Line Combos: 2025 postseason lines for the Beast from the East

[armani]

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Zetterlund (they are practicing together, Giroux can switch with Z in a pinch)
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Cousins-Gaudette-Giroux/Zetterlund

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo

Ullmark
Forsberg

The 3rd line is so good, we don’t break it up. There are options for many permutations, but I think this may work.

Barring injuries, I can see this roster make the Eastern Conference Finals like 2017.

 

[Tuna99]

Zetterlund over Giroux!! This is the fresh car smell effect. I doubt we start a tweener in place of a Hall of Famer but that’s just me.

 

[Mr Hat]

If we can somehow get Gaudette and Highmore out of the lineup we can roll 4 lines. Cousins can play C, his face off percentage isn’t great but neither is “God awful”. Top three lines could have similar TOI 5v5 and Perron can rotate in with Giroux so the old guys don’t get over worked while both getting special teams time.

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Zetterlund
Giroux-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Crookshank- Cousins- Perron

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo
Hamonic

Ullmark
Forsberg

 

[NyQuil]

If we can somehow get Gaudette and Highmore out of the lineup we can roll 4 lines. Cousins can play C, his face off percentage isn’t great but neither is “God awful”. Top three lines could have similar TOI 5v5 and Perron can rotate in with Giroux so the old guys don’t get over worked while both getting special teams time.

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Zetterlund
Giroux-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Crookshank- Cousins- Perron

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo
Hamonic

Ullmark
Forsberg

I like these lines but I can't see Travis Green turning his back on Highmore and Gaudette after playing them 40 and 79 games respectively.

 

[OD99]

If we can somehow get Gaudette and Highmore out of the lineup we can roll 4 lines. Cousins can play C, his face off percentage isn’t great but neither is “God awful”. Top three lines could have similar TOI 5v5 and Perron can rotate in with Giroux so the old guys don’t get over worked while both getting special teams time.

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Zetterlund
Giroux-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Crookshank- Cousins- Perron

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo
Hamonic

Ullmark
Forsberg

I don't think you can touch the 2nd or 3rd lines. They have been too good for a long stretch now.

Moving G away from Brady and Stu is a big change and removes the additional C that I believe Green likes on that line.

I expect that Zetterlund moves to the 4th line with Highmore and Gaudette while getting PP2 time and the odd rotation with Jimmy.

 

[Mr Hat]

I don't think you can touch the 2nd or 3rd lines. They have been too good for a long stretch now.

Moving G away from Brady and Stu is a big change and removes the additional C that I believe Green likes on that line.

I expect that Zetterlund moves to the 4th line with Highmore and Gaudette while getting PP2 time and the odd rotation with Jimmy.

I don’t really see moving G to 2nd line as a big change. His production has been more on special teams as of late. With Brady out for it’s not like they have maintained chemistry and the deck has been shuffled a fair bit as top 6 wasn’t rolling until Stu had his big game. Zetterlund has the motor I think we need on the top line, Stu is fast, Brady not so much, need to balance the top 6 not to have two slow players on same line vs leafs who will counter attack us with speed.

Agreed 3rd line stays how it is.

 

[Xspyrit]

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Crookshank - Cousins - Zetterlund

or

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Zetterberg
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Giroux
Crookshank - Cousins - Amadio


I don't see another way to get Zetterlund up in the line up... and frankly, I don't want Giroux feet to be exposed in the playoffs. Need him to have a lesser role at 5v5

Wait, UNLESS

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Zetterberg
Giroux - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Crookshank - Cousins - Perron


At least for defense it's pretty clear :

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - Matinpalo
Gilbert

 

[Micklebot]

I don't think you can put Giroux on the 4th line, his game won't translate.

Imo, there are only a couple options, or rather guys who are playing in our top 9 but who's game would still provide value in a 4th line role.

Zetterlund, Amadio, Greig and imo Perron. Those guys can all play the grinding game you need from a 4th line. That said, I am suuuuuppper hesitant to break up the third line, so Amadio and Greig are probably not going anywhere. That leaves Perron and Zetterlund, though Perron has been great lately.

Wouldn't mind seeing a 4th line of:

Zetterlund-Cousins-Crookshank

 

[bicboi64]

Gotta have Giroux on Stu's wing or we're going to lose too many faceoffs to a demon like AM34.

 

[Mr Hat]

Gotta have Giroux on Stu's wing or we're going to lose too many faceoffs to a demon like AM34.

I guess we will see how the matchups go, but on home ice would expect Pinto line vs Mathew’s line. But that’s a good point that Stu would get beat up on draws if they match us with top lines but would expect them to want to keep their divas away from Brady.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

I was pissed that one game when they moved Giroux to the 3rd line and bumped Amadio down to the 4th. He was playing awesome hockey, had like 6 goals in his last 12, and that line is so nasty. “Hey, great play, we’re demoting you to the 4th line”

To me, the position locks on F:

Tkachuk - Stutzle - xxx
xxx - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
xxx - xxx - xxx

You can throw Giroux, Zetterlund, Perron, Gaudette, Highmore, Cousins, etc wherever else you want, But lock those players in to those lines.

Giroux is a veteran guy, nasty on the dot, and has some pretty good playoff stats. He’s lost a step but I wouldn’t mind if they started with him as the top line RW, and let Perron and Zetterlund battle it out for second line LW.

 

[aragorn]

The one position that I think is of the most concern is 3rd pairing RD, I expect they could start the playoffs with Hamonic RD the vet over Matinpalo RD rather than having two young rookies playing together. I would hate to break up the 3rd line & put Greig at centre on the 4th line, but the 4th line needs a legitimate 4th line C. Wishing them the best in the playoffs.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux - were a great line not that long ago
Perron - Cozens - Batherson - have played well since Perron joined them
Greig - Pinto - Amadio - this line is playing great with Greig, but Cousins plays well with them too
Cousins - Gaudette - Zetterlund/Highmore - Greig would make more since at 4th line C & Cousins on the 3rd line with this group

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - Hamonic - given the two RD they have & Hamonic leaving at yr end, I could see Yak taking this spot next yr at some point
Gilbert - Matinpalo

Ullmark - Forsberg/Merilainen - same comment for Forsberg, I can see Merilainen replacing him for next season, he's too unreliable

 

[armani]

Gotta have Giroux on Stu's wing or we're going to lose too many faceoffs to a demon like AM34.

Ideally, my lineup doesn't have Highmore or Gaudette, but now one of them comes off with Cousins back and I think it's Highmore as Gaudette has been mostly playing 4C under Green. If the 3rd line wasn't so good, a Cousins-Greig-Crookshank line is hardly the end of the world. But we are stuck with one, hence I think Cousins-Gaudette will be a thing and it would be interesting to see who sees the most time with them on Line 4 in the playoffs.

I think they will rotate Zetterlund/Giroux/Perron as required for line 4, with Giroux for key faceoffs for line 1 as needed. Giroux is a superior playmaker, while Zetterlund drives the net with more size. We shall see how Green deploys them, as in practice they had Tkachuk-Stu-Zetterlund together for a potential Line 1 option.

The only constant based on their performance since being put together is the Greig-Pinto-Amadio line. These are the guys keeping Smelly Moustache Matthews in check, especially at home.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

I don't think Perron is coming off that second line, he's too good of a compliment to Batherson and Cozens. Those two play a fast paced chaotic game, meanwhile you have smart and steady Perron who knows how to read off them and be in the right spot of the ice to support them.

I think Zetterlund and Giroux will swap off the 1st line throughout the game. Maybe if the Amadio-Pinto-Greig line start to struggle against Toronto's top talent they'll move Amadio off and put Giroux there.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Real tough. I think Zetterlund is the better option to play with Stu and has looked great recently, but cant see them demoting G to the 4th line. Hard to see them break up lines 2 & 3.

Tough call for sure, but hopefully with 1 of Highmore or Gaudette coming out for Cousins and 1 of the other 10 dropping down, they can make the 4th line a strength and actually an option to play and not have to shorten the bench. That line has been weak. Imo Gaudette should 100% be the 1st out with his defensive struggles and offence drying up, but I imagine it will be Highmore.

I also expect Hamonic to draw in, for better or worse, they will go with the Vet for game 1 and go from there.

 

[aragorn]

Ottawa's 4th line is a problem, moving Greig to C might help the 4th line, but it hurts the 3rd line, although Cousins has played well there before. I'd much prefer to see either MacEwan or Hodgson at RW on that 4th line.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Cousins - Pinto - Amadio
Zetterlund - Greig - Gaudette/Highmore

 

[Icelevel]

Ottawa's 4th line is a problem, moving Greig to C might help the 4th line, but it hurts the 3rd line, although Cousins has played well there before. I'd much prefer to see either MacEwan or Hodgson at RW on that 4th line.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Cousins - Pinto - Amadio
Zetterlund - Greig - Gaudette/Highmore

I'm not sure Cousins there instead actually hurts the third line. Problem could then become getting Greig(and zetterlund) enough minutes. Good problem to have though. I'd also like to see Macewen or Hodgson at 4RW in that case. Pretty solid lineup then.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Absolutely near impossible to separate that third line. Especially against the high octane Leafs.

That line has the ability to be the hero line for us in this series. You can't afford to separate them at all.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Cousins-Gaudette-Zetterlund

 

[Icelevel]

Absolutely near impossible to separate that third line. Especially against the high octane Leafs.

That line has the ability to be the hero line for us in this series. You can't afford to separate them at all.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Cousins-Gaudette-Zetterlund

That’s also good. And likely I’d think.

 

[OD99]

Ottawa's 4th line is a problem, moving Greig to C might help the 4th line, but it hurts the 3rd line, although Cousins has played well there before. I'd much prefer to see either MacEwan or Hodgson at RW on that 4th line.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Cousins - Pinto - Amadio
Zetterlund - Greig - Gaudette/Highmore

Greig has been getting the most minutes for F since we traded Norris, plus his line has been the most reliable for a while now.

Zero chance he goes to the 4th line.

I think there is too much big braining going on. The most consistent hockey we have played is with our standard lines. The 4th we simply accept we can have a big boost.

Brady Stu G
Perron Cozens Bath
PGA or GPA line
Zetterlund Gaud Cousins

That is the best 4th line all season.

 

[aragorn]

Greig has been getting the most minutes for F since we traded Norris, plus his line has been the most reliable for a while now.

Zero chance he goes to the 4th line.

I think there is too much big braining going on. The most consistent hockey we have played is with our standard lines. The 4th we simply accept we can have a big boost.

Brady Stu G
Perron Cozens Bath
PGA or GPA line
Zetterlund Gaud Cousins

That is the best 4th line all season.

I don't think it is happening either, just looking at other possibilities is all.

 

[OD99]

I don't think it is happening either, just looking at other possibilities is all.

I have done the same. We all want the best possible lineup.

It will be tough for Green to change our optimal top 3 lines. I think Giroux has such a competitive streak, his game is going to rise in the playoffs and he will win some key faceoffs.

The 4th line is the wildcard. I think Cousins and Zetterlund with Gaudette is the best 4th line we have had all season, so still a net positive.