The Sceptres had two forward line experiments in training camp that have been a study in combination chemistry.
The Sceptres had two forward line experiments in training camp that have been a study in combination chemistry.
From the first day of camp, coach Troy Ryan wondered aloud about combining his power forwards: Hannah Miller, Julia Gosling, and Jesse Compher. The concept was intriguing: each one could play center and take face offs in different situations. They all have some scoring upside and could certainly wear out other teams' defense with a cycle or physical game.
"Each player on that line has obviously played a big chunk of their career in the middle, but they all have some experience on the wing as well. So it could be valuable there to have it so interchangeable, like if there's a face-off on the left side versus the right side, we've got a righty that can take it, we’ve got a lefty that can take it, so it can be valuable if chemistry forms.”
It also would allow the team to start Gosling in a slightly more sheltered role. She wouldn't have to step up and try to "replace Spooner" or be matched against other teams' top lines.
However, the other option is to spread out the three on separate lines, adding someone who can force their way through opponents and potentially give the puck to a sniper like Daryl Watts or Sarah Nurse.
The other experiment in alchemy is with captain Blayre Turnbull and winger Emma Maltais (both of whom look ready to provide more offense this season ).
The choice for winger to play on that line is free agent addition Emma Woods. It makes sense-- someone to clear out bodies, fight for pucks and provide size, although neither Maltais or Turnbull shy away from contact.
The results in camp were mixed. The power forward line had some shifts that were markedly heavy and hard for opponents to handle. But offense didn't materialize and Gosling was not afforded many chances to fire her lethal shot.
Would Gosling be a fit with Turnbull and Maltais? Certainly, there is some familiarity among the trio from the national team. Perhaps a newcomer like Noemi Neubauerova could make Toronto's third line a seriously dangerous tactical weapon with Compher. Miller is flexible enough to move up in the lineup if the Watts-Nurse-Daniel line doesn't score -- although that trio had some good moments together.
The combinations are almost too many to juggle without leaving someone out or in a fourth-line spot that they didn't count on.
Coach Ryan said, “One of the things with our group is one move or one decision tends to change three or four things. Last year, for example, we'd have Maltais with Turnbull, but if we didn't have Maltais with Turnbull, we'd put Maltais up with Nurse, but it generally changed who would be on Turnbull's right side.
“So a lot of it is in a couple of those moves and what we'll do,” he explained.
“Everybody wants depth and I'm obviously very happy that we've got a little bit more depth this year, but it does create some different side conversations that we've got to manage for sure.”
The driving motivation for the Sceptres should be creating offense. Without the league's top scorer for the foreseeable future, their lines need to be constructed to maximize the potential of players like Maltais, Nurse, Watts, and Gosling. And if those players get scoring confidence, the team will be that much more potent when Spooner makes her return.
Whether these early experiments survive until opening night and beyond will be a fascinating question to follow.