Line Combos: Who gets booted out of the top 9 when Briere and Pacioretty return?

[Rock On]

What I would do :
Pacioretty-Eller-Gallagher
Bournival-Plekanec-Gionta
Bourque-Galchenyuk-Leblanc
Holland-White-Blunden


What will happen probably :
Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher
Pacioretty-Plekanec-Gionta
Bournival-Desharnais-Bourque

Holland and/or Leblanc will be sent to Hamilton and the remaining guys will play on the 4th

 

[Dichow Stopper]

Desharnais or Briere.

Desharnais can't score, Briere has no effort. Couldn't care less who sits between them at this point.

Pacioretty - Eller - Gallagher
Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Desharnais/Briere - Bourque
Prust - White - Moen
Parros, Desharnais/Briere

Markov - Emelin
Subban - Gorges
Murray - Diaz
Bouillon

Price
Budaj

Leblanc and Holland have both played extremely well so far in my opinion, but there just won't be room.

This, nothing to add.

 

[Kriss E]

I think we have the perfect opportunity to play Galchenyuk at center.
Make him center the 3rd line. Bench DD. Give MaxPac a spot next to Eller and Gallagher.

 

[MXD]

Ninja edit on the question

But answers remain the same. Leblanc goes back to Hamilton. Everybody else remains in the Top-9.

 

[MXD]

I think we have the perfect opportunity to play Galchenyuk at center.
Make him center the 3rd line. Bench DD. Give MaxPac a spot next to Eller and Gallagher.

That's actually what I thought would be the thing to do.

But then I took a look at Galch's possession numbers...

 

[Kriss E]

That's actually what I thought would be the thing to do.

But then I took a look at Galch's possession numbers...

Would still give him a taste of the center position. He will have to be moved there eventually anyways. Also, his possession numbers would likely improve if moved down to the 3rd line versus weaker players.

 

[Kriss E]

Leblanc and Holland have both played extremely well so far in my opinion, but there just won't be room.

There should always be room for a better team. LL has a spot on the 3rd line. He's doing well and should be in the NHL imo. DD and DB should not be ahead of him and management should own up to their mistakes, not keep the worse players in the roster just because..
I'd be upset to see that. Unless LL plays like crap, but that won't be the case imo. I believe this kid can contribute well.

 

[Habs Icing]

I think it becomes a case of who gets booted from the team and not the top nine.

We've got
Prust
Patches
Parros
Priere (I like alliteration)

Oh yeah and Moen who may be out for a long time. A fracture in an orbital bone.

It's obvious that
Holland
Leblanc
Blunden

will be sent down as the injured players return and we get no new injuries.

The only player I see from the present injured list who will be slotted in the top 9 is Patches. To make room for him. DD has to give up his spot. I don't see anyone else.

 

[MXD]

Would still give him a taste of the center position. He will have to be moved there eventually anyways. Also, his possession numbers would likely improve if moved down to the 3rd line versus weaker players.

... Did you even watch the numbers to say such a thing?

 

[FuzzyWuzzy]

Briere would probably harm us in the playoffs, but at least the people thinking that his career playoff performance is meaningful would be given an educational lesson.

haha i keep telling myself the same thing when i see people talking about Brière's playoff performance..

how can you expect a guy who had trouble scoring in the regular season to just light up for the playoffs where the play is even tighter than during the season? it's non-sensical. if he was a non-factor during the season, chances are he'll remain one during the off season.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Bournival-Pleks-Gio - hot right now, ride it out
Pacs-DD-Gallagher - worked well last season despite the size issue and last attempt to build DD value
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque - big talented line that should draw weaker opposition

 

[ECWHSWI]

There should always be room for a better team. LL has a spot on the 3rd line. He's doing well and should be in the NHL imo. DD and DB should not be ahead of him and management should own up to their mistakes, not keep the worse players in the roster just because..
I'd be upset to see that. Unless LL plays like crap, but that won't be the case imo. I believe this kid can contribute well.

Cap world. Teams dont put 4M players in the pressbox, not when they have no cap room.

 

[Kriss E]

... Did you even watch the numbers to say such a thing?

Nope, but I don't care, would still like to see it, and the point stands that they'd likely improve versus weaker opponents.

 

[vokiel]

Once Brière comes back? Is that close to happening or you're just speculating? I had this feeling that he's out for a very very long time. Specially after 3 commotions.

 

[WestIslander]

I want to see the following line-up when we are 100% healthy and I do see a trade coming in the very near future:

Pacioretty - Briere - Bourque
Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Prust - White - Moen
Parros

Markov - Emelin
Gorges - Subban
Murray - Bouillon
Diaz

Price
Budaj

 

[Sterling Archer]

Once Patches gets back, I'd go with:

Bournival Plex Gio
Chuckie Eller Gally
Patches DD Bourque
Parros White Blunden

Only reason I think they'll keep DD in is because of his chemistry with Patches. If Patches can't get him going than I'd replace DD with Briere when he gets back and go with a stop gap line until that happens. A line like:

Patches Eller Gally
Bournival Plex Gio
Leblanc Chuckie Bourque
Parros White Blunden

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

Sucks that we have Briere and DD in our line up. Still think Prust deserves to play in our top 9. He started the season on the 4th line and we barely saw him. MT put him with Plekanec and he played much better.

MaxPac-Eller-Bourque
Bournival-Plekanec-Gionta
Prust-Galchenyuk-Gallagher
.
..
...
Moen-DD-Briere(most expensive 4th line BUT the best offensive 4th line lol)

 

[MXD]

Nope, but I don't care, would still like to see it, and the point stands that they'd likely improve versus weaker opponents.

That's my very point. Galchenyk's competition is barely better than DD's. Borderline insignificant difference that might just be offset by the fact he'll play a more demanding position.

 

[MXD]

I want to see the following line-up when we are 100% healthy and I do see a trade coming in the very near future:

Pacioretty - Briere - Bourque
Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Prust - White - Moen
Parros

Markov - Emelin
Gorges - Subban
Murray - Bouillon
Diaz

Price
Budaj

I stopped reading at Briere.

 

[WestIslander]

I stopped reading at Briere.

Yeah, I think it's better we put the guy that has 1 point in 13 games and is a -1 this season with Pacioretty and Bourque, not the guy that 662 career points and 34 goals/34 assists in 77 games less than three seasons ago.

Desharnais will win us the cup for sure!

 

[otto bond]

After seing how easy Briere got hurt, I think he will be out more often then in. HAving said that, obviously, Leblanc will be one of the 1st guy out(hopefully it doesn't break his confidence) with Holland and Blunden.

 

[MXD]

Yeah, I think it's better we put the guy that has 1 point in 13 games and is a -1 this season with Pacioretty and Bourque, not the guy that 662 career points and 34 goals/34 assists in 77 games less than three seasons ago.

Desharnais will win us the cup for sure!

Is that supposed to make sense ?

Neither DD or DB should be playing above 3rd C status. I concur DB has to be at least tried at C at some point, probably at the expanse of DD, but for 11 minutes a night. Not 17.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

DD who for some reason is still given pp time by Therrien

 

[MXD]

DD who for some reason is still given pp time by Therrien

That is a problem (well, the regular aspect of it), but shouldn't have any bearing on who's out and who's not.

 

[Ghetto Sangria]

Sucks that we have Briere and DD in our line up. Still think Prust deserves to play in our top 9. He started the season on the 4th line and we barely saw him. MT put him with Plekanec and he played much better.

MaxPac-Eller-Bourque
Bournival-Plekanec-Gionta
Prust-Galchenyuk-Gallagher
.
..
...
Moen-DD-Briere(most expensive 4th line BUT the best offensive 4th line lol)

This is what it should be! The habs would finally have a line that can wear out the other teams top defenceman physically. Anaheim puts all their big boys on the top line, and the rest of their roster is even smaller than the habs, but it works because the big guys wear out the other teams top D.

On top of that, Prust does need to be in the top 9 to be effective. He isn't a 4th line guy

Patches Eller Bourque brings offense and size
Bourni Pleks Gio brings relentless forecheck and speed
Prust Gally Gally This line has worked in the past... the new sheltered offensive line
Moen DD White/Parros etc. Revolving door of bodies