Can you Force Bennett in the top 6 with Gaudrau?

[Flash Walken]

Another game without production from Ferland.

I think it's time to move Tkachuk up to the top line.

If you're going to be top heavy, go all-in on this sucker.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Lazar - Jankowski - Bennett
Jabroni - Stajan - Jabroni

I feel like more than anyone, MONAHAN would benefit from having Tkachuk out there.

I think this experiment with Gaudreau and Bennett worked 'okay'. But, IF you can get some kind of thing going there and can add a scorer here in the next week or so, maybe that is a line.

Something I've been thinking about for a few months is this: Is there a player in the league who is more desirable to play with than Gaudreau? He can basically play with anyone. He can take and make, receive and distribute just about any puck. Some of his takes tonight were incredible. He takes passes and does things with them than 90% of the league with double clutch on if they could corral it at all.

That is the thing that's desperately missing from the roster. Backlund should be a third line guy for Calgary. The offense just isn't there, he gets prime minutes and should produce more. Give him third line icetime and watch him freakin' dominate like he doesn't have an opportunity to at as a second line player demanding offense. If the Flames had a centre who could pass and shoot the puck on the second line, an alternative to Monahan that Gaudreau could play with, that would be the ultimate. Maybe that player isn't a centre, but a winger? IF you don't want to move Bennett, can you build Bennett to be a top 6 centre if you play him with Gaudreau and a top flight winger in their own right?

If the Flames brought in another top line winger, and I mean top line here, could you force Bennett at centre with Gaudreau if it meant splitting first line icetime with a line comprised of Monahan/Tkachuk/someone?

Gaudreau - Bennett - (James Neal/Nyquist/Tatar/Tyler Johnson)
Tkachuk - Monahan - Winger (ferland?)
Brouwer - Backlund - Frolik
Hathaway - Stajan/Jankowski - Lazar

Could you package Brodie or Stone with a top defensive prospect for a winger under contract capable for scoring 30 goals/70 pts? Could you build a deal for a top, top player?

[Psytic]

I agree. Optimally we push Backlund and Frolik down. We want the third line to be getting the tough minutes and the second line to focus on scoring. Right now 3M is tasked with both and its a detriment to our offence. The third line isn't really effective in this role. In terms of line combos and who we would get I don't know. I think we should target a Second line RW at the least to push Frolik down if a first line RW is too expensive to bump Ferland down. I'm still not seeing Bennett on the first line though, I would probably dangle him in a package to get the help we need.

[Party Elephant]

I don't think Neal/Nyquist/Tatar/T.Johnson are realistic targets with the flames' limited assets (shame Feaster allegedly passed on two of them with Bouwmeester). I wouldn't mind trying Tkachuk in Ferland's place right now, but that does risk making the scoring depth even more top heavy than it is now.

[Jetfire]

When I saw your first Jabroni I seriously thought "who in the heck" for a split second.

Yay for being tired lol.

[jlh2640]

What is this. !?? Lol

[ComixZone]

I think any way you cut it, the Flames need to acquire another top-end scoring winger. Whether you shuffle the lines the way you have them or not, the team needs help to get the lines rolling more effectively.

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I think any way you cut it, the Flames need to acquire another top-end scoring winger. Whether you shuffle the lines the way you have them or not, the team needs help to get the lines rolling more effectively.

Exactly a Josh Anderson type player. We could roll lines as such:

Ferland-Monahan-Anderson
Gaudreau-Bennett-Tkachuk
Frolik-Backlund-Brouwer
(Janko excluded most likely one of the peices going back for anderson)

Split hard minutes between backs and Monnys line amd give o zone starts to second to dominate. Gives us three solid lines.

[Lanny_McDonald]

I would be more inclined to move Tkachuk onto the Bennett-Jankowski line for a few shifts per game, just to see if there is any chemistry there. We need to prepare for change in the future, and Bennett-Jankowski-Tkachuk may be a natural evolution of the lineup. As to Bennett one the top line and back at center? No way. Sam Bennett needs to find some success as a support player before he gets another crack at center IMO.

[Monahammer]

Bennett has had no success at centre. Why break up one of the best duos in the league on a prayer that a bust draft pick all of a sudden figures #### out

[GGG]

I would be interested in seeing Bennet get the Backlund treatment. I realize putting Bennet against top lines might not work but Backlund improves other players significantly and if he could fix Bennet that would be a huge win.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Bennett has had no success at centre. Why break up one of the best duos in the league on a prayer that a bust draft pick all of a sudden figures #### out

I’m not for breaking up Monahan+Gaudreau because the success they’ve had such amazing success this year.

Regarding why Bennett would potentially get another shot at centre:

1) Bennett isn’t a bust, no matter how many times you say it. It’s not true, and just shows a lack of patience on your side.

2) When Bennett has played centre, he has never been given anything resembling quality wingers for any stretch.

[Poe969]

Bennett should get the Gaudreau treatment and sit at least one game and watch from the press box. Maybe have a coach or someone who can explain the game while it's happening, sit with him to help get a different perspective.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I’m not for breaking up Monahan+Gaudreau because the success they’ve had such amazing success this year.

Regarding why Bennett would potentially get another shot at centre:

1) Bennett isn’t a bust, no matter how many times you say it. It’s not true, and just shows a lack of patience on your side.

2) When Bennett has played centre, he has never been given anything resembling quality wingers for any stretch.

I could be impatient, yes. But so far he's trending for stagnation at best so I'm not convinced he's improving in the Nhl, which is a bad sign.
I've never liked or accepted the second point. Real talents improve the players around them rather than being dragged down by them. I can understand that people dislike saddling him with troy Brouwer (so do i) but Backlund and Tkachuk had no problem boosting that guy to competency. Add to that Bennett was extremely suspect at playing d as a centre. He has looked better on the wing with a less complicated assignment but still tries to do too much on his own a lot of the game.

Anyways, I don't think we can justify the threads proposal. The best option imo is to get a really good wing option at the deadline. Obviously I'm dreaming about Mark stone but replace him with your chosen winger in this lineup:

Gaudreau-monahan- Ferland
Tkachuk-jankowski-stone
Bennett-backlund-frolik
Hathaway-lazar-brouwer

[Split98]

There are a few things you shouldn't touch:
Gio - Brodie (whoops...)
3M
Gaudreau - Monahan

There may be stretches of games where these groups go cold, but more often than not they work very well. I think the 3M line the way it is would be difficult to replace as they're such a lethal line on both ends of the ice, that's tough to replace.

That being said... it would be interesting to see if Tkachuk plays on a different level on a more offensive line. I could see Bennett taking his spot for the experiment, but I'm not sure Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk is the answer. I think Ferland has been a great compliment on that line, and Tkachuk would be encroaching on Monahan's money-zone.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Jankowski - Brouwer
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik

would be an interesting combo to watch. We've see flashes of usefulness from Brouwer, and until we have a legit top-6 RW that's the best we got for that line. Lazar is too cold to help that line click and Hathaway doesn't seem to have the consistency to carry anything longer than 20 game stretches.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I could be impatient, yes. But so far he's trending for stagnation at best so I'm not convinced he's improving in the Nhl, which is a bad sign.
I've never liked or accepted the second point. Real talents improve the players around them rather than being dragged down by them. I can understand that people dislike saddling him with troy Brouwer (so do i) but Backlund and Tkachuk had no problem boosting that guy to competency. Add to that Bennett was extremely suspect at playing d as a centre. He has looked better on the wing with a less complicated assignment but still tries to do too much on his own a lot of the game.

Anyways, I don't think we can justify the threads proposal. The best option imo is to get a really good wing option at the deadline. Obviously I'm dreaming about Mark stone but replace him with your chosen winger in this lineup:

Gaudreau-monahan- Ferland
Tkachuk-jankowski-stone
Bennett-backlund-frolik
Hathaway-lazar-brouwer

I agree and disagree with this. While I agree that good players (great players) have the ability to lift a line, that isn't a requirement to be a good player. There are tons of players in the NHL that falter when saddled with a bad line and it's especially tough when you're trying to learn in the NHL with the guys he's been paired with.

It would be great if he could, and we'd all be impressed if he elevated his linemates - but I don't think we should slag him too much for not being able to.

It's like calling someone hot-headed when you've been pestering them all day. Would be impressive if they kept their cool, but you can't fault them too much for snapping.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Split98

I agree and disagree with this. While I agree that good players (great players) have the ability to lift a line, that isn't a requirement to be a good player. There are tons of players in the NHL that falter when saddled with a bad line and it's especially tough when you're trying to learn in the NHL with the guys he's been paired with.

It would be great if he could, and we'd all be impressed if he elevated his linemates - but I don't think we should slag him too much for not being able to.

It's like calling someone hot-headed when you've been pestering them all day. Would be impressive if they kept their cool, but you can't fault them too much for snapping.

I can accept this point, but then why would we risk reducing Gaudreau's production if we already know Sam probably won't help to boost it but Monahan seems to boost it just by virtue of slamming the puck into the net? I still don't see a case for moving Sam back to centre or for splitting up our dynamic duo. I think we should put him back on Backlund wing for a bit and see if Tkachuk can drive a line with Janko and a winger acquisition!

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I can accept this point, but then why would we risk reducing Gaudreau's production if we already know Sam probably won't help to boost it but Monahan seems to boost it just by virtue of slamming the puck into the net? I still don't see a case for moving Sam back to centre or for splitting up our dynamic duo. I think we should put him back on Backlund wing for a bit and see if Tkachuk can drive a line with Janko and a winger acquisition!

I think when you're talking about elevating poor players you're looking at making up for their gaffs, holding back to give them an outlet, creating space by yourself, and keeping your head on a swivel for missed assignments. That's the kind of stuff a player needs to be doing to drag players through a game as we've seen Backlund do.

To elevate good players, you're driving the net, helping them get space, pushing through coverage to give them an outlet and drawing attention away from someone setting a play. Different styles, and I think Bennett plays the latter very well.

I think Bennett and Gaudreau would play well, but not Bennett and Monahan. I'd love to see Bennett and Backlund together at some point, and think we could see a monster emerge from Bennett because of it.

That 3M line though...

[Bourque's Twin]

What is going on around here? A thread about trading Ferland and then one about demoting him? Gaudreau and Monahan are having career years with Ferland on the top line. Why would you break that line up?

Also, Ferland is 25 and has 20 goals / 15 assists! He has 1 less goal than both Hall and Benn. Come on guys.

If anyone in the top 6 should be switched with Bennett, it's Frolik. Period.

[belsarius]

I think the Bennett is a center idea is dead. They gave him every opportunity but he is a much better winger. I would love to see what he can do on the other side and think he should get a shot at that top line just to keep 3M together for the rest of this year.

I wouldn't be opposed to sending Tkachuk up there either and moving Bennett back with Backlund to see if that can help his game, they've had success before.

Ferland I look at a lot like Glencross. I thought he was an amazing 3rd line scoring winger who could fill in a top 9 role if nessecary, but always played better with limited minutes where he could have maximum energy per shift. I don't think Ferland looks out of place on that line, but is still inconsistent enough that he would be better used on a second scoring line.

I would like to see

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Jankowski-Ferland
Hathaway-Stajan-Brouwer

[Macho0978]

Or we just leave Tkachuk on his own line and let him continue to dominate and drive his own line? I was all for moving Tkachuk to the top line before the season but he is tearing it up on the 2nd line. Don't see why they need to make this team a 1 line team

If they trade for a winger to play with Bennett and Jankowski, a scoring winger this could become a 3 line team

4th line actually has played well lately too. Not sure why they switch to much now. I feel with Hamilton on the first PP and Stone on the 2nd pp I can see the PP starting to get going too. Hamilton throwing pucks on net has created a bit more on the PP, the results just aren't there yet