Line Combos: 2017-18 Lineup

Mick Riddleton

“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”
Apr 24, 2017
14,036
15,015
Niagara
Marchand - Krech - Bjork -- Krech needs to man up and earn the high salary so does Pasta, Marshy hopefully he is feeling better
Debrusk - Spooner - Pasta -- Spooner and Pasta are good together and DeBrusk works hard in both ends
Agostino - Kuraly - Cehlarik -- Cehlarik and Agostino are playing well in the A together, shooter and a set up guy
Schaller - Nash - White -- Nash has value as a 4th liner and Pk guy same as Schaller, White can at least play tough

Chara - McAvoy -- McAvoy can skate it out better then Carlo, which Chara needs help with big time this year
Krug - Carlo -- Krug will be better with a stay at home guy that is mobile and can make a better pass out when Krug is tired
McQuaid - Miller -- This is where they belong, maybe the time is ticking on these two, Miller has to handle the puck better
 

slim399

Registered User
May 1, 2002
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Boston
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Spooner needs to be traded. Actually that one is all on Sweeney because he should have been traded before the start of the season.

Cehlarik needs to be with Krejci and Pasta with Bergeron.

Cassidy needs to get his **** together and stop with the idiotic Nash experiments or he can go back to the ahh.


I feel like Spooner probably has some value. I wonder if we could package him, Beleskey and Kokos rights for a mid pick from a team like Vegas. Be worth it just to get rid of beleskeys contract.

JFK and Cehlarik seems to have some chemistry from their first few games, would love to see them take Spooner and Beleskeys roster spots and play them with Krejci.

When everyone is healthy maybe roll something like this.

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Cehlarik-Krejci-JFK
Debrusk-Backes-Bjork

I know that is a really young line up, but I feel it would be just as good as any other line up we can currently put out with this roster and we gain a ton of cap space.
 
Last edited:

Root

Registered User
Feb 22, 2010
3,604
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Right now this team feels like a bunch of parts...no chemistry. I love how we have drafted and I think the future is bright but I think Sweeney's next step with this current roster is to identify which young guys he wants to keep, and move on from the other ones. Spooner should've been traded this offseason for sure. There are a lot of left handed wingers. Vatrano makes the most sense to move out of the young guys, but it's difficult because there is a part of me that still sees potential in him. I'd give him 20 games to see if he can figure it out. Beleskey is the easy one to want to move, but with that contract and his current play I don't see that happening.

When healthy:

Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
Cehlarik-Krejci-Pasta
DeBrusk-Backes-Vatrano
Beleskey-Kuraly-Acciari/Nash

Being able to unload Beleskey would be ideal.
 

Tampbear

Registered User
Apr 10, 2015
1,662
389
Tampa
I'm starting to think a lineup with everyone healthy should look like.

Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pasta
Heinen-Kuraly-Backes
Schaller/Vatrano-Nash-Acciari
 

Mount Kramer Cameras

Registered User
Jul 15, 2014
3,645
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Maybe Bjork would benefit from easier match-ups on a skilled third line - just get Pasta on the first line and be done with it. 63/37/88 is pure dynamite.

I like the idea of Cehlarik-JFK-Bjork kid line at some point, but I do want to see the youngsters developing in the minors. Eventually it might make sense to trade Spooner for a pick or two and bring up the talent, and give them experience.
 

rocketdan9

Registered User
Feb 5, 2009
20,411
13,210
Please no more vatrano... Worst skater in the league. Makes a 40 year old recchi look like a speedster
 

UConn126

Bass Player.
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Jun 12, 2010
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Somerville, MA
That's a solid 4th line for sure.
Agreed that it would be much better suited as a 4th line than a third, but I don't know if we have the pieces to make a better third line. This combo would leave Spooner, Vatrano, Beleskey, Schaller, Nash, Acciari, and the rest as our pieces to assemble a third line. We might be looking at a 3.5a - 3.5b type situation.

I think the biggest issue in crafting the lines is there are no logical wingers to pair with Spooner, assuming he's the center of our third line. I'd wonder if we could package one or two of the grinders with a pick to try and bring in a veteran who's more offensively minded to play on a line with Spooner. Justin Williams comes to mind as a potential fit (I realize that won't happen since he just signed a new deal in Carolina). I'd be interested in hearing other people's ideas of potential trade targets.

The other option is try and move Spooner, which a lot of people of this board probably favor, for someone more compatible with what we have for the bottom 6, but that would leave us very thin with players who can actually contribute on the PP.
 

RoccoF14

Registered User
Mar 1, 2016
5,390
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Chicago, IL
I want to see Backes come back and slot in as our 3rd line center.

For me it's:
Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pasta
Belesky-Backes-Vatrano
Nash centering the 4th line with any of Heinen, Czarnik, Acciari, Schaller
 

Alan Ryan

Registered User
Jun 1, 2006
9,054
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I want to see Backes come back and slot in as our 3rd line center.

For me it's:
Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pasta
Belesky-Backes-Vatrano
Nash centering the 4th line with any of Heinen, Czarnik, Acciari, Schaller


Another good line-up. Definitely slot Backes in at center, although I wonder if Vatrano can hold off Heinen/Cehlarik/Czarnik for the RW spot on the third line.
 

PB37

Mr Selke
Oct 1, 2002
25,297
19,299
Maine
I think both Schaller and Kuraly have been good enough to start on the 4th line, at least for now. I particularly like Schaller's work on the PK and along the boards. He's looked like Peter Schaefer ( a certified black belt at shielding the puck with his body along the boards ) at times out there when he's grinding. Kuraly's a 100 percent max effort guy and his speed helps create some chances out there - it's unfortunate that he's got hands of cement.

Marchand -- Bergeron -- Bjork

DeBrusk -- Krejci -- Pasta

XXXXXX -- XXXXX -- XXXXX

Schaller -- Nash -- Kuraly


I think those are three good forward lines given their role and rotation.

The third line is going to be the one that's in flux all year. Backes may not be back for awhile, and since it's unknown just when he'll be ready to go, I don't think it's safe to pencil him in to any lineup scenario, Heinen, Spooner, Vatrano, Czarnik, and Beleskey are going to be the ones in and out of the lineup until something gels. Heinen has probably looked the best of the 5 players and would be a fine option on the RW. I think Vatrano has shown a little more than Beleskey so far this year and I would like to see him get a few more games in a row. The problem here is at the center position, with Spooner not bringing his A game so far. I've actually liked what I've seen out of Czarnik but his time has been limited so it's hard to get a read on him ( 12 minutes ATOI in 2 games ).
 

Blowfish

Count down ...
Jan 13, 2005
22,760
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Southwestern Ontario
Here's hoping it's moving day. With Spooner hurt. Make the 3rd line cehlarik JFK agostino send down Beleskey or move JFK up to centre Marchand and Brork? Cehlarik krejci pasta magic ?
 
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BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
24,281
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Here's hoping it's moving day. With Spooner hurt. Make the 3rd line cehlarik JFK agostino send down Beleskey or move JFK up to centre Marchand and Brork? Cehlarik krejci pasta magic ?

I'm going to guess none of this will happen. They'll assess Bergeron on Thursday most likely and make a decision then if to call someone up, likely-hood is if Bergeron can't go, and Spooner is still hurt, they simply insert Czarnik back into the line-up.

Don't hold your breath on any movement anytime soon unless a bunch more guys get hurt.
 

bp13

Registered User
Dec 30, 2003
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I want to see Backes come back and slot in as our 3rd line center.

For me it's:
Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
Debrusk-Krejci-Pasta
Belesky-Backes-Vatrano
Nash centering the 4th line with any of Heinen, Czarnik, Acciari, Schaller

I'd like to see Backes play center as well, and I'm convinced he was brought here to either do that or play RW with Krejci. Since the latter didn't work, I'd put him at center too.

However, Beleskey-Backes-Vatrano is a 4th line. If that's your third line, your team is lousy. Beleskey is barely hanging on as an NHL'er, Vatrano is in a similar spot with youth on his side. Backes is the only guy on that line who belongs in the top 9 of an NHL team at this point.
 

rocketdan9

Registered User
Feb 5, 2009
20,411
13,210
Here's hoping it's moving day. With Spooner hurt. Make the 3rd line cehlarik JFK agostino send down Beleskey or move JFK up to centre Marchand and Brork? Cehlarik krejci pasta magic ?

Guessing they are going to let 1 more game pass before this move is made
 

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