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Line Combinations

by Brian Monzo on August 19th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

I recently had a few emails about putting together some line combos for fun — so here goes:

Offensive Lines:

Vinny Prospal-Brandon Dubinsky-Marian Gaborik

Ryan Callahan-Chris Drury-Ales Kotalik

Sean Avery-Artem Anisimov-Chris Higgins

Enver Lisin-Brian Boyle-Donald Brashear

Spares: Tyler Arnason

Defensive Pairings:

Marc Staal-Dan Girardi

Michal Roszival-Wade Redden

Matt Gilroy-Michael Del Zotto

Spares: Bobby Sanguinetti, Corey Potter, Michael Sauer

Monzo: Nothing overly shocking — but I am pulling for Del Zotto to make the team.  He had a tremendous training camp and preseason last year and I am expecting big things year.  I think Evgeny Grachev will be a close call, but still is one year away.  Comment and let us know your thoughts and combos.
  • blay28

    im excited about grachev i think hes gotta chance to be really good and i was hopin he might make the team this year although if hes not goin to play consistently then no reason to have him up …i also think sanguinetti has the upper leg from what ive read they said del zotto looked out of shape and slow at the prospect camp …im also lookin forward to seein stepan play he looks like hes a good playmaker i hope he is in some preseason games …there’s a lot of young players im lookin forward to see i think the the future is bright for the rangers as long as sather doesnt mess it up …i think maybe arnasson could be the odd man out if grachev looks really good in training camp

  • blay28

    i also had a question wondered what anyone thought …with possibly having 2 rookies on defense would the rangers be better off pairing each with a veteran or somethin like maybe redden with gilroy and rozival wtih del zotto / sanguinetti ?? wut do u think

  • beckfan

    Who’s playing net?

    Just kidding.

    I like the combos. And im happy you didnt include Voros in any way. He’s a waste.

  • waynefromwestbury

    Good evening my Ranger brothers. Let me be the first to throw some alternative plans out there for debate and let’s hear what the true fans think. First I wouldn’r bury ean Avery on the third line so quickly. In fact I would let Sean play with Dubi and Gaborik. He’s fast and has a good shot and crashes the net. Sean Avery is an excellent skater who will compliment Gaborik and Dubi perfectly. I hope Tortorella gives that line a shot. I want to see Callahan play together with Higgins and let Drury center that line. I can feel the chemistry and I haven’t seen anybody skate a minute yet. Anisimov can center Prospal and Kotalik on the third line. Two keys as to the depth of this years team will be first the combination of Brian Boyle and Envir Lisin. Can Boyle really find his nitch playing with a talented guy like Lisin? Can Lisin reach some of his potential with a guy like Boyle? And second how fast can we find a replacement for Donald Brashear on this line?? This guy should be banished and he’s taking a roster spot from Grachev. Should have never ever let Colton Orr go. He fit nicely here. Wouldn’t have cost that much and he’s a better hockey player than Brashear to boot!! On the blue line you have got to love seeing Girardi and Staal, both need big years for sure!! I’m hoping for a resurgent year from Rozsival. I think that hip injury takes a long time to fully recover from and I hope Rozsival comes back with a solid year. If not he is trade bait for sure. I don’t like Wade Redden and I don’t care if he makes a million a game he has to show me a lot to prove he deserves any ice time. He stinks and was nothing that Sather could have envisioned, that is if Sather does any envisioning these days. Look I want to see Sanguinetti before I see Redden in the lineup. Probably Potter and Sauer too. Look the Rangers are going to be playing Girardi and Staal 25 minutes a game. If Rozsival can have a nice comeback year he can play almost 15-20 minutes a game too. Del Zotto has to make the team the guy is simply too damn good not to make the team and be a Ranger for a long long time, 15 minutes a game maybe more depending on he himself.. I long for the day when I see Del Zotto and Staal on the blue line together, all I have to say is LETS GO RANGERS!!The rest of the time I want to see divided up between Sanguinetti, Potter and Sauer. Let the kids play in the time they have to get used to it without having to log much ice time individually. That’s the way to go gents. I can’t wait for the start of the season already. Baseball is too boring. How are there so many damn injuries in a sport like baseball? LETS GO RANGERS! LETS GO RANGERS! LETS GO RANGERS!

  • beckfan

    I have to say that I disagree with you.

    Avery isnt a good skater. Fast, yes. Good, no. Anyone who falls while taking a shot or turning isnt that good in my book. Same goes for Dubinsky. He falls while circling behind the net. I dont think that those 2 should be on the same line as Gabork at the same time.

    If you can remember, when Dubinsky centered Jagr, Renney also but a world class skater with them in Straka. Gaborik will need another good skater to open up ice for him.

    I think the reason why Sather is bringing in Kotalik is to get Drury going since he was most successful playing on a line with him in Buffalo. So I bet that those 2 will play on the same line. I like Callahan with Drury though.

    I wont get crazy over the young defense men till I see them play.

    And thank God you didnt include Voros.

  • Bring Back Pru

    I have a bad feeling that Redden will cost the rangers this year.

    He is rubbish – i was hoping the rangers would waive him and then trade him away to another team that would take half his salary. I wud much much rather Mara or Tyutin than redden.

  • waynefromwestbury

    Beck fan I resepct your opinion as a Ranger fan but I have been a die hard fan since 1968 and captained and coached my college hockey teams being the guy responsible for coming up with the line combination’s. Unlike Slats I’m very well aware of the talent on the Rangers and throughout the league as well. The only time I see Avery fall is when he is traveling at top speed looking to line guys up along the half boards or in the corners or behind the net. Hopefully he’s learned to keep his hands to his side and he won’t get thrown out for stupid penalties. If you give him some #1 line responsibility I think he’ll tone down the penalties and contribute some nice offense and make a good trio with Dubi and Gaborik. Dubi falls? What game are you watching? The only thing Straka and Nylander did was over handle the puck causing their teamates to be out of position when they lost possession a la Zherdev. I’m quite glad they’re all gone. We’ll see in another month what’s going to come out of camp the the line situation will be a bit clearer. Anyway we all bleed blue so whatever it takes to get this team to the next level. That next level means 3rd round of playoffs or better. They either make it or we welcome the Captain as new coach in 2010!

    • beckfan

      I highly doubt you have a better nose for hockey talent than Sather. How many Cups have you won?

      Anyway, The Nylander/Straka/Jagr line was one of the BEST in Rangers history. No need to go and knock them now that they are all gone.

      Seriously, I dont mind Avery on the first line. I just dont like pairing him up with Dubinsky and a super fast sniper at the same time.

      Dubinsky falls all the time. He looks like Bambi on ice out there. I like him and most of his talent but he needs to learn how to skate better.

  • blay28

    to be honest i could see avery on the first line and if you think about it he has to be on the first or 2nd line cuz if u put him down on the 3rd ur just wasting him and you know hes going to start his “act” ….in my opinion anyone can play on the first linel with gaborik and dubinsky and excel i dont mind the prospal pairing because they are both czech and im sure have played together in the olympics and maybe it would just be a comfortable pairing but if not then dubi/gaborik/higgins wouldnt be bad i think higggins is like sean avery without the antagonizing and a little more skill …and then put avery with drury and callahan …but then again kotalik is not bein used right so its tough but to be honest its a good thing cuz i think this years team has more depth and its better to have problems wtih having to many capable players then not right?? ….im more worried about the defense than whose on the offensive lines i dont like having 2 rookies on a pairing together it hink itd be wiser to pair them each wtih a vet so they have a little bit of a security blankett back there