From what I saw last night (WTF do I know, I'm just a Leafs fan) Jacques was the best player on that line or at worst the second best. Unlike #10 he isn't getting paid a $5.5 million cap hit to look like the 2nd or 3rd wheel on the top line. Ironic that Oilers fans used to bitch me out when I'd complain about Schremp getting saddled with the likes of the wickedly awesome Jonas Almtorp in preseason, yet if #83 and #10 don't have Dany Heatley on their left or at least Dustin Penner, they're getting screwed over and Quinn is an idiot.
It is not Jacques' fault that H and H sucked last night, Horcoff creates NOTHING out there and Hemsky is fumbling out of the gate again. At least Penner got something done last night on a line where he isn't the defacto 3rd wheel because H and H want to play the 2 man game so much. As I was told before, if Schremp is good enough he'll stand out no matter who his linemates are, it's too bad that the same doesn't apply to Horcoff or Hemsky. Right now both players need to find their games and while they look to do just that Penner will keep rolling on the 2nd line and Jacques will be clearing room and adding energy.
Jacques has earned this opportunity and he can and will take advantage of it when HIS linemates get THEIR shit together. Right now we've got 2 highly paid guys with years of chemistry together doing next to nothing offensively. Once they get their games in order it will become a solid line and for once we'll have someone on there that is more than willing to cave someone's face in if they rough up Hemsky. It's just too bad that we don't have a more skilled option down the middle because Jacques is a perfect 3rd wheel to that line, unfortunately H and H seem to be joined at the hip, if they keep up this piss poor play they can and should be split up. And Quinn has the guts to do just that.
A Jacques-Horcoff-Penner line would likely be a dandy, IF Horcoff regained his form as a solid playmaker after so many years of adapting his game to Hemsky's.
6 comments:
I think Penner is pretty happy with the linemates he has: Penner - Brule - Cogliano. He was also getting time with O'Sullivan and Comrie and scored a goal. Breaking up his chemistry to try and kickstart H & H is pretty much a non-starter as far as I'm concerned.
Horcoff had one shot on net last night, and is basically invisible out there in the offensive zone. He had a good night on the dot, but there isn't much more to his game right now. Brule played more minutes than Horcoff, so perhaps Quinn is starting to take notice of the lack of compete in #10.
Jacques is doing pretty well, IMO. He'll get his chance up on the first line, and so long as he continues punishing the D down low, he'll stay on that line. It is just too soft without him.
Agreed, Horc needs to up his game, simply winning faceoffs isn't good enough, if it were we should've kept Stoll and sent Horc packing and saved $2 million in cap space if we wanted to over pay a 3rd liner.
Horc is being paid like a 1st liner, he needs to start playing like it. Penner like you said is fine and dandy in a secondary role, leave him be while H and H gets their play in order.
What a confusing rant. Where are these people that are claiming Hemsky and Horcoff are getting screwed over with JFJ? JFJ earned his spot on the roster, like you and any hockey fan can see, so how do you compare him to Schremp's situation in years past? Are you saying if he had H&H as linemates in pre season he would have made the team?
What's ironic is JFJ made the roster despite H&H's relatively poor pre season play. He stood out. Good on him. Interesting to have seen if Schremp could have done any better with the 2 "plug's" H&H.
You state JFJ has earned his spot and will take advantage of it when his linemates get their act together. Huh? So what's he to do while he waits for his linemates?
If JFJ continues to play as he has, he will still be on the first line only with different first line linemates, if H/H continue to falter. And it's only one game in...sheesh.....
Jim
There are a number of people saying that Jacques belongs nowhere near H and H, I'm saying that it's the other way around. I'm also saying that H and H need to put up or shut up like how others told me Schremp needed to do regardless of linemates.
I'm just saying that when the shoe is on the other foot suddenly it's H and H's linemates fault. I call BS, it's their fault, they need to get their heads out of their asses.
Jacques is fine where he is, he earned that chance, and he is the least of that lines worries right now.
I fully agree with you Bry. I'm sick of putting any hopes into Hemsky stepping his game up. When Horcoff and Hemsky are on the ice, I don't even look at them as the top line.
On the PP I don't consider them any sort of threat. It's all about Souray and Penner on the doorstep.
For all I care Hemsky and Horcoff can fuck off.
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