TOI on the year looks like:
Krejci 18:25
Bergeron: 17:05
Soderberg: 16:06
Campbell: 11:57
Even strength is pretty similar. Krejci getting a minute more, Bergeron and Carl about tied.
I wonder if Claude wants to roll with Krejci being #1 and then Carl and Bergeron's line being interchangable for matchups.
Only reason I care is because I think the B's have the best opportunity to win when the best players are getting appropriate ice time.
No, that makes sense and is perfectly reasonable. Everyone wants that.
I just more wonder what the fascination is with the labeling of a first line.
I have a sneaking suspicion (and this is not based on the same sources that told me about Shanny's secret point-factoring system but just a hunch) that Krejci's hip thing might be a nagging persistent thing. Nothing that would sideline him for a few weeks at a time, but something that might require some regular season rest management...so the debate I'm sure will come up.
It's got to have something to do with the Swedes being pretty compatible and CJ not wanting to break that duo up by having Carl moved up to the first line with Lucic and Griffith.
I suppose I would be on board with trying, while Krejci's out:
Lucic-Soderberg-Eriksson
Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Fraser-Kelly-Griffith
Paille-Campbell-Gagne
I read people have an aversion to that third and that it's scary, but Griffith hasn't looked awful on Kelly's wing while they're skating on the first together, and I think Kelly's ability to contain the middle physically might help open Fraser up and get space that he otherwise doesn't achieve with his skate speed.
Who knows. I don't particular do the lines thing myself. I think so many factors go into determining these combos/pairings that we're not all that privy to and I'm just not that good at playing GM (as my fantasy hockey teams might indicate).
I do need to see Eriksson against other first-line defensive combinations in the league for at least a few games. Whether that be with Soderberg as his center or Krejci doesn't exactly matter. I know what he does in OUR system. I want to see what he looks like against the opposition I frankly expected him to see.