Quoting: Jack_
thanks. yours was good to. i think keefe will be trying so many different things that will include 11 forwards and 7 defenseman. in the playoffs I see no need to even run a 4th line (unless its a blowout and you dont want to risk injuries and fatigue). Gauthier isnt a good penalty killer and the defenseman they currently have on the pk isnt the best. mikeyev, hyman, tavares, marner, johnsson, kappy, moore and kerfoot can all kill. dressing the goat or shore for that main reason is a wast of a lineup slot. the only reason they could need shore is for a right handed faceoff specialist but spezza can be a part of the faceoff get off. rielly isnt good on the pk, Dermott, holl and muzzin are good, so is ceci but i think he will be traded. marty is a top 40 penalty killer in the league, keefe used him a ton in the AHL, I see no reason to dress him and only use him in a PK role and the last couple minutes in a game when the other team is pushing to limit the number of shifts rielly and barrie end up getting in the DZ
Yup. It's that experimentation piece I'm looking forward to seeing. It still kills me that we never got a chance to see Naz line up on the left with either JT/Marner or with AM/Nylander, cause I think either of those options would have been pretty awesome.
The thing that I'm really happy to hear coming from the players and Keefe is that he wants to play to their strengths and put guys, and therefore the team, in a position to succeed. There's alot of options on the table now that each line isn't bound to the rule of grinder/shooter/passer or d pairings of puck mover/stand in the right spot guy. We could get 11/F 7/D or even simple stuff like a stacked top line, a cycle line, and a speed/rush line. Or a d pairing of Rielly/ Barrie.
We might even start to see an approach that looks alot like the Russian 5 with the Red Wings... I kinda think that's what Shanahan/ Dubas/Keefe are aiming for.