Idk how I feel about Kovy and Parise on the same line, but I guess well see how it works. Looks like Sykora-Elias-Zubrus, with Sykora moving to the left, on the 2nd line. I wonder if Tedenby might get a shot on the Elias line at some point if the Kovy-Parise-Palmieri line sticks for a while. Sure will be interesting. I am really hoping the team pull through with these injuries.

I have a bad feeling about this move.

This reminds me of some of John MacLean’s increasingly desperate attempts to generate offense during his tenure as head coach. To me, this also seems to be weakening the team at its strongest position (left wing) and breaking up its best line (Parise/Elias/whomever) in order to shore up a weak point (center) with someone who isn’t particularly experienced playing there in recent years. If this were training camp, I’d be fine with the experiment…. but these are games that count.

I’d rather move Petr Sykora to center (where he played some in training camp, even if his record in the face-off circle often approached complete ineptitude) if we’re going to try moves. I’d rather throw Adam Henrique into the deep end by putting him on the second line (with Bradley Mills on the third line and Rod Pelley centering the 4th) if we’re going to scramble to fill holes. I’d rather go a few more games with the lineup we iced against Pittsburgh and then judge what moves need to be made.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but I can’t say I see this move as necessary. This has all the looks of a panic move born from desperation…. and desperation is often the patron saint of ex-head coaches.