If there is one thing that irritates me about some of today’s coaches in the NHL, it is that they are constantly changing line combinations. Michel Therrien is probably changes his lines the most of any coach and it drives me mad. How can three players get used to each other’s tendencies, movements and feel for the game if they don’t share tons of ice time?
Maybe I’m just too damn old but does anyone remember these:
Detroit Red Wings’ top line of Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Sid Abel, known as the Production Line, being in Detroit and all.
Or how about this not-so-politically-correct line of Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart, Bobby Bauer from the Boston Bruins’ Kraut Line. Then there is the famous “French Connection Line”. Their members consisted of Gil Perreault, Rick Martin, and Rene Robert. There was the Los Angeles Kings’ famous “Triple Crown Line” consisting of Hall of Famers Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, and Charlie Simmer. The Penguins had their own line, “The Century Line” featuring Syl Apps, Lowell MacDonald and Jean Pronovost. They scored 107 goals in the 1973-74 season.
And then there are the funnier names, like “The Long Island Electric Company.” Its members were Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, and Clark Gillies of the New York Islanders. Ever hear of Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert, and Vic Hadfield of the Rangers? They were nicknamed, “The Gag Line”, or “goal a game” line.One of the more famous lines of recent years is the line of Eric Lindross, John LeClair, and Mikael Renberg of The Legion of Doom. The name fits these big guys from Philly.
These lines are more than just names. They are a following, a trio of men who learn to work together to achieve a common goal. Players who train with each other, learn where so-and-so will be and when, and help teams win.
This brings me back to Therrien. In training camp, Sidney Crosby, Petr Sykora and Mark Recchi worked out on the top line most of the time. Then, in the last week of camp, he switches all the lines and starts the season with the new combinations. And how did that work out? Offensively, not very well. So against the Maple Leafs, he goes back to the training camp lines and he gets 50+ shots on goal, a 6-4 victory and a pretty good road game.
It seems to me that being familiar with your line mates leads to a couple of things. First, scoring chances and good puck movement. Secondly, you can get a really cool nickname, like the Mark Syd’s Petr line.
Well maybe not.
