Given the clear approach of the Hurricanes organization to go with its younger players, I created a series of potential forward lines to see how the retention of Samsonov, the departure of Whitney, and the retirement of Brind'Amour affected the line combinations. I did not include Jeff Skinner in the combinations for the 2010-2011 season. I also postulated what would happen if Samsonov, Cole, and Kostopoulos were traded at the trade deadline. I did not include Nash or Matsumoto in the combinations. I also did not include a variation in which LaRose was traded at the trade deadline. Given the direction of the team and the fact that LaRose is not mentioned as an "untouchable," that possibility exists; but rather than creating a firestorm, for these lines I left off that variation. When Skinner, Nash, and Matsumoto start entering the discussion, obviously some of the forwards on these lines are affected. We'll know more about Skinner's readiness for the NHL this week when he comes to the prospects camp. Boychuk came close to making the team out of training camp his first year. Skinner will get a long, long look as well.
Although the line combinations show how young the team is at forward, I was struck by the increase in speed of the forward lines. Additionally, other than Samsonov, all the other forwards have a physical element to their game, or at minimum a strong degree of desire to get to the net with feisty element to their game.
Version 1:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Tlusty/Sutter/Cole
Boychuk/Dalpe/LaRose
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 2:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Cole
Tlusty/Dalpe/LaRose
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 3:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Tlusty
LaRose/Dalpe/Cole
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 4:
Boychuk/Staal/Ruutu
Jokinen/Sutter/Cole
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 5:
Boychuk/Staal/Cole
Jokinen/Sutter/Ruutu
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 6:
LaRose/Staal/Cole
Jokinen/Sutter/Ruutu
Boychuk/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 7:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
Boychuk/Sutter/Jokinen
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 8:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
LaRose/Sutter/Jokinen
Boychuk/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
Version 9:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
Tlusty/Sutter/Jokinen
Boychuk/Dalpe/LaRose
Samsonov/Dwyer/Kostopoulos
POST TRADE DEADLINE LINES
[KOSTOPOULOS AND SAMSONOV TRADED]
Version 1:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Tlusty/S
utter/Cole
Boychuk/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 2:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Cole
Tlusty/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 3:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Tlusty
LaRose/Dalpe/Cole
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 4:
Boychuk/Staal/Ruutu
Jokinen/Sutter/Cole
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 5:
Boychuk/Staal/Cole
Jokinen/
Sutter/Ruutu
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 6:
LaRose/Staal/Cole
Jokinen/Sutter/Ruutu
Boychuk/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 7:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
Boychuk/Sutter/Jokinen
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 8:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
LaRose/Sutter/Jokinen
Boychuk/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 9:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
Tlusty/Sutter/Jokinen
Boychuk/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/D
wyer/Osala
POST TRADE DEADLINE LINES
[KOSTOPOULOS, COLE AND SAMSONOV TRADED]
Version 1:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Tlusty/Sutter/Boychuk
Bowman/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 2:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Bowman
Tlusty/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 3:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Tlusty
LaRose/Dalpe/Bowman
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 4:
Boychuk/Staal/Ruutu
Jokinen/Sutter/Bowman
LaRose/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 5:
Boychuk/Staal/Ruutu
Jokinen/Sutter/Tlusty
LaRose/Dalpe/Osala
Samson/Dwyer/Bowman
Version 6:
LaRose/Staal/Ruutu
Jokinen/Sutter/Boychuk
Bowman/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 7:
Ruutu/Staal/Cole
Boychuk/Sutter/Jokinen
LaRose/Dalpe/Bowman
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 8:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
LaRose/Sutter/Bowman
Boychuk/Dalpe/Tlusty
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 9:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Tlusty
Bowman/Dalpe/LaRose
Samson/Dwyer/Osala
Version 10:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Tlusty
Bowman/Dalpe/Osala
Samson/Dwyer/LaRose
Version 11:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Bowman
Tlusty/Dalpe/Osala
Samson/Dwyer/LaRose
Version 12:
Jokinen/Staal/Ruutu
Boychuk/Sutter/Osala
Tlusty/Dalpe/Bowman
Samson/Dwyer/LaRose
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