Brandon Smillie: Projecting the Canadiens Forward Lines: Line 1A

I think at some point we'll see Pacioretty play with Drouin. Don't think Gallagher will start the year on the "1st" line with the season he had last year...

I think at some point we'll see Pacioretty play with Drouin. Don't think Gallagher will start the year on the "1st" line with the season he had last year...
- BashCH

Patches-Danault-Drouin

I think Jagr would be great on a 3rd line with Plek

I think if Pacioretty plays with Danault then Drouin needs to be on the RW....you need a playmaker to play with patch.

Would leave Lehkonen-Galchenyuk-Gallagher as the 2nd line

Hemsky-Plekanec-Shaw as the 3rd line.

It's not great but isn't bad.

Today @ 11:02 AM ET
I think if Pacioretty plays with Danault then Drouin needs to be on the RW....you need a playmaker to play with patch.

Would leave Lehkonen-Galchenyuk-Gallagher as the 2nd line

Hemsky-Plekanec-Shaw as the 3rd line.

It's not great but isn't bad

Gonna have to disagree with you here. That's a very, very bad lineup

Danault as your top guy? Gallagher as a 2nd (or maybe 1st) line winger? Hemsky and Plekanec getting regular minutes? If this is reality, it's a bleak one

Gallagher is a beauty third-line option. But from an offensive standpoint, you've gotta realize that last year wasn't the outlier. The previous year was

You'd better hope Carey continues to be Carey....

If your "face of the franchise" has a high of 21 goals and 53 points...

just trade for duchene already you mooks

just trade for duchene already you mooks
- DDM-Coga

If there is ONE team in the NHL that REALLY NEEDS him....it is the Habs. Their center situation is plain awful!!! (and they have the Cap space now....just short on the needed prospects)

If there is ONE team in the NHL that REALLY NEEDS him....it is the Habs. Their center situation is plain awful!!! (and they have the Cap space now....just short on the needed prospects)
- hawk35

That's gotta be the issue. Not a single 'can't miss' guy in the system, now that Sergachev is gone

And if you're the Habs, with this roster, I can't see trading your next two 1st round picks for anything

Today @ 11:02 AM ET
I think if Pacioretty plays with Danault then Drouin needs to be on the RW....you need a playmaker to play with patch.

Would leave Lehkonen-Galchenyuk-Gallagher as the 2nd line

Hemsky-Plekanec-Shaw as the 3rd line.

It's not great but isn't bad

Gonna have to disagree with you here. That's a very, very bad lineup

Danault as your top guy? Gallagher as a 2nd (or maybe 1st) line winger? Hemsky and Plekanec getting regular minutes? If this is reality, it's a bleak one

Gallagher is a beauty third-line option. But from an offensive standpoint, you've gotta realize that last year wasn't the outlier. The previous year was

You'd better hope Carey continues to be Carey....
- AxlRose91

You do realize that Gallagher has had more than 40 points and around 20 goals for 3 year straight before last year? You can even had a fourth one considering the pace of the shortened season.

There are no reasons to think he wouldn't do just fine on that second line.

That's gotta be the issue. Not a single 'can't miss' guy in the system, now that Sergachev is gone

And if you're the Habs, with this roster, I can't see trading your next two 1st round picks for anything
- AxlRose91

True. That would be REALLY risky. Price misses any time and those picks are likely lottery picks. A HUGE risk!

If your "face of the franchise" has a high of 21 goals and 53 points...
- AdamFrench

Pretty sure the "face of the franchise" is the best goaltender in the world Adam.

You do realize that Gallagher has had more than 40 points and around 20 goals for 3 year straight before last year? You can even had a fourth one considering the pace of the shortened season.

There are no reasons to think he wouldn't do just fine on that second line.
- Scabeh

Fair enough. I guess I was referring to his really big offensive season the year prior to last (40 points in 53 games). He won't recreate that. But sure, he appears to be good for 40-45 points per season

I just think he's miscast in anything other than a third-line role. I don't want this to be a knock on Gallagher - he's one of the few Habs I actually like. Just think you're pushing a square peg into a round hole by slotting him on the 1st or 2nd line, simply because there are no better options

Pretty sure the "face of the franchise" is the best goaltender in the world Adam.
- Scabeh

Read l'article.

Read l'article.
- AdamFrench

MAKE ME

If I were a Hab fan I'd be worried.
They do not have a #1 centre. It could be argued they do not have #2 centre either.
They lost Radulov and Markov and essentially replacing them with Alzner and Drouin. Those moves do not make them better.

They traded their top young D prospect for a young winger. Then immediately signed the promising young winger to a big contract.

Their farm system is seen as one of the weakest in the NHL in 2017.

Love how fans don't even put one of the few 20 goal scorers on this team in the top 9.

As for Habs being terrible down the middle, Chucky will bounce back and play like a legit top6 center.

Danault is the new plek and will be just fine in between Patches and Drouin

I think if Pacioretty plays with Danault then Drouin needs to be on the RW....you need a playmaker to play with patch.

Would leave Lehkonen-Galchenyuk-Gallagher as the 2nd line

Hemsky-Plekanec-Shaw as the 3rd line.

It's not great but isn't bad.
- willey101

Hemsky and Shaw over Byron?

I think if Pacioretty plays with Danault then Drouin needs to be on the RW....you need a playmaker to play with patch.

Would leave Lehkonen-Galchenyuk-Gallagher as the 2nd line

Hemsky-Plekanec-Shaw as the 3rd line.

It's not great but isn't bad.
- willey101

Agreed

Looks like peanut got buttered again..

Hemsky and Shaw over Byron?
- deadpoulet

Looks like peanut got buttered again..
- pete26

Agreed
- BashCH

I would bet the farm that Drouin starts the season on Patches line.