Line Combos: 2021/22 Playoff Line Combos

[Perratrooper]

Now that the dust has settled from what was a wild trade deadline week, we have the opportunity to rosterbate a bit. The Avs have added some good depth at the cost of some top prospects and mid to high picks.

Now how do our lines shape up when *fully healthy.

*might never happen, but one can dream.

The standard projection would likely be:

Landy-MacK-Rantanen
Nuke-Kadri-Bura
Lehkonen-Sturm-Newhook
Helm-JTC-LOC

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
Byram-EJ

With various moves to allow for more offensive or defensive depth.

We have room to experiment with an offensive second line:
Newhook-Kadri-Bura

And a shutdown third:
Nuke-Sturm-Lehkonen

Whatever happens and regardless of what we have given up, I think we can all be excited for these playoffs.

What are everyone else thoughts on lines, special teams, potential shake ups and more?

Let’s go Avs!

Click to read more...

 

[sethro109]

What do we think the bottom 6 will look like now that the trade deadline has past? We basically have 6 guys in competition for the 4th line. Also what does a fully healthy D look like. Has Murray's recent up tick in play placed him above EJ and JJ?

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Nichushkin - Kadri - Burakovsky
Lehkonen - Sturm/Compher - Newhook
???? - Sturm/Compher - O'Connor
Helm/Cogliano/Aube-Kubel/MacDermid

Once we are able do we also call up Maltsev now? He was really good for us when we had to call him up before.

Toews - Makar
Girard- Mason
Byram - ???
(E) Johnson/Murray/(J) Johnson/MacDermid

Keumper
Francouz
Miska

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

@forsbergavs32 can we merge the two line-combo threads?

 

[sethro109]

Yeah. I was slow making mine. Spelling names correcly is hard.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Nuke-Mack-Rants
Lando-Kadri-Bura
Lehkonen-Newhook-JTC
Helm-Sturm-LOC
NAK, Cogliano, MacDermid

Toews-Makar
Byram-Manson
G-EJ

Kuemper
Francouz

 

[forsbergavs32]

@forsbergavs32 can we merge the two line-combo threads?

I’ll take care of it when I get home. I’ll just close the other for now

 

[Freaky Styley]

The biggest add will be a healthy Byram

 

[Perratrooper]

Nuke-Mack-Rants
Lando-Kadri-Bura
Lehkonen-Newhook-JTC
Helm-Sturm-LOC
NAK, Cogliano, MacDermid

Toews-Makar
Byram-Manson
G-EJ

Kuemper
Francouz

You think Nuke stays on the top line for playoffs? I certainly haven’t minded him there, but it’s hard to go away from 9296.

 

[niwotsblessing]

We have room to experiment with an offensive second line:
Newhook-Kadri-Bura

Let’s go Avs!

That line scares me, and not in a good way.

 

[shadow1]

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nichushkin-Kadri-Burakovsky
Lehkonen-Newhook-Compher
Cogliano-Sturm-O'Connor

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
Murray-Johnson

Kuemper
Francouz

---

Murray is suddenly having a renaissance second half of the season, but I could see him being scratched for Byram (if healthy) or J. Johnson for more physicality.

Helm has been better lately but there are no obvious scratch candidates and Helm has been scratched before. But obviously guys will get hurt or struggle.

I think Aube-Kubel is screwed and wouldn't be shocked if he gets waived soon. Even with Landeskog on the IR, he's probably on the outside looking in. (EDIT: NHL roster sizes expand at the conclusion of the TDL.)

 

[The Pwnerer]

In shut down situations, I want to see what Lehkonen and Nuke can do on the same line. I love that Sakic targeted more two way guys. This team has plenty of firepower, same as last year and he addressed it accordingly.

 

[sethro109]

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nichushkin-Kadri-Burakovsky
Lehkonen-Newhook-Compher
Cogliano-Sturm-O'Connor

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
Murray-Johnson

Kuemper
Francouz

---

Murray is suddenly having a renaissance second half of the season, but I could see him being scratched for Byram (if healthy) or J. Johnson for more physicality.

Helm has been better lately but there are no obvious scratch candidates and Helm has been scratched before. But obviously guys will get hurt or struggle.

I think Aube-Kubel is screwed and wouldn't be shocked if he gets waived soon. Even with Landeskog on the IR, he's probably on the outside looking in.

We won't be waiving anyone. Depth is key for the playoffs.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

What I think we'll see most of the time:


Landy - Mack - Mikko
Nuke - Kadri - Bura
Lehks - Newhook - JTC
Helm - Sturm - LOC/NAK
Cogliano/NAK

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Byram - EJ



What I would personally like to see:


Bura - Mack - Mikko
Landy - Kadri - Newhook
Lehks - Sturm - Nuke
Helm - JTC - LOC
Cogliano/NAK



Defense unchanged.



I really think the idea of running a stout defensive 3rd line will create more opportunity for that Top 6 to jump on other teams in the playoffs. Bednar has said he's wanting to experiment with lines down the stretch to see what he can get away with in the playoffs so hopefully he looks at this a little bit.

 

[AvStock]

Bura MacK Rants
Landy Kadri Newhook
Nuke JTC Lehk
LOC Sturm Cog/Helm/MacD/NAK

Toews Makar
Girard Manson
Murray/JJ Johnson

This is the best case of depth that we can get. We do NOT want to stack our lines, especially after getting Lehk. Don't think of Nuke on the 3rd line as a demotion, think of it more as a deployable line against any team's 1st and 2nd line to shut them down. Then our 1st and 2nd lines can go to work scoring. Also I think Newhook would do better in a top 6 role beign sheltered by skill and veterans - Kadri and Landy. If, IF Byram can be healthy then he can be on the 3rd pairing with EJ. But this team really is looking like the one to take us to the promised land barring any injuries. I think it's time!

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

I’ll take care of it when I get home. I’ll just close the other for now

 

[sethro109]

I'm just gonna paste what I posted in my other thread.

We basically have 6 guys in competition for the 4th line. Also what does a fully healthy D look like? Has Murray's recent up tick in play placed him above EJ and JJ?

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Nichushkin - Kadri - Burakovsky
Lehkonen - Sturm/Compher - Newhook
???? - Sturm/Compher - O'Connor
Helm/Cogliano/Aube-Kubel/MacDermid

Once we are able do we also call up Maltsev now? He was really good for us when we had to call him up before.

Toews - Makar
Girard- Mason
Byram - ???
(E) Johnson/Murray/(J) Johnson/MacDermid

Keumper
Francouz
Miska

I really don't know what Bednar will do. I can never understand that man's thinking. All I know is that I'm sure it will upset me.

 

[Richard88]

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nichushkin-Kadri-Burakovsky
Lehkonen-Newhook-Compher
Cogliano-Sturm-O'Connor

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
Murray-Johnson

Kuemper
Francouz

---

Murray is suddenly having a renaissance second half of the season, but I could see him being scratched for Byram (if healthy) or J. Johnson for more physicality.

Helm has been better lately but there are no obvious scratch candidates and Helm has been scratched before. But obviously guys will get hurt or struggle.

I think Aube-Kubel is screwed and wouldn't be shocked if he gets waived soon. Even with Landeskog on the IR, he's probably on the outside looking in.

We won't have to waive anyone. Girard and Landeskog will go on LTIR tonight presumably, meaning that the Avs will be able to squeeze an extra two roster spots to fit Lehkonen and Cogliano in. Avs will effectively have a 25 man roster once Landeskog and Girard return, but there's no limit on roster size after the deadline as long as you're cap compliant which the Avs are (with $850k in accrued deadline space to spare).

 

[Richard88]

What I think we'll see most of the time:


Landy - Mack - Mikko
Nuke - Kadri - Bura
Lehks - Newhook - JTC
Helm - Sturm - LOC/NAK
Cogliano/NAK

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Byram - EJ



What I would personally like to see:


Bura - Mack - Mikko
Landy - Kadri - Newhook
Lehks - Sturm - Nuke
Helm - JTC - LOC
Cogliano/NAK



Defense unchanged.



I really think the idea of running a stout defensive 3rd line will create more opportunity for that Top 6 to jump on other teams in the playoffs. Bednar has said he's wanting to experiment with lines down the stretch to see what he can get away with in the playoffs so hopefully he looks at this a little bit.

I'm on board with the idea of rolling a great shutdown line out, with Girard and Manson on the back end as well, especially against teams that are a bit top heavy.

Against Calgary for example I'd like to see that shutdown line out to shut down their top line, and assuming they're able to neutralize Tkachuk-Lindholm-Gaudreau should mean that our top two lines can easily win the matchups against their middle 6.

Against the Blues however (should we face them) it probably makes more sense to just roll 3 balanced scoring lines given that they don't have an elite top line.

Either way having these sort of options will be fantastic for Bednar.

 

[forsbergavs32]

 

[Richard88]

It's pretty obvious from all these line combinations that Lehkonen was absolutely the right forward target. The fact that he's elite defensively gives you so many more options than if we had acquired an offensive winger like Rakell or Domi instead.

 

[sethro109]

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No. I just copied my post and put it here. Now it just looks like I'm a spammer. How could you do this to my reputation?

 

[shadow1]

We won't be waiving anyone. Depth is key for the playoffs.

The issue is the roster size. They added Cogliano, Lehkonen, Manson, Sturm and only subtracted Jost. They're fine for now (22/23) but if more than one of Byram, Girard, or Landeskog comes back, someone has to be sent down.

 

[sethro109]

The issue is the roster size. They added Cogliano, Lehkonen, Manson, Sturm and only subtracted Jost. They're fine for now (22/23) but if more than one of Byram, Girard, or Landeskog comes back, someone has to be sent down.

Yeah I didn't realize that when I responded. I think @Richard88 has the right idea. I don't think any of our player would make it through waivers and I would like to keep the depth. So hopefully we LTIR someone.

 

[Perratrooper]

The issue is the roster size. They added Cogliano, Lehkonen, Manson, Sturm and only subtracted Jost. They're fine for now (22/23) but if more than one of Byram, Girard, or Landeskog comes back, someone has to be sent down.

The 23-man roster limit is in place from the conclusion of the preseason until 12:01 am on the day of the NHL’s Trade Deadline. After that teams are allowed to have an unlimited active roster at the NHL level, provided players are signed to one of their 50 contract slots.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

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