Speculation: Updated Line-ups

[WhatWhat]

Ladd-Tavares-Parenteau
Lee-Nelson-Strome
Chimera-Grabovski-Prince
Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
(Bailey, Quine)

Leddy-Hamonic
CDH-Boychuk
Hickey-Pulock
(Mayfield)

Halak
Greiss
Berube

Call-ups: Barzal, Pelech

Biggest needs: Team lacks a true 1D but has several 2Ds. Not a huge problem but most Cup winners have a bona fide Norris candidate. Team also likely needs another top6 FWD, but there's plenty of depth. I expect Halak to be traded before the season (or else Berube to be).

Would Barzal need to be in the WHL I'd he doesn't make the team? Or is he old enough for the AHL?

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

Would Barzal need to be in the WHL I'd he doesn't make the team? Or is he old enough for the AHL?

Barzal will be in the WHL if he doesn't make the NHL. It's possible he makes it, but I'd rather get a short term veteran to play there instead of forcing Barzal into that role.

 

[MoonDragn]

What I expect to see:

Hall-Henrique-Bennett
Cammalleri-Zajac-Palmieri
Elias/Boucher-Zacha-DSP
Don't care. Impossible to predict. Probably Fiddler, Josefson, and someone...with Josefson becoming a scratch after 10 games.

Defense: agree with yours for now, but still expect another depth signing.

As much as Josefson can't score, he becomes a key cog in our PP and PK.

Our PK is simply better with Josefson around and while Josefson has a prob scoring even on the PP, he moves the puck very well and is the key reason why our PP was so good last season.

 

[BackVechkin]

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Williams
Johansson-Eller-Wilson
Winnik-Beagle-Connolly/Vrana/Galiev

Defense:

Orpik-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Schmitt-Orlov
Chorney

Holtby
Grubauer

 

[SherVaughn30]

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Williams
Johansson-Eller-Wilson
Winnik-Beagle-Connolly/Vrana/Galiev

Defense:

Orpik-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Schmitt-Orlov
Chorney

Holtby
Grubauer

I posted the lineup earlier in the thread. Backstrom should be 2C and Kuznetsov 1C. It's what happened in the playoffs, so might as well get used to it in the regular season. Also, Vrana should not even be a call-up. The guy should have a full year in Hershey first. Galiev is not a 4th line player, so he has no fit on this team. They should trade him for a pick.

 

[Gecklund]

Meier-Thornton-Pavelski
Boedker-Couture-Donskoi
Marleau-Hertl-Ward/Goldobin
Nieto-Tierney-Ward/Goldobin
Wingels, Karlsson

Vlasic-Braun
Martin-Burns
Schlemko-Demelo
Dillon, Mueller

Jones
Dell/backup

 

[Mancini79]

View attachment 90811

Parise-Staal-Coyle

Granlund-Koivu-Zucker

Nino-Haula-Pominville

Stewart-Graovac (Cullen? / Gagner?)-Schroeder (Carter)

(Assuming Carter and Porter re-sign, but as of now this is our FWD depth....)

Suter-Spurgeon

Brodin-Dumba

Scandella-Rielly

Folin, Prosser (7th Dman)

Staal could be a STEAL if he finds his game again. Yes...we do need a true #1C, but we don't have the assets or cap to acquire one. It's NOT happening anytime soon either. Staal will have to be that stop-gap for now. Cullen could be another temporary solution as well. I'd love him back on the Wild as a 4th(sliding scale C). Sam Gagner is intriguing after his late season/playoff performance with PHI.