2024 preseason (camp, media stuff)

[Pinkfloyd]

I mean, it's pretty obviously top-6 or bust for Gushchin right now. The third line is going to be Goodrow-Wennberg-Kunin. Gushchin isn't beating out any of Eklund/Celebrini/Smith/Granlund/Zetterlund/Toffoli for a top-6 job, and he's not playing on the 4th line. So unless one of those top-6 guys isn't healthy (could be Granlund I guess), Gushchin isn't making it.

I don't think it's anywhere near as set in stone as you think but you may be right. I hope Gushchin gives them a good enough reason to avoid a 3rd line like that. I don't see how that 3rd line helps the top six at all.

 

[Juxtaposer]

How about this?

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Gushchin-Smith-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Granlund-Kunin
Grundstrom-Wennberg-Dellandrea

Gushchin fanboys get their wish, Goodrow and Kunin still get top nine minutes, everybody wins. Except for Granlund but he's not long for this team anyway.

Any lineup with Kunin in the top-9 is yucky to me, sorry.

If you switched Kunin and Wennberg that would be awesome.

I don't think it's anywhere near as set in stone as you think but you may be right. I hope Gushchin gives them a good enough reason to avoid a 3rd line like that. I don't see how that 3rd line helps the top six at all.

Hope to be wrong, obviously. Just don't think I am.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Any lineup with Kunin in the top-9 is yucky to me, sorry.

If you switched Kunin and Wennberg that would be awesome.


Hope to be wrong, obviously. Just don't think I am.

You've been right plenty so I wouldn't doubt it. I just don't like the idea of either Goodrow or Kunin in the top-nine especially when we have the sort of talent to make a competitive 3rd line without them.

 

[coooldude]

Without injury, I don't think Gush is getting his shot in the top 6 to start the season.

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Granlund-Smith-Zetterlund
(or some combination of that sans injury)
Goodrow-Wennberg-Kunin
Grundstrom-Sturm-Dellandrea

Next up is probably still Kostin, THEN Gushchin, then Cardwell or Graf depending on the injury. Maybe Gush gets a shot before Kostin if Klim is still super inconsistent AND Gush is extremely consistent in practice and the last few preseason games.

If one of Smith or Celebrini is out, Wennberg will come up to 2C, Granlund will likely play 1C, OR, Granlund will swing into C and one of Kostin or Gushchin will slot in. It depends on how much Warso values a true shutdown line, thus whether to prioritize Wennberg for DZ starts / hard matchups.

If one of the wings is out, then likely Kostin or Gushchin get their chance. If it's a bottom 6 injury, then it's probably Kostin first and then Graf or Cardwell.

Unfortunately, there's no way that Goodrow and Kunin, both wearing A's at times, are going to be getting a lot of scratches.

 

[Lebanezer]

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Granlund-Smith-(Kostin/Dellandrea/Grundstrom)
Gushchin-Wennberg-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Sturm-Kunin

Spread out the talent, vets with youth, defensively responsible-ish players on each line.

 

[weastern bias]

Gushchin-Smith-Zetterlund

This line utterly lacks a defensive conscience and has zero players who are ready to drive play at even strength against NHL competition, it would be a disaster and would be a great way to set both Smith and Gushchin up to fail simultaneously

Pairing Smith with Granlund is the only reasonable move if he's gonna be playing top-6 minutes as a teenager, otherwise he should be playing with Wennberg on the 3rd line

 

[hohosaregood]

I feel like there's a good chance of emulating a Seattle situation. Where it's basically line 2-4 are basically equivalent. We don't really know how Warsofsky is gonna run lines but I don't think there's been a real hint at there being a true bottom 6 checking line.

 

[Juxtaposer]

You've been right plenty so I wouldn't doubt it. I just don't like the idea of either Goodrow or Kunin in the top-nine especially when we have the sort of talent to make a competitive 3rd line without them.

I decided that I'll be okay with Goodrow in the top-9, but Kunin is where I draw the line. If you put Wennberg with a guy who can actually finish (like Gushchin), Goodrow is fine as the one forechecking/defensive guy on the line.

I feel like there's a good chance of emulating a Seattle situation. Where it's basically line 2-4 are basically equivalent. We don't really know how Warsofsky is gonna run lines but I don't think there's been a real hint at there being a true bottom 6 checking line.

You don't think Goodrow-Wennberg-Kunin is a checking line?

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I decided that I'll be okay with Goodrow in the top-9, but Kunin is where I draw the line. If you put Wennberg with a guy who can actually finish (like Gushchin), Goodrow is fine as the one forechecking/defensive guy on the line.

They both suck to me so I'd like a 3rd line without them. They can be Sturm's wingers on a 4th line and I'd be fine with that but I'd want to see how someone like Dellandrea or Grundstrom would do with Gushchin and Wennberg if he doesn't stick with Smith.

 

[hohosaregood]

I decided that I'll be okay with Goodrow in the top-9, but Kunin is where I draw the line. If you put Wennberg with a guy who can actually finish (like Gushchin), Goodrow is fine as the one forechecking/defensive guy on the line.


You don't think Goodrow-Wennberg-Kunin is a checking line?

i was gonna say it's more just a line that's popped up as an option rather than a settled line but i guess that combo's been showing up at camp a bunch this last week so maybe it is now. i haven't been super keyed in on those guys.

 

[Juxtaposer]

They both suck to me so I'd like a 3rd line without them. They can be Sturm's wingers on a 4th line and I'd be fine with that but I'd want to see how someone like Dellandrea or Grundstrom would do with Gushchin and Wennberg if he doesn't stick with Smith.

I'd rather the third line be like, Gushchin-Wennberg-Grundstrom, but very technically Goodrow isn't the worst option in the world. I want to be at least slightly realistic to what an NHL coach would do.

i was gonna say it's more just a line that's popped up as an option rather than a settled line but i guess that combo's been showing up at camp a bunch this last week so maybe it is now. i haven't been super keyed in on those guys.

They've played two preseason games together and have practiced together a lot IIRC.

 

[DG93]

I would think that Gushchin's best chance is on a sheltered line with Smith, so something like Gushchin-Smith-Wennberg with a top-6 of Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli and Goodrow-Granlund-Zetterlund (4th line is, for example, Grundstrom-Sturm-Kunin)

 

[Jargon]

I’ve actually really liked Wennberg in the preseason and I feel like if he was given good linemates he’d actually put up some points. But Goodrow and Kunin are not the droids we are looking for.

 

[DG93]

I’ve actually really liked Wennberg in the preseason and I feel like if he was given good linemates he’d actually put up some points. But Goodrow and Kunin are not the droids we are looking for.

Agreed 100%, which is why I think he'd look good with Will Smith on a hypothetical 3rd line if Granlund is used to center the other top-6 line

 

[Mattb124]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841906665463152643

Guschin getting looks with Smith and Zetterlund. Wennberg taking Mack's place while we bubble wrap him

As expected

 

[gaucholoco3]

Smith will be playing with Zetterlund. They have been attached to each other throughout camp as much as Celebrini and Toffoli.

The other wing with Smith will determine if it is the 2nd line or 3rd.

2nd Line
Granlund - Smith - Zetterlund
Or
Eklund - Smith - Zetterlund

3rd Line
Gushchin - Smith - Zetterlund
Or
Wennberg - Smith - Zetterlund

The “Lund” line is officially dead until the real Lund is signed from college.

 

[coooldude]

The “Lund” line is officially dead until the real Lund is signed from college.

For now. It's a long season.

Lund Line could reunite, leaving space for Smith/Celebrini/Toffoli or any of (most to least likely) Kostin, Wennberg, Graf, Goose, Cardwell, or Kunin/Goody/Grundstrom to fill in on that LW.

 

[barriers]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842259406194606548

 

[TheBeard]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842259406194606548

War looks like he's asking for a lot of front of the net presence on these PPs.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842261795144372418

 

[TheBeard]

The Barracuda are gonna be so much fun to watch this year.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842270620442341679

Sounds like he might eventually get invite like Pavs to that Tahoe golf tournament.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842272292560384477

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842258264584794505

 

[Hodge]

Wouldn't Halttunen have been sent back to London by now if they didn't plan on him playing for the Cuda this season?

 

[Juxtaposer]

Wouldn't Halttunen have been sent back to London by now if they didn't plan on him playing for the Cuda this season?

Hard to say. There's 20 forwards in Cuda camp right now. Some of them seem like ECHL names, but I struggled to pick out 13 that were clear-cut Cuda guys.