Line Combos: Build the 2013-14 starting line-up (Plekanec's left winger)
- Thread starter WatchfulElm
- Start date
Pacioretty and Plekanec would be great.
But this team is built on having three offensive lines.
This may change in a year from now.
For example, if Pacioretty, Eller and Galchenyuk all score 60+ points, the approach may change.
Very few teams can ice three offensive lines. Pens have Crosby and Malkin but their 6th scorer (Cooke) has 21 points.
We had Galchenyuk at 27 points as our 6th scorer and Gionta with 26 points as our 7th scorer.
We were 4th in GPG last season and we might top-2 next season.
It seems to me that the Habs management have decided that one line is not their solution.
Feels to me that they want to build team toughness with three offensive lines.
For now, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Eller and Galchenyuk are top-5 (with Plek) scorer.
So unless we are talking about PP, those four young players will be spread.
Putting our two best scorer on one line is not a good idea. I do not see Plekanec being paired with Pacioretty in ESP.
Habs coaching team prefer more balanced lines.
Our three best scorer were Pacioretty, Plekanec and Eller.
They will be split.
Next three scorer are Gallagher, Desharnais and Galchenyuk.
Any mix and match among those is OK.
Using this as a reference, you could see many combinations.
I like Eller-Galchenyuk duo that was fabulous last year.
Pacioretty-Desharnais has also been great for the last two years.
Next three are Bourque, Gionta and Briere.
Based on past lines:
Bourque-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Briere
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gionta/Prust
Most important point is the results of the first 25 games.
In December, if Eller and Galchenyuk are our among our top-3 forwards, they will be split to balance the offense.
To me, Gionta and Briere are going to be added to lines to bring stability.
That is why I see Galchenyuk-Eller-Briere.
I do not see Gallagher having a sophomore year, he was given much PP time so the Bourque-Plekanec-Gallagher will probably start the season together. They would also have first PP as MT seems to like using same trio for ESP and PP.
But you also have to look at last season where Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher was the most ESP trio by far.
Second was Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta.
You can dream about any combination.
But if you want your proposal to reflect reality, then you have to understand the objectives of the coaching team.
After all, it is them who put the players on the ice.
But this team is built on having three offensive lines.
This may change in a year from now.
For example, if Pacioretty, Eller and Galchenyuk all score 60+ points, the approach may change.
Very few teams can ice three offensive lines. Pens have Crosby and Malkin but their 6th scorer (Cooke) has 21 points.
We had Galchenyuk at 27 points as our 6th scorer and Gionta with 26 points as our 7th scorer.
We were 4th in GPG last season and we might top-2 next season.
It seems to me that the Habs management have decided that one line is not their solution.
Feels to me that they want to build team toughness with three offensive lines.
For now, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Eller and Galchenyuk are top-5 (with Plek) scorer.
So unless we are talking about PP, those four young players will be spread.
Putting our two best scorer on one line is not a good idea. I do not see Plekanec being paired with Pacioretty in ESP.
Habs coaching team prefer more balanced lines.
Our three best scorer were Pacioretty, Plekanec and Eller.
They will be split.
Next three scorer are Gallagher, Desharnais and Galchenyuk.
Any mix and match among those is OK.
Using this as a reference, you could see many combinations.
I like Eller-Galchenyuk duo that was fabulous last year.
Pacioretty-Desharnais has also been great for the last two years.
Expecting DD haters to start their hatrid run here.
That leaves Plekanec-Gallagher duo as the third one.Next three are Bourque, Gionta and Briere.
Based on past lines:
Bourque-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Briere
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gionta/Prust
Most important point is the results of the first 25 games.
In December, if Eller and Galchenyuk are our among our top-3 forwards, they will be split to balance the offense.
To me, Gionta and Briere are going to be added to lines to bring stability.
That is why I see Galchenyuk-Eller-Briere.
I do not see Gallagher having a sophomore year, he was given much PP time so the Bourque-Plekanec-Gallagher will probably start the season together. They would also have first PP as MT seems to like using same trio for ESP and PP.
But you also have to look at last season where Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher was the most ESP trio by far.
Second was Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta.
You can dream about any combination.
But if you want your proposal to reflect reality, then you have to understand the objectives of the coaching team.
After all, it is them who put the players on the ice.
DAChampion
Registered User
- May 28, 2011
- 29,796
- 20,951
I have been participating in Habs forums since ~2008 or so, and I have come to consider offseason line combination predictions to be useless. Experience has shown me that chemistry does not carry from one season to the next, see:
Higgins-Koivu-Ryder
Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Kovalev
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole
All of which went from "excellent" to subpar with only one offseason in between. The second factor that ruins line combination predictions are injuries. We will probably have 2 or 3 forwards injured at any given time, but we cannot predict who. Finally, we can't predict (most of us can't ...) which prospects will emerge and dominate by surprise. Very few, if any of you, had Gallagher in your line combinations last year.
I do the exercise sometimes, but for me the limit is to see if we have a well-balanced lineup -- we don't. Too many offense-only guys, in particular too many small offence-only guys. We need more two way players.
Higgins-Koivu-Ryder
Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Kovalev
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole
All of which went from "excellent" to subpar with only one offseason in between. The second factor that ruins line combination predictions are injuries. We will probably have 2 or 3 forwards injured at any given time, but we cannot predict who. Finally, we can't predict (most of us can't ...) which prospects will emerge and dominate by surprise. Very few, if any of you, had Gallagher in your line combinations last year.
I do the exercise sometimes, but for me the limit is to see if we have a well-balanced lineup -- we don't. Too many offense-only guys, in particular too many small offence-only guys. We need more two way players.
He saw quite a lot of success with Bourque on his left wing last season, but I'm prompted to see what Plekanec could do with Pacioretty.
Fizzz
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2013
- 94
- 5
So DD plays more mins then Eller and Briere plays more then Gallagher and Gionta.... Thats logical!
Honestly, Eller will never be 2nd line center on the habs. 2nd line spot is Galchenyuk vs Desharnais and ultimately Eller will stay as 3rd line center or swap with Plekanec(if plekanec regressed with age). I mean, that's pretty much it, if Eller becomes better than Plekanec(which he isn't yet) then he'll get #2 and Galchenyuk gets #1. Otherwise he'll be 2B forever.
Eller can be traded but logically in due time it will be Desharnais. I don't think he needs to be traded ASAP but that's a dif story.
AboveandBeyond
Registered User
how about this
Bourque - Plek - Gally
Maxpac - Eller - Briere
Chucky <-> Desharnais - Gionta
White - Prust - Moen
Parros
Good solid Lineup, Eller moves up because he is ready and based on his play last season aswell. Desharnais slides down and needs to prove that he deserves top 6 minutes. Gionta slides aswell because it is his time to move into a different role and allow for more minutes to developing players. Chucky can move to centre or even start for the season and if it works out he should stay there for the remainder.
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