Line Combos: 2021/22 Playoff Line Combos

[Cypher]

Nuke - Mack - Moose
Landy - Kadri - Bura
Lek - JTC - Hook
Cog - Strum - LOC
Helm
Nak
MacD

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Byram - EJ
JJ
Murray

Maybe switch Bura/Hook depending how they play
Maybe switch EJ/JJ depending how they play

 

[Eltuna]

I would still bet on Byram sitting game 1 of the playoffs but I’m not sure on that. Not as confident as others that he’s going to be in right away. I think EJ will be in and then it’s between JJ & Byram with Murray definitely sitting even if healthy. Depending on how a series goes MacD could get some games as well.

Right now the team has awesome depth both at forward and defence. Getting to use Byram as the replacement D or two of the group of NAK/Helm/LOC as replacement forwards is by far the best depth this iteration of the Avs has ever had.

 

[flyfysher]

Looking at the high scoring of late in games and trying to forecast how it will play out. There's an awful lot of firepower out there and no matter how good the goalies are, it wouldn't surprise me to see high scoring games in the POs like we saw against the Canes last night. That's not a knock against any goalies including Kuemper either.

I'm really glad the Avs picked up Lehknonen. Between Landeskog, Nichushkin, Lehkonen, Kadri and Sturm, the Avs will be able to put lines together that will be exceptionally difficult for other teams' scoring lines to play against. Couldn't believe what I saw in Nichushkin just running a circle around the Canes' net last night to put a shot on goals only to have MacKinnon put the puck in the net.

Hard to believe but this team is far better than last year's iteration.

It won't do any good to prognosticate what the lines will be because JB will change them up sooner or later.

 

[Perratrooper]

Just thought I would bump this thread.

Do we see the top line split up in playoffs to allow for some spread out damager and let Landy and Rants to get their legs under them.

Nuke-MacK-Lehk
Bura-Kadri-Rants
Landy-Sturm-Newhook
Cogs-Helm-JTC

Just speculating on what wild lines we could see instead of the typical:

Landy-MacK-Rants
Nuke-Kadri-Bura
Newhook-Sturm-Lehk
Cogs-Helm-JTC

 

[Avsboy]

I would go:

Lehk-Mack-Nuke
Landy-Kadri-Rantanen
Bura-Newhook-Compher
Cogliano-Sturm-Helm

 

[Cousin Eddie]

As dominant as Nuke has been with Mackinnon, I really think heading into a home ice advantage series against a one line team we should form a super shutdown line. Match Nuke - Kadri - Lehkonen against the Robertson line. Bring 9296 back together to feast on whoever they match up against. Burkie goes down to line 3 where I really think Newhook needs another creative offensive player to perform at his best. Compher can play C on that 3rd line. I’m actually really impressed with his play as a centre lately.

 

[ASmileyFace]

As dominant as Nuke has been with Mackinnon, I really think heading into a home ice advantage series against a one line team we should form a super shutdown line. Match Nuke - Kadri - Lehkonen against the Robertson line. Bring 9296 back together to feast on whoever they match up against. Burkie goes down to line 3 where I really think Newhook needs another creative offensive player to perform at his best. Compher can play C on that 3rd line. I’m actually really impressed with his play as a centre lately.

Fully agree. 62/13 are such a suffocating combo. It doesn't matter who is their center. Considering Kadri hasn't really found that extra gear he had earlier this season yet I'd let Lehk/Nuke do the dirty work for him while 9296 finds their game again on home ice.

I'd run this for game 1/2 at least.

Landy/Mack/Mikko
Nuke/Kadri/Lehkonen
Newhook/Compher/Bura
Cogs/Sturm/Helm
LOC

If 9296 struggle to get to playoff level early you insulate them and let the "2nd" line take the hard matchups.

 

[Avsboy]

I like retaining Nuke with Mackinnon because they have chemistry. Nuke retrieves pucks and gets into position, Mack makes all the plays. Lehkonen is fitting in nicely. Rantanen and Landy would take Kadri up. Bura would be on the third line where the damage is limited.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Fully agree. 62/13 are such a suffocating combo. It doesn't matter who is their center. Considering Kadri hasn't really found that extra gear he had earlier this season yet I'd let Lehk/Nuke do the dirty work for him while 9296 finds their game again on home ice.

I'd run this for game 1/2 at least.

Landy/Mack/Mikko
Nuke/Kadri/Lehkonen
Newhook/Compher/Bura
Cogs/Sturm/Helm
LOC

If 9296 struggle to get to playoff level early you insulate them and let the "2nd" line take the hard matchups.

I like this to start, but I wouldn't have Helm and Cogs both in the lineup. NAK has played well lately and at least adds some hands to the 4th line. If we want more speed I'd opt for LOC.

 

[Pokecheque]

I like this to start, but I wouldn't have Helm and Cogs both in the lineup. NAK has played well lately and at least adds some hands to the 4th line. If we want more speed I'd opt for LOC.

Unlikely, NAK definitely has better hands but he isn't a big defensive upgrade on either, and he's not a penalty killer.