Line Combos: What the lineup should be next game

[Natey]

Drouin - Schmaltz - Scherbak
Domi - Danault - Gallagher
Byron - Peca - Armia
Hudon - Plekanec - Lehkonen

Pacioretty traded for Schmaltz.

Seems very unrealistic for us to get Schmaltz.

 

[Number 57]

Whether Drouin is tried at center again or not is irrelevant for this season. We will suck and we will finish bottom-5. My best guess is Julien will roll three ''#2 lines'' mixing and matching as he goes, plus a 4th line which should be anchored by Deslauriers' play (based on last season).

I could see Drouin, Danault and Plekanec being our top-3 C, all getting equal ice time at even strength, with Drouin getting the bulk of the PP time and Plekanec the PK time.

Everything should be done to give Drouin the higher chance of success, we cannot afford another Galchenyuk situation. If he plays at wing or center, doesn't matter to me, as long as he developps into a legit first line talent, and can contribute at least 70 pts.

With Poehling and Kotkaniemi coming up, we will have more options at center, and it might make sense to stick with Drouin on the wing for this reason.

We have a ton of young offensive prospects, but it's impossible to tell which one will developp. In a couple of years, I would love to see Kotkaniemi, Poehling, Drouin and Domi anchoring our top-6 with at least one of Hudon/Lehkonen/Scherbak/Ylonen/Ikonen/Olofsson who will be a legit top-6 threat and perhaps a free agent/trade acquisition to complete the line-up. It could be deadly if everyone can reach their potential.

Drouin - Kotkaniemi - FREE AGENT/TRADE 1st LINE TALENT
Domi - Poehling - Scherbak/Lehkonen/Ylonen/etc

Then, you would have a lot of options on the 3rd line, starting with Gallagher who will be pushing 30 soon, Danault, Armia, Bitten, Evans, Peca and all our prospects.

On top of this, you may get a top-5 draft pick in 2019, so you may be able to add quite a talent to this group as well which could make guys like Lehkonen, Scherbak and Hudon expendable in a trade.

 

[Number 57]

You also have the option of going with all Finland top line in 2-3 years, which if they developp chemistry could be real interesting, and would push Drouin down into the 2nd line, which is not a bad thing.

Ylonen (50 pts) - Kotkaniemi (70 pts) - Lehkonen (50 pts)
Drouin (70 pts) - Poehling (55 pts) - Domi (50 pts)
Bitten (30 pts) - Danault (40 pts) - Gallagher (45 pts)

 

[Habs Halifax]

It's pretty clear that we have a cup filled on the wing. 2 guys are getting moved ....

Byron and Shaw are likely not ready to start camp or the regular season. So the clutter of wingers happens after the season starts when they return.

 

[sandysan]

Everything should be done to give Drouin the higher chance of success, we cannot afford another Galchenyuk situation. If he plays at wing or center, doesn't matter to me, as long as he developps into a legit first line talent, and can contribute at least 70 pts.

then play him on the freaking wing. It DOES matter to me because he lacks pretty much every attribute one seeks in a center and the idea that he's going to become a 1C by osmosis enrages me to the point my blood pressure climbs.

He's NOT a center, he's NEVER been an center and he will NEVER BE a center. Anything else is a redux of what we had last year, the old " give him a chance". He got his chance, it was a train wreck. we double down on his performace last year, we deserve everything we get.

 

[Simarino]

Byron and Shaw are likely not ready to start camp or the regular season. So the clutter of wingers happens after the season starts when they return.

I want to see Hudon,Sherback and Lehkonen play top9 +2nd PP minutes, if you add to those 3 guys: Drouin(dont want to see him at C 1 more min), Gallagher, Domi,Armia you have 1 extra winger in the top 9 and thats without Shaw, Byron and Patch.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I want to see Hudon,Sherback and Lehkonen play top9 +2nd PP minutes, if you add to those 3 guys: Drouin(dont want to see him at C 1 more min), Gallagher, Domi,Armia you have 1 extra winger in the top 9 and thats without Shaw, Byron and Patch.

I'm nervous for this season. The fans want to focus on youth but the management appear to want to win, try for a playoff spot where "anything can happen". That means Julien will ignore development and give more ice time to Pleky vs DLR. Scherbak will play 3rd or 4th line. Lehkonen plays a responsible game so Julien will like him. Not sure about Hudon. Some think he should be tried at center... That's not happening with Julien I would imagine.

Time will tell and I think our management is in for a rough season if they think we will have better attitude. We just don't have the roster to compete with the top teams. The better strategy is to say we will focus on youth and coach our younger players to be better as the season goes along. That is the right attitude OUR MANAGEMENT should have. That is the message they should be delivering to our fan base.

Turning the pressure to win knob up again is stupid! It's only sets us up to fail.

 

[Darkstorm]

Max Domi - Philip Danault - Jonathan Drouin
Artturi Lekhonen - Tomas Plekanec - Nikita Sherbak
Joel Armia - Jacob De La Rose - Brendan Gallagher
Charles Hudon - Matthew Peca - Paul Byron

Victor Mete - Jeff Petry
Karl Alzner - Noah Juulsen
Xavier Ouellet - Mike Reilly

Carey Price
Anti Niemi

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I think it's more fun to think the year year after this one.

End of 2019-2020 Habs
Drouin-Poehling-Gallagher
Domi-Kotkaniemi-Scherbak
Hudon-Danault-Lehkonen
Deslaurier-DLR-Armia
Peca

Byram-Weber
Mete-Petry
Reilly-Juulsen

 

[nyhabsfan]

Lets give guys a chance ... if healthy and barring any trades who knows maybe Drouin takes a step at C and Peca turns some heads , Can’t get much more negative than where we are at right now I can only see positives from here on out

Domi Drouin Gallagher
Pacioretty Peca lehkonen
Byron Danault Armia
Deslauries pleks shaw/Scherbak /Hudon

I am assuming that Patches is moved before training camp, probably at his lowest trade value thanks to an incompetent GM

What GM let it leak that he will not be giving is ONLY consistent 30 goal scorer a contract. I agree Patches is not worth $7 to $8 million dollars, but there is a WAY to approach it. Apparently he did not learn from the Markov and Radulov "negotiations" as "first come, first served". Pathetic.

My hope (a dream) is Patches to Chicago for Ansimov and a 2nd round pick. But I will not put that into my lines.

Anyway.... my lines pre-training camp.

LW C RW

Drouin Danault Gallagher
Domi Peca Lekhonen
Hudon Plekanec Armia
Bryon De La Rose Scherbak

Deslauries, Shaw

Adding a player like Ansimov would move all our centers down a spot and would make this a much better lineup.

LD RD
Victor Mete - Jeff Petry
Karl Alzner - Noah Juulsen
David Schlemko - Mike Reilly

Xavier Ouelle, Jordie Benn

Interesting to see what Simon Despres has in the tank.

So who are the dark horses that could surprises at training camp.... hmmmm

 

[HOPE]

You also have the option of going with all Finland top line in 2-3 years, which if they developp chemistry could be real interesting, and would push Drouin down into the 2nd line, which is not a bad thing.

Ylonen (50 pts) - Kotkaniemi (70 pts) - Lehkonen (50 pts)
Drouin (70 pts) - Poehling (55 pts) - Domi (50 pts)
Bitten (30 pts) - Danault (40 pts) - Gallagher (45 pts)

so your top 6 only has LW player? good way to get countered.

 

[Maitz]

I see too many lineup with Scherbak on the 4th line, just stop guys.

 

[G0bias]

Title doesn't say when so...

Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Kakko
Domi - Byfield - Ylonen
Scherbak - Poehling - Lehkonen
Hudon - Danault - Armia

 

[TrapGod Jr]

If we want to have a bit of excitement watching the games this year even if we know that we're not going to be competitive...I think (hope).... that Peca or even Hudon, can surprise us and fill a role offensively as a top 6C. That would help to put the players we want to develop in the right spot. (Hint: Drouin on the wing)

 

[voyageur]

If Patches gets a chance to prove himself redeemed, I go:

Domi-Drouin-Gallagher
Domi is a massive talent upgrade from Byron. This is a great skating line that can push the pace.

Patches-Danault-Scherbak
Two most talented wingers with a hard working centre.


Lehkonen-Plekanec-Hudon
This was a strong preseason line last year, lack chemistry elsewhere in the lineup impeded their duration.

DeLaRose/Deslauriers-Peca-Armia

Leading to PK tandems
Plekanec-Lehkonen
Danault-Pacioretty
Peca-Armia

Shaw and Byron can join the 4th line when healthy. Armia could move up with Plekanec, form a true defensive line.

Defensively I'd like to see

Reilly-Petry
Petry carries the load in Weber's absence. Reilly is more of a complementary fit.

Mete-Juulsen
Young, and green, but terrific speed, could be a surprise pairing.

Alzner-Lernout
In a chip and chase bottom line situation, with good defensive positioning from forwards, these are 2 guys who can win many battles in the corners. Lernout adds the punishing element that Weber brought. Needs to improve puck movement, but good centre positining helps transition.

Valiev, Benn as subs. Schlemko maybe beats out Valiev, but I think he gets moved in TC.

Taormina, Ouellet and Depres are enough veteran depth.

PP1

Drouin on the half wall. Strong side.
Pacioretty in the shooting areas
Gallagher in fromt of the net.
Domi moving the play from different directions, passing should get shooters more shots
Petry on the point

PP2
Hudon
Danault
Scherbak
Lehkonen
Mete/Juulsen

It's patchwork. But not without talent. It's attention to detail, execution, which will decide the team's fate.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

With Byron & Shaw expected to miss October, these are the options I'm looking at up front:

1) Pacioretty still around, Drouin at wing:

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gallagher
Domi - Danault - Drouin
Lehkonen - De La Rose - Armia
Hudon - Peca - Scherbak

2) Pacioretty traded (no roster replacement), Drouin at wing:

Domi - Danault - Drouin
Hudon - Plekanec - Gallagher
Lehkonen - De La Rose - Armia
DesLauriers - Peca - Scherbak

3) Pacioretty traded (no roster replacement), Drouin at C:

Domi - Drouin - Scherbak
Hudon - Plekanec - Gallagher
Lehkonen - Danault -Armia
Peca/Rychel - De La Rose - DesLauriers

4) Pacioretty still around, Drouin at C:

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gallagher
Domi - Drouin - Lehkonen
Hudon - Danault - Armia
DesLauriers - De La Rose - Scherbak

 

[Bieber fever]

Drouin at center needs to stop

Daneault
Plekanec
Peca
DLR

Thats habs center line. Its the worst in the league but that what it is. Management have to deal with it.

 

[26Mats]

Drouin at center needs to stop

Daneault
Plekanec
Peca
DLR

Thats habs center line. Its the worst in the league but that what it is. Management have to deal with it.

Drouin is better than Plekanec at center for a 2nd line. It should be Galchenyuk, but this team is hopeless under Bergevin. It really doesn't matter who the centers are and what the line combinations are.

 

[Dongstoppable]

Drouin is better than Plekanec at center for a 2nd line. It should be Galchenyuk, but this team is hopeless under Bergevin. It really doesn't matter who the centers are and what the line combinations are.

It can't be Drouin, because he's dying at center. Even if we suck again next year, he needs to be able to go out there and do what he does best, for better or worse, to develop into an effective player. If he plays on the wing, playing to his strengths, and put up like 60 pts and has an overall successful year, that's a win. If he goes out and has another shitty, frustrating year at center and stagnates, that's a loss. Eventually we'll have better centers, and they'll need wingers like Drouin to score.

 

[THE HOFF]

for some reason I'm curious about a line with Domi- Danault-Gallagher . I get a feeling they could overachieve. In any case, we need a shooter playing on domi's opposite wing.

 

[voyageur]

Drouin at center needs to stop

Daneault
Plekanec
Peca
DLR

Thats habs center line. Its the worst in the league but that what it is. Management have to deal with it.

I don't know what the metrics say, but seemed like Drouin emerged as a better centre playing with Gallagher, after the Plekanec trade. Away from Galchenyuk and Patches. Domi can play the centre position. Faceoffs are his biggest weakness. I'd like to see a bit Drouin/Domi together, with Gallagher mucking. Drouin is too young to right off as a centre. Nathan Mackinnon, his former teammate, only had his breakthrough last season, with more time at the position.

Depth chart is probably

Drouin
Danault
Plekanec
Peca
DLR
Chaput
Froese

The biggest upgrade is at the bottom. Look forward to seeing Chaput in the Tricolore.

Peca gets a chance to be a regular grinder, carve out a career.

 

[26Mats]

It can't be Drouin, because he's dying at center. Even if we suck again next year, he needs to be able to go out there and do what he does best, for better or worse, to develop into an effective player. If he plays on the wing, playing to his strengths, and put up like 60 pts and has an overall successful year, that's a win. If he goes out and has another ****ty, frustrating year at center and stagnates, that's a loss. Eventually we'll have better centers, and they'll need wingers like Drouin to score.

Yes, I agree with you. But Bergevin and Julien will play Drouin at center over Plekanec. Bergevin has gone on record saying he's the best we have and Julien will try his best to win every game. It's what all coaches do.

 

[Habernack]

Lets try something a little different. Lets say Peca is a man on a mission after all and Hudon is tried at C and breaks out.

Drouin – Danault – Gally
Domi – Peca - Sherback
Lehkonen – Hudon – Armia
Rychel/DLR - Pleks - Mac

ugh.......

 

[1909]

Lets try something a little different. Lets say Peca is a man on a mission after all and Hudon is tried at C and breaks out.

Drouin – Danault – Gally
Domi – Peca - Sherback
Lehkonen – Hudon – Armia
Rychel/DLR - Pleks - Mac

ugh.......

Deslauriers, Byron, Shaw ?????

 

[Ozmodiar]

They should play Drouin in the position that they think he'll be playing 3 years from now.
Let's hope that's on the wing.

If Danault, Pleks or Peca have to play up in the order, then so be it. No point in trying to hide the fact that there's no center depth by saying Drouin is 'the best option', when it's really 3rd line guy Danault. They're one more top 10 pick from having the center depth they'll need going forward.

Trade Max for a young D like Jokiharju, draft a top center in 2019, and they'll have a decent young core.