schubert - and if we do, I really hope we get something of value for him - and I hope Picard works out.

Think of Picard as a long-term investment. We've got him for the next 2 years on a cheap contract to see where he goes from here. He's got loads of potential -- Dobber gives him a long-term upside of 65 points, equal to Lee -- but he's going to need time, ice-time, and patience before he can reach it. He's not going to be a great player for us instantly -- but he could be one for us in 2-3 years.

I seriously just want Schubert gone, at this point. I've never been a huge fan of his attitude, but you can't argue with the way he plays the game...Regardless of his hard hitting, big shooting style, he isn't a good defender 5-on-5 and thats what he wants to do, so he's really got some work to do in camp.

504Heater wrote:Heatley - Fisher - Winchester
Vermette - Spezza - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Neil
Ruutu - Bass - Donovan

(McAmmond)

Those are my ideal forward lines personally.

Switch Neil and Donovan and those would be my ideal lines. I don't want McAmmond to have to sit out or get traded, but I don't know if there's any way around it; you can't put Bass in the A when he's NHL ready just because he has a 2-way...

I have been saying for a while now that if Schubert is moved, I can't see Murray not undertaking that notion without a substantial return, because 200+ lbs players making less than $1M ANd who can switch somewhat comfortably between D and F do NOT grow on trees.

McAmmond I figure will be waived unless he's packaged with someone else, but there's definitely the feeling that Murray is getting ready to pull the trigger on something...