Line Combos: What is the Senators' top line?

[Bevans]

Easy question. Assuming things play out as expected and this is the top 6, which one becomes the 1st line?

I vote Stu's line. They have more high end potential and I think Stu will lead the team in points.

Click to read more...

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson was a pretty dominant first line last year. I’ll go with them.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

They both are. Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson had all the tough match-ups last year. They’ll probably split them now.

 

[Bevans]

They both are. Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson had all the tough match-ups last year. They’ll probably split them now.

Other teams are going to have to decide who they want to play against as Line 1. They can't choose two.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Tkachuk - Norris Batherson will be better than it was last year because teams can't bury all their top defensive resources against it.


Debrincat - Stutzle - Giroux is a wildcard line that has a very strong chance of being our best offensive line.
- Did Stützle take his offseason training seriously enough to get the big money deal in his contract year?
- Will Giroux playmaker first mentality be enough to allow Debrincat to score 40-50 goals without Patrick Kane?

The third line in Formenton - Pinto - Joseph is going to reap the rewards playing against a tired top 4 D unit or a third pairing their speed will embarrass them.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Other teams are going to have to decide who they want to play against as Line 1. They can't choose two.

Exactly.

 

[PlayOn]

Whichever line Stützle centres will be our first line. You could see towards the end of last season that he’s on the verge of being our best player.

 

[Bevans]

Tkachuk - Norris Batherson will be better than it was last year because teams can't bury all their top defensive resources against it.


Debrincat - Stutzle - Giroux is a wildcard line that has a very strong chance of being our best offensive line.
- Did Stützle take his offseason training seriously enough to get the big money deal in his contract year?
- Will Giroux playmaker first mentality be enough to allow Debrincat to score 40-50 goals without Patrick Kane?

The third line in Formenton - Pinto - Joseph is going to reap the rewards playing against a tired top 4 D unit or a third pairing their speed will embarrass them.

I think biggest wildcard for debrincat will be his PP time. I'd say stutzle + giroux are better linemates 5 v 5 than Kane + strome. Hopefully he doesn't see any drop 5 v 5.

 

[Qward]

What a great problem to have.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

I voted the Norris line figuring he has more experience to handle the opposing team's best d-pairing more than Stutzle at this point in his career playing center.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

What a great problem to have.

This.

With the Hawks on the tank, I think my rooting interests will be with the Sens this season. First, I'm a huge DCat fan so I'm rooting for him and second, I like to root for a young up and coming team. Go Sens.

 

[Micklebot]

I voted the Norris line figuring he has more experience to handle the opposing team's best d-pairing more than Stutzle at this point in his career playing center.

Stützle has 7 more career NHL games than Norris, not really seeing how either one has an edge experience wise...

I mean, if you were getting at the defensive responsibility of playing center, I guess, but both guys were facing opposition's best D pairings.

 

[Sensators]

Whichever line stutzle is on imo. Our top line wasn't dominant last year but they took a step forward. The Only forward with 50%+ xGF was batherson. (& Joseph in 11 games).

 

[OD99]

Have to go with Tkachuk Norris as we know they work well together.

Possible that The Cat with Stu and G doesn't gel.

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

Stützle has 7 more career NHL games than Norris, not really seeing how either one has an edge experience wise...

I mean, if you were getting at the defensive responsibility of playing center, I guess, but both guys were facing opposition's best D pairings.

I kind of agree on experience, Norris has an extra pro year dominating AHL and has been our top C essentially for all his NHL experience. That said, I didn’t vote because I’m split.

 

[waitin425]

Your top 6 is awesome....congrats sens fans. I hope you are better than the Leafs this year.

 

[Akrapovince]

Other teams are going to have to decide who they want to play against as Line 1. They can't choose two.

It would make match-ups absolutely a nightmare for opposing teams if Formenton - Pinto combo can shut down other team’s top line with their speed/power combo.

Imagine putting Formenton/Pinto out against McDavid, Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson out against Leon’s line and just letting the Stützle line absolutely feast on whatever the hell the Oilers are doing in their bottom six.

 

[KrakenFan92]

What are the PP units looking like?

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

It would make match-ups absolutely a nightmare for opposing teams if Formenton - Pinto combo can shut down other team’s top line with their speed/power combo.

Imagine putting Formenton/Pinto out against McDavid, Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson out against Leon’s line and just letting the Stützle line absolutely feast on whatever the hell the Oilers are doing in their bottom six.

Home games should be fun this year

 

[Micklebot]

I kind of agree on experience, Norris has an extra pro year dominating AHL and has been our top C essentially for all his NHL experience. That said, I didn’t vote because I’m split.

Stützle was playing pro prior to being drafted. Norris has more time as a center in pro leagues, I think he's further along defensively, but in terms of facing to defenders I don't really see it.

 

[Bevans]

What are the PP units looking like?

My guess is

Tkachuk
Debrincat-stutzle-norris
Chabot (please chychrun)

Batherson-pinto-giroux
Sanderson-brannstrom

 

[thinkwild]

Think i'll go with the chuck norris bloodbath line until proven otherwise. But more interesting than what i think will be what opposing coaches think. Who do they match up their top shutdown pair and checking line against. Enquiring minds cant wait to find out

 

[2CHAINZ]

I'll show you who the top line is

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Stützle has 7 more career NHL games than Norris, not really seeing how either one has an edge experience wise...

I mean, if you were getting at the defensive responsibility of playing center, I guess, but both guys were facing opposition's best D pairings.

I thought Stutzle played a lot of wing so I figured Norris has more experience playing center ... but that is just my perception without seeing many Ottawa games. If that is incorrect than I suppose it a good to have toss up.

 

[The Lewler]

The reality of the NHL is there's a better than decent chance someone in your top 6 is going to go down, at least for small amount of games here and there. Here's hoping that's all the Sens get hit with.

I expect those lines to get blended up a fair bit.

But I'll go with the Stutzle - DeBrincat combo as what I expect our #1 line to be if everyone min-maxes themselves next year.