devspage

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/5880467 #13: Hard to imagine where they'd be at this point without goalie Martin Brodeur. I guess it escapes Wes' notice that Marty doesn't have total control over having zero shots in a whole period and one of the lowest shot on goals totals in the league. "Hard to imagine where they'd be at this point without goalie Martin Brodeur and the team's trademark tough defense" would be more like it.

I agree that the fourth line has worked very very hard. In the Atlanta game, they were the real stars and they didn't really get too much credit for it. But if Turner or Jimmy Mac has to sit so we can jumpstart our offense, then so be it. Other guys could do just as well when put into that position. We have a glut of third-liners on this team and we need to try some combos. We pretty much need to see what Berglund can give us and give him room to grow and unless one of them sits (or Pando is still out), we won't get to find out. A rest for Turner or Jimmy Mac every now and then won't kill them and prob. benefits us in the long run. I don't have anything against Danton. Nutty don't bother me none. If it does I wouldn't be able to look in the mirror every day. If he grows up, he could really be a key fixture on this team.

Well here's the reasoning: When he came over, they worked well together very quickly. They were working together at the beginning of the season, just not scoring goals, but then BOTH Jamie and Joe were taken off the line. If Berglund was on it, and Jamie was off doing his stellar work with the Maddenbrunner line, I think -- and yes, it is a guess but an educated one -- I think we have more going. We've seen chemistry between Berglund and Elias this year and last (in very limited time). The thing Nieuwy has that Gomer doesn't is a very serious work ethic. This isn't meant as a disparagement on Gomez, it's a reflection on Joe's stature in the game and with Elias. He's a player Patty would have to work for, just by virture of who he is. With Gomer, his buddy, they can sit back, kind of coast on laurels a bit.

Well it's Berglund, which shows good taste. But he looks too much like the human version of Lalime's goalie mask.

I really can't see him getting booed. I think he'll be cheered pretty heartily. I won't and can't forget what he gave this team. I'm sitting around rooting for Ducks between Devs games. Just don't mess with us, Syk!

His rep is DEFINITELY preceding him... The fact that no team will take a chance on him says a whole lot.

I really hesitate to take Jamie off the Maddenbrunner line for a couple reasons. We got him ensconsed there and he's playing very very well with Madden. There's chemistry there and he's working hard. We just got him weaned off Nieuwy. I wouldn't want to put him back there, save an occasional tweak for injury purposes. We only benefit if it's Berglund. The kid's working hard. He's got the right moves for that line and we can bring him along at a steady clip this way.

I definitely agree with all the lineup changes. And I've noticed that about Gionta too, just what that kid has going for him is heart -- something which disappears from this team from time to time. I think (esp. with playoff experience) he provides some value (on the ice and in trade value) to us as well. I'm still really against the idea of a Nieds deal. It's just something in my gut that I'm not after. Course if all "our" other changes were put into effect, we probably wouldn't nied to.

I think the chemistry is just off. It was just said very well in another thread. Gomez and Elias are different types of players. That's why the Nieuw-E line is such a good idea. Because they are similar type of players and I believe they can and will find each other. Friesen has had some good hits of late. Really kind of impressed by them actually.

Well thanks so much to ... the Post???!!!! ... for finally giving us a quote that shows he is NOT whining about this. It's about freakin' time.

Yeah, I was one of the people who was for the picking up of Dopita on the other thread. I mean I've seen potential in this guy. He'll at least be better than Kamensky and we picked up that guy last year. But all things being equal and with Lou not making any moves, I think Nieuwy with Elias is the way to get this team going. Nieuwy with Brylin and Gionta ain't gonna get it done. (And I love all three of them.)

Nope. I save my fun-making for the players. (See also the fan forum, if you didn't see it already, cause your hero was my keyboard/right brain's plaything the other day.)

Wait, I have an idea!! Dopita-Elias-Dopita!!! It could be Elias-Nieuwy-Dopita but I fear Joey would grow tired of Dopita's dope-ita ways. Of course if he's settling people's hash, Dopita would be a good guy to get settled. And personally I think the name Jiri is cool!

OK, so it's just mine for now until msweet gets here. Here's what I see. 1. Patrik Elias has played with Joe Nieuwendyk, they did pretty well when the trade was made and got comfortable with each other pretty quickly. 2. Patty will WORK for Nieuwy. It's an unspoken thing that will be demanded of him. Yes, he needs to be pushed some. And this is the way to go about it -- put him on a line with a guy who demands respect and gives it to him in return. 3. OK, let's put Berglund there too. Another hard-worker who already has a measure of chemistry with Elias AND for the superstitious, the jersey number to go along with it. Yes, our second line will be kinda small. But it's not tipping the height chart right now either with Elias there. The solution to Gomez-Friesen is to highly charge that line. Now the biggest (pun not intended) sparkplug we have is Gionta, so I'd like to see that for a little bit to see what they can do. The only thing I don't like about this is where it relegates Brylin. I'd prefer putting him with Maddenbrunner, but breaking up Madden-Pando is not something this team does when either is healthy. I say it's worth the risk to kickstart some offense. Maddenbrunner would be AT LEAST as effective with Brylin and maybe even more so.

Uh, I was thinking the same thing about the avatar, Zam. But I hesitated to say cause I like the kid. (And Sarge too.)

Well I wasn't really meaning that it had to be Pando sitting. I think both Stevenson and McKenzie probably don't need to play every day, especially when we're promoting offense and certainly not against the Ducks. It's not a dig against them -- I'm big fans of them both, just looking for offense like the rest of us...

I feel like I've done a lot of defending of these deals here, at AOL and NHL.com, so I'm just gonna provide this important message: No, no, no. Berglund needs to play!!! In my world, you get rewarded for being the best player on the ice during a game.

The chemistry issue is a big thing. Saw the Bruins-Oilers game this afternoon. OK, the blechy Bs are without a real goalie... down Samsonov and they're just showing incredible trust and faith each other and really working for it. I think we have the same kind of talent level -- lots of pieces capable of giving you offense with some flashy ones and some real grounded ones. I think our D is working their way. I think the O doesn't have the kind of confidence in each other that we could have. It seems like it's partly because of jarring pieces -- second line specifically mentioned here. The PP is coming around, I think. B-Raf and Tivo shooting from the blue line is a great help and there are starting to be bodies there to pick up rebounds. We have a whole season and I don't want us peaking too early. Just a little jealous, cause I know we have the talent Boston has and they've just put it together sooner than us. Maybe Burns needs to run some trust exercises?

Not trying to rain on the parade, then. Carry on...

No, I did read it somewhere. I wish I could remember the specifics. I don't really like to infer. There are others here that who fill that role for us.

Totally understood. But the ones calling for the trade should take the pill. Oh, I mean a pill. (Do I?)

They can't even SPELL Patrik Elias. I hope not too!

I don't think this organization is looking to trade the third guy that they've given a big contract to. It's been ONE month. A month in which the guy had THREE game-winning goals. We just have too much time and space to think about these things. It becomes self-defeating, I think. Anyway, back to msweet... I think Gomez and Friesen can still turn into something. The A-Line didn't even become the A-Line overnight. Gomez and Friesen want it, so they've got that going for them. Giving them a sparkplug, I'll go with Gionta here because he does do that and although it's a small line it would be a fast, slippery line. And because Pando is hurt, Brylin can go to the third. I don't wanna bust up Maddenbrunner, but I think Pando could go down to fourth line when he's healthy if Madden-Brunner-Brylin was doing the same thing. Either Turner or Jimmy Mac would have to sit each game. And the very rare instances when they were both needed, Danton could sit. We have a tremendous amount of third-liners on this team. Our fourth line could easiily become all third-liners. It hurts when we need the third-liners as first or second-liners tho.

It's our mantra, msweet. Elias-Nieuwy-Berglund. This is my idea of a great line. Berglund showed quite a lot the other day, including chemistry with Elias.

Jarome Iginla isn't exactly burning it up. There are actually quite a few. Elias has three game-winners. Now that number starts to look less impressive as it continues staying there, but we have eight wins and he has three game-winners. Not exactly invisible.