Line Combos: Lineup for 2024-2025

[BargainBinSpecial]

Slaf Suz Cole
Laine Dach Newhook/Roy
Anderson Beck/Newhook Armia/Roy/Gally
ABB/Beck Evans Gally/Armia

RHP/ABB/Pezzetta (extras)

Dvorak has become useless and hopefully they trade him before training camp. The bottom six needs improving and there are lots of combinations they can try. The second line has lots of ifs. Can Laine and Dach stay healthy? Also, does either one of Roy or Newhook deliver as a top six forward? Can Anderson, Armia and Gally rebound?

 

[VT]

No.

In 2020/21 Laine scored 21(10+11) points in 45 games in Columbus, playing truly awful. For most fans, he was a bust. No one expected him to have 1 PPG the next season, 0.94 PPG the following season while having more goals at 5v5 than Reinhart or Tkachuk. And that's with the Jenner/Roslovic centers. Maybe if he had played less with Gaudreau in 2022/23, he would have had even better stats since he played better without him.

Anderson isn't a bad player and if he gained confidence he could be a tank clearing space in front of the net, next to the boards, in the corners. Which would make Newhook a stronger third man, which is important if you want to be in the PO. Other than that, look at Toronto. The Leafs have a strong top 6, but the bottom 6, except perhaps the Engwall - Kampf - Mikheyev line, has always been mediocre, which is why they couldn't keep the pace high.

And I'd also mention Florida, who had a line in PO 2022/23:

Verhaege - Barkov - Duclair
Cousins - Bennett - Tkachuk
Luostarinen - Lundell - Reinhart

2023/24 season

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Reinhart
Tkachuk - Bennett - Rodriguez
Luostarinen - Lundell - Tarasenko

with Bennett coming from 3rd/4th line player stats from Calgary. Still, he and Tkachuk made an excellent pair, their chemistry was perfect. On the other hand, Lundell, who is a better player, didn't have such a good one, the Tkachuk - Lundell - Verhaeghe line played tragically in the PO, Maurice changed
it immediately.

Of course I'm not saying the Laine - Dach - Anderson line would be great, but it is possible to try it, you can't lose anything just gain.

 

[Saku K]

Slakovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Laine - Dach - Newhook
Armia - Dvorak - Gallagher
Anderson - Evans - Roy
Pezz/ABB

RHP(injured)

Armia - Newhook - Gallagher was good at the end of the season so I was kinda torn on where to put newhook but I think he has shown he is the most deserving on that (temporary) spot on the second line. His speed, great shot(17,6%), compete level and improving faceoff abilities will help that line, he's only 23. Gallagher and Armia after 16 and 17 goal seasons respectively, I couldn't find a good reason to bury them on the fourth line just yet. Roy starts on the fourth line temporarily and will move up the depth chart as season progress and guys get injured.

 

[Deebs]

For once, it seems like we might have a decent PP2 unit, and possibly a dangerous PP1. We have options! Here's what I'd like to see :

PP1
........ GOAL
...... Slafkovsky
Caufield ......... Suzuki (takes faceoffs)
..Matheson ..... Laine

PP1
..........GOAL
.......Gallagher
Newhook ............ Roy
..Hutson..... Dach

On the PP this year, I want the 1st wave stacked and play at least 90 seconds of the 120.

 

[CAUFIELD]

Could be a surprising team

Caufield- Suzuki- Slafkovsky
Newhook- Dach- Laine
Roy- Dvorak- Anderson
Armia- Evans -Gallagher
Pezzeta

Matheson- Ghule
Hutson Savard
Xhekaj- Struble
Barron

Montambault
Primeau

The top 6 has great offensive potential, while quite unproven. The bottom 6 is full of veteran except Roy; they should deliver.

On defense , Matheson and Ghule is the workhorse pair.

Savard paired with Hutson to stabilize the pairing, while Hutson is doing his things.

Xhekaj and Struble , more defense and physical oriented.

 

[Adriatic]

Like the look of it but moving forward I still think we need to add some nastiness up front.

 

[Scintillating10]

Habs got a lot of depth down the middle. Both Suzuki and Dach young. Beck and Hage have promising careers. Kapanen could be solid player also.