New Center For The Third Line?

Last week I posted an article about what to do with rookie center Mark Arcobello when Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall both return to the line-up, for the record I wouldn’t be surprised if both injured players return within the same time frame. You can read the full article here; I talk about where I would be using Arcobello when the whole team is healthy if I was the head coach of the Oilers.

Briefly I stated that I would put Arcobello down on the fourth line and have Ryan Jones and Jesse Joensuu on his wings. Well I got roasted by the idea of having Mark on the bottom line, even though I suggested splitting the three/four line minutes, and to be honest with you after watching him play two more games, and seeing how he’s a point a game player I’m going to change my tune a little bit. Here’s what I’ve come up with.

Jones – Arcobello – Hemsky

There my friends, is your new third line! So what changed in a week you ask? Well I kept thinking about the subject and the more and more I did the more and more, like the rest of you, I came to the realization that Arco does not fit on the 4^th line. Boyd Gordon is more suited for that roll.

Gordon has done nothing but improve the play of the players around him this season, his defensive responsibility is tops on the team when it comes to forwards and if you pair him with the proper wingers say Joensuu/Smyth and Pitlick then you’ve got yourself one hell of a good fourth line combination.

I know you’re going to say, where do you spread the ice time? Well, I discussed the issue of ice time in the last piece too, but I’ll give it to you again. Currently Gordon is getting 16:05/game and Acton is averaging 7:46/game. First, Acton gets sent down or healthy scratched or whatever. So then Coach Eakins splits the ice time Between Gordon and Arcobello, obviously Gordon has been taking the majority of defensive zone draws so that can continue, but the Oilers will then have their three/four centers playing 12 minutes/night each.

Give or take a minute or two more or less with penalty kill and powerplay time and you’ve got yourself four good centers who can seemingly win face-offs and keep the puck out of their nets. Yes I know Nuge is minus 6 billion, but that won’t last.

What say you loyal readers?

Thanks for Reading