Joined: Feb. 2023
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 870
I can dig it.
I've gone through a few different scenarios that I think would be a good idea no matter which one you pick.
21-91-86
14-71-17
38-20-79
84-41-10
77-48
28-81
98-24
or
38-21-86
71-91-17
20- -79
14-41-10
Stammer Point Tony or Paul take double shifts at center for that third line. I think you gotta keep the school bus together though. Bellemare can't double shift, too much of a risk to take if you take penalties and he's too gassed to kill.
77-48
28-81
98-24
43
or
38-21-86
20-91-17
14/84-71-79
84/14-41-10
77-48
28-24
98-81
Bottom line is there's a lot of combinations I've been mulling over. But a few keys -
-Stammer needs to play center regardless of who's he's with. I hate when Cooper puts him at wing. He's too good of a center to be on the wall
-Bellemare needs to be in the lineup until he does something to hurt the team or plays his way out of a spot. He is great at small details and he's too valuable in certain situations. I only say this because I've heard a lot of fans who don't want him in the lineup. PK specialist. Great defensively. Wins important faceoffs 4/5 times. Leadership/calmness.
-Bogo should start over Raddysh. If we go 11-7, Raddysh probably gets the nod over Fluery, but Bogo needs to be in the lineup. Wouldn't be opposed to Raddysh over Perbix to play with either Heddy or Serge. But one of Bogo or Cernak needs to play with Cole for a shutdown pairing.
-Ace should be in the lineup with how he has played and what he provides. He unfortunately just doesn't fit the mixture that we have right now. He's the odd man out.
- O'Reilly or JT almost certainly get matched against Point and Kuch.
-However, I haven't watched the Leafs lately. I did see a practice lineup that had Bunting-Matthews-Jarnkrok and Nylander-JT-Marner. If thats the case, I think you have to play Tony and Killorn and whoever else against that loaded 2nd line to try and shut them down. Cole and Bogo/Cernak should play against them too. I think Stammer or Paul matching against Matthews would be fine. Whoever doesn't get that matchup will probably have O'Reilly so that's fine too.