Prime Minister Koivu Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 There are several threads where posters have posted their lines for upcoming season. I thought we could put our heads together and come up with CJ's opening night's line combos. Hell, I am super excited for the season to start. I am going into this with the assumption that Byron will be a salary cap casualty so I'm not going to include him. Drouin - Suzuki - Armia - This line had great chemistry in the playoffs so we should see if that carries over to the regular season Taffoli - Danault - Gallagher - Taffoli brings a better shot than Tatar and also brings some grit Tatar - Kotkaniemi - Anderson - I'm hoping Anderson can mentor KK in the ways of a power forward. We saw glimpses of what KK can do when he uses his size and goes to the net. Lehkonen - Evans - Weal Chairot - Weber Kulak - Petry Edmundson - Romanov This is a significant upgrade to our team and I can't wait to destroy this season. What lines would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) I like certain duos and I will be looking for some stability at the start of the season. Also, I still need to see the kids win more ice time ( “1st” line getting more minutes than “3rd” line): Tatar-Danault-Gallagher Drouin-Suzuki-Tofoli Byron-Kotkaniemi-Anderson Lehkonen-Evans-Armia Chiarot-Weber Kulak-Petry Ramanov-Edmundson (Mete-Juulsen) P.S. doing this makes me think Lehkonen and Armia would join Mete on the trading block unless they show they are core contributors to the Habs cup run Edited October 13, 2020 by alfredoh2009 Added comment on Lehkonen and Armia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsfan89 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Toffoli / Suzuki Anderson Tatar / Danault / Gallagher Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia Lehkonen / Evan / Byron (if not traded) Chiarot / Weber Romanov / Petry Kulak / Edmundson Price/ Allan PP Drouin / Suzuki / Anderson Toffoli / danault / Gallagher Tatar / Kotkaniemi / Armia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 I do think we'd want Toffoli, Anderson, Gallagher and Armia all on the top three lines. And that likely means Toffoli playing on the left wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 27 minutes ago, tomh009 said: I do think we'd want Toffoli, Anderson, Gallagher and Armia all on the top three lines. And that likely means Toffoli playing on the left wing. This continues to be my question with Toffoli. If he can play LW, it's huge for this team. If he can't, then we continue to have an unbalanced roster with a weak left side. God forbid the well-paid "experts" could shed any light on this crucial question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 7 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said: This continues to be my question with Toffoli. If he can play LW, it's huge for this team. If he can't, then we continue to have an unbalanced roster with a weak left side. God forbid the well-paid "experts" could shed any light on this crucial question. I haven't heard a single "expert" (TSN, Sportsnet) say anything about this either way. The TSN guys gave their rendition of Hanb lines and Toffoli was LW on second line so Im assuming he does play LW (or you are right in your assessment) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 15 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said: The lines I’d like to see are: Tatar-Danault-Armia Drouin-Suzuki-Anderson Toffoli-KK-Gallagher Lekonan-Evans-Poehling (if he has a good camp) I wanted to add this from another thread because I like these lines too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Expect that, at least to start, CJ will keep TT-PD-BG together ... I also expect JD-NS and KK-JA to stay together ... so the question is who fills the empty spot Tartar - Danault - Gallagher Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson ... to add physicality, and JA is fast enough to keep up Toffolli - KK - Armia ... I am confident that it was confirmed that TT can play LW before he signed This has a "grinder" on each line and offence throughout Currently that leaves Lehkonen, Byron, Weal and Evans ... I expect Evans to be pencilled in as the 4C ... I also hope Weal will get dumped on someone (e.g., Weal and a 2021 4th for a 2024 3rd) and I expect that Byron gets moved (Ottawa?) ... but expect the 4th line may end up looking very different than we expect (no reason, just a hunch) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 21 minutes ago, GHT120 said: Tartar - Danault - Gallagher Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson ... to add physicality, and JA is fast enough to keep up Toffolli - KK - Armia ... I am confident that it was confirmed that TT can play LW before he signed This has a "grinder" on each line and offence throughout I would personally hestiate to call Gallagher or Anderson, for example, grinders, as they have talent to go along with their physical play. But I do agree that this arrangement would have physical players on each line. The third line even more so, as all of Toffoli, Kotkaniemi and Armia are unafraid and willing to mix things up physically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, tomh009 said: I would personally hestiate to call Gallagher or Anderson, for example, grinders, as they have talent to go along with their physical play. But I do agree that this arrangement would have physical players on each line. The third line even more so, as all of Toffoli, Kotkaniemi and Armia are unafraid and willing to mix things up physically. I meant it in the sense of "willing to grind" ... although I don't take terms like grinder, scorer, playmaker, faceoff-guy, etc. to necessarily being limiting/mutually-exclusive ... players can fit multiple terms (e.g., Gallagher is at least two of those terms) ... it has to be taken in the context of the player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zumpano21 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 I love the armchair approach to this thread but we’re probably going to see every single permutation of lines possible. That’s just business as usual with a team. Personally, I can’t wait to hear the French media drone on about how Danault and Drouin are logging increased minutes on the 3rd line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 1 minute ago, zumpano21 said: ... I can’t wait to hear the French media drone on about how Danault and Drouin are logging increased minutes on the 3rd line. I cannot see those two playing together ... won't say ever, but they just don't seem to mesh ... and IMO the terms first, second, third lines will likely mean very little next season ... TOI will vary game-by-game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 28 minutes ago, GHT120 said: I cannot see those two playing together ... won't say ever, but they just don't seem to mesh ... and IMO the terms first, second, third lines will likely mean very little next season ... TOI will vary game-by-game Yes. Julien will really be able to roll four effective lines, so likely no line will consistently dominate the time on ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 A currently cap compliant lineup? Tatar - Danault - Gallagher (Why fix what ain't broke) Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson (Big man creates space, Drouin and Suzuki use it) Byron - Kotkaniemi - Toffoli (Transition OP, plz no nerf) Lehkonen - Weal - Armia (This is a line that can start in their own end, and 10 seconds later they're cycling in the opposition end for the rest of their shift.) Edmundson - Petry (Fly Petry... join that rush) Chiarot - Weber (It works, kinda, why mess with it) Romanov - Mete (Mete has the experience at RD over Kulak) Kulak Price (Call me crazy, but I think he might be a really good goalie) Allen (Also a good goalie, but I dunno, something about that Carey Price guy just screams Franchise Player to me) Potential cap casualties: Armia, Kulak, Weal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 45 minutes ago, Trizzak said: A currently cap compliant lineup? Tatar - Danault - Gallagher (Why fix what ain't broke) Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson (Big man creates space, Drouin and Suzuki use it) Byron - Kotkaniemi - Toffoli (Transition OP, plz no nerf) Lehkonen - Weal - Armia (This is a line that can start in their own end, and 10 seconds later they're cycling in the opposition end for the rest of their shift.) Edmundson - Petry (Fly Petry... join that rush) Chiarot - Weber (It works, kinda, why mess with it) Romanov - Mete (Mete has the experience at RD over Kulak) Kulak Price (Call me crazy, but I think he might be a really good goalie) Allen (Also a good goalie, but I dunno, something about that Carey Price guy just screams Franchise Player to me) Potential cap casualties: Armia, Kulak, Weal This is an interesting take. If Armia is a cap casualty then I can see your top 9 working well but if Armia stays then is he wasted on the 4th line? I'm also curious about Kulak. I thought he was really good paired with Petry so why make the change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 57 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said: If Armia is a cap casualty then I can see your top 9 working well but if Armia stays then is he wasted on the 4th line? No, not at all. The 4th line is where he belongs on a decent team. 6 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said: Chiarot-Weber Kulak-Petry Romanov-Edmundson 6 hours ago, Habsfan89 said: Chiarot / Weber Romanov / Petry Kulak / Edmundson I'm quite confident that they didn't trade for and sign Edmundson to that contract to play on his off-side on the 3rd pairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 56 minutes ago, Fanpuck33 said: ... I'm quite confident that they didn't trade for and sign Edmundson to that contract to play on his off-side on the 3rd pairing. Edmondson said at his presser he can play both sides ... I expect him to be on the third pairing with Romanov (at least for the first 1/4 - 1/2 of the season) ... sides to be settled once they see Romanov in camp and determine the side on which he is most comfortable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Drouin - Suzuki - Toffoli Tatar - Danault - Gallagher Byron (if still there) - KK - Anderson Lehkonen - Evans - Armia that 4th line is GOLD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 3 minutes ago, JoeLassister said: ... Lehkonen - Evans - Armia that 4th line is GOLD. Agree ... the only improvement from current contracts that I see would be if Poehling gets his <stuff> together and beats Evans out in TC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, GHT120 said: Agree ... the only improvement from current contracts that I see would be if Poehling gets his <stuff> together and beats Evans out in TC I'm an Evans fan. I don't know whether his ceiling is any higher than the fourth line, but I really like what he brings to the game. To me, the drive is there, he wants that 4C spot worse than Poehling does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 3 minutes ago, tomh009 said: I'm an Evans fan. I don't know whether his ceiling is any higher than the fourth line, but I really like what he brings to the game. To me, the drive is there, he wants that 4C spot worse than Poehling does. Totally agree ... that is why I absolutely pencil Evans in UNLESS Poehling tears it up at camp and beats him out ... frankly don't expect Ryan to beat Jake out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 26 minutes ago, GHT120 said: Totally agree ... that is why I absolutely pencil Evans in UNLESS Poehling tears it up at camp and beats him out ... frankly don't expect Ryan to beat Jake out. In my opinion, playing Poehling on the 4th line does nothing but stunt his growth and increase the odds that he is a bust. He needs to play big minutes in Laval and get in a full season, only coming up if one of our first 3 C gets hurt. I've been a big Evans fan since watching him for Notre Dame, but I think he tops out as a #3 center with better than average offense for that role. I think playing in a 4th line role is not as harmful to his development, so I think he should absolutely play that role next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 Tatar - Danault - Gallagher (no reason to split up one of the best two way lines in the league) Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson (Drouin and Suzuki showed promise in the playoffs with Armia, Anderson is a better version of that type, if it doesn't work he can be flipped with Armia) Toffoli - Kotkaniemi - Armia (heavy line should be good on the forecheck and in possession). Lehkonen - Evans - Byron (good defensively and may be able to score a few). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 Byron is the only Hab forward in his 30s. Must be one of the younger groups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Boagalott Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Commandant said: Tatar - Danault - Gallagher (no reason to split up one of the best two way lines in the league) Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson (Drouin and Suzuki showed promise in the playoffs with Armia, Anderson is a better version of that type, if it doesn't work he can be flipped with Armia) Toffoli - Kotkaniemi - Armia (heavy line should be good on the forecheck and in possession). Lehkonen - Evans - Byron (good defensively and may be able to score a few). I basically say the same lines as you, but not in your order. Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson Tatar - Danault - Gallagher Toffoli - Kotkaniemi - Armia Lehkonen - Evans - Byron I'd probably swap KK with Danault, and I would also consider dropping Anderson to 3rd line and move the other RW up a line, because Anderson is more defensive and can kill penalties. No clue why so many have put Danault as #1C - thats just nutbar. If anything has been proven it is that Danault is not a #1C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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