1st line:
Jake Guentzel- Sidney Crosby- Evan Rodrigues
This combination may come as a surprise to some, but I really think this combo best fits Crosby’s needs. Rodrigues is having a career year playing in this elevated role, and I don’t think he will digress at all. He is always the first in on the forecheck, and skates confidently through the neutral zone. Guentzel is a no-brainer on the left-wing. Like Chris Kunitz, in years past, Guentzel always puts himself in the right spots.
2nd line:
Jeff Carter- Evgeni Malkin- Kasper Kapanen
I am not sure this is the best combination for Malkin. Kappy has been better on the forecheck, but he is not overwhelming in that role. Carter lacks speed, but still has a very reliable shot, which Malkin is capable of helping him utilize. The Carter line has had a hard time clearing their own zone this year, and I don’t know that this combo overcomes that short fall.
3rd line:
Zach Aston-Reese- Teddy Blueger- Bryan Rust
I know it’s not popular to break up the Pens most effective shutdown line, but I don’t think they are giving up a ton by subbing in Rust for McGinn here. If anything, I believe Rust adds a little more finish to this group. I could see this group turning into a combo like the “HBK line,” which turned great defense into scoring. ZAR and Blueger could both be Selke candidates, if they could just generate a bit more offensively.
4th line:
Danton Heinen- Drew O’Connor- Brock McGinn
This is what our fourth line could be? Are you kidding me? Heinen and McGinn have been such great additions this season. Heinen has 9 goals and McGinn has 8. How dangerous is a fourth line that can contribute this type of offense? Add in a guy like O’Connor who is hard-nosed on the forecheck, while also playing responsible defense. I don’t know that the Pens have ever been this deep up front.
Extras:
Jason Zucker- Brian Boyle- Dominic Simon- Sam Lafferty
I have a hard time keeping Simon out of my everyday lineup because he is great in his own end and very reliable on the penalty kill, but I just don’t see a spot where he fits in. Quite the opposite for Zucker, I don’t see a spot that he doesn’t downgrade. He has been abysmal since coming to Pittsburgh. I would love to have Boyle’s veteran leadership and penalty killing skills, but I think he would slow down the fourth line a bit too much. I think Lafferty only dresses if a series gets too physical, and the Pens need someone to push back.
I don’t see any reason to change the current defense pairings. I will take a look at potential power play combos in an upcoming post.