With Pacioretty In: What Is Our Third Line?

mundyc3

Registered User
May 17, 2017
1,451
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Las Vegas, NV
With Max Pacioretty in the fold, it is somewhat safe to say the following will likely be our first two lines:

Smith - Karlsson - Marchessault
Pacioretty - Stastny - Tuch

It is also pretty safe to speculate that the fourth line will be some sort of combination of Bellemare, Nosek, Reaves, and Carrier.

That leaves our third line to be the biggest mystery with three centers in Eakin, Haula, and Lindberg as well as a slew of other possible forwards in Carpenter, Hyka, Carr, and Pirri.

Obviously guys like Carr, Hyka, and Pirri might be down in Chicago but it is really hard to predict what the line will look like or if there will be more trades to be made to free up space.
 

greasysnapper

Registered User
Apr 6, 2018
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I'd guess one of Pacioretty or Tuch will play with Haula and they go with 3 very good lines.
 

Pirate Deadpool

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
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Las Vegas, NV
I'd guess one of Pacioretty or Tuch will play with Haula and they go with 3 very good lines.

Uh no. Teams rarely do anything like that. You stack your top two lines then you build your last two lines based on what you want them to do like build a shutdown defense line and an energy line. If there's enough talent to build a 2b type of line for the 3rd line then that is something we might see, but no way they will intentionally drop a 2nd line line player just to spread the wealth around. If someone drops to the 3rd line it will be because they are struggling.
 

greasysnapper

Registered User
Apr 6, 2018
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Uh no. Teams rarely do anything like that. You stack your top two lines then you build your last two lines based on what you want them to do like build a shutdown defense line and an energy line. If there's enough talent to build a 2b type of line for the 3rd line then that is something we might see, but no way they will intentionally drop a 2nd line line player just to spread the wealth around. If someone drops to the 3rd line it will be because they are struggling.

100% disagree. Maybe in 1999. It's 2018-19, where teams are rolling 3 lines.


Last year when Thornton was healthy, the Sharks rolled with: San Jose Sharks Line Combinations | San Jose Sharks Line Combos | leftwinglock.com focusing on pairs and then adding pieces to those pairs. Guarantee they'll spread the wealth again this year.

Labanc Pavelski Thornton
Boedker Couture Donskoi
Ward Hertl Meier

The Oilers had 3 lines for most of the year with McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins each centering a line for large chunks of EV minutes. To be fair Nuge moved to McDavid's wing.

The Penguins went with 3 lines in the playoffs, separating Crosby, Malkin and Kessel. Mailbag: Kessel's line with Penguins remains in question

Skinner's been much publicized as a 3rd line winger in Carolina. Why? To spread the scoring around.

Look at Anaheim's lineup, Kase Henrique Ritchie, look at Winnipeg after the Stastny trade where they were rolling 3 complete lines.

What about the Caps putting Wilson on the 1st line? Ferland playing on the top line in Calgary? Gourde, Palat, Miller, and Killorn swapping up and down the lineup for the Lightning. They weren't stacking their top lines, they were spreading the wealth and utilizing chemistry and line dynamics to try and find success.


Most of the good teams with solid depth end up spreading the wealth and playing 3 scoring lines.


Will the Knights put one of Patches or Tuch on a line with Haula? Maybe, maybe not (I tend to think given Haula and Tuch's chemistry they'll stick together, and I'll stick with my opinion that that is what will happen given this teams depth) but to say "UHHH NO" and completely disregarding the idea is stupid. Especially when it's so common with teams with comparative depth.
 

CupInSIX

My cap runneth over
Jul 1, 2012
26,283
18,254
Alphaville
I'm surprised Bergevin didn't take Lindberg as a throw in.

I'd like to see this next next season:
Marchy Karlsson Smith
Tuch Stastny Glass
Patches Haula Carr
 
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IceNeophyte

Registered User
Nov 14, 2017
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I'm disappointed Bergevin didn't take Lindberg. Bergevin wouldn't even have to ruin his career, he's already there.

I like your lines.
 
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Blue Goose

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May 26, 2012
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hockeytransplant.com
I'd like to see Nosek - Haula - Carpenter
Put Eakin on the 4th line with PEB and Reaves, leaving Lindberg/Carrier as the scratches.
The Schmidt suspension allows them to carry 14 forwards, unless they bring up an 8th d-man while Schmidt it out.
Carr, Pirri and Hyka all go to Chicago.
Glass goes back to Portland.
Brannstrom goes to Chicago.
 

Aurinko

Registered User
Apr 1, 2015
3,397
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Finland
I'd like to see Nosek - Haula - Carpenter
Put Eakin on the 4th line with PEB and Reaves, leaving Lindberg/Carrier as the scratches.
The Schmidt suspension allows them to carry 14 forwards, unless they bring up an 8th d-man while Schmidt it out.
Carr, Pirri and Hyka all go to Chicago.
Glass goes back to Portland.
Brannstrom goes to Chicago.

That line is 100 % worth testing imo.
 
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willy702

Registered User
Jul 3, 2016
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Just keep Eakin away from the 3rd line and I'm good. Hoping GMGM figures out a way to drop that contract on someone else. We would hardly miss him.
 
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IceNeophyte

Registered User
Nov 14, 2017
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Just keep Eakin away from the 3rd line and I'm good. Hoping GMGM figures out a way to drop that contract on someone else. We would hardly miss him.

Eakin and Lindberg for Karlsson. :naughty:

This post inspired by all the ridiculously delusional trade proposals I've read by other fanbases.
 
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Vegas Mac

Golden Shellback
Jun 26, 2015
563
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100% disagree. Maybe in 1999. It's 2018-19, where teams are rolling 3 lines.

What matters is where your top quality players are. For matchup purposes, i.e. them not being overrun like we saw in the cup finals. This year's 2 line is going to be far more proficient at playing a full ice game, as well as in scoring. I would never take a guy who is a 2nd line player off that line and play a 3rd line guy higher just to make a lower line better. That is not good line management.

Oh and how did those Oilers do last year? Ok being facetious. But our top two lines look pretty set. Might see a 2 wing surprise but I doubt it.
 

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