Where does Martin Havlat fit in?

[SJVP408]

Who do you play him with to maximize the team's talent? Would it be a stretch to call him a poor man's Zetterburg?

Marleau-Thornton-Couture
Clowe-Pavs-Havlat

Both Pavs and Couture are more of a scoring centermen. They will need playmakers. Thornton will be Couture's. Havlat will be Pavs'. No need for Pavs to switch positions while Couture has played wing at times. Thornton doesn't get his right handed winger, but Marleau can be more aggressive offensively with Couture being defensively responsible.

 

[filosofy29]

I think you have to keep Clowe and Couture together. I'd go with this to keep speed balanced as well as 2 centermen on each line:

Pavelski-Thornton-Havlat
Marleau-Couture-Clowe

 

[Nimesis23]

I think you've got to put him with Joe if you want to maximize his goal scoring potential. I'm watching some of his highlights from last year and the guy has more speed than anyone on the roster outside of maybe Marleau and he can finish unlike Setoguchi and Heatley the last couple years. Should be an interesting season.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I'm going to go with:

Couture - Thornton - Havlat
Marleau - Pavelski - Clowe

Gives two centers on each line for faceoff purposes and evens out the speed and forchecking ability.

 

[SJVP408]

I'm going to go with:

Couture - Thornton - Havlat
Marleau - Pavelski - Clowe

Gives two centers on each line for faceoff purposes and evens out the speed and forchecking ability.

If you wanted to spread the speed around, wouldn't you go with what filo proposed? Your Marleau-Pavs-Clowe line has Marleau thinking defensively and as the lone hard forechecker.

One thing about your lines that I like, besides the two Cs on each line, is having Marleau and Thornton split up posing problems for the opposition matchup wise.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

If you wanted to spread the speed around, wouldn't you go with what filo proposed? Your Marleau-Pavs-Clowe line has Marleau thinking defensively and as the lone hard forechecker.

One thing about your lines that I like, besides the two Cs on each line, is having Marleau and Thornton split up posing problems for the opposition matchup wise.

Pavs and Couture are the two best forecheckers of the top six. Havlat and Marleau have the speed with Thornton and Clowe handling the puck control part of the game.

 

[SJVP408]

Pavs and Couture are the two best forecheckers of the top six. Havlat and Marleau have the speed with Thornton and Clowe handling the puck control part of the game.

Are you implying he is good as the first man in, second man in, or just good in general? I think his lack of speed and reach has me underestimating his forechecking ability.

My lines of:
Marleau-Thornton-Couture
Clowe-Pavs-Havlat

Has a bit of a flaw in that Havlat has no one to rush up ice with speed with, but that's where I hope the added speed to the blueline helps to compensate for.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Are you implying he is good as the first man in, second man in, or just good in general? I think his lack of speed and reach has me underestimating his forechecking ability.

My lines of:
Marleau-Thornton-Couture
Clowe-Pavs-Havlat

Has a bit of a flaw in that Havlat has no one to rush up ice with speed with, but that's where I hope the added speed to the blueline helps to compensate for.

Neither Pavs or Couture are the most fleet of foot, or skate in this case, but both read the play so increadibly well that they are able to beat the puck to spots and close gaps on dmen really quick. Both are also very good with their sticks and are able to force a lot of turnovers.

 

[SJVP408]

Neither Pavs or Couture are the most fleet of foot, or skate in this case, but both read the play so increadibly well that they are able to beat the puck to spots and close gaps on dmen really quick. Both are also very good with their sticks and are able to force a lot of turnovers.

Gotcha. No doubt those two can think the game and that is the most important requisite when coming in on the forecheck.

I like my lines of
Marleau-Thornton-Couture
Clowe-Pavs-Havlat

because Pavs would have a great setup man in Havlat getting him chances to use his potent shot. Also, since TMac likes to go strength vs strength, I would totally trust that Thornton line against any opposition top line.

Filo mentioned keeping Clowe/Couture together since Clowe is Couture's personal bodyguard on top of the chemistry they had together. Very valid reason there as well. Fun to speculate, and Todd has a lot of options.