Time To Shuffle The Lines?

Photo: AP

By Michael Walters

The entire NHL is off tonight in an odd day of scheduling for the league. The Anaheim Ducks will be back in action tomorrow against the Dallas Stars and again on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues. The Ducks might have some different forward line combinations for those contests. At a recent practice, all four of the lines were rearranged according to Eric Stephens of the Athletic.

Practice Lines

Comtois-Henrique-Silfverberg

Cogliano-Kesler-Rakell

Lundestrom-Steel-Sherwood

Street-Rowney-Gibbons-Terry-Eaves

Maxime Comtois and Jakob Silfverberg, who were both on the second line before, were bumped up to the first line. Both had three-game point streaks in the opening three games of the season. Silfverberg leads the team with five points(1 G + 4 A) and Comtois leads the team with two goals.

Ryan Kesler returned to the lineup on Wednesday as the third line center. He was back with former linemate Andrew Cogliano. Rickard Rakell also joined this line. He can play any forward position, but it is interesting to see him at the right wing.

The third line is intriguing with Isac Lundestrom at the left wing instead of the center spot where he has played so far this season. His faceoff percentage is only 40.91% which is the worst amongst all Ducks playing the center position. Ben Street does have a lower face-off percentage, but he has been mainly playing a wing position.

Troy Terry had been playing on the first line, but now he appeared on the fourth line. He did have the shootout winner against Detroit earlier in the week, but he has yet to register a point in the four games so far this season.

It appears like Randy Carlyle is loading up the top two lines. Five of the players(excluding Kesler) on those lines are the top scorers on the team. It’s a different approach than the more balanced lineup we have seen through four games. Tomorrow’s morning skate should tell us if these lines will hold true. It’s a gamble, but it might provide more offense for the Ducks this weekend.

Injury Updates

Ryan Getzlaf – He has a groin injury and will likely not play this weekend. He is listed as day-to-day.

Ondrej Kase – He is still out with a concussion and also won’t be available this weekend.

Patrick Eaves – He did skate today at practice, but according to Randy Carlyle he will also not be joining the team this weekend.

Korbinian Holzer – He had wrist surgery in the offseason and was due back in December. He is listed on the roster per the Ducks media site. He could possibly be returning sooner than expected.

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October 12th, 2018