The Versteeg/Stajan/Brouwer line

[Classic_Sniper]

This particular line needs to play as little as possible. I know Gulutzen likes to roll all 4 lines, but watching these guys consistently under water is incredibly frustrating. They can start off anywhere on the ice, but you can bet they'll either turn the puck over, lose a board battle or not win a race for a loose puck. Then they're caught chasing, take a penalty, or spend the entire shift in their own end.

They're probably the most expensive 4th line in the league and yet cannot keep up with the pace of the play or even muster up a scoring chance, let alone a goal. Treliving needs to look around the league, talk to Vegas or someone to find some extra spark plugs to help this team because he's all in this year and we might not even make the playoffs with these anchors weighing us down. Stanley Cup contending teams year after year all have depth throughout their line ups. We don't have anything close to that and the current sample size has given us enough proof.

If we're truly going for it this season, the current dead weight on this team needs to fixed. Whether that's mixing up the bottom lines completely to find some semblance of chemistry or if Treliving needs to find the solution outside. Something needs to be tweaked because the top 2 lines have done a marvelous job and Mike Smith is giving us Vezina caliber goaltending and we're still just 1 game above .500. We could just as easily be or still have the chance at falling hard down the standings, so the higher ups better be working on something right now because this is their issue. We can't just play 2 and a half lines and expect the top 2 lines to play 25 minutes a night.

[blankall]

I actually think all of these guys could be serviceable on their own. However, having all 3 on the same line is a disaster. Their shortcomings seems amplified without fast skilled youth to make up for them.

These guys need to be split up ASAP. Stajan, sadly, should be in the press box. At almost 34, he's probably done in the NHL.

[pepper24]

I’d move Bennett to 4th line and Versteeg to 3rd line when Jagr is back.

10-77-68
93-18-36

Sub in Glass on 4th line for Bennett or Brouwer when needed.


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[Rollin22x]

I think Brouwer is getting there ( I thought he would be a more physical presence so I'm still disappointed) and Versteeg has shown in the past that he can handle the puck well enough to buy time and space. Right now, he may be trying to do too much or he's off because he's figuring out his current line mates. Everyone on the team has made really bad passes that resulted in give-aways at some point this season. Hard to change this line without affecting the lines that are working or putting someone like Lazar in there that hasn't been any better.
Right now we have a skill guy (Versteeg) playing with a slightly ineffective bull in a china shop (Brouwer) and a Stajan who battles for pucks and eats time but doesn't seem to make plays.

[Beninho]

The problem is their ice time doesn't get cut and they are basically being deployed as the 3rd line right now. They take extended shifts and then often get stuck in their own zone. They aren't fast and they don't forecheck well, 2 things a 4th line should do. Versteeg isn't a good 4th liner, he's not a grinder and more of a middle 6 type of player. There are guys in Stockton that would make much better 4th liners than the guys currently on the 4th line. Hathaway and Klimchuk should be given extended looks, I even thought Freddie Hamilton looked better than Stajan has.

[Stanley]

Stajan is the one that looks terrible, Versteeg's giveaways have their moments too but hopefully we see Lazar C that line when Jags is back

[Stanley]

I'd be curious to see Versteeg/Lazar/Hathaway

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I’d move Bennett to 4th line and Versteeg to 3rd line when Jagr is back.

10-77-68
93-18-36

Sub in Glass on 4th line for Bennett or Brouwer when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hell no...I wanna see Bennett/Janko/Jagr

[Gaskal]

Gulutzan seems to be one of those guys that is willing to let his player try to play themselves out of a funk, which appears to be happening with this line's ice time. That being said, he's probably going to draw the line at some point.

Remember during last season when he showed a bit of his Irish temper to the media, sarcastically ripping on the 4th line for staying on an extra 30 sec and costing a goal against, "because they score so many goals"? Glen has a breaking point with his patience for slumping players, he just hasn't gotten there yet.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I disagree, I think Versteeg has been abysmal on the PP too.

I think he (and not Brouwer) has been the main flaw in the top unit. He simply takes too long to either pass or shoot. The key to the PP is to get the puck quickly to an open guy that can put it on net before the goalie can react. He is not doing this because he takes forever to decide what to do. The other pp option - taking a screen shot, depends somewhat on this, as well as having a guy in front who can screen, and Brouwer's doing fin at this (which is why that puck went off the goalie's mask last night - he didn't see it).

You can replace Brouwer with Ferland or Bennett - I don't mind, but I don't think it makes a huge difference. But I think if you replace Versteeg with a guy who moves it fast (I'm thinking Gio) it will improve the first unit immensely (but also it weakens the second unit).

[Harry Lime]

Before the season, I saw stajan as an ideal 13th forward-mentor, and that's where I think he should be utilized. Glass is what he is.

Honestly I think at this point, if we don't have a skill spot available for verteeg, he should probably be dealt to a place where he can play.

There are stockton players who are better suited to a bottom 6 role.

[EVERLAST]

I think Glass needs to play more because at least the effort is there. He would have answered Reaves last night and why the hell Ferland let's that slide is beyond me .
Glen can't be afraid to tap him on the shoulder and say it's message time. Reaves needed to be sent a message in a big way last night as that kind of crap is creeping into way to many games until answered by flames players.

[Robbob]

Plus it is a roster limit and cap world. You can't sink everyone into the minors and bring up a bunch of guys as it will probably end up costing you more for those on one ways.

[Kipper_3434]

I like Versteeg but if he isn't getting it done at 5 on 5 then he needs to either sit on the bench or in the press box. Same goes for Brouwer but he's been decent. The problem I see is that the 4th line is all guys who are most useful on special teams, but they aren't really great at that either this season.

I would really like to see Versteeg taken out of the lineup for a few games to get his head straight and re-set. I'm 50/50 on keeping Stajan in, but would scratch him too if Jankowski proves to be more effective on the PK. Brouwer has been okay and should stay in as long as he isn't hurting the team.

When Jagr comes back, I would like to see this as the bottom 6 for at least a game or two:

Benny-Janko-Jagr
Mangiapane-Lazaar- Brouwer

I think eat bread would be a nice spark for that bottom line. The guy is red hot right now and adds some much needed skill. Would think that he's quite deserving of a couple games. I wouldn't send down Glass as he brings a different dynamic to the game. I'd actually waive Versteeg, just to see if anyone takes him, as that cap space would allow for more flexibility and this team doesn't need him to run the powerplay like he did last year.

And that folks is one of many reasons while I will never be the GM of a professional sports franchise.

P.s. is Brouwer still getting pp minutes?

[Robbob]

Brouwer did get PP time on the first two. GG switched it up on the 3rd one and put Ferland out.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Brouwer did get PP time on the first two. GG switched it up on the 3rd one and put Ferland out.

And he got in front, wreaked a bit of havoc and they scored in seconds. Pretty sure this wasn't lost on Gulutzan. Hope to see Ferland back in that spot on Sunday.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

And he got in front, wreaked a bit of havoc and they scored in seconds. Pretty sure this wasn't lost on Gulutzan. Hope to see Ferland back in that spot on Sunday.

In fairness, they had a bunch of chances when Brouwer was in, especially on the first PP. It wasn't his fault they didn't go in.

I'm all for keeping Ferland on the top unit, but I don't think that's the issue.

[Toonage]

Nope, wasn't his fault they didn't go in, but any bit of confidence that can be built on the PP should be nurtured.

Brouwer will still get a shot. Maybe on the 2nd unit, maybe he splits time on the 1st unit if they get the calls.

[Five-hole]

It is amazing that this line gets regularly dominated by opposing 4th lines. Yeah, I don't expect them to out-chance teams' #1 or #2 lines, but it should at least be a saw-off against the other #4. Nope.

They were hemmed in their zone in the first period last night for a full shift by the Pens, who managed to then change into their first line and our guys still couldn't get the puck out. Just brutal.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Nope, wasn't his fault they didn't go in, but any bit of confidence that can be built on the PP should be nurtured.

Brouwer will still get a shot. Maybe on the 2nd unit, maybe he splits time on the 1st unit if they get the calls.

Oh, I agree with that - a change is fine. I'd just like the other change to be made.