Line Combos: Guess the 22-23 Opening Night Lineup

[Eggtimer]

Gaudreau-Hischier-Tkachuk
Slafkovsky-Hughes-Holtz
Tatar-Mercer-Johnsson
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

Sigenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Bahl/Okhotyuk/Smith

Noooooooo you traded our Unicorn!!

 

[Zippy316]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Niederreiter-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Okhotyuk-Cole

Husso
Blackwood

This is close to my prediction as well, but I think the Devils target Campbell versus Husso. Campbell has a bit more experience which I think the Devils will value.

I would also expect one additional forward thrown into that top nine. Maybe a high-end acquisition if it involves #2 or whatever asset we return from presumably trading Zacha, Johnsson, and potentially Smith.

 

[Eggtimer]

Gaudreau-Hischier-Tkachuk
Slafkovsky-Hughes-Holtz
Tatar-Mercer-Johnsson
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

Sigenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Bahl/Okhotyuk/Smith

Noooooooo you traded our Unicorn!!

 

[Guttersniped]

Bratt hasn't signed, Nico, Jack, Siegenthaler, Mbw, Bernier and Dougie are all injured, no trades were made.

Johnsson Zacha Tatar
Kuokkanen Mercer Sharangovich
Wood Boqvist Zetterlund
Geertsen McLeod Bastian

Smith Walsh
Bahl White
Severson Graves

Gillies
Daws

Recchi re-hired since Fitz couldn't find other assistants.

 

[My3Sons]

Shara Hughes Mercer
Zacha Hischier Bratt
Kuokkanen Boquist Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Bastian
Johnsson Tatar

Graves Hamilton
Siegenthaler Severson
Bahl Rutta
Smith

Husso
Blackwood
Bernier

 

[Derps]

Shara Hughes Mercer
Zacha Hischier Bratt
Kuokkanen Boquist Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Bastian
Johnsson Tatar

Graves Hamilton
Siegenthaler Severson
Bahl Rutta
Smith

Husso
Blackwood
Bernier

Not saying that you are *wanting* this to happen/attacking you, but this is about as unacceptable of an opening night lineup as I can imagine. I cannot do another year of Zacha on a top 2 line and the bottom 6 is absolutely gross.

 

[My3Sons]

Not saying that you are *wanting* this to happen/attacking you, but this is about as unacceptable of an opening night lineup as I can imagine. I cannot do another year of Zacha on a top 2 line and the bottom 6 is absolutely gross.

I think the season after next is when we see bigger changes. The team has a bunch of contracts ending after next season and I don’t see any team offering up anything for most of those players. That takes up roster spots and it looks bad if the guys acquired by Fitz like Johnsson and Tatar can’t play. I expect Graves and Zacha and maybe Johnsson to move at the TDL but I’m skeptical they do more than add the goalie and the RD3 until then.

 

[Derps]

I think the season after next is when we see bigger changes. The team has a bunch of contracts ending after next season and I don’t see any team offering up anything for most of those players. That takes up roster spots and it looks bad if the guys acquired by Fitz like Johnsson and Tatar can’t play. I expect Graves and Zacha and maybe Johnsson to move at the TDL but I’m skeptical they do more than add the goalie and the RD3 until then.

I truly dont think Fitz lasts another year if that's the lineup that we go into the season with. That's a bottom of the league team again.

 

[My3Sons]

I truly dont think Fitz lasts another year if that's the lineup that we go into the season with. That's a bottom of the league team again.

I have a sneaking suspicion they want to see this lineup with some stable goaltending. If those fancy stats are to be believed NJ should have been above NHL 500 with league average goaltending. That’s not great but compared to where they finished it’s at least some improvement

 

[Lou is God]

Shara Hughes Mercer
Zacha Hischier Bratt
Kuokkanen Boquist Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Bastian
Johnsson Tatar

Graves Hamilton
Siegenthaler Severson
Bahl Rutta
Smith

Husso
Blackwood
Bernier

I think I've seen enough of Kuokkanen, his first year he showed promise but this past season he was pretty awful, ready to move on from him.

 

[My3Sons]

I think I've seen enough of Kuokkanen, his first year he showed promise but this past season he was pretty awful, ready to move on from him.

He was hurt for much of the year if memory serves. He’s cheap and I’m skeptical they can get anything for him in a trade right now so giving him another shot iseems likely to happen. If he flops his contract ends next season and they can move on. If he plays well he’s an inexpensive bottom six player they can maybe trade for a draft pick.

 

[Lou is God]

He was hurt for much of the year if memory serves. He’s cheap and I’m skeptical they can get anything for him in a trade right now so giving him another shot iseems likely to happen. If he flops his contract ends next season and they can move on. If he plays well he’s an inexpensive bottom six player they can maybe trade for a draft pick.

He still played 57 games and accumulated just 17 pts, but if we need to take the next step as a team, his slot is one we need to improve on, and you're right on about him being cheap and a reason I don't think he would be that hard to move. But I'm just skeptical we're going to see much more from his game.

 

[Devils090]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Slaf-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Burakovsky
Wood-McLeod-Bastian
Mango, Zetterlund

Graves-Hamilton
Siegs-Severson
Bahl-Ohk
Smith

Blackwood
Husso

I’m pretty sick of McLeod though and I wish they’d get a better 3C and put Boqvist on the 4th line. Yeah complaining about your 4C is pretty dumb but McLeod sucks and brings nothing to the table besides face offs but he’s such a non factor offensively it doesn’t even matter.

And our top pairing might be the slowest in the league, Graves and Dougie are painfully slow. This blue line will be forever the death of this team until we start bringing in guys who can actually move. Hamilton’s contract is going to be a huge problem in another year or two.

 

[My3Sons]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Slaf-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Burakovsky
Wood-McLeod-Bastian
Mango, Zetterlund

Graves-Hamilton
Siegs-Severson
Bahl-Ohk
Smith

Blackwood
Husso

I’m pretty sick of McLeod though and I wish they’d get a better 3C and put Boqvist on the 4th line. Yeah complaining about your 4C is pretty dumb but McLeod sucks and brings nothing to the table besides face offs but he’s such a non factor offensively it doesn’t even matter.

And our top pairing might be the slowest in the league, Graves and Dougie are painfully slow. This blue line will be forever the death of this team until we start bringing in guys who can actually move. Hamilton’s contract is going to be a huge problem in another year or two.

I disagree, I think Hishcier is a pretty good 3C.

 

[minibrodeur]

I would be happy if we could deal Graves for something.

 

[My3Sons]

I would be happy if we could deal Graves for something.

I'd expect that to happen at the TDL if the team is out of the hunt by then.

 

[minibrodeur]

I'd expect that to happen at the TDL if the team is out of the hunt by then.

I can see that, if he's getting top pair minutes we'll prob be out of the hunt by then though. Will he return more than a pick at the deadline? Maybe including him in a package now could return more, maybe not. He wouldn't be hard to replace, a veteran, defensive minded bottom 4 guy should have the same if not more impact. I'd be surprised if he stayed around past this season anyways.

 

[ninetyeight]

He was hurt for much of the year if memory serves. He’s cheap and I’m skeptical they can get anything for him in a trade right now so giving him another shot iseems likely to happen. If he flops his contract ends next season and they can move on. If he plays well he’s an inexpensive bottom six player they can maybe trade for a draft pick.

Kuokkanen said in a finnish interview that he was pretty disappointed in his season, so at least he knows he has to be better. I'd put him in the same category as Smith, they both had good first years and terrible seconds, so now they get one more chance to show what they got.

 

[My3Sons]

I can see that, if he's getting top pair minutes we'll prob be out of the hunt by then though. Will he return more than a pick at the deadline? Maybe including him in a package now could return more, maybe not. He wouldn't be hard to replace, a veteran, defensive minded bottom 4 guy should have the same if not more impact. I'd be surprised if he stayed around past this season anyways.

Before Hamilton and Graves both had injuries they looked solid to me. Not great but they did fine early in the season before the wheels came off the wagon. I recall Graves hurting his leg and that lingered for a while. Then Hamilton got hurt and I'm not sure Graves ever really connected with another defender. I imagine the team sees Siegenthaler as ahead of Graves at this point and that Hughes will be along shortly to take a spot and they probably want one of Bahl or Okhotyuk to play as well. Graves is a legit second pair NHL defender to my eyes but is being asked to do too much.

 

[TF1970]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Marchment-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Holtz
Foote-McLeod-Zetterlund
(Bastian, Kuokkanen)

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Roy
Smith-Severson
(Bahl)

Campbell
Blackwood

- Mason Marchment & Jack Campbell signed as UFAs
- Matt Roy acquired from LAK in exchange for Pavel Zacha & Andreas Johnsson
- Miles Wood & PK Subban UFA rights to BUF for a pick
- Bernier LTIR - who knows on this one, but serious hip issues like he had for goalies never seems to end well

 

[minibrodeur]

Before Hamilton and Graves both had injuries they looked solid to me. Not great but they did fine early in the season before the wheels came off the wagon. I recall Graves hurting his leg and that lingered for a while. Then Hamilton got hurt and I'm not sure Graves ever really connected with another defender. I imagine the team sees Siegenthaler as ahead of Graves at this point and that Hughes will be along shortly to take a spot and they probably want one of Bahl or Okhotyuk to play as well. Graves is a legit second pair NHL defender to my eyes but is being asked to do too much.

I definitely think he's serviceable but as you said he doesn't seem to fit with anyone. He'll need to find the right match to be an effective 2nd pairing guy and I just don't see it with who we have atm. Maybe a new RHD partner can change my mind but that drops him to 3rd pair.

 

[My3Sons]

I definitely think he's serviceable but as you said he doesn't seem fit with anyone. He'll need to find the right match to be an effective 2nd pairing guy and I just don't see it with who we have atm. maybe a new RHD partner can change my mind but that drops him to 3rd pair.

If NJ pairs Siegenthaler with Hamilton and Graves plays a regular shift with Severson maybe he develops some chemistry? I would be surprised if he goes in a deal this summer.

 

[minibrodeur]

If NJ pairs Siegenthaler with Hamilton and Graves plays a regular shift with Severson maybe he develops some chemistry? I would be surprised if he goes in a deal this summer.

They actually played a lot together this year, they also played together at worlds. They seem fine offensively but leave much to be desired on the defensive side of things.

 

[FooteBahl]

Shara-Hughes-Nichuskin/Neiderrieter (sp)
Bratt-Nico-Holtz
Slafkovsky/Johnsson/OS Kakko-Mercer-Tatar/Zetterlund
Wood-McLeod-Nate

Extra: Boqvist and Johnsson if we can’t move him
Zacha can be traded to Moderna for Blackwood’s Covid-19 vaccine for all I care.

Siegs-Hamilton
Graves-Sevo
Smith-UFA pickup/trade/ Okhotyuk/Walsh/Bahl/Muk (all but one would have to play on off hand.

Blackwood
Campbell or someone else to battle for 1a/1b

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Sharangovich - Hughes - Mercer
Bratt/Zacha - Hischier - Holtz/Bratt
Tatar/Zacha - Boqvist - Zetterlund
Wood - McLeod - Bastian

Graves - Hamilton
Siegenthaler - Severson
Bahl - Smith/my dog in booties
Okhotyuk

Blackwood
Bernier

Not thrilled, not entirely upset, just my assumption for opening night. All the offseason speculation was fun for the first few weeks, but i don't see where the 'big splashes' are to be made or even make sense.

I'm significantly more excited for opening night 2023 and believe that's what the organization should be focusing on.