#January2020(Update1):
Tatar/Domi/Lehkonen
Kovalchuk/Kotkaniemi/Suzuki
Poehling/Danault/Weal
Vejdemo/Thompson/Weise
Chiarot/Weber
Mete/Petry
Scandella/Fleury
Price/Lindgren
Tampa is leading Carolina in Raleigh, Florida is up by 1 in Pittsburgh..! Toronto is 10 points up on the Habs. That's the division. Unattainable.
Bergevin's eye is on the wildcard race, where the Habs are a solid 6 pts out - game for game, with 40 to play. Philly and Carolina are Bergevin's target, how fitting.
Given the competition,
They could make the playoffs. Seven (7) "if's". We need all of the above to run this, with Romanov and Caufield looking to take over Scandella and Kovalchuk respectively next year. No Weal big deal.
- IF Drouin comes back 100% and is able to stickhandle/pass as solidly as pre-injury;
- IF Armia comes back healthy within the next few weeks;
- IF Byron does not show concussion symptoms and finds his wheels;
- IF Price gets over last night's loss and plays .918% or above;
- IF Kotkaniemi's tank this year is made to last the whole 82;
- IF Kovalchuk integrates well with Julien's system and produces at a decent rate; and
- IF Gallagher's cranium and hands don't pose problem until the end of the season.....
Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Drouin - Domi - Suzuki
Kovalchuk - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Byron - Thompson - Lehkonen
Poehling, Cousins
Chiarot - Weber
Mete/Kulak - Petry
Scandella - Fleury
Kulak/Mete
I like your lineup. I'm just hopeful Poehling can establish himself over the next 10 games while he's in the top 9.
And definitely Mete over Kulak:
Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Poehling - Domi - Lehkonen
Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Kovalchuk - Suzuki - Byron
(I'd try to trade Byron for Galchenyuk or the assets to get Galchenyuk at rock bottom price, he doesn't fit)
Thompson, Cousins
Chiarot - Weber
Scandella - Petry
Mete - Fleury
Sorry, I can't get behind Suzuki getting 4th line TOI when he just played in two consecutive 20+ min games... top 6 material for sure.
As for Mete-Fleury, I think Julien paired Scandella and Fleury for mentorship reasons. Wants to avoid two young guys left to each other. Mete and Kulak can both work with Cale next year when Romanov comes over and learns from mobile PMD Jeff Petry as his partner. Scandella gone.
I'm very surprised CJ opted for this. I was pretty sure there was no way he'd play on Domi's line, nevertheless less on Danault's.Guy Boucher said on "On jase" today (RDS) that he would never put Kovalchuk on the 1st line with the expectation to run 30-35 second shifts against top lines for 22 minutes a night.
This was recorded before the lines were released I believe. It aired over lunch hour, so recorded mid to late morning.
Swap Domi and Kk and you have my lineup!Curious to see what line-up configuration we have when everyone is healthy again. Does Poehling get sent down?
I actually would like to see Drouin play with Kovalchuk on the PP. Domi/Weber on the 1st PP and Drouin/Kovalchuk on the 2nd
Tatar / Danault / Gallagher
Kovalchuk / Domi / Suzuki
Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Poehling / Thompson / Lehkonen
Byron, Weal, Cousins
Chiarot / Weber
Scandella / Petry
Mete / Fleury
Price
Lindgren
Swap Domi and Kk and you have my lineup!
That D needs work. An offensive waterbug in the top 4 would really help.
You can go ahead and shift Domi to the wing for Suzuki and flip Kovalchuk over to RW but this is pretty close to what I expect to see as the lineup when/if the team is healthy.Curious to see what line-up configuration we have when everyone is healthy again. Does Poehling get sent down?
I actually would like to see Drouin play with Kovalchuk on the PP. Domi/Weber on the 1st PP and Drouin/Kovalchuk on the 2nd
Tatar / Danault / Gallagher
Kovalchuk / Domi / Suzuki
Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Poehling / Thompson / Lehkonen
Byron, Weal, Cousins
Chiarot / Weber
Scandella / Petry
Mete / Fleury
Price
Lindgren
You can go ahead and shift Domi to the wing for Suzuki and flip Kovalchuk over to RW but this is pretty close to what I expect to see as the lineup when/if the team is healthy.
Although Poehling likely goes down to make room for Byron.
I think both Domi & Suzuki interchange depending on the situation...Suzuki will take most right hand side draws, while Domi takes left sided draws.I wonder if Domi is OK playing wing. Last time we did this, he was quickly moved back to center and didn't think Suzuki played bad at center. Contract year for Domi... probably wants to be paid as a center.
Very curious to see what Julien tries when 100% healthy
I think both Domi & Suzuki interchange depending on the situation...Suzuki will take most right hand side draws, while Domi takes left sided draws.
But from what i've seen lately, Suzuki is the one playing C in the defensive zone more often then not.
I kinda like it better that way since the Habs don't have any right handed C's...+ Suzuki's hockey sense really comes pops out when he plays down the middle.