Lineup Shuffle

standers

Registered User
Dec 1, 2015
51
10
A couple of different options to consider.

1. Top-Heavy

Johnsson - Tavares - Marner
Nylander - Matthews - Kapanen (WN has played LW well in the past)
Hyman - Kadri - Brown (the shutdown checking line; it'll give Kadri a role again)
Marleau - Goat - Ennis

2. Balanced Lineup

Brown - Tavares - Marner
Hyman - Matthews - Nylander (this has worked before)
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapanen
Marleau - Goat - Ennis

I would also be excited for Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander, although I worry they're all small and/or afraid.

Yup. This.
 

Zizzzzy

Registered User
Dec 6, 2017
2,005
1,484
Johnsson – Matthews – Nylander
Hyman – Tavares – Marner
Marleau – Kadri – Kapanen
Ennis/Lindholm – Gauthier/Lindholm – Brown

I like thee lines.

I feel it is time we get Nylander back with Matthews and give them time to get the chemistry back before playoffs. We are not paying Nylander 7m/yr to drive the 3rd line and play behind Kapanen.

Kap and Matthews have worked well together, but I really don't feel Kap is a good match for Matthews. The strength of Kaps game is his speed, driving hard down the wing, and often blowing the zone the first sight of puck possession. Matthews job as the center has him well behind and out of the play most of the time because of that style.

I think we would be much better suited having Matthews play with the slower but more skilled Nylander, and let Kaps speed drive the 3rd line.

Marleau should not be in the top 6 over Hyman and Johnsson.
 
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HamiltonNHL

Parity era hockey is just puck luck + draft luck
Jan 4, 2012
20,133
10,643
Marleau's first 3 games back with Matty after the week long+ break he got 4 points and played like a HOFer.

His last 3 games with Matty his game has gone invisible again. A total passenger.

He needs to play a week then break a week to rest his back and then play a week and so forth. He can't do it night in night out. His back won't allow it.

Babcock won't wreck his iron man streak.
But he needs to be on the 4th line
 

JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
12,056
7,321
Babcock won't wreck his iron man streak.
But he needs to be on the 4th line
Agreed. Based on every test whether eye test or analytics test he should be a 4th liner getting reduced minutes for the rest of this season. In playoffs if he can step it up then maybe he gets to move up lineup. But he is a HOFer who Babs wanted signed so given Babs ego i can't imagoine anything but Marleau playing with Matty to finish season. If it costs us 2nd place in Atlantic then a price should be paid but it won't. If we stay in 2nd well i guess it really did not matter at all. Also given NHL CAP system I don't think there is any chance AJ resigns here so that would impact Dubie and Babs decision too.
 

unitedstars87

Registered User
Jun 2, 2006
1,207
705
The stats say Marleau has killed every line he’s been on this year. In the ideal world he’d be on the fourth line but I know that’s not realistic. I don’t think there’s a single NHL coach, for better or worse, that would put Marleau on the 4th line.
Ideally I think the best lines 5 v 5 are:

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Moore - Kadri - Kapenen
Ennis - Marleau - Brown
Goat

PK Forwards

Hyman - Brown
Marleau - Kapenen
Marner - Tavares
 

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