Demidov's linemates

Where would you start Demidov?

  • Suzuki

    Votes: 18 10.2%
  • Newhook

    Votes: 119 67.6%
  • Dvorak

    Votes: 4 2.3%
  • Evans

    Votes: 35 19.9%

  • Total voters
    176
Why not sign Sign Kuznetsov for a season. He was centering Demidov and it would help Demidov make the jump. Also he's free and cheap.
Kuznetsov between Laine and Demidov for next season
 
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we have a playoff team he is coming in to help we aren’t throwing everything away, he doesn’t have to save the team, he going to get top 9 minutes and PP2 and he will progress from there. Hutson started on PP2 and it was clears from preseason that he was the best option, Demidov will get opportunities but he will also have to earn bigger role.
 
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Evans line can rotate between Heineman and Kapanen tho, it's a better fit defensively cus that lines job is to play shutdown minutes
At home where you can match line, I could agree but when where on the road that line could scare me. If I’m Washington, I’m putting my top line against a Laine-Newhook-Demidov line
 
the Newhook line is 4th line in ice time pretty much. Adding Demidov to it, should make it a real 2nd line that can be used as much as a 2nd line should. The secondary offensive line that gets the 2nd most minutes.

Laine has always been a top 6 player in the NHL, since he stepped in it at 18 years old. His 5 on 5 production has been diminished this season by the injury and playing in a dysfunctional line that was awful without him too. The hope is that adding another very talented player into the line brings the best out of both of them.

They help each other to use their tools.

Laine has been more than underwhelming at 5-on-5 since he's with the Habs.....so is NewhookThat's the problem I see putting Demidov with them.

Laine has 14points at 5-on-5 and Newhook has 21 points
As comparaison, Dvorak has 30 and Gallagher 31

Hell, Dach has still more 5-on-5 points than Laine.

Evans has 2 goals in his last 42 games.
Armia has 1 goal in his last 24 games.

You're really doing a disservice to Demidov by putting him with two guys who can't put the puck in the back of the net.

Laine and Newhook had struggles as well, but at least they have a track record of scoring goals. Demidov could be the one who puts them back on the right track.

We're talking to start.....I just think Evans will be more protective of the D-zone than Newhook, allowing more freedom to Demidov and also that would let Demidov playing against 3rd pairing D mostly instead of facing top 4 D.
 
Okay I've objectively created the best lineup for the playoffs with the players Habs have.

Caufield. Suzuki. Slafkovsky.
Newhook. Evans. Demidov.
Anderson. Dvorak. Gallagher.
Laine. Kapanen. Armia.

You roll the first three lines like crazy and play the fourth for like 10ish minutes a game. Laine makes up the icetime on the PP. Armia makes up the icetime on the PK. This allows Newhook to be more free on the wing with Demidov with Evans takes the defensive responsibility
 
Josh Anderson! He needs to play with our best Bill Masterton nominee!

Demidov - Newhook - Anderson.. Book it!
 
Laine has been more than underwhelming at 5-on-5 since he's with the Habs.....so is NewhookThat's the problem I see putting Demidov with them.

Yes it's a Newhook problem. Not saying Laine has been able to help with that problem, but the problem is there whether Laine plays in the line or not.

Laine was playing well away from Newhook in 4 nations. Newhook has been in that line since the start, they were the worst in the league before Laine joined it, and the 2nd kept leaking goals against when Laine was with Armia and Evans for few games.

This should be enough to understand that Laine CAN perform better in better circumstances, but this particular line with low minutes doesn't bring much out of him. Adding a player like Demidov changes the offensive outlook of the line completely, because now there will be two really talented players helping each other. Offense is the best defense. You don't want to waste Demidov with defensive lines either.

There's so much untapped potential in Laine 5 on 5 in Montreal, and something like this can tap into it.
 
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky ***
Laine - Newhook** - Demidov
Anderson - Dvorak** - Gallagher ***
Heineman - Evans - Kapanen*

*** - Can't touch these 2 lines, they carried you to the playoffs.
** - The real question now is; do you really want to keep Newhook to play 3rd line C next year instead of Dvorak?
* - Armia : He could take the much needed rest and let Kapanen take the rest of the season off his load. He slots back in for game 1
 
we have a playoff team he is coming in to help we aren’t throwing everything away, he doesn’t have to save the team, he going to get top 9 minutes and PP2 and he will progress from there. Hutson started on PP2 and it was clears from preseason that he was the best option, Demidov will get opportunities but he will also have to earn bigger role.
Often times the best things for young players is to play with fewer responsibilities so that they can focus on more basic/foundational elements of what being an NHL players takes. Once they master those they take on greater responsibility. We saw it with Slaf and Hutson, and likely are going to see it with Demidov.
 
Scoring 1 : Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky : 16 minutes + PP1 «Playbook»
Check line 1 : Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher : 16 minutes + PK2 «Crush the net»
Check line 2 : Newhook - Evans - Armia : 16 minutes + PK1 «Crush the net»
Scoring 2 : Laine - Kapanen - Demidov : 12 minutes + PP time «Playbook»

To finish the season, then look at how Heineman feels about his concussion or how Kapanen reacts with 2 great forwards (if needed, switch with Newhook). We need to build a team, not one line at a time, so Newhook with Armia and Evans until Heineman is ok is one of the musts to clinch a playoff spot. As for Demidov, Kapanen, and Laine, they're a strategic move to create surprise among other teams' defense squads. Demidov and Kapanen are almost unknown to them, so having both on the same unit with an elite sniper could create some spark on a second scoring line. Knowing that Newhook can't produce should let us try something new ... no?

PP1 :
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Laine - Hutson

PP2 :
Gallagher - Kapanen/Suzuki - Anderson
Matheson - Demidov
 
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Evans has 2 goals in his last 42 games.
Armia has 1 goal in his last 24 games.

You're really doing a disservice to Demidov by putting him with two guys who can't put the puck in the back of the net.

Laine and Newhook had struggles as well, but at least they have a track record of scoring goals. Demidov could be the one who puts them back on the right track.
Newhook isn't a center and Laine is the worst 5v5 guy on the team. That's setting Demidov to fail.
 
Kapanen won't even be in the lineup if Heineman is healthy.

I guess we'll see on that.

Despite the talk about MSL "playing favorites", I think this org. is consistent in their approach... And at this stage it is about icing the roster they feel gives them the best chance to win.

I think Demidov will take a top 9 spot pretty quickly. And none of Armia, Dvo, Anderson or Gally will get bumped unless injured, taking us to 11.

Between Pez, Roy, Kapanen & Heineman, I think whomever shows best in the next 10-4 days of games and practice is who will get the nod come game 1. From what I've watched, I'd bank on Kapanen pushing Heineman out IF he continues to get more assertive as he gets comfortable with how the coaches want the forwards to play.

Heineman's style makes him a fan favorite, but the reality is that despite 61 games of audition time and ample roster need, he's still been kept to 10-11min/night. Kapanen may well prove to be a quicker study
 
I think Demidov will start on the 2nd line with Laine and Newhook with 2nd PP unit usage and with only 2 games remaining in the season, the sample size will be too small to properly evaluate the level of chimestry on that line, so I fully expect that line to remain for the begin of the playoffs, then depending of how the serie goes, MSL could start to experiment quick enough if that 2nd line struggles to get going. I could see Kapanen replacing Newhook down the middle or Laine relegated to the 4th line with Evans Armia, both Laine and Newhook still have alot to prove 5 on 5. I would be surprised if MSL touch his 1st line, unless the energy level drops signifiantly.
 
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Beck/Laine/Demidov as third line.

Dvo/Anderson/Gallagher ad second line with the way they've been playing.

Evans stays with Armia and Heinman for the playoffs!
 
Newhook isn't a center and Laine is the worst 5v5 guy on the team. That's setting Demidov to fail.

Armia and Evans have barely produced at a better 5v5 rate than Laine, and we know Laine can be much better.

Newhook has looked fine at center, and Demidov will be the play driver on that line anyway, so it doesn't really matter.
 

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