Is It Time For a Line Change?

Offensive production from the Flyers’ top line of Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Jaromir Jagr has cooled off noticeably over the last month.

Between November 20 and December 20, the line combined for 18 goals and 19 assists. This includes production from Hartnell and Jagr while Giroux was out of the line-up with a concussion.

Between December 20 and today, they have been responsible for 8 goals and 20 assists together.

Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly reported today that coach Peter Laviolette sat down with Giroux to discuss his play of late, which has been increasingly erratic and visibly unfocused. When the question about breaking up their line was raised, Lavi was pretty clear about that not being an option.

According to Panaccio, Laviolette said, “You start doing that when you don’t have confidence and start to believe there is no way out. That there’s a different answer coming than what they are dealing with. I do believe they have a talent and there is chemistry there.”

He raises a good point about having patience, but for the sake of discussion, is it worth it to shift lines around soon, and what are the options?

Giroux has been vocal that he wants his line to remain intact.  He has been especially outspoken with his affinity for Jagr, who has arguably been the weak link since he returned to the roster following a groin injury.

Jagr could slide down to Danny Briere’s line, but then who do you shift back up? Jake Voracek has begun to develop chemistry with Briere, but as a player who tends to pass more than he shoots, he could be beneficial to jump-starting Giroux.

Max Talbot has skated on the second line recently, but in spite of his goal scoring success in the first half of the season, I think he fits in better as a third or fourth liner. He has just one goal and four assists over the last month.

James van Riemsdyk would have been another option to replace Jagr on the top line if he were healthy, but he is unfortunately unavailable for the foreseeable future.

Matt Brigidi of The Checking Line has proposed maintaining a third line of Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds, and I have to agree with that logic. Couturier has certainly earned the additional ice time over Brayden Schenn, who continues to be an enigma offensively.

Following these scenarios, though, Schenn would be the forward who replaces Talbot on the second line.

Before performing this exercise, I was of the mentality that a line change may be necessary as the second half of the season continues.  After looking at the various scenarios, though, I have to agree with Laviolette: give Giroux time to work this out.

Giroux has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt that he will take his coach’s wisdom to heart and stop trying to do too much when he is on the ice. How he responds to this adversity on the ice over the weekend will help determine whether a line change, despite Laviolette’s insistence to the contrary, is necessary.

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