John maclean showing his inexperience

maclean if he is in fact the one running forwards in my opinion has done a poor job the past 4 or 5 games.

I think he did a great job of putting kozlov on fourth line to try and get him to start shooting..........but now that kozlov is shooting he definately should not be on the fourth line, I like marshall but he does not belong on second line over kozlov.

in addition they have not played 4 lines and this team is exhausted, they have played a ton of games and trying to roll 4 lines was very important and they failed to do so.

hopefully this rest coming up will do them some good. they need it.

I agree with you. I've said this about a billion times... Marshall is a great 4th liner and depth player, insurance in case a top 6er goes down. He should NEVER have a regular rotation on the top two forward lines. He can look great for a few games at a time, but after a while it becomes clear that he just doesn't belong. I used to despise when he was played with Gomez and Elias because I felt he was holding them back, and lo and behold, when they move Marshall from their line the EGG line emerges. If we're going to have Kozlov on this team we should use him correctly, otherwise just trade him.

:) ....and the GEM line sounds so much better.
even the KEG line, come to think of it. :)

While John MacLean certainly has been choosing when to use the lines during games, I would imagine that Lou Lamoriello chooses the specific line combinations before hand.

I used to despise when he was played with Gomez and Elias because I felt he was holding them back, and lo and behold, when they move Marshall from their line the EGG line emerges.Turner Stevenson was on the Gomez-Elias line in 2003-04 until Pat Burns moved Stevenson to the Madden-Pandolfo line to add size. Gionta joined the top line and things went well. Stevenson was often injured, so I'm sure Marshall played with Gomez and Elias at some point. However, Elias played right wing for a stretch in December 2003 with Gomez and Friesen.

Stevenson was only on the EE- line when Gionta was injured later in the season. He did well, but I also felt like he sorta held them back because of his lack of speed and skills.

That really has nothing to do with Marshall, but o well.

If Kozlov would show the team something ... anything, none of that would be an issue.
He would BE on the second line.

But because he shows his verve, his oomph once every two months, that's what we get. At least Marshall works hard, and he can pass. Lord, we should all know how he can pass by now.

Meanwhile, on the FOURTH line, Kozlov still can't get anything done. If we're going to trade for a piece, I think it should be this guy ... the one Devil who does not play the game like a Devil.

Then, fine, Marsh can go back to the fourth line. He'll work just as hard there for us.

But no need to demean him either. 'Cause when the EGG line didn't work in 2003, he freakin' saved that line. And our Cup run.

Johnny Mac can't create a second line out of nothing. It's not for him to take the blame on that. We have one offensive line and it's painfully evident when they get stopped.

Just a note, we did win a cup with Marshall/Stevenson on the top line.

Just a note, we did win a cup with Marshall/Stevenson on the top line.

No, it was Elias-Gomez-Marshall.
That was my point.
EGG struggled through the Boston series, coming up dry. Marshall was subbed in during the Tampa series, and Elias and Gomez started to be able to do things. Of course Marshall had the triple-OT series-ender.
On an incomplete line change in the final game of the Eastern Conference Finals, he of course made the dynamic pass to Friesen ... he had made one very similar in the third to Gomez, who was unable to finish.
In the Finals, he stepped up again. Elias had more points than anyone in the Finals series.

I'm not saying I want Marshall there now... just laying out some facts. He's not a useless fourth liner. I don't think it's ideal to have him on the second line, but where I prefer to put the blame is on Kozlov... a guy who should have that second line spot outright ... but instead he's floundering on the fourth line and still not very productive. When he has his chances on the second line, like when Marshall went out against the Rangers, he doesn't make the most of him. And it's so bad that the team would rather put Rasmussen on the second line. That's a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad sign. Rasmussen isn't even a Marshall.

No, it was Elias-Gomez-Marshall.
That was my point.
EGG struggled through the Boston series, coming up dry. Marshall was subbed in during the Tampa series, and Elias and Gomez started to be able to do things. Of course Marshall had the triple-OT series-ender.
On an incomplete line change in the final game of the Eastern Conference Finals, he of course made the dynamic pass to Friesen ... he had made one very similar in the third to Gomez, who was unable to finish.
In the Finals, he stepped up again. Elias had more points than anyone in the Finals series.

I'm not saying I want Marshall there now... just laying out some facts. He's not a useless fourth liner. I don't think it's ideal to have him on the second line, but where I prefer to put the blame is on Kozlov... a guy who should have that second line spot outright ... but instead he's floundering on the fourth line and still not very productive. When he has his chances on the second line, like when Marshall went out against the Rangers, he doesn't make the most of him. And it's so bad that the team would rather put Rasmussen on the second line. That's a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad sign. Rasmussen isn't even a Marshall.

I agree but I think kozlov has shown he is willing to shoot and play hard since his demotion; we need offense, we need a second line and marshall/brylin/parise is not a good second line.....bottom line

What do you think of these lines

Elias-Gomez-Marshall (Add a little grit to the top line, and they played well in 03 PO)
Gionta-Kozlov-Parise (Could maybe get Kozzy going)
Langenbrunner-Madden-Pandolfo
Brylin-Rasmussen-Janssen/S. Brown

What do you think of these lines

Elias-Gomez-Marshall (Add a little grit to the top line, and they played well in 03 PO)
Gionta-Kozlov-Parise (Could maybe get Kozzy going)
Langenbrunner-Madden-Pandolfo
Brylin-Rasmussen-Janssen/S. Brown


Marshall on the eg line with limit their creativeness.
Gio can work and score with anyone but the egg line cannot be broken up.
Madden line is fine.
The brylin line I likee. It will be nice to see what kind of chemistry they have on the ice.

The bottom line is if Lou doesn't find some second line scoring - the EGG line is going to broken up. So either they come up with something within or make a trade. Once the EGG line is held in check on the road - we have nothing else.

What do you think of these lines

Elias-Gomez-Marshall (Add a little grit to the top line, and they played well in 03 PO)
Gionta-Kozlov-Parise (Could maybe get Kozzy going)
Langenbrunner-Madden-Pandolfo
Brylin-Rasmussen-Janssen/S. Brown


I would rather have marshall on first line than second line; becasue at least gomer and elias can make him play more offensvie, and he can stickhandle andhe can pass, so yes if he must be on first two lines i would rather him on first line I think it gives this team lots more balance; I never liked teams that had their three best forwards on one line, even putting parise up on fist would be good.

gomer/elias/parise

kozlov/brylin/gio

madden etc. makes for a much more balance attack

or put elias on second line.......

elias/bylin/ parise

gimer/koz/gionta

Koz needs a good beat down to toughin his *** up.
He continues to play to soft and little confidence.