Giroux - Stützle - Tarasenko
Absolutely the right thing to do with this line combination. All players are first liners on any NHL team.
Giroux and Stützle will provide defence. Tarasenko is playing off wing, only elite players can do that. Because it is hard to take a backhand pass. Tarasenko has no problem with that. He does not need a creative passer in Stutzle. He needs someone to transport the puck through the middle. Stutzle will do that and more. 35-40 goals for Tarasenko. 40 to 45 for Stutzle.
Tkachuk - Norris - Smejkal.
Smejkal will be a gem. He is more talented then Kubalik and could easy score more then 25 goals. He is versatile and a complete player, build as a rock. I would say he is NIck Paul on steroids.
Kubalik- Pinto - Batherson
Not crazy about this line. Kubalik is very strong and a perfect third liner. PInto is ok. Still has to develop his game a little more. Not the fastest skater. Batherson is just a softie. There are no players like him in Europe anymore. Does not finish his checks, soft on boards. Overall defensive game is just one hot garbage.
Ostapchuk - Greig- Sokolov
Yea, the more I think about it, the more I think that first line will mesh very well, very quickly. 3 smart high IQ players who can score and pass. All can handle the body and all play similar board game. I think Stutzle will be even stronger and more electric which will make Tarasenko feast.
Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson works. We know it works, and we need a lineup to start season that we know can be productive so we can have a great start. Tkachuk can take faceoffs for Norris and his physical play can ease Norris in. They'll also get 2nd pairing which they should feast on while Batherson gets his game back and Tkachuk makes a fool out of defenders.
I also did a bit of a deep dive on Smejkal, I agree he can be an xfactor. Scoring ~PPG in Finnish elite league and then Swedish league in back to back seasons. He had highest PPG out of anyone his age group or younger in both seasons. 6'4 and hard nosed and just 26. I can see 15-15 from him. Jonathan Dahlen(who had worse performing season than Jiri and similar skating ability) scored 22 points and 12 goals in 61 games as a much smaller and worse defensive guy on SJ.
Smejkal-Pinto-Kubalik could be a notable line allowing Greig to thrive in AHL until injury calls him up
That top line is something to really be excited about. I think at worst we see a 60-80-50 statline for that line with notable puck possession presence and effective against all playstyles. That's solid because it will allow Tkachuk-Norris-Bath to feast on 2nd pairings and give them similar statline. With 3rd line having 2 guys who can score 15+ and Pinto, IMO, is gonna have a breakout season.
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