Based on the last few games, the Florida Panthers should consider changing/tweaking up the defensive pairings to ensure better usage from the defense all around.
The defensive pairings that coach Boughner has stuck to, have been successful in some areas of the ice. To stay that the defense has been a complete disaster would be absurd and plain wrong. Obviously, with that being said, there are areas that must be addressed appropriately and tuned for the upcoming games.
Throughout the first four games, the pairings have remained the same: Keith Yandle – Aaron Ekblad as the first pair, Mark Pysyk – Michael Matheson as the second pair and Alex Petrovic – Ian McCoshen as the third pair.
The top line of Yandle and Ekblad consists of two offensive defensemen whose similar play can hurt the team at times. Boughner should consider placing Ekblad with Michael Matheson on the same pairing, as the two complement each other very nicely in style of play.
Ekblad, on one hand, wouldn’t have to worry about the excessive turnovers caused by Keith Yandle at times. Aaron would be able to play his game in all three zones of the ice, without having the fear of a counter-attack going back the other way because of a turnover.
Usage between Michael and Aaron shouldn’t be an area of concern considering the two-way style they both play. While we know Michael loves to jump up in the play and provide an extra threat up front, someone like Aaron would be responsible for hanging back and covering the defensive side of things (which he’s decent at). Matheson is usually pretty good with getting back after jumping up in the play. His responsible awareness on both sides of the rink shouldn’t leave Ekblad with too much duty to hold.
On the flip side, this will also allow Aaron to pinch in and provide some offense up front. Through the last couple of games, we’ve seen that Aaron loves to sneak in behind the opposing defense in the slot area, waiting for that one-timer feed. Matheson to can also cover for Ekblad when he jumps up in the play. The two would make for a strong defensive duo and would likely give the Cats that extra spark up front.
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The second defensive pairing that should be taken into account would be to have both Yandle and Pysyk on a line. When you have a defenseman like Yandle who is strictly offensive minded, you need a responsible defensive-defenseman who can cover for him at all times. Too many times have we seen Yandle being caught with either bad turnovers or untimely pinches. Pysyk would at least be able to cover for Yandle, even if he were to occasionally mess up.
Keith could also use the reassurance of having a defensive minded defenseman like Pysyk himself, knowing that if something were to go wrong, he would have a reliable defenseman in Mark to cover/bail him out.
The third defensive pairing which I’d suggest (but is already in place) is Alex Petrovic and Ian McCoshen. Really, the only thing that Boughner could do is rotate Petrovic’s defensive partner between McCoshen and Mackenzie Weegar. Depending on who’s hot (in form), injured or isn’t playing up to standards, could influence who grabs the extra spot on the bottom defensive line.
What I really like about this situation is that it forces both Weegar and McCoshen to play to their fullest potential, while giving 150% every night, every shift. Alex is pretty much a lock on the bottom line and does his job really well, without any concerns. Currently, it’s McCoshen who holds the last spot on the defensive core. However, depending on how the rest of the year goes and how both he and Weegar are playing, the tides can change very quickly in one’s favor.
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Ultimately, this is solely a decision that will be made by the discretion of Boughner himself. Realistically, these defensive pairings do have “success” written all over it hypothetically. What it comes down to is if these pairings would really work in a game scenario. We’ll only know if Bob Boughner gives it a shot, and from what I sense, it’s very likely that he’ll keep the present pairings in tack.