Forward lines:
Line 1: Frolov – Demitra – Murray
Line 2: Korolyuk – Draper – Ekman
The top 6 will be counted on for big offense, as they all have good shooting numbers this disk. Frolov is due for a big year after sitting for most of last season, while free agent additions Korolyuk and Ekman will take pressure off Demitra and Murray, the Rovers two perennial big guns.
Line 3: Halpern – Jokinen – Horton
Line 4: Malone – Legwand – Isbister
The anticipated scoring depth should come from the lower lines, where Horton, Malone, Halpern, and even Isbister are expected to contribute to the offense. The team doesn’t have the defensive forwards it had in previous seasons (Dahlen, Knuble, Johansson), but hopes to
make up for it with offensive guys that can forecheck.
Defensive Pairings
DP 1: Regehr – Pronger
DP 2: Johnsson – Brewer
DP 3: Liles – Hill
The top 4 will log most of the minutes here, with Liles potentially splitting time with a veteran like Cale Hulse. Pronger will add a lot in all areas, including being relied upon heavily in both the PP and PK.
Goaltending: Gerber – Mason
This will probably be a committee all season. Gerber isn’t a big name but should be able to get the job done, while Mason sports excellent numbers and will be tested early to see if he warrants facing the top teams.
Bench
Bergeron, Hall, Malhotra, Hulse, Ward, Montador, Hedberg
A larger bench than carried by the Rovers in previous seasons; this may be an area that is trimmed if the Rovers look to reduce payroll. Bergeron, Hall, and Malhotra are all capable RHLers, while Hulse could skate regularly for a number of teams. Hopefully the team doesn’t get into a situation where Ward and Montador are relied upon, and there shouldn’t be any need for Orange Cone this season with Hedberg on standby in the pressbox.
October 18, 2005 at 10:15 pm
It’s interesting to contrast your team of all good but no spectacular players (save Pronger and his “salary”) with some other teams of the Champions who are a little more name-heavy, would look superificially better if you wrote up a similar article, yet form teams which will be nowhere as good as yours. I think it’s a sign that I’m getting a lot older when the players whose name value so closely related to their real value 8 years ago now only decieve me into overrating some teams.
October 19, 2005 at 12:27 pm
I’ll confess to being more of a sabermetric guy when it comes to RHL players these days, though that has backfired in a few cases (Eric Daze being one). Whether it pans out or not is another thing. Still, there are “name” guys that always play well regardless of their stats. Perhaps that is due more to good coaching than the name on the sweater, but it’s always interesting to note some of the same names at the top of the league season in and season out that don’t seem to always have the greatest stats.
October 19, 2005 at 4:41 pm
I try to be sabermetric as it concerns my roster management …
But then I do something retarded like trade for Jaromir Jagr.–>