Series Preview - Nashville's Third and Fourth Lines
by Matthew Dirt on Apr 16, 2010 1:33 AM CDT
99 comments
Sorry for the delay in getting this up but I was too invested in watching the end of the Capitals-Canadiens game and then Nucks-Kings game. Overtime in the playoffs is always more exciting than you remember it, isn't it?
McClure covered the top lines earlier today (or yesterday I guess) so now it's time for the grinders. These lines may not put up the points, JP Dumont leads the way with 45, but they'll be doing their best to keep the Hawks talent frustrated... or just hurting.
Third Line:
Jordin Tootoo - Dustin Boyd - J.P. Dumont
While the top line for the Preds will annoy us with two Hawk killers.. the third line will just annoy us with the play of Tootoo and Boyd. This is the line that will be putting big pressure on the defensemen, testing their ability to work against a strong forecheck. We all know that Tootoo is the easiest person to hate on Nashville's squad and it's not only because he has a face that you really just want to punch. He'll hit everything that comes close to him and get under the skin of just about anyone he can. He's missed a lot of time this year with a foot injury but still is second on the team for hits by a forward. Dustin Boyd has only played 18 games for the Predators after being traded to the team from the Flames. He has potential to be more of a second line player but for now will be focusing on the Preds zone. Dumont will provide the old man veteran presence on this line - he's got over 500 points for his career but has been dropping since a career high 72 points in 07-08. These three won't likely be going up against the Hawks strongest lines but will cause headaches whenever they can. The experiment of Dustin Byfuglien back at defense could show its fault lines as these guys will be hitting him at every chance.
Fourth Line:
Joel Ward - David Legwand - Jerred Smithson
These are the guys we're going to see on the ice against the top lines for the Blackhawks. They have the highest QUALCOMP rating for anyone on the Predators squad. Just like the third line - these guys are going to be absolute pests to anyone in a Hawks sweater trying to bring the puck out of their zone. None of them are that strong offensively so they won't match the production we've seen from the Hawks fourth line. Instead, these guys are all quick strong forwards who can cover their asses in their own zone. These three will also be out for the Preds in some form on every penalty kill. Basically, they're the Nashville answer to the VERSTEEG!-Madden-Ladd combo without the occasional offense that the Hawks squad can get from someone like Kris or Ladd. I'm not sure what the Hawks can do to really counter these guys than simply play better hockey (that simple, eh?). They're strong... but they're not unbeatable. The Hammer of the Gods line has been on the verge of putting up an other worldly amount of points any game now so it could just be a matter of time before they just make another team look foolish.
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Weird stat
Every playoff game so far has been a one-goal affair. Do you think it is in honor of the Hawks’ One Goal campaign?
1961 is a long time ago.
match.com
Nice pic Tootoo you dickwad.
The only sin is stupidity
I feel like I need to shower after looking at that
Ugh. I hope Eags smashville’s his face Tyler Durden style.
"Erin go Braugh". What the fuck does that mean?
It's Irish for "you're fucked".
His official nickname for this series:
Hot Tub Party
(as in James Brown’s, or Eddie Murphy’s if you prefer)
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
I know Tootoo’s hated, and thats fine, but I can’t recall if he’s done anything specific to Chicago. Is it just his style you dislike or has there been a particular douchey moment?
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, there was this one time he posed like a douche in a hot tub, but I can’t remember where I saw that.
by HungryHungryPanda on Apr 16, 2010 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions
He's just always been a pest...
There’s nothing too horrible he’s done but he plays a style that annoys you and we like to pick someone to hate around here, Tootoo is just the guy that’s easy to hate. There was that one time Wisniewski beat the shit out of him with only one good leg.. but that was back when we all still like Wiz
by Matthew Dirt on Apr 16, 2010 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions
Okay, that is kinda what I was thinking. IIRC the only really bad things he’s done to Dallis (Robidas) and Phoenix (Winnik). Those days are behind him, but he’ll still annoy the shit out of you when he’s playing well.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions
He's Burish but puts his other skills to better use (Hockey skills that is)
I’m sure Burish could beat him in a hot tub fight.
Chewing gum?
I don't know - was Tootoo dating some big country music star
not all that long ago, but was also seeing other ladies on the side (leading to the break up)?
Sounds like he is very Burishesque off the ice too.
Confusion will be my epitaph.
Kellie Pickler isn’t a ‘big’ country music star, but yes he was dating her. I have no idea why they broke up, don’t care as long as he plays hard.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:55 AM CDT up reply actions
I was fuzzy on recalling who it was
There seems to be a real flurry of hockey player – celebrity dating/hooking up/marrying going on, with a fair country music representation (Carrie Underwood?).
Confusion will be my epitaph.
He was bonking Kelly Pickler?
I have to give him some begrudging respect for that. She’s hot.
"Erin go Braugh". What the fuck does that mean?
It's Irish for "you're fucked".
Yeah not bad at all.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions
apparently boinking Pickler - while boinking others too
well, not simultaneously
But rather Burishesque of him, I ’d have to say
Confusion will be my epitaph.
This coming from the guy
who authored entire posts giving his fans reasons to hate Hawks players?
No, there isn’t a specific reason…but, we get to find something and pick on it, don’t we?
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
Tootoo doesn't piss me off...
But the person in the crowd at Preds games who blows a train whistle whenever he’s on the ice does…
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."
-Bill Shankly
The person?
Try thousands of people…they sell them for charity.
I suggested a Shea Weber foghorn, but never received any response.
If it's for charity...
Then at least I’m getting annoyed for a good cause. Still annoying, but who am I to shit on some other teams traditions. I’m sure we have ours that others hate lol
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."
-Bill Shankly
I like the Anthem thing...
I’ve never seen it in person, but it seems cool on TV…
As opposed to yelling “STARS”, “NIGHTS” or “BANNER”!
Or the idiot Blues fans who think we live in the “Home of the Blues”.
Well Hossa's never done anything to nashville has he?
you have a whole fanpost on why preds fans should hate him.
Ditto for CNS
Hot tub! Ha! Da! Ah-full of water! I say hot tub! Ha!
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
dip it in, make it wet, dip it in, make you sweat
Hot tub
I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out.
- Rodney Dangerfield
he certainly posed for it
Doesn’t seem very moral to me. Might as well take Satan’s autograph while you’re at it. - N.C.
Rodeo Channel AKA Versus
Has anyone else noticed during a game that is suddenly cuts out to a commerical? Has happened 2x that i can recall and both when a Power play began… First time was Coyotes and Detroit on Wed. night. I gave them a pass on it and figured shit happens.
Then last night Canadiens vs Capitals it happened again. Puck dropped on a face off to start a PP and it cuts to commercial..
Seriosuly WTF is going on, and while i have been watching the games i’ve been busy as wel land haven’t watched an entire game yet or all of them for that mattter. How many F’n times has this happened. Bettman you seriously need to get a Fucking clue and get your League a new fucking tv deal. Playoff Power Play and we’re cutting to commerical? FUCK OFF
September 26, 2007 The day a Franchise was reborn.
It happened to me when watching the Caps/Canadians
On HD it cut to a commercial and then went back to the regular station and it was on. It was BS but then came back after about 3 of them. Seriously they need to get this shit together.
I have a question
If we stay in the playoffs long enough for someone to figure out how to get Johnsson back from the dead & we also get Soupy back, where does Buff go?
Do we keep him on defense and scratch Sopel & Hendry? Do we move him to forward and scratch one of the forwards (in my mind, it’d either be Brouwer or Eager)?
None of these options really appeal to me, but if he plays like he did last Spring, I don’t really want him to sit…
I think you keep him on D
until Nashville exposes him
Yep, thats infected.
by Bonvie5ForFighting on Apr 16, 2010 7:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Brouwer or Eager? Wow, how tough a decision would that be?
Let’s see who’s performing (or who else is newly hurt) when Soupy gets back.
And IF Johnsson EVER comes back, same thing – assess the man power when the decision is ripe to be made.
But really, in what world would there ever be any sort of debate where consideration had to be given to whether Bouwer or Eager would sit? That is one of the most “no-brainer” questions that could be asked.
Confusion will be my epitaph.
I know what you're getting at
and I agree with you in a way. But I really like how the 4th line has been playing recently, and I think it has a lot to do with chemistry, hence why Burish was put straight into the 2nd line a few games ago when Brouwer was out, instead of bumping up Kopecky & putting Burish into the 4th line.
I think if you remove any of the players from the 4th line, it would stop working as well as it has done recently. That’s why I’m reluctant to remove Eager.
No sense speculating.
But you have to figure that Eager and Fraser are playing for their jobs next season – They both want to stay here, and what better way to prove they belong than by a strong late-season and playoff drive. If they can find the balance they had last post-season – ie skill and a bruiser (Buff, Ladd, Brouwer, and Eager) on each line, we’ll be fine.
Yep, thats infected.
by Bonvie5ForFighting on Apr 16, 2010 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Nice Tootoo pick. Hadn’t seen that one before.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
crap
Pic, as in picture.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 7:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Geez, another typo
crap
You meant trap, as in the style of play the Preds employ.
by HungryHungryPanda on Apr 16, 2010 8:09 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions
Defensive Style That Shall Remain Nameless
DSTSRN = TRAP if you don’t want to see the term. Everybody traps, its not a bad thing if you can win doing it.
Like the Capitals tried to do last night in the third period, but Ovechkin was undisciplined and took a run at someone and BOOM tie game.
Aggressive forecheck my ass.
Chewing gum?
There’s a damn big difference between using it as a system like people here have said (what Lemaire does) or employing it in specific situations, like all teams do. My problem is with the people who have said the Preds trap all the time, it simply isn’t true. Cleaaaaaaaaaaaaar?
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm with you
I don’t think they trap 100% of the time, so calm down.
Hopefully the games never get to the point where they are protecting a lead where the full trap comes in to play.
Thankfully we’ll find out tonight.
Chewing gum?
BTW
The aggressive forecheck was not intended for you.
It was more a shot at the Caps “aggressive forecheck” I kept hearing about.
I apologize for the non intended slap.
Chewing gum?
Gotcha. I was wondering considering we haven’t played yet :)
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions
This is the slowest day already.
I’m going insane over here. Only 6:21 til I can run off to BL
by shinkicker on Apr 16, 2010 9:10 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Because you're adamit
that the Preds are not a Trap team,
The sarcastic bunch we are here.. is making sure to use the word “Trap” at all costs possible. Just to rile you up. It’s all friendly… Until puck drop time
September 26, 2007 The day a Franchise was reborn.
I was thinking - for the game beer - it might be appropriate to select
one of those very fancy Trappist brewed items, maybe even a barley wine styled thing
Confusion will be my epitaph.
by krome on Apr 16, 2010 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
or some sort
of sedative to slow down the brain as much as the neutral zome will be
Yep, thats infected.
by Bonvie5ForFighting on Apr 16, 2010 9:19 AM CDT up reply actions
much to my dismay
i think barley wines are now out of season
But i hear you on the trappist monk thing… I’m going to go good ole chimay red which:
1. is delicious
2. is highly alcoholic
3. shows team spirit.
wrecked...
I’m doing this. I recall quite liking that Chimay Trappist shit. And if I’m correct, it comes in a whopping huge bottle, which is fun.
Rock Over London
Rock on Chicago
Diet Pepsi
Uh-Huh!
Hence
Why I mentioned your " boring ass trap" on nucks misconduct last night
TAKE OFF THOSE CLOWN SHOES OR I WILL SHOOT THIS DOG!
by BigCSouthside on Apr 16, 2010 9:18 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Its not a trap
They just clog everythign up and slow the damn game down. When you dont have the thoroughbreds to run in the derby, you pray for rain so your mudders can perform.
His father was a mudder. His mother was a mudder.
His mother was mudder?
What did I just say?
Yep, thats infected.
by Bonvie5ForFighting on Apr 16, 2010 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions
well, if his sister was his mudder
it would be a hillbilly family all right
Confusion will be my epitaph.
Anyone else hear...
…Banjoes and “Rocky Top”….
Yep, thats infected.
by Bonvie5ForFighting on Apr 16, 2010 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions
His father was a mudder. His mother was a mudder.
His mother was mudder?
What did I just say?
One of the most underrated Seinfeld episodes.
"Erin go Braugh". What the fuck does that mean?
It's Irish for "you're fucked".
Loves the slop
Eats it up! Eats the slop!
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
LOL, I'm sorry, but
by now you should have figured out we’re only doing this to get a reaction from you. I know personally I stopped caring about the trap debate about 5 seconds into first bringing it up.
The keysmashing and faceplanting are amusing though.
But when it was suggested to him that Toews v. Kane seems likely to become a sidebar to every future international hockey tournament, he smiled and said: "I'd like us to win something together, too."
(Tweets @ChiBlackhawks and blogs at Blackhawks Down Low.)
by chiblackhawks on Apr 16, 2010 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh, I figured that out long ago. I’m just trying to pass the time.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions
okay
because otherwise I was seriously beginning to worry about you actually imploding.
But when it was suggested to him that Toews v. Kane seems likely to become a sidebar to every future international hockey tournament, he smiled and said: "I'd like us to win something together, too."
(Tweets @ChiBlackhawks and blogs at Blackhawks Down Low.)
by chiblackhawks on Apr 16, 2010 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions
Nah we’re good. Hockey tonight, after all.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions
you are still making sense
so I didn’t think you were really beating your head on your keyboard over it yet
I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out.
- Rodney Dangerfield
That was a good game..
He was all over. Didn’t he have at least 6 or 7 shots. I’m still surprised that Ovie had no shots
Crazy 8 was too concerned about the hit and was running around last night
I’m sure he’ll get it together for the next game
Chewing gum?
He got confused..
he was told he was playing the Canadiens and he kept having flashbacks to the Olympics. He spent the whole game fearing that Toews was going to come onto the ice and start mauling him again..
by Matthew Dirt on Apr 16, 2010 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions
I think he is nearly as good as Crosby for a lot less money.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep
$2.4mil for Backstrom, $8.7mil for Crosby.
Last year of his contract; wonder how much he’ll get next year.
Just look at their point totals. Almost as many as Sid. And yes, Backstrom gets points at the same rate without Ovechkin.
I’d guess $7M+, there’s only three 100pt centers in the league and he’s one of ’em.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions
I'd be a bit hesitant to sign Backstrom
for 7m+. I’m not saying he’s not talented but he’s playing on the same line as Ovechkin. That leaves Backstrom a lot of space to work with and has to be good for at least 20 plus points.
Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene."
Feeding to Ovechkin will pad you a little, but not as much as you think. Backstrom’s good enough to where its OV who benefits from him, not the other way around. I’d say he’s better than Getzlaf and Thornton already, with Sedin and Crosby just ahead.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Agreed
Not to mention, even if you subtracted 20 “Ovechkin points”, the kid is still a point per game player.
Tremendously tremendous
I still don't buy it
It’s not only feeding to Ovechkin but being on the same line opens plenty off space to work with. Like I said Backstrom is talented. But let’s say Kane (who had 88 points) is on a line with Ovechkin, how many more points would he end up with? He’d end up with an extra 10 plus on the power play alone.
Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene."
being on a different line can open up space too
with other teams focusing on Ovie’s line
Confusion will be my epitaph.
I'd take him over Semin
if the choice came to that, which I think it will for the Caps soon enough. I thought he played very dominantly against Chicago when the Caps came over too.
But when it was suggested to him that Toews v. Kane seems likely to become a sidebar to every future international hockey tournament, he smiled and said: "I'd like us to win something together, too."
(Tweets @ChiBlackhawks and blogs at Blackhawks Down Low.)
by chiblackhawks on Apr 16, 2010 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh, yeah, I’d take him over Semin in an instant. Semin is going to be a cap casualty eventually, I think.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions
I concur
I think that Semin more so than Backstrom directly benefits as a result of OV.
September 26, 2007 The day a Franchise was reborn.
…even though they only play together on the PP. Washington’s top line is AO/Backstrom/Knuble.
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
Right now they don't
Earlier this year and last year they were on the same line.
September 26, 2007 The day a Franchise was reborn.
did the Caps ever have
the Ovechkin-Laich-Semin line?
But when it was suggested to him that Toews v. Kane seems likely to become a sidebar to every future international hockey tournament, he smiled and said: "I'd like us to win something together, too."
(Tweets @ChiBlackhawks and blogs at Blackhawks Down Low.)
by chiblackhawks on Apr 16, 2010 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions
Only if
Crosby somehow played on Semin’s line though
September 26, 2007 The day a Franchise was reborn.
Isn't Crosby & Semin
what McGuire dreams about every night?
Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene."
reminded me of this:
http://thehockeywriters.com/blackhawks-ruminations-what-if-blackhawks-didnt-draft-toews/
Sanguis Bibimus. Corpus Edimus. Tolle Corpus Sharpi.
Because I'm tired of waiting for the game to start...
A little pregame anxiety babbling:
It seems to me that in every game where the “favorite” lost (I’m counting Scum as the favorite in spite of the lower seed) two things happened: The winning team simply out-hustled the “better” team and the winning goalie had a couple great saves. That may sound obvious, but the favorite teams all seemed to play with an attitude of expecting their skill to eventually take over the game. It didn’t.
I thought Phoenix totally outplayed Scum after the first period. Likewise with the Avs. Ottawa out-hustled the Pens for the first half of the game and hung on at the end. The Canadians even seemed to be faster to the puck than the Caps. It’s like all the underdogs played with a lot more urgency than the favorites. Better talent didn’t win.
I fear that the Hawks will come out slow tonight. And the (“we don’t use a trap SYSTEM”) Preds will have more jump. The Hawks need to play like their panties are on fire. But they’re trying to stay “even keel” according to interviews—and I’m afraid that will translate into a “we know we’re better so we’ll win” relaxed attitude which will lead to a quick two-goal deficit.
I’m just getting my obligatory “Chicago fan nervousness” going now instead of waiting for the puck drop. (And I apparently have a fetish for quotation marks this morning.)
So can someone quiet my nervously pounding little heart? Please?
I think we'll be okay.
I’m sure the Hawks are more than aware of what happened in all of these games and will be ready for the Preds and their we don’t call it a trap even though it is defense.
Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene."
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