Prior to the draft/free agency, I really wanted to see Gaudreau traded as I felt he would bring the most back and it would be a retool on the fly. Now, as the dust settles and it appears less likely that there's anything decent out there, I'm coming around to who we've got but wouldn't mind seeing some line shuffling.
Now, I haven't waded in here since the forehead/height measuring thing a while back so perhaps someone has mentioned it, but has anyone else thought about getting Gaudreau and Bennett together to see if that works? I also mentioned in another thread that I think Monahan has become too reliant on Gaudreau and I'd love to see them separated.
My thoughts:
Tkachuk - Monahan - Lindholm
Gaudreau - Bennett - Dube
Mangiapane - Backlund - Leivo
Lucic - Ryan - Simon
Nordstrom/Gawdin/Robinson
Gio - Tanev
Hanifin - Andersson
Valimaki - Kylington/Nesterov
Mackey
Markstrom
Rittich
I think Tkachuk with that top line really changes the dynamic. Not a lot of flash but hopefully more consistency and useable anywhere on the ice. The next two lines are really 2a/2b in my mind. You play them in different situations, the Bennett line getting the majority of match-ups and offensive zone starts with Backlund's mainly defensive zone starts. Including Leivo, lots of options to tinker with the right side on that line to have it suit what is required (ie. more offense - perhaps Leivo, more defensive - Simon?Nordstrom?). The 4th line is so flexible now with all the seemingly good (at least on paper) bottom 6 guys that you can mix/match as guys go hot/cold.
On defense, there is the clearcut top pairing, with an up and coming 2nd pairing and then a 3rd pairing that may develop into an excellent duo and I think it's worth giving Kylington a shot on the R side.
In goal, nothing surprising there.
I'd be pretty excited to see something like that on opening day.
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