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John Hynes setting expectations (Russo/Athletic)

  • July 9, 2024


A selection:

"Hynes says much of training camp will be experimenting with line combinations in an effort to balance out the offseason.

In other words, just because the Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Boldy line was dominant for much of last season after Hynes made the decision to separate Kaprizov and Zuccarello, there’s a good bet we see Kaprizov and Zuccarello reunited for parts of camp. Zuccarello dried up dramatically away from Kaprizov, so perhaps we see a reunited Kaprizov-Hartman-Zuccarello line and a different winger with Eriksson Ek and Boldy. Maybe Johansson ends up there again. Maybe Liam Ohgren does. Who knows? It’s premature, but if that transpires, perhaps that potentially killer Trenin-Hartman-Foligno shutdown line looks more like Trenin-Marco Rossi-Foligno."

Experimenting with line combinations in training camp? That can be a thing? (Remembers Rossi's first training camp where Dean settled on a second line of Boldy-Steel-Gaudreau before they'd played a single preseason game) INCONCEIVABLE!

I don't like the idea of Rossi centering Foligno and Trenin, but I also don't hate it. There could be some value in a shifty skill player feasting on the chaos the big boys bring.

Edit: the link, perhaps? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5625153/2024/07/09/wild-john-hynes-offseason-player-expectations?source=user-shared-article

6 comments

  2. Rossi and Foligno had success early last season. They managed to score a few greasy goals (Rossi’s influence) while staying a shutdown line. I’m not against it. As for Zuccarello, if he can do anything, it is assist goals. I’m not too fond of him being with Kaprizov again though. They are way too pass happy with each other.

    What I’m wondering is if they are going to have Hartman with Kap in spots, why push Rossi to line 3? You would think Rossi and Zuccarello/Boldy on wing with Ek in the center would probably be a damn good setup too. Zuccarello is all assists, but Rossi and Ek are pretty good at scoring for themselves. I don’t know if you have to push Rossi down to 3 to cut his scoring potential with Trenin and Foligno. It might be Rossi just has no experience at wing, so they just won’t do it.

  3. I can’t say Rossi with some combination of our grinders has me very excited, but at least maybe it will keep his AAV lower on the next contract ha.

    Is it a sunk cost fallacy to try Zucc with Kap again to get something out of him?

    It would be amazing if one of the rookies could make the team and contribute, but even then – do they play in the top 6 (big ask) or would we expect Rossi to carry a line with a Foligno/Trenin/? + said rookie?

    Mojo’s getting dropped in somewhere and I don’t like that fit.

  4. While BG has made good trades, which of his draft picks have exceeded expectations? We need young talent acquired in the draft to step up, not old vets who would do well just to maintain last years level of play. The more I look at this roster, the more I realize we are severely lacking in quality young talent. Yeah….prospect pool is great. We have been saying that for years but when will that great prospect pool create great players? Starting to think those that rank prospect pools may not always know what they are talking about…..go figure.

  5. It seems like there’s always talk about tinkering with lines/d pairings in the offseason, all I can think is; Do we REALLY think we’re talented/deep enough to get away from the only thing the was working before? I’m of the opinion that you do what worked best last year from the get go, and depending on how you start, THEN you can tinker. We’re nearly 3 months removed from hockey, this seems like the worst time to try to evaluate how to play your team.

  6. I would be fine if the line combos were:

    Kap – Ek – Zuccy
    Boldy – Rossi – Ohgren
    Foligno – Hartman – Trenin
    Johanson? – Khus? – Freddy G.?

    Zuccy suffered when there wasn’t a shooter on his line, and same with Rossi. Ek adds some size to the first line and so does Ohgren. Then you have pure shutdown line that should be a nightmare to play against.

    4th line I’m not sure about. Khus should that he had some talent last year but there isn’t anyone here that I love.

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