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    Three NHL Teams With Big Lineup Decisions to Make

    6 Mins Read
    Three NHL Teams With Big Lineup Decisions to Make

    Nils Hoglander and Max Domi

    Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

    In an exciting development for the hockey world, TheHockeyNews.com has a new site that provides the latest NHL teams’ depth charts and lineup combinations. 

    From now on at THN.com/lineups, you’ll be able to check in regularly to see how rosters and lineups evolve. Former CapFriendly.com depth chart guru Tim Hiebert provides projected lineups and depth charts with statistics as the off-season continues, with injury and transaction updates in the future.

    There’s no shortage of drama regarding NHL teams’ lineups. Here are three teams that have big questions about what their rosters will look like this coming season:

    Toronto Maple Leafs

    The Leafs have a number of questions about the makeup of their roster in 2024-25, with both their defense corps and forward group dealing with changes. 

    With veteran winger Tyler Bertuzzi leaving via free agency, the ripple effect on Toronto’s top six forwards is worth keeping an eye on. 

    To wit: let’s say youngster Matthew Knies plays on the first line with center Auston Matthews and winger Mitch Marner. That leaves a second line of center John Tavares, right winger William Nylander, and…who else? Bobby McMann? Nick Robertson? Another veteran Toronto signs or trades for before training camp? As you can see, there’s no easy answer for that final spot. Whoever would be better off playing with Max Domi on the third line is also affected in this case.

    On defense, newcomers Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson give the Maple Leafs an entirely new look, which will be even more different if veteran Jani Hakanpaa officially signs with the team – but the pairings on the blueline are far from set in stone. 

    It makes sense that Tanev and Morgan Rielly will be Toronto’s top pair on ‘D,’ but after that, who comprises the second and third pairings? 

    Will veteran Jake McCabe and Timothy Liljegren work together on the second pair, leaving Ekman-Larsson and Hakanpaa (or Simon Benoit or Conor Timmins) to serve on the final pair? Or does Ekman-Larsson bump up to the second pair?

    Obviously, there are many options for Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, and we won’t know for sure who’ll be working together until the regular season begins. 

    Many options mean there’ll be much second-guessing regardless of how things shake out, but that’s part and parcel of the hockey fishbowl that is Toronto. And that’s one of the reasons why you should be checking the new site’s roster pages frequently.

    Vancouver Canucks

    Despite being one of the NHL’s best regular-season teams in 2023-24, the Canucks made extensive alterations to their roster this summer, starting with their forwards group. 

    Center Elias Lindholm left for Boston via free agency, but Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin used much of his cap space to sign UFA forwards Jake DeBrusk, Daniel Sprong, Kiefer Sherwood and Danton Heinen. 

    The question now is what Canucks coach Rick Tocchet does with his forwards. DeBrusk could fit in as the left winger on the first line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, or he could go on the second line alongside star pivot Elias Pettersson. But the second-line right-wing spot could go to Nils Hoglander, Connor Garland or even Sprong. And Heinen will almost certainly comprise the wing on the fourth line, whether it’s uncertain where Sherwood slots in. Hiebert projects Sherwood as a scratch for now.

    On defense, the Canucks will have a top pairing of superstar Quinn Huges and Filip Hronek. But on the second pair, left-shot D-man Carson Soucy could be paired up with either Tyler Myers or newcomer Vincent Desharnais. The final pair would be either Myers or Desharnais and newcomer Derek Forbort. 

    Tocchet can play around with the defense to see who has chemistry and adjust during the season as necessary. But until then, questions about Vancouver’s lineup will remain as the team looks to carry the momentum it had after an exciting last season.

    TheHockeyNews.com/lineups is a new home for NHL projected lineups, depth charts and more.

    Dallas Stars

    The ripple effect of losing star forward Joe Pavelski to retirement would’ve devastated many teams, and trading Radek Faksa and Ty Dellandrea have changed the look of the Stars’ offense a bit. But on the extremely deep Dallas roster, coach Peter DeBoer still has an embarrassment of riches to help soften the blow. 

    Youngsters Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven could and should see their role expand, while center Mavrik Bourque – the AHL’s top goal-scorer in 2023-24 – could slot in for a long look up front. And journeyman forward Colin Blackwell will help comprise the Stars’ fourth line.

    However, the biggest roster changes for the Stars come on defense, where veterans Chris Tanev, Jani Hakanpaa and Ryan Suter have all departed and been replaced by Matt Dumba, Ilya Lyubuskin and Brendan Smith. 

    That means Dallas’ defense pairings should be much different than at the end of this past season.

    The top pairing of stars Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley should stay the same until further notice, but Lyubushkin could be part of the second pairing with longtime Star Esa Lindell or the third pair with Nils Lundkvist or Smith, while Dumba could fill in the other slot.

    Once the Stars get Harley’s signature on a new contract, Stars GM Jim Nill will still have a couple of million dollars to spend, but Dallas’ incredible depth at all positions is why they’ll be a Stanley Cup favorite for many observers. 

    The Stars have done an amazing job of drafting and development, and DeBoer has so many tools available to him, it’s almost unfair.

    And that’s just three of 32 NHL teams with lineup decisions to make, so check out THN.com/lineups for up-to-date lineup and depth chart information.

    Related: Does Your NHL Team Have a True No. 1 Center For the 2024-25 Season?

    Related: NHL Rumor Roundup: Asking Price for Patrik Laine, the Cost of Jeremy Swayman’s New Contract

    Related: NHL Hot Seat Radar: Nashville Predators’ Blueline Addition Puts the Pressure on Fabbro

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