Line Combos: 2022/23 Lineup Projections

[GCK]

As this season unfolds why not look ahead. Start here.


Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Formenton Stuetzle Brown
Paul Pinto White
Crookshank Gambrell Watson

Chabot Zaitsev
Sanderson Zub
Brannstrom JBD/Thomson

Gus
Murray

Not great and very thin. Need a top 6 winger and way too much inexperience on the back end.

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[aragorn]

I think they might re-sign Holden, Forsberg & Ennis for a yr unless they can find better UFAs out there & so far Dorion has proven to be pretty incompetent to sign good NHL players. I assume that Zaitsev will once again be the whipping boy on defence along with Holden next season & Murray in net. Thomson & JBD will fight it out to push Zaitsev down the lineup.

I expect the Pinto line to do okay, but it's the 2nd line that has to improve dramatically for this team to be better next season. Sanderson will improve as the season moves along, he may get benched or demoted during the yr, but will come back stronger & better. Crookshank or Jarventie should eventually replace Ennis at some point, but if they don't work out they will need to make a trade to bring in an impact player. Some of the bottom players below will likely start the yr on a taxi squad, if there is one & there should be again next season, or in Belleville.

Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson
Formenton - Stutzle - C. Brown
Ennis - Pinto - Sokolov
Paul - White - Watson
Jarventie - Gambrell - Crookshank/Bishop

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Zaitsev
Holden - Thomson
MDZ - JBD/Brannstrom

Forsberg - Murray/Gustavsson

 

[dumbdick]

I don't think it's as thin as you think. Crookshank, Greig, Sokolov all could make jumps next season. As could our 2022 first round pick.

 

[TheDebater]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - xxxx
xxxx- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- xxxx

We basically need half a team.

 

[DrEasy]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - xxxx
xxxx- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- xxxx

We basically need half a team.

I agree, and that is why we need to keep White. We should also keep Brown for now. Watson is still with us too. I don't mind us trading Paul, Tierney, etc. Paul and Forsberg alone should get us some decent picks back. Re-sign Holden if possible.

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - C. Brown
xxxx- White- Watson

Coming up: Sokolov, Jarventie, Greig, Crookshank

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- Holden

Coming up: JBD, Lassi

Gus
Murray

Ideally we acquire players to fill in the xxxx instead of filling them up with the players coming up, to give us some depth (something we didn't do and burnt us bad this year) and allow the prospects to develop calmly.

Not to mention C. Brown and Zub will be lost next year, so the players we should acquire this off-season will help deal with them being gone too.

edit: completely forgot about Zaitsev. If we don't keep Holden then Zaitsev as #6 will do, but we can't have either in our top 4.

 

[Ouroboros]

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Formenton-Stutzle-Brown
Paul-Pinto-Sokolov
Kelly-Gambrell-Watson
Bishop

Chabot-Zaitsev
Sanderson-Zub
Holden-Thomson
Heatherington

Gustavsson
Forsberg

Buyouts: Murray, White, MDZ, Ryan, Phaneuf

Estimated cap hit - 63M
Estimated cash outlay - 52M

 

[GCK]

I don't think it's as thin as you think. Crookshank, Greig, Sokolov all could make jumps next season. As could our 2022 first round pick.

Sokolov has a long long way to go.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Sokolov has a long long way to go.

He could very well be on our lineup starting next season. Not sure what makes you think he’s that far off.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - xxxx
xxxx- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- xxxx

We basically need half a team.

If there’s something we’re not lacking in, it’s 4th line players. Those will be filled internally.

Also, is C. Brown not back next season?

We do need to bring in a true top-6 winger to play with Stutzle, but I doubt we’ll ever bring in two as UFAs. Hopefully we draft one this summer with our top-3 pick(it’s a realistic scenario).

Otherwise yeah, we need a top-4 D to play with Sanderson.

So really we need two UFA acquisitions and for Dorion to not screw up at the draft.

 

[GCK]

He could very well be on our lineup starting next season. Not sure what makes you think he’s that far off.

Sokolov like Jarventie have so much to work on as complete players before making the jump. Sokolov needs to improve his play without the puck, defensively and consistent engagement. There is an NHL player there we just need patience.

 

[GCK]

If there’s something we’re not lacking in, it’s 4th line players. Those will be filled internally.

Also, is C. Brown not back next season?

We do need to bring in a true top-6 winger to play with Stutzle, but I doubt we’ll ever bring in two as UFAs. Hopefully we draft one this summer with our top-3 pick(it’s a realistic scenario).

Otherwise yeah, we need a top-4 D to play with Sanderson.

So really we need two UFA acquisitions and for Dorion to not screw up at the draft.

UFAs won’t come here unless we way overpay and/or they are washed up vets. Since we won’t eat overpay say hello to more MDZs.

 

[dumbdick]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - xxxx
xxxx- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- xxxx

We basically need half a team.

Why did you exclude Connor Brown, who is on a 56-point pace, and was on pace to score 30 goals last year?

Is it possible you've set your standards a bit high here?

 

[Big Muddy]

I'd agree with whomever that said next year's (as projected here) lineup is pretty thin. We are expecting a lot from young players who have just graduated to the NHL. Add in the potential for an injury here or there, and you've got the similar situation as this year.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - Brown
Paul- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- Holden

Basically need 2 true top 6 wingers plus 1 top 4dman and 2 true proven bottom 6 forwards that can produce offensively as well.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Giroux-Stutzle-Brown
Formenton-Pinto-Jarnkrok
Paul-Bishop-Watson

Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Miller
Brannstrom/Holden-Zaitsev
Nemec

Gustvasson
Forsberg

Buyout white. Add a piece with Murray to rid of contract(might have to be brannstrom tbh).

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Why did you exclude Connor Brown, who is on a 56-point pace, and was on pace to score 30 goals last year?

Is it possible you've set your standards a bit high here?

Ideally he is or 3rd line W but I agree that he is good enough to be placed on second line RW and for us to bring a higher profile LW or C to maximize our top 6/Stutzle. We'll also try to bring in someone similar to Brown for 3rd line or who could maybe interchange with Brown if either slumps. I like Jarnkrok a lot. We were interested in him prior, IIRC.

I don't think Sens can afford not to go after a top 4 D, especially next year with Zub needing extension, Chabot starting to show signs of deterioration due to carrying, and with Sanderson needing support.

Top 4 RD, for 1-2 year deal, is imperative to address.

 

[GCK]

Ideally he is or 3rd line W but I agree that he is good enough to be placed on second line RW and for us to bring a higher profile LW or C to maximize our top 6/Stutzle. We'll also try to bring in someone similar to Brown for 3rd line or who could maybe interchange with Brown if either slumps. I like Jarnkrok a lot. We were interested in him prior, IIRC.

I don't think Sens can afford not to go after a top 4 D, especially next year with Zub needing extension, Chabot starting to show signs of deterioration due to carrying, and with Sanderson needing support.

Top 4 RD, for 1-2 year deal, is imperative to address.

2 problems adding a RD.

1. We have Zub and Zaitsev so adding one blocks Thomson and JBD who will be going into their D+4 and D+5 seasons. One of them needs a spot.

2. Quality top 4 D are not likely to sign here without a big overpay and term.

 

[Cosmix]

Ideally he is or 3rd line W but I agree that he is good enough to be placed on second line RW and for us to bring a higher profile LW or C to maximize our top 6/Stutzle. We'll also try to bring in someone similar to Brown for 3rd line or who could maybe interchange with Brown if either slumps. I like Jarnkrok a lot. We were interested in him prior, IIRC.

I don't think Sens can afford not to go after a top 4 D, especially next year with Zub needing extension, Chabot starting to show signs of deterioration due to carrying, and with Sanderson needing support.

Top 4 RD, for 1-2 year deal, is imperative to address.

I doubt that Melnyk is willing to increase salary costs to upgrade the D or F for next season.

Therefore my expectation is for the same approach as past seasons; adding a few over-the-hill vets at lower salaries than would be required to pay solid useful vets.

 

[GCK]

I doubt that Melnyk is willing to increase salary costs to upgrade the D or F for next season.

Therefore my expectation is for the same approach as past seasons; adding a few over-the-hill vets at lower salaries than would be required to pay solid useful vets.

Agreed. With revenues taking another massive hit and already facing increased payroll with Norris I doubt there is another 4-5M to add.

 

[GCK]

Next year we are 47M in costs before resigning anyone. We are helped by Chabot going from 8 to 4M. That’s 47M spent on 11 contracts. Add in 3M for 3 ELCs (Stu, Pinto and either JBD or Thomson) and that’s 50M for 14 players. Resign Paul, Norris and Formenton and that’s conservatively 60M on 17 players. Not a lot of money left to improve the team.

The year after we are at 45M on 6 players so we are not adding any big contracts with term other than resigning our own.

 

[God Says No]

Tkachuk- Norris- Batherson
xxxx- Stützle- xxxx
Formenton- Pinto - Brown
Paul- xxxx- xxxx

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson- xxxx
Brannstrom- Holden

Basically need 2 true top 6 wingers plus 1 top 4dman and 2 true proven bottom 6 forwards that can produce offensively as well.

I like that except that the 4th line should be Paul - White - Watson. White or Pinto should be 3C or 4C depending on who plays better (which tells you that White will most likely be 4C).

Gambrell should be nowhere close to this team next year. He doesn't bring anything. Unless he plays in the AHL for most of the year and is an injury call-up for a game or two.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Next year we are 47M in costs before resigning anyone. We are helped by Chabot going from 8 to 4M. That’s 47M spent on 11 contracts. Add in 3M for 3 ELCs (Stu, Pinto and either JBD or Thomson) and that’s 50M for 14 players. Resign Paul, Norris and Formenton and that’s conservatively 60M on 17 players. Not a lot of money left to improve the team.

The year after we are at 45M on 6 players so we are not adding any big contracts with term other than resigning our own.

Murray will be gone and White will be bought out. It's inevitable for Murray. There is zero chance we are bringing him back after demoting him to AHL. We will attach a nice piece with him like Brannstrom, unfortunately. White will be bought out or traded for pucks. We will use that on Giroux and Colin Miller or similar players via UFA/Trade.

Sanderson and Miller on our 2nd pair will allow us to play Del Zotto and Zaitsev on 3rd pair, as disastrous as they may be. Zaitsev will be healthy scratched a lot for Thomson who will take over Ziatsev's spot full time the year after and move up to 2nd spot forming a legit 2nd pair duo with Sanderson for years to come. No need to rush.

JBD will then take over on 3rd pair. (I made mistake Sanderson is paid 925k).

The roster below is lower than cap this year and about few million extra salary.

 

[GCK]

Murray will be gone and White will be bought out. It's inevitable for Murray. There is zero chance we are bringing him back after demoting him to AHL. We will attach a nice piece with him like Brannstrom, unfortunately. White will be bought out or traded for pucks. We will use that on Giroux and Colin Miller or similar players via UFA/Trade.

Sanderson and Miller on our 2nd pair will allow us to play Del Zotto and Zaitsev on 3rd pair, as disastrous as they may be. Zaitsev will be healthy scratched a lot for Thomson who will take over Ziatsev's spot full time the year after and move up to 2nd spot forming a legit 2nd pair duo with Sanderson for years to come. No need to rush.

JBD will then take over on 3rd pair. (I made mistake Sanderson is paid 925k).

The roster below is lower than cap this year and about few million extra salary.

View attachment 495456

I think it will take a hell of a lot more than Brannstrom to get someone to take Murray’s remaining 15M. Face it, it’s buyout or Murray stays. As for White I think he plays games this year and winds up staying. I’d buy him out but I’m not sure how our top D would take it. Chabot is probably already growing tired of this shitshow and having the team buyout his bud could be a tipping point.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I think it will take a hell of a lot more than Brannstrom to get someone to take Murray’s remaining 15M. Face it, it’s buyout or Murray stays. As for White I think he plays games this year and winds up staying. I’d buy him out but I’m not sure how our top D would take it. Chabot is probably already growing tired of this shitshow and having the team buyout his bud could be a tipping point.

We just signed Tkachuk longterm, Batherson longterm, Norris is inevitable. We've shown committment, we're just changing the guard. I guarantee you that if we replace White with a competent top 4 RD to help he or Sanderson, Chabot won't give two damns.

 

[TheDebater]

Why did you exclude Connor Brown, who is on a 56-point pace, and was on pace to score 30 goals last year?

Is it possible you've set your standards a bit high here?

If there’s something we’re not lacking in, it’s 4th line players. Those will be filled internally.

Also, is C. Brown not back next season?

We do need to bring in a true top-6 winger to play with Stutzle, but I doubt we’ll ever bring in two as UFAs. Hopefully we draft one this summer with our top-3 pick(it’s a realistic scenario).

Otherwise yeah, we need a top-4 D to play with Sanderson.

So really we need two UFA acquisitions and for Dorion to not screw up at the draft.

I just do not see C. Brown back next year. I do like him, but I just do not see the fit long term.

This team is going nowhere without some real changes, we have a nice core, but having a $5 million dollar man on the 4th line makes no sense to me.

The whole re-build needs to be re-assessed.