Line Combos: 2019-2020 Line/D Pairing discussions & proposals

[Sheppy]

I’d be all for giving Ritchie a SHOT on DKs wing.

Similar players have had success in those roles. Look at Tom Wilson, Michael Ferland, hell, even Milan Lucic.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I’d be all for giving Ritchie a SHOT on DKs wing.

Similar players have had success in those roles. Look at Tom Wilson, Michael Ferland, hell, even Milan Lucic.

Those players are/were actually good.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Shake it up.

Marchand Coyle Pasta
Jdb Bergy Heinen
Bjork DK Cehlarik

 

[Sheppy]

Those players are/were actually good.

Wilson initially was nothing to write home about.

 

[Dr Hook]

Wilson initially was nothing to write home about.

I think Ferland was pretty meh his first season or two also. I also agree that I don't think it would hurt to give a banger like Ritchie who has some skills a shot to play that role with DK. As I've said, I seen him play a decent amount the past couple seasons and there is some potential there that a change of scenery, different coaching, different teammates might bring out.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Debrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak


Marchand-Bergeron-Heinen


Should have been done in the playoffs.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Any interest in making Kuraly a 2nd or 3rd line winger?

Hes a left shot which we have a few too many of but he might be in that position where Paille was where he's a little too good for the fourth line. I'd bump him up before Wagner or Nordy.

 

[Dizzay]

I think essentially going into camp, with nothing else happening you try this:

Marshy-Bergy-XXXX
XXXX-Krejci-Pasta
Debrusk-Coyle-XXXXX
Wags-Kuraly-Nordstrom
XXXX

You have Heinen/Bjork/Celharik/Ritchie/Kuhlman/Senyshyn vying for the top 9 spots. That's 6 guys battling for 3 positions.
Doing the pairs gives us more depth throughout the line up.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Nice post @Dizzay

I’ll do my best to fill in.

Marchand - Bergeron - Heinen
(I know people are divided on this line, but I like it)

Cehlarik - Krejci - Pastrnak
(last chance for Cehlarik to stick... he has size and shown flashes of chemistry with Krejci in the past - let’s give them a shooter and cross fingers)

DeBrusk - Coyle - Kuhlman
(Kuhlman and Coyle are possession monsters... give them DeBrusk and easy matchups and I bet they surprise)

Kuraly - Wagner - Ritchie
(Wagner at center isn’t ideal, but I’m selfish and want Wags and Ritchie both in the ice at the same time stirring it up and hitting everyone in sight... Also, Kuraly plays every single game he’s able)

Reserve: Nordstrom and Lindholm

Backes to LTIR, somehow to another team, Providence... the moon

 

[Clint Eastwood]

So it looks like this 3rd line is an absolute guessing game

xxxxx - Coyle - Kuhlman

3LW gonna be one of our copious quantities of 4th liners or a guy from Providence that Sweens listed (Senyshyn, Carey, Cehlarik, Bjork).

 

[danpantz]

Cehlarik - Krejci - Pastrnak

Can we call this the czechoslovakia line

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I think essentially going into camp, with nothing else happening you try this:

Marshy-Bergy-XXXX
XXXX-Krejci-Pasta
Debrusk-Coyle-XXXXX
Wags-Kuraly-Nordstrom
XXXX

You have Heinen/Bjork/Celharik/Ritchie/Kuhlman/Senyshyn vying for the top 9 spots. That's 6 guys battling for 3 positions.
Doing the pairs gives us more depth throughout the line up.

Can't see DeBrusk starting on the 3rd line after scoring 27 goals this year. Good layout though.

 

[slim399]

Studnicka has an amazing camp and teams up with Debrusk and Pastrnak for the next decade.

Marchand-Bergeron-Heinen
Bjork-Krejci-Coyle
Debrusk-Studnicka-Pastrnak
Kurlay-Frederic-Wagner

 

[PlayMakers]

Can't see DeBrusk starting on the 3rd line after scoring 27 goals this year. Good layout though.

I can't either, but I think it's foolish on the coach's part. Phil Kessel had 70 points and played on Pittsburgh's 3rd line. He made matchups impossible and I thought that was one of the biggest reasons they won back to back Cups.

But Jake DeBrusk is too good for the 3rd line?

 

[PlayMakers]

Can we call this the czechoslovakia line

I've wanted to see that line for 2 years. They had instant chemistry not unlike Mojo-Krejci-DeBrusk. Another line that looked so good in the handful of games they played together that we never saw it again.

 

[veganbruin]

I’m very interested in the prospect competition on wing going into this season however, I felt the same way last season and we still had to make trades that didn’t even fix the hole. I’m rooting very hard for Bjork and Senyshyn to make the team. I have a feeling Sweeney had him in mind when he didn’t sign Mojo. Seny would look great with Coyle IMO.

 

[PlayMakers]

@Dizzay I agree with your overall structure. If I were the GM, that's how I'd think about the roster as well.

@Mr. Make-Believe, I think that's one of the best lineups they could hope for with this group.

I think Sweeney and Cassidy see the lineup like this...
Marchand - Bergy - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - 2RW
Heinen - Coyle - 3RW

And I think that, regardless of what happens at camp, they're going to start the season like this...
Marchand - Bergy - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - Ritchie
Heinen - Coyle - Kuhlman

I say "regardless" because the last two years the best rookie at camp has been sent to Providence. I think they have a plan in mind and will want to see if it sinks or swims before moving on. If those lines don't work they'll consider the rookies who stood out in camp.

 

[The National]

@Dizzay I agree with your overall structure. If I were the GM, that's how I'd think about the roster as well.

@Mr. Make-Believe, I think that's one of the best lineups they could hope for with this group.

I think Sweeney and Cassidy see the lineup like this...
Marchand - Bergy - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - 2RW
Heinen - Coyle - 3RW

And I think that, regardless of what happens at camp, they're going to start the season like this...
Marchand - Bergy - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - Ritchie
Heinen - Coyle - Kuhlman

I say "regardless" because the last two years the best rookie at camp has been sent to Providence. I think they have a plan in mind and will want to see if it sinks or swims before moving on. If those lines don't work they'll consider the rookies who stood out in camp.

You really think they’ll put Ritchie on the 2nd line? That seems like a stretch to me.

 

[JOKER 192]

Marchand Bergy Stud
Heinen Krejci Pasta
DeBrusk Coyle Ritchie/Kuhlman
Nordy Kuraly Wagner

Lindholm Seny

Chara McAvoy
Krug Carlo
Gryz Clifton

Miller Moore Kampfer

Somethings' got a give for sure but for now I would try this.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Any interest in making Kuraly a 2nd or 3rd line winger?

Hes a left shot which we have a few too many of but he might be in that position where Paille was where he's a little too good for the fourth line. I'd bump him up before Wagner or Nordy.

I think Kuraly plays best when he has 4th line responsibilities .Crashing , banging , creating havoc that’s his game . If that aspect of his game was limited to a degree, which might happen if all of a sudden he was a 2nd line winger not sure he would be as effective. I would rather see him playing with reckless abandon on line 4 .

 

[PlayMakers]

You really think they’ll put Ritchie on the 2nd line? That seems like a stretch to me.

Yeah, Sweeney has said he's in the mix for that spot, along with the prospects. He said he likes Ritchie's possession game and that he hopes Ritchie can get back to his 16 goal form from a couple years ago, that he's played well when given the chance to play with talent.

 

[PlayMakers]

Marchand Bergy Stud
Heinen Krejci Pasta
DeBrusk Coyle Ritchie
Nordy Kuraly Wagner

Chara McAvoy
Krug Carlo
Gryz Clifton

Fwiw, I'm not a big fan of putting Coyle and Ritchie on the same line. It puts our only two big/board presence guys on the same line and leaves the other lines short (pun intended).

On the flip side, on the biggest fan of putting Gryz and Clifton together either, for the opposite reason.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

63-37-43
22-46-88
74-13-ritchie
20-52-14

48-73
47-25
33-75

 

[JOKER 192]

Fwiw, I'm not a big fan of putting Coyle and Ritchie on the same line. It puts our only two big/board presence guys on the same line and leaves the other lines short (pun intended).

On the flip side, on the biggest fan of putting Gryz and Clifton together either, for the opposite reason.

I thought of that too but I just can't put Ritchie higher up than that for now. There is nothing he has done so far that earns him more than a 3rd line spot. Start him 3rd line and maybe he earns consideration to move up in the line-up.

I see the issue with the D as well , ideally Gryz would be up with Carlo but that's Krugs spot. That is why I would consider trading Krug among several other reasons.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

If Ritchie comes in and performs well, I’ll be quite surprised. 6 points in 53 games is uninspiring, to say the least. Those are 4th line numbers. He’d better be used to replace Nordstrom or another 4th liner. If the hope is to have him in the “Top 6”, this team is in big trouble I think.