Lots of options (and I do not think Stajan is an option - I see him and Vey offering little to that top line).
Pribyl - size and puck skills to add to that line. Apparently a good skater too, which will help.
Ferland - yeah, yeah, people are down on Ferland, but the guy is good at possession hockey, and is great along the boards and can dig out pucks, and yes, he can stick up for Johnny, especially if Gulutzan lets him. He also makes solid plays.
Shinkaruk - not sold on him playing up on that line, but worth a longer look.
Jankowski - Think he would be a good complimentary winger for that line.
Brouwer - seems like the most natural of fits with his size, board work and skills.
Chiasson - has a bit to prove, but I think if he can be closer to the player he was in Dallas, he could be a very good fit on that line. If he is closer to the player he was in Ottawa, he won't be anywhere close to that line.
Tkachuk - is a good fit obviously (if not this season, upcoming seasons), but why put all your eggs in one basket? Line one and Line 2 can be equally effective and be tough to match-up against. Would rather Tkachuk be glued to Bennett - Bennett deserves talent to play with too.
Probably some other guys deserve a look. Vey is too soft and too.. meh.. for my liking on that line. Ditto for Stajan, and Stajan I don't think can keep up.
This is what I see as qualities that make a good fit:
Size - A guy that is difficult to handle, especially in front of the net and going to dig out rebounds from the net, dig out pucks from the corner, and stick up for Johnny sometimes.
Skill - has to have the hands to at least not have plays die on his stick, but hopefully more than that.
Speed - has to keep up with that line, if not be a faster skater than Monahan. Why? It will give that line a different look in zone entries. Either Gaudreau carries it in, or if the Defence tries to swarm, that puck is sent in deep with the 'x' big guy going in and getting to that puck first.
That is just what I think anyways. Jankowski fits everything except for the 'sticking up for Gaudreau' portion. Ferland just needs to stop being so snakebitten - he is perfect for that line, but so is Brouwer now, and perhaps even more so (as long as he skates as well as Ferland - Ferland is a very good skater and forechecker).
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