Naslund @ RW?

[tuzzi44]

Hey guys,
If Markus Naslund does move to the right side... what does this do for our lineup?? It doesnt sound like he thinks it will change his game and its a plus he has experience on the right. what does everyone think?


"The biggest deal Canucks GM Dave Nonis made over the summer was trading right-winger Todd Bertuzzi to Florida in a package that brought goaltender Roberto Luongo to Vancouver. This could result in Naslund being moved to Bertuzzi's wing from his spot on the left side.

"I don't have a problem with it," Naslund said. "I played right all the way until Crow (Crawford) put me on the left side. It might take a little while to really feel comfortable." "

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Va ... 62-ap.html

[jchockey]

It's possible - Montreal's doing the same thing. Sergei Samsonov and Alexei Kovalev are going to play off-wing, so that when they cut towards the net they're on their forehand.

Not a bad idea, considering the huge glut of LWs we have.

[Linden Is God]

But with who?? The Twins? Or with Mo and Bulis?

[tuzzi44]

i never even thought of that.... the sedins and naslund?? wow. maybe the best line in hockey right now. leaves our second line weaker... but the sedins have proven last season that they could be 1st liners

[MarkMM]

I don't think it makes sense to do. He was originally a RW and he's developed to the point that it probably wouldn't affect his game all that much, but our problem is not a lack of RW's so much as a lack of true top six wingers, we only have two, Daniel and Markus, to move him over to the right doesn't change this fact. We'll still have two spots, one on the right and one on the left, with guys who look out of place a bit, Cooke, Bulis and Pyatt, are not proven up there and that's the problem, it's just a coincidence that the guys we do have play the left side.

I don't like the Sedins and Naslund concept, it's been tried a couple times under Crow and looked awkward, with good reason. Their styles are generally incompatible, Markus scores off the rush and needs linemates with speed, the Sedins like to cycle and need a guy who can stand in front of the net and bang it in, Naslund wouldn't fit in there because if you watch him in the offensize zone, he plays along the perimeter before dashing to the net, quick in and out.

Besides that, this team's weakness the past few years has been that we were a one-line team, it's not a sustainable formula even when we had the dominance of the WCE, as good as the Sedins are and as a good as Naslund is, it will work even less with those three put together. This team is built for depth, NasMo and the Sedins provide the foundation for two solid lines, we just need to mix and match to get the right wingers.

[tuzzi44]

when you put it that way MarkMM, it makes perfect sense. this team lacks depth on offence. thats been known for a while. we really need to find a guy to work with the sedins... one of the biggest keys to the teams success is gonna be based on the numbers the twins put up.
But the fact that naslund can play both wings may be helpful, onyl time will tell

[MarkMM]

when you put it that way MarkMM, it makes perfect sense. this team lacks depth on offence. thats been known for a while. we really need to find a guy to work with the sedins... one of the biggest keys to the teams success is gonna be based on the numbers the twins put up.
But the fact that naslund can play both wings may be helpful, onyl time will tell

Yeah, it certainly adds flexibility. Knowing that Markus can play on the right side DOES open things up with regard to who we look to pick up...thus far we've only been looking at right wingers to pick up through free agency, maybe we just need a winger, and that expands our options.

[The_Pauser]

We've seen this movie before. Twin Swedes paired with the best offensive player on the team. The twins enjoy playing a passing game with lots of puck control down low. A major part of the Sedin's game is cycling in the offensive zone and either drawing penalties or creating a chance infront of the net.

Markus, on the other hand, plays an entirely different game. He enjoys the more run and gun style. Puck movement and shooting off the rush is how Naslund has enjoyed success over the past few years. The difference in styles, along with moving Markus to his off-wing, would be a recipe for disaster.

We already know Markus and Morrison have chemistry together, and we already know that Markus is one of the best left wingers in the game. Why mess with a working formula?

[jchockey]

Just because Naslund's moving to RW doesn't mean we should just put him with the Sedins. As MarkMM and tuzzi44 pointed out, it brings a whole lot of flexibility into our lineup. Bulis and Pyatt are natural LWs and could easily play on lines 2-4.

Bulis/Pyatt - Morrison - Naslund
Sedin - Sedin - Schultz
Pyatt/Bulis - Kesler - Cooke
Burrows - Chouinard - Linden

Naslund - Morrison - Cooke
Sedin - Sedin - Schultz
Pyatt - Kesler - Bulis
Burrows - Chouinard - Linden

Pyatt - Morrison - Naslund
Sedin - Sedin - Bulis
Chouinard - Kesler - Cooke
Bouck - Linden - Burrows

[The_Pauser]

Just because Naslund's moving to RW doesn't mean we should just put him with the Sedins. As MarkMM and tuzzi44 pointed out, it brings a whole lot of flexibility into our lineup. Bulis and Pyatt are natural LWs and could easily play on lines 2-4.

Bulis/Pyatt - Morrison - Naslund
Sedin - Sedin - Schultz
Pyatt/Bulis - Kesler - Cooke
Burrows - Chouinard - Linden

Naslund - Morrison - Cooke
Sedin - Sedin - Schultz
Pyatt - Kesler - Bulis
Burrows - Chouinard - Linden

Pyatt - Morrison - Naslund
Sedin - Sedin - Bulis
Chouinard - Kesler - Cooke
Bouck - Linden - Burrows

Why not just keep Naslund on the left side and move Bulis or Pyatt to the right side? Instead of trying to accommodate a former 40 goal scorer by keeping him in his natural position, people are suggesting we try to accomodate a 20 goal scorer and a 1st round bust so that they may play their LW position. It just doesn't add up.