GDT - Ottawa @ Montreal, Sep. 24, 7:00PM RDS

Here are the lines you mother lickers:

Filatov-Smith-Zibanejad
Michalek-Regin-Neil
Greening-Da Costa-Condra
Daugavins-Grant-Parrish

Cowen-Gonchar
Borowiecki-Rundblad
Wiercioch-Carkner

Lehner
McKenna

GO SENS GO!!!

when is gryba going to get a game?? Seems odd he's not getting a shot.

Also, this lineup looks whack! SMith centering first line? Neil on 2nd line?

Interesting that Zibanejad is RW. They must think he could develop better with less responsibilities at wing.

Big Ev wrote:Interesting that Zibanejad is RW. They must think he could develop better with less responsibilities at wing.

I think it's simply because he's not bad enough to send back to Sweden and not good enough to usurp any other center on the roster. He's able to play here. He'll get better quicker by playing here. There just isn't a spot for him down the middle. No way he takes that 2nd line role and he certainly isn't a better player right now than Smith or Konopka.

It also says that Smith has a definite chance at playing in the 2nd line role. Probably not at the start of the season, but down the road, injuries or not, he could see time with some top-6 wingers.

He is certainly a lot better than Konopka right now as far as skill goes.

Big Ev wrote:Here are the lines you mother lickers:

Filatov-Smith-Zibanejad
Michalek-Regin-Neil
Greening-Da Costa-Condra
Daugavins-Grant-Parrish

Cowen-Gonchar
Borowiecki-Rundblad
Wiercioch-Carkner

Lehner
McKenna

Also of note, Cowen-Gonchar again... It looked good but I seriously don't think it's too early for Cowen-Karlsson. They played together briefly and looked like a perfect complement to one another.

And Boro-Rundblad again............ Don't tell me Rundblad isn't slated to play in Bingo this season. That pairing and Wiercioch-Gryba are pretty much set in stone.

Big Ev wrote:He is certainly a lot better than Konopka right now as far as skill goes.

I never said anything about skill. I said he isn't a better player. And he isn't. By a long shot.

Even when he was 15, Zib was probably a more skilled player than Konopka is now. But he wasn't NHL calibre then and he isn't more NHL calibre than Konopka now. That's the point.

cash wrote:

Big Ev wrote:He is certainly a lot better than Konopka right now as far as skill goes.

I never said anything about skill. I said he isn't a better player. And he isn't. By a long shot.

Even when he was 15, Zib was probably a more skilled player than Konopka is now. But he wasn't NHL calibre then and he isn't more NHL calibre than Konopka now. That's the point.

But he could be. Konopka is good but we're not talking about a mainstay here.

Gonchar and Karlsson both play the right side. The reason they "briefly" played together was because it was only on the PP when Karlsson played his off-side.

The point is, we are not playing Zibanejad on center on the 4th line with Neil and Winchester/Greening.

wprager wrote:Gonchar and Karlsson both play the right side. The reason they "briefly" played together was because it was only on the PP when Karlsson played his off-side.

DOn't think anybody's talking about pairing both though.

La Femme wrote:The point is, we are not playing Zibanejad on center on the 4th line with Neil and Winchester/Greening.

Obvi not.

La Femme wrote:

wprager wrote:Gonchar and Karlsson both play the right side. The reason they "briefly" played together was because it was only on the PP when Karlsson played his off-side.

DOn't think anybody's talking about pairing both though.

He was talking about my Cowen-Karlsson comment.

wprager are you basing that comment on stats or observation?

I think they want to see what Zib can bring to the table if he isn't slated to play center. speaks to me like they would be interested in maybe keeping him and him being able to play in more then one role as they come up. injury wise.
I'd much rather have seen him play with Regin tonight. Actually I wish speza was centering that first line. and then
Regin- DaCosta- Zibanejad.
that be a sight.all three trying for that 2nd center position but on the same line.