O'Connor-Crosby-Rakell and Bunting-Malkin-Rust is the best top-6 they can make right now IMO.
Definitely. That's the best balanced top 6 that they could go with that doesn't hurt either line and actually compliments properly.
I think even the third line would be interesting with McGroarty, Hayes, Puustinen as there's enough offense there to work through any weird usage they get under this coach.
4th line - Beauvillier/Lizotte, Eller, Glass/Lizotte - If Acciari is playing, f***.
DOC - Sid - Rust ticks a lot of boxes. Sid likes speed. Has some chemistry with both. DOC can be the puck retrieval and net-front guy. His size balances out the other 2s lack there of. Adds a little youthful exuberance as well.
Bunting - Malkin - Rakell makes sense for similar reasons. Bunting the pot stirrer and net-front guy, Rakell the more perimeter guy and shooter and Malkin’s Malkin. It’s just got a weakness in foot speed. But they all move the puck well and quickly so as long as they’re possessing and staying in the offensive zone it might not be an issue.
I think Beauvillier and/or Lizotte are paired with Hayes because he’s genuinely painfully slow. And McGroarty with Eller and Glass I guess.
Except for the fact that the top line absolutely stinks defensively as that trio.
