I don't like the lineup. Do over.
I'm betting:
Jake-Sid-Kappy
Zuck-Geno-Rust
McCann-Jank-Erod
Scev-Bleug-Tanev
Dumo-Letang
Math-Marino
Petts-Ceci
TJ/CDS
My hope is that Laffery lights it up and solidifies a spot at 3RW.
Once again, it's not what you bet or suspect to see, but what you'd like to see.
The lineup that was voted on is actually what I had typed up maybe in October.
Anyway, I think Sully will go with:
Guentzel - Crosby - Kapanen
If I'm recalling correctly, Sullivan said that he plans on starting Kapanen with Crosby. And I think we all know that Jake is basically glued to Sid's hip.
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
With Guentzel and Kapanen going to Sid, this leaves Malkin with the remaining top six wingers. Even though this line didn't click in the playoffs, I think there's potential for a super annoying and skilled line.
[ZAR placeholder, likely McCann] - Blueger - Tanev
Since there's a shortened season, I think Sullivan will rely heavily on what he's familiar with. If that's the case, I do think he'll go to the BART line as soon as he can and they'll take the majority of D-zone starts. In the meantime, he'll use camp and preseason to see who meshes best with Blueger and Tanev in ZAR's absence. I think McCann or Rodrigues go here to start, with McCann having the edge.
[Lafferty or Rodrigues] - Jankowski - Sceviour
For the season start, I expect Jankowski to center the 4th line. Lafferty and E-Rod will rotate in based on the weather. Once ZAR comes back, I see that separating McCann from B&T to this line. Then Jankowski and McCann will make up two-thirds of this line, with the final opening going to whoever best suits the line's role.
Dumoulin - Letang
Sully to go with the familiar and with what works.
Pettersson - Marino
Sully to go with the familiar and with what works.
Matheson - Ceci
There's no way they don't start Matheson and I don't see Riikola playing over Ceci.
Ugh, this team needs a couple of young prospects to crack the lineup immediately.
Don’t listen to JR. I think it’s fairly clear Blue is Sully’s preferred choice for 3C.
McCann has been switched to wing when we could and Jank had an awful year so he’ll have to prove himself before he got a shot.
I'm pretty disappointed with Kapanen still being in Finland right now. You don't procrastinate with immigration when you got a camp to report for...especially when you have a new team and coach and we're in the midst of Covid. Pretty foreseeable that there could be complications with travel. The official statement from the NHL about training camps starting Jan. 3rd was sent out December 20th. But he decided to fly out Jan. 1st? That's my understanding from the Post-Gazette article anyway.
Now at the very least he'll miss half of camp. Hell, he could miss games. He needs to quarantine for a week.
I want to find some excuse for him but this just screams unprofessional and immature to me.
It’s very discouraging. I really think this team feels these clowns Rodrigues and Jank are third line players.To update, Sullivan has confirmed a preference for JR's projected bottom 6 to start.
But I will never understand why they brought back Rodrigues if he couldn’t crack the roster in the playoffs.
I'm pretty disappointed with Kapanen still being in Finland right now. You don't procrastinate with immigration when you got a camp to report for...especially when you have a new team and coach and we're in the midst of Covid. Pretty foreseeable that there could be complications with travel. The official statement from the NHL about training camps starting Jan. 3rd was sent out December 20th. But he decided to fly out Jan. 1st? That's my understanding from the Post-Gazette article anyway.
Now at the very least he'll miss half of camp. Hell, he could miss games. He needs to quarantine for a week.
I want to find some excuse for him but this just screams unprofessional and immature to me.
He waited like a week AFTER Christmas to come back, though.Holidays, he might have wanted to be home for them before the gauntlet bubble.
He waited like a week AFTER Christmas to come back, though.
Lafferty even played in the playoffs...Well when you damn near get swept, there aren't enough games to rack up injuries and pull guys in out of the pressbox.
You always need fill ins. Unless you think anyone in WBS is actually BETTER than Rodrigues...
Lafferty even played in the playoffs...
Rodrigues is fine for a fill-in or strictly fourth line. But to say he’s a third liner suddenly is pretty bananas. Both JR and Sully have pretty much said he will play on the third line.
I just want to know what happened between the Habs series and when we signed Rodrigues that convinced dumb and dumber that he’s a top 9 player.
I look forward to them both getting fired, but that’ll mean that this upcoming season was a failure.Then buckle up, watch them die by their swords and get fired
I agreeI really badly want to see McCann/TB/Tanev for like... 10 games. Don't rush to take them apart. I want to see how it goes. My gut instinct is it could be one of those really weird amazing lines out of nowhere.
OR IT COULD BE BRUTAL. But I need to see it for an extended period of time.
To update, Sullivan has confirmed a preference for JR's projected bottom 6 to start.
He waited like a week AFTER Christmas to come back, though.
Where did he say that?
30:59 mark start listening.
Heard it here: