This years line combination

[OldFan]

Why are people selling Grimaldi short? He was our best forward in the playoffs and our best Corsi-players in the regular season. Yeah, he wasn't great at finishing those plays but he certainly didn't play with offensively talented teammates either.

In my mind, he's the front-runner for the #3LW spot and now gets to be on a line that should be more of a offensive line than in the years past.

“Why are people selling Grimaldi short?”
Bwahaaa! I know, I know. I’ll go quietly.

 

[glenngineer]

People sell Grimaldi short because they view his playoff performance as the norm as opposed to what he contributed in the regular season. Which body of work would you rely on to get a good read on a player?

I want playoff warriors but his numbers in the regular season do not excite me about his play. I love a good underdog story and I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Armourboy]

Well of course the Preds aren’t required to do anything. But the point I was going for was he’s a highly regarded draft pick. He’s had a good KHL year and supposedly learned a lot with the requisite Milwaukee year. He tore it up in rookie camp after diet and skating school. Who knows what he’s looked like in camp; only the coaches. I just think it’s time to see what he can do with some good NHL linemates on a regular shift and some quality PP time. Earning his spot is up to him and I don’t feel he’s messed up a chance at it yet. I guess we’ll see soon.

Well I've watched all the pre-season games and haven't been that impressed. If he earns his spot great, but we have enough depth that if he doesn't he shouldn't be handed a spot just because of his draft position and a KHL season that hasn't translated over here at all.

 

[Scoresberg]

People sell Grimaldi short because they view his playoff performance as the norm as opposed to what he contributed in the regular season. Which body of work would you rely on to get a good read on a player?

I want playoff warriors but his numbers in the regular season do not excite me about his play. I love a good underdog story and I hope he proves me wrong.

Still he scored 13 points in 53 games last year on the 4th line. That’s nearly a 25p pace for a whole season.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Tolvanen is bound to get some games eventually but if he doesn't play at all in the coming season I wouldn't be too fond of that idea, bordering mishandling a prospect just to make him "pay his dues".

Young players actually need to play and adapt to become something they're currently not. Tolvanen hasn't really gotten the chance on the NHL level yet despite if it's his fault or not.
We have no spot for him because we're too stacked in the middle 6 on paper but not in actual production.

 

[King Weber]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

 

[Scoresberg]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

Honestly, could really get behind this. Would like to see Josi and Fabbro together, though and Ekholm & Ellis paired again.

 

[PredsV82]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

Irwin waived? Not that I'm against it, mind you...

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

This is exactly what I have in my head, so no reason to type it out. Bonino was our 2C just a short time ago. Pretty wild to see the changes.

Jarnkrok seems like the logical choice for expansion draft.

 

[Gh24]

I want to see Joey and Arvy together (love their chemistry), Forsberg and Granlund together and I DON'T want to see Josi and Ellis together. I'm going to be happy with the lineups if those three things happen, so the lineups above (outside 1st pair) look really good to me.

I agree Ekholm would make a near perfect pair for a young defenseman, but playing with Josi isn't bad either. AND we would see Ekholm and Ellis re-united. That probably isn't as good as we (or I) make it to be, but as a fan I want to see that happen.

If they play Turris t 3C to have three scoring lines then they should have more openings at LW during the season for Tolvanen for example.

 

[Montross]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

Good forward lineup. That top 6 is going to be dynamic.

 

[triggrman]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

I like it. However, I do think they'll keep Irwin up and send Gaudreau down.

 

[triggrman]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

So if you're a coach who do you try to match your shutdown line against? Johansen's line or Duchene's line?

I really like our top 9 on paper this year. Hell, I even like our 4th line, some years that would have been our 2nd line.

 

[OldFan]

I hope the Preds eliminate the desire to call the top 2 lines #1 and #2. Never before has there been a situation where they have 2 lines with such potential.
Certainly can’t call Duchene a #2 center.

 

[predfan24]

Now that they've cut Tolvanen and Pitlick, here's what I think the lines could look like on opening night:

Turris-Johansen-Arvidsson
Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund
Grimaldi-Sissons-Smith
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Watson

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Fabbro
Hamhuis-Weber

Rinne
Saros

Extras; Carr, Gaudreau, Santini

What's the thought process behind playing Turris in a top 6 wing spot? Are they trying to get him going in order to protect their investment in him? There is a lot of money and years invested in him and right now I don't think they could unload him without taking back a similar under performing player on a bad contract. I see the motivation in that sense to get him going. Otherwise, I see Smith as a damn near perfect complementary goal scoring winger and I wouldn't much understand playing him on the third line.

I hope the Preds eliminate the desire to call the top 2 lines #1 and #2. Never before has there been a situation where they have 2 lines with such potential.
Certainly can’t call Duchene a #2 center.

I'd argue 06-07 was just as good if not better, but I agree with what your basic point.

 

[MrJoshua]

I think the thought process on Turris is, get him going and use him. He has a history as a productive top 6 player. If he can thrive in that role it makes the overall team depth that much better.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Conspiracy theory: first 20 games, they drive up the value of Turris and make him a trade asset. Tolvanen gets ready and they trade Turris for a need. Tolvanen to LW, Turris to say...NYR.

 

[Legionnaire11]

I'm probably jinxing things, but I bet Poile was assuming there would be some kind of injury by this point. It seems like the league as a whole has come out of this camp and preseason a little better off than usual (until Boeser anyway).

A healthy lineup is great though, and you never want to see guys hurt, but it would certainly be the easiest way to get Tolvanen and Pitlick into the lineup.

 

[herzausstein]

After one preseason game with turris as a winger, I think it could work out

Turris - joey - rv
Forsberg - duchene - granlund

Could be two really good scoring lines. That raises the question of what about the bottom two lines.

Grimaldi sissons smith
Jarnkrok bones Watson

Or

Jarnkrok bones smith
Watson sissons Grimaldi

Or

Grimaldi bonino smith
Watson jarnkrok sissons

Several different looks

 

[Legionnaire11]

I like Grimaldi Sissons Smith as a third scoring line with Jarnkrok Bonino Watson as a shutdown line with skills.

 

[PredsHead]

I like Grimaldi Sissons Smith as a third scoring line with Jarnkrok Bonino Watson as a shutdown line with skills.

I'd personally like that third line a little better with Pitlick or Tolvanen at LW and Grimaldi in the press box, but this is not a bad alternative.

 

[BigFatCat999]

So, any info for the 3rd and 4th lines

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

So, any info for the 3rd and 4th lines

Well I'm not exactly sold on the idea of Jarnkrok-Turris-Grimaldi. Jarnkrok and Turris is a lot of soft all at once, and as hard as Grimaldi tries, he's still 5'6". If I had that line on the one hand, and then Sissons-Bonino-Watson on the other hand, I'd probably end up putting the latter line out there a lot more often.

Keeping Sissons and Bonino as the centers, trying Turris on wing, and Smith on a 3rd line appeals to me more as a first try. Although maybe they already saw enough in pre-season to nix that - I didn't watch that experiment run, so maybe I'm just behind the curve.

 

[Scoresberg]

Yep, don't like those linemates for Turris at all. He has to play with a driver who can score.

Forsberg - Duchene - Granlund
Jarnkrok - Johansen - Arvidsson
Grimaldi - Turris - Smith
Sissons - Bonino - Watson

?

 

[FFWRX]

Yep, don't like those linemates for Turris at all. He has to play with a driver who can score.

Forsberg - Duchene - Granlund
Jarnkrok - Johansen - Arvidsson
Grimaldi - Turris - Smith
Sissons - Bonino - Watson

?

Grimaldi - Turris - Smith = JoFA lite