Line Combos: Playoffs lines

[HTTP 400]

Toffoli Suzuki Armia
Tatar Danault Gallagher
Lehkonen Evans CC
Perry KK Anderson

Dom seems to like evans and CC together. Keep
CC and Andy on the right side. Lines 3 and 4, similar TOI. Balance.

Byron and Staal sit. Jo? I don’t think he’ll return.

I have the same line up

I like that KK line, could work.

 

[yianik]

I think Drouin is done for the year.

I don't see how Byron plays over Lehks or Cole.

Staal is a guy not to play, but my guess is Evans undeservedly is kept out

 

[dinodebino]

I think Drouin is done for the year.

I don't see how Byron plays over Lehks or Cole.

Staal is a guy not to play, but my guess is Evans undeservedly is kept out

The way DD is using Evans, I see him patrolling the 3rd line. Staal will certainly play. I let you guess who won't be playing.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'll stir some f***ing controversy

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Anderson-Suzuki-Toffoli
Perry-Kotkaniemi-Caufield
Lehkonen-Evans-Byron

Scratched: Drouin, Staal, Armia.

Edmundson-Petry
Romanov-Chiarot
Kulak-Merrill

Scratched: Weber, Gustafsson

Price
Allen

 

[BLONG7]

What lines combo do you like to see?

Toffoli Suzuki Armia
Tatar Danault Gallagher
Byron Kotkaniemi Anderson
Perry Staal Evans

Caufield Drouin Lehkonen Frolik

Chiarot Weber
Edmundson Petry
Romanov Merrill

Kulak Gustafson

Price
Allen

Primeau

There is no way, CC does not play in the playoffs...Byron will be on the outside with Leks and Frolik and JD.

 

[yianik]

The way DD is using Evans, I see him patrolling the 3rd line. Staal will certainly play. I let you guess who won't be playing.

That would have to be Lehks is my guess. Too bad, he should play over Staal easily.

 

[salbutera]

The way DD is using Evans, I see him patrolling the 3rd line. Staal will certainly play. I let you guess who won't be playing.

KK is working his way out of a healthy lineup...

 

[Roadhouse]

When Staal leaves in the offseason, KK will be back to C. For now Dom is going to war and will build lines around matchups.

No numbers here, ice time could be all over the place. Lines A & C can switch their RW, lines B & D can do the same. Byron and Drouin can sit Game 1 and avoid injury.


Vs. Matthews line:

Tatar - Danault - (Gallagher/Anderson)


Vs. Tavares line:

Toffoli - Suzuki - (Armia/Caufield)


Vs. Kerfoot line:

Kotkaniemi - Evans - (Anderson/Gallagher)


Vs. Spezza line:

Perry - Staal - (Caufield/Armia)

 

[Essenege]

I kind of forgot how deep this forward group his when players like Armia, Suzuki are on their game.

If everyone is there aside of Drouin:

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Toffoli-Suzuki-Armia
Perry-Kotkaniemi-Anderson
Lehkonen/Byron-Evans-Caufield

Scratched: Byron, Frolik, Staal (in order)

Edmundson-Petry
Romanov-Weber
Chiarot-Merrill

Scratched: Kulak, Gustafsson

Price
Allen

If Drouin is ready to play 100% (he has to be ready and motivated to have a slot in this deep forward group)

I would scratch Lekhs/Byron on the fourth. Have Drouin feed CC against sheltered opposition.

 

[GalHabsGal]

Toffoli Suzuki Armia
Tatar Danault Gallagher
Caufield Kotkaniemi Anderson
Perry Evans Lehkonen

This!

 

[Mrb1p]

Toff-Suzuki-Gallagher
Caufield-KK-Anderson
Tatar-Evans-Perry
Lekhonen-Danault-Armia/Staal/Poehling

Time to play your best offensive players together. Split them all 15 minutes.


Gallagher is a better version of Armia, use him with your two best offensive players.

 

[Frankenheimer]

The big question mark for me is whether Staal has another gear. If both he and Perry raise their game for the playoffs, that will leave some young deserving players out.

 

[Mrb1p]

The big question mark for me is whether Staal has another gear. If both he and Perry raise their game for the playoffs, that will leave some young deserving players out.

Or Staal and his lazy ass play can just sit out and they can go with players who want to be here.

 

[Deebs]

If we play Edmonton, Byron needs to be in the lineup because he's owned McSatan this year and we need him to shadow him every game.

 

[Frankenheimer]

Or Staal and his lazy ass play can just sit out and they can go with players who want to be here.

I'll wait to see if that other gear is there first. That's the only reason he's on the team presently. I want to win not base decisions on merit, development or appeasing any given player. Just Staal's face off percentage could be huge in tight games. Should become clear after a game or two if Staal has it or not.

 

[le_sean]

The big question mark for me is whether Staal has another gear. If both he and Perry raise their game for the playoffs, that will leave some young deserving players out.

Another gear implies that he currently has one now, which he doesn’t.

He’s going to play, but he doesn’t deserve it.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I'm excited to see what this team will look like when fully healthy. Ducharme probably has two duos for the top 6 and two lines for the top six when the team is healthy:

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Toffoli-Suzuki-Armia

Those lines/duos have very strong results over not insignificant sample sizes. I don't know if Drouin will play in the playoffs, but if not, I'd like to see the a more sheltered 3rd line of:

Caufield-Kotkaniemi-Anderson

I like Kotkaniemi at center, I like what Caufield has done and I think its worth seeing the two together. Anderson fits with almost any line and his straight line speed and scoring touch should be a better fit for KK and help create space for Caufield. The 4th line should start with:

Lehkonen-Evans-Perry

With Byron, Staal, Frolik, etc. getting shots based on play or competition.

The D seems a little less clear cut, but I'd look at:

Edmundson-Petry
Merrill/Kulak-Weber
Romanov-Chiarot

The first pair has generally been very effective. Weber has been playing hurt and Romanov isn't ready for top competition, but spreading time better makes sense to me to help address both of those things. Chiarot has looked a lot better playing next to a D-man like Romanov compared to Weber, so I'd like to keep that pair together. Merrill or Kulak make sense next to Weber as both can skate relatively well.

 

[Frankenheimer]

Another gear implies that he currently has one now, which he doesn’t.

He’s going to play, but he doesn’t deserve it.

It's a known fact some players rise to the occasion of the playoffs and other wilt. It remains to be seen what Staal has left. His play now does not give us an indication of what to expect in the playoffs. Deserves has nothing to do with winning. That's not how decisions should be made for the playoffs. I think we can afford to give him a game or two to see what he can do.

 

[Cenzo_]

Toffoli Suzuki Armia (line working well, amazing on the boards, all players have good hands to get in the O zone to compensate for lack of speed)
Tatar Danault Gallagher (proven 5v5 line)
Caufield Kotkaniemi Anderson (KK good to distribute the puck, Anderson to win puck battle on the boards and allow room for Caufield)
Drouin Evans Perry (we will need secondary scoring and that line could do it, 2 fast guys with the vet that can score in tight spaces)

Staal, Lehkonen, Frolik

Edmundson Petry
Chiarot Weber
Romanov Merrill

Kulak Gustafson

Price
Allen

Primeau

PP1

Toffoli Perry Gallagher
Petry Suzuki

PP2i
Caufield Tatar Kotkaniemi
Weber Drouin

 

[26Mats]

Toffoli Suzuki Armia (line working well, amazing on the boards, all players have good hands to get in the O zone to compensate for lack of speed)
Tatar Danault Gallagher (proven 5v5 line)
Caufield Kotkaniemi Anderson (KK good to distribute the puck, Anderson to win puck battle on the boards and allow room for Caufield)
Drouin Evans Perry (we will need secondary scoring and that line could do it, 2 fast guys with the vet that can score in tight spaces)

Staal, Lehkonen, Frolik

Edmundson Petry
Chiarot Weber
Romanov Merrill

Kulak Gustafson

Price
Allen

Primeau

PP1

Toffoli Perry Gallagher
Petry Suzuki

PP2i
Caufield Tatar Kotkaniemi
Weber Drouin

I like this. Interesting to see what happens with Staal's play over the last 5 games.

 

[Mrb1p]

I'll wait to see if that other gear is there first. That's the only reason he's on the team presently. I want to win not base decisions on merit, development or appeasing any given player. Just Staal's face off percentage could be huge in tight games. Should become clear after a game or two if Staal has it or not.

It should be clear he doesn't want to be here from the 10 games he's played with the Habs.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

If we play Edmonton, Byron needs to be in the lineup because he's owned McSatan this year and we need him to shadow him every game.

He was playing with Danault at that time. With Tatar and Gally healthy for the playoffs, he won't have the same opportunity.

 

[Frankenheimer]

It should be clear he doesn't want to be here from the 10 games he's played with the Habs.

I don't think want has much to do with it. He's old, that's all. Either the playoffs will give him a boost or it won't. It's a question that can't be answered right now. Unless we're operating in world where regular season and playoffs are the same thing...

Granted, Staal has a lot less playoff experience than I thought, but having gone this far, I would give him a chance to prove himself in the playoffs after sitting a few games beforehand. Our young guys make way too many mistakes at the moment.

 

[26Mats]

It should be clear he doesn't want to be here from the 10 games he's played with the Habs.

It's already been 17 games of this. 2 points and a team worst -11 already in those 17 games.

 

[Mrb1p]

It's already been 17 games of this. 2 points and a team worst -11 already in those 17 games.

Honestly I wouldn't care that much about points if he played sound defensively and he was just generally a positve out there, a guy like Josh Anderson has 2 points in his last 11 games but he's hustling hard and making things happen... Staal isn't. He's brutal and absolutely lazy.