I actually doubt it. They’d put Kreider with Trochek and Wheeler or something and spread it out. But also, I am fairly certain - positive, actually - that the only people caring about line numbers are fans. We have three lines and a 4th line. There’s no first, second, third. The kid line got nearly identical EV minutes as the top 6. Laf already played more 5v5 minutes than Kreider last year.
Whether Bedard played next to Zib, Tro or Chytil would really be irrelevant and as long as he played like he does he’d be given even more opportunity such as PP1. So even if he started on a “kid line” getting 13:30 per night, by November it would likely be 16 per night and by January 18. Because he’s actually a 1OA talent and I’m 99.9% sure he wouldn’t fumble his opportunities or struggle because he had to play with scrubs like Chytil and Kakko (instead of scrubs like Trochek and Wheeler, like there’s even significant difference).
Laf HAS been handled poorly but he also simply doesn’t have talent on that kind of level. He has had opportunities. At least a dozen over 3 years plus this preseason and he has flubbed every single one without fail. I honestly don’t think PP1 and 18 minutes in his rookie year would have resulted in him looking much different. He’s just not dynamic in any facet at this level. I don’t be surprised if Bedard, who turned 18 in July, nearly doubles Laf’s career high this year. 60-70 points. We’ll see.
I mostly agree with this, except from the start the kids should have been mixed in with the veterans more. Especially with Kakko, there was no reason for GG to split him from Kreider and Zibanejad when that was the top line. That would have given them more exposure to creative play than being on a "don't make mistakes" "wear the other team down with your forecheck" kid line.
There was also a stint where Kreider/Trocheck/Vesey was a thing, and that's a damn good "third line" but it only lasted probably about 4 periods. Cuz GG. Even though they were great together.
Power play usage is a big deal, though, and PP1 has been IMO one of the Rangers' biggest low key issues. They really don't have a shooter now that the entire league knows they're going for the Mika one timer. Stamkos one timer works because Kucherov is also a threat to shoot/score. Ovie one timer works because Oshie knows how to get move without the puck in the bumper, unlike Trocheck, and they've had guys who could shoot at the point (like Carlson). They modeled the entire PP1 around that one timer and it really hasn't been there since January of last year. I get they didn't work on the PP during camp much, but it looked awful with the same players as last year, though to PL's credit he wasn't letting them hog up 90 seconds every power play. I really think the PP would have been stronger if one of the kids was put on the RW half circle two years ago (the role Tarasenko filled for about two weeks - very well - before Kane took his spot on PP1 and it largely went to shit again), and was left there.
We haven't seen the last of the kids, but it is really, really, hard, and really, really uncommon for players to suddenly develop offense at this point in their careers who haven't shown marked improvement. Kakko did - last year - so he might still have potential. But seeing Laf in camp, this was a make or break offseason for him, and I don't get the sense he put in the work.
And this is the part where huerter will probably respond to me going on about geometry, but PP1 is unbalanced and funnels most opportunities into one play. I don't really feel like sitting through another season of 20/93-16-10/23 passing the puck around the perimeter for 90 seconds only for Mika to take a contested one timer and have it be an easy save or puck deflected into crowd, because they literally don't have anything else in the bag of tricks and everyone knows it's coming.
