James: How I’d Shuffle the Lines After the Season-Opening Loss

The Philadelphia Flyers lost their season-opening game 2-1 to the Florida Panthers. It was not a game where they were expected to win, but adjustments will obviously be made before Saturday’s matchup in Raleigh.

Additions and subtractions will be made to the lineup. We will surely see the Flyers’ debut of Nikita Grebenkin. There is a good chance Jett Luchanko draws into the lineup to make his season debut as well.

On defense, there are not many adjustments they can make regarding personnel. Maybe Dennis Gilbert draws in for the second game of the year, but that seems like the least likely outcome.

So, with the additions and subtractions to the lineup, here are the lines that I would run in the Flyers’ second game of the season.

Read More: Flyers Report Card: Vladar and Cates Line Stand Out in Loss vs. Panthers

The Forwards

Tippett-Couturier-Michkov

In my shuffle of the Flyers’ lines, I move Christian Dvorak off the top line and replace him with Owen Tippett. Having Dvorak on the top line with Couturier felt a little redundant. There was no need for two responsible forwards to be on a line with Michkov – it needs a little more juice.

Tippett provides a high-speed offensive spark with plenty of skill. He just needs to put it all together.

Couturier has been skating much better throughout the preseason and even in the first game. He won’t be able to keep pace with Tippett and Michkov, but it will undoubtedly be better than last year.

I like to have a responsible centerman on a line with two offensive wings. It just makes sense to me. I’d be willing to try this line out early this season.

Grebenkin-Zegras-Konecny

My second line in the shuffle keeps Trevor Zegras-Travis Konecny pair intact, but it adds Nikita Grebenkin, who enters the lineup for Nic Deslauriers. Grebenkin played with both Konecny and Zegras at different points in the preseason and should rejoin them once he draws back into the lineup.

The Zegras-Konecny pair already has two pieces of a successful line. They have a high-skill, high-IQ player in Zegras and a high-end scorer in Konecny. While Konecny is tough, they need to add a little more grit. That’s Grebenkin fits perfectly. He can come in and win puck battles for this group. He can fly up the ice, and he can play physically.

While eventually, I would like to see Michkov and Grebenkin on a line together, I don’t think now is the time. Let Grebenkin get his legs in the league first. This is the perfect spot to do so.

Foerster-Cates-Brink

Some things just are not meant to change. The Cates lines have proven time and time again that they cannot and should not ever be split up. Each player is good on their own, but when they are playing together, they are great.

Chemistry is a real, critical factor when building lines. They have it.

The three players know where each other are on the ice at all times. They produce offense, yet they are by far the most responsible the Flyers have. The Cates line is the closest thing the Flyers have to a perfect line.

Dvorak-Luchanko-Hathaway

In my line shuffles, Rodrigo Abols is coming out for Jett Luchanko, and Christian Dvorak is dropping down from the top line to the fourth line.

I won’t lie, the fourth line isn’t the ideal place for Luchanko, but given the current state of the Flyers, it is the best they can do for him right now. This line would work well for him as well.

First of all, the Flyers give their young center a protector in Garnet Hathaway. Every rookie needs a strong veteran presence to protect them, especially when they’re 19 years old. Dvorak gives Luchanko a responsible wing that will allow him to take chances.

If Luchanko is going to stick in the league, he needs to be more aggressive. That means taking more chances and shooting more pucks. This line should give him the ability to do so.

The Defense

Seeler-Sanheim
Ginning-Drysdale
Gilbert-Juulsen

It’s hard to shuffle the defense. They’re not at full health, and they don’t really have the options.

Dennis Gilbert is the extra defenseman, and after the camp Egor Zamula had, he can’t have too big a lead on anyone.

If I am shaking things up, I’d give Gilbert a chance and pull Zamula. For the sake of having right-shot defensemen on the right side, Juulsen stays in, and Adam Ginning was clearly the best of the four. So, Zamula comes out, Gilbert goes in.

Special Teams

PP1: Drysdale, Couturier, Zegras, Michkov, Konceny
PP2: Sanheim, Cates, Foerster, Brink, Tippett

This feels self-explanatory. I don’t think it is a personnel issue with the power play. In fact, I actually like the personnel the Flyers have on the power play.

The only change I’d make is to swap Couturier and Tippett. The top unit needs a face-off guy until Zegras improves. It’s a work in progress for him, and I don’t think it’s a forever issue. However, for the time being, the top unit needs a face-off guy.

The second unit has two guys who can take faceoffs in Couturier and Cates. To me, it’s an easy choice to move Couturier, not messing with the chemistry of the Cates line, who are all on the second unit anyway.

In my mind, improvement off the draw will go a long way for the Flyers’ man-advantage.

Read More: Flyers Hang With Champs, Drop Opener 2-1 to Panthers