Unthinkable
02-11-2004, 05:33 PM
1) Callup Ray Giroux from the Albany River Rats and play him regularly in place of Albelin/Brown/Hale. Give him his shot to shine again just like he did a year ago when he demonstrated quite proficiently he can help this team in every situation you throw him in and could bring more offense to the PP then what Paul Martin has done so far. He's already shown he can handle the big minutes and not make mistakes with this team. Lets bring him up and have him push Paul Martin to elevate his game further with some good old fashioned competition breathing down his neck. This move will take even more of the burden off our top 3 defenders right now all playing with more ice time. Giroux has been an AHL All Star for a reason. Get him back in here asap.
2) Try Jamie Langenbrunner on the top line with Patrik Elias now that he's finding his old game speed legs and hands. Our checking line really needs a jumpstart right now. I'd throw Turner Stevenson back on it to try and get the boys jumping with more energy. The lack of extra offense from Madden and Pandolfo and the fourth line has really been hurting this team the last two months. Drop Grant Marshall for a few games and work in Pihlman or Darby on the fourth line. Rupp and Darby can always switch positions as well.
Elias - Gomez - Langenbrunner
Friesen - Brylin - Gionta
Pandolfo - Madden - Stevenson
Rasmussen - Rupp - Pihlman/Darby
3) Not waste anymore time then necessary postponing this teams inevitable need for more goal scorers with finish. Larionov was a mistake. Rasmussen has been good as a physical presence on the fourth line filling in for Jim McKenzie without the fighting part of his game. Problem is we still miss Joe Nieuwendyk's presence on the top lines more then anything at all when it comes down to the kind of balanced scoring we had in spades last season.
2) Try Jamie Langenbrunner on the top line with Patrik Elias now that he's finding his old game speed legs and hands. Our checking line really needs a jumpstart right now. I'd throw Turner Stevenson back on it to try and get the boys jumping with more energy. The lack of extra offense from Madden and Pandolfo and the fourth line has really been hurting this team the last two months. Drop Grant Marshall for a few games and work in Pihlman or Darby on the fourth line. Rupp and Darby can always switch positions as well.
Elias - Gomez - Langenbrunner
Friesen - Brylin - Gionta
Pandolfo - Madden - Stevenson
Rasmussen - Rupp - Pihlman/Darby
3) Not waste anymore time then necessary postponing this teams inevitable need for more goal scorers with finish. Larionov was a mistake. Rasmussen has been good as a physical presence on the fourth line filling in for Jim McKenzie without the fighting part of his game. Problem is we still miss Joe Nieuwendyk's presence on the top lines more then anything at all when it comes down to the kind of balanced scoring we had in spades last season.