Versatile Prospal fills need for Jackets | BlueJacketsXtra

A great, cost effective signing.

Carter has played with Vinny before, as has RJ.

I expect Vinny to play left wing with Carter and Nash

on the first line while RJ provides the grit on a solid

second line with Vermette and Brassard.

When Juice gets back he can anchor a third line

with the up and coming Calvert.

This is the best Jackets team in a long time.

PMain wrote:

A great, cost effective signing.
Carter has played with Vinny before, as has RJ.
I expect Vinny to play left wing with Carter and Nash
on the first line while RJ provides the grit on a solid
second line with Vermette and Brassard.
When Juice gets back he can anchor a third line
with the up and coming Calvert.
This is the best Jackets team in a long time.

The best Jackets team in a long time, try best Jackets team ever...at least on paper.

I agree with your assessment, was just being humble.

Didn't want to come off as the typical know-it-all
Canadian hockey observer (even though I am).

Any chance Filatov finally flourishes playing with Spezza in Ottawa?

I say 30/70 he lasts until Christmas.

PMain wrote:

I agree with your assessment, was just being humble.
Didn't want to come off as the typical know-it-all
Canadian hockey observer (even though I am).
Any chance Filatov finally flourishes playing with Spezza in Ottawa?
I say 30/70 he lasts until Christmas.

He better...If he fails in Ottawa I don't see him getting another chance with a NHL team. Although they should give him atleast a couple years to get it together. He didn't have much of a chance here. Howson forced him on Hitch (which is probably were Filatov's attitude problems started) instead of making him work his way up in the minors. I don't understand why people think players are NHL ready...What does it hurt if a player (even a NHL ready one) has to spend a year or two in the minors ? It's very rare that a rookie in any sport makes a team "a contender" his first year.

Good move picking up Vinny and putting him on the 1st line, he will be more productive then juice. I agree with PMain put juice on the third line when he comes back. Might want to try Vinny at center with Carter and nash on the wings ?

If juice is back by Christmas and Ryan Johansen
has proven by then that he can handle the rigours of NHL hockey that could be a fairly formidable third line:

Huselius-Johansen-Calvert

Kubalik could push for a 3rd line role as well.

The other interesting battle will be for the 7th D-man spot between Mooore, Savard, Holden and Johnson.

PMain wrote:

If juice is back by Christmas and Ryan Johansen
has proven by then that he can handle the rigours of NHL hockey that could be a fairly formidable third line:
Huselius-Johansen-Calvert
Kubalik could push for a 3rd line role as well.
The other interesting battle will be for the 7th D-man spot between Mooore, Savard, Holden and Johnson.

The CBJ would really want Sammy Pahlson on that 3rd line. He has demonstrated an ability to win key face-off's and is able to effectively shut down an opponents top center or winger. But I agree with the point you are making.

To PMain if Johanson proves to be the real deal as touted why not play him on the second line and move Brassard down ? I and many others are getting tired of his cutesie blind look drop passes in front of the net that the other team intercepts and takes to the other end for an odd man rush..time for him to man up !!!!!

When Juice comes back, you throw him on the top line, get him some points and ship him off to the first team that asks - him and his $4.75M. We cannot afford to have that much money on the 3rd line - look what happened last year with the $6M 3rd line! If Johansen is successful, move him up to the 3rd line and move Pahlsson's $2.75M off too. I like the Prospal signing for two reasons - he produces when he plays and he's cheaper than other options. Now, how about Ray Emery and 2 more d-men to keep us drooling until Camp opens?

Juice is NOT a third-line player. The third line is supposed to shut down the other team's first line. Do you want him on the ice trying to stop Pavel Datsyuk or Patrick Kane?

It might be better to put him on 1 or 2 and move Prospal down, just to have the better defense on the third.