Marchand - Bergeron - Seguin
Lucic - Krejci - Horton
Spooner - Kelly - Peverley
Paille - Campbell - Thornton
I think Claude really likes Spooner and he'll do enough to stick this time, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Bourque there opening night either, but I think we'll see Spooner up sooner than later. Bergeron's line gets the start due to fresher legs and just being better at this point.
Boychuk - Chara
Seidenberg - Hamilton
Ference - McQaid
Johnson
Think Chara and Boychuk will start with Z logging his usual 25 and change a night in regulation. Boychuk will switch out with Seids and after a shift Z will switch out and on comes Hamilton. Dougie skates off and Ference pops on, Seids comes off shortly after then Quaider comes on, rinse and repeat.
Rask
Khudobin
Two words. Tuukka Time.
Seguin 85 point pace
Bergeron 73 "
Marchand 65 "
Lucic 59 "
Krejci 65 "
Horton 64 "
Spooner 34 "
Kelly 32 "
Peverley 56 "
Paille 18 "
Campbell 14 "
Thornton 9 "
Chara 52 "
Boychuk 23"
Seidenberg 38 "
Hamilton 27"
Ference 15"
McQuaid 13"
Rask 2.13 GAA .927 sv
Khudobin 2.29 GAA .932
I agree with the general picture, but no way does Spooner get the first crack over Bourque. Opening-night decisions won't be based on upside but on some combination of reliability and merit. Too big a slap in the face, especially toward a guy who came here and has been a consistent performer leading the P-Bruins in scoring. Spooner is more like a Krejci-type talent with a Versteeg-like personality. This season is a sprint, and Bourque has earned the shot. Now as soon as Claude decides he needs physicality at third-line LW, he gets a report on Caron and, if he's not ready, he reviews how Tardif equipped himself in camp. It's more likely, though, that he'll mess with the lines. It's fully expected by Chiarelli that the lines are going to get messed with because it's unlikely that all three non-lockout wingers on the top two lines are going to perform up to par. I have one prediction: by February Peverley will be in the top six, and probably to stay. He looks ultra quick and snappy. Guys who didn't play, especially hulks like Lucic and Horton, are in trouble. Best they can do is not let their frustrations turn into bad penalties, just be good defensively and not get caught up in Steve Ott kind of crap.
I've been a big Bartkowski believer this season, but I'm also sure Julien's going to want to see what Johnson's got. Exelby's injured, don't know for how long. Hamilton will be given as much ice as his play warrants, just like you laid out. Warsofsky is here on merit, too small for the NHL. Krug has just enough muscle to survive, but W's got too small a frame. Only so much you can do with it. He's playing well, though, and deserves this look ahead of Krug, whose season has been up and down.
