NHL Line Combinations for 2016-17 (Metropolitan Division)
By Ryan Ritchie
Carolina Hurricanes
Jeff Skinner – Victor Rask – Lee Stempniak
Joakim Nordstrom – Jordan Staal – Andrej Nestrasil
Teuvo Teravainen – Elias Lindholm – Sebastian Aho
Bryan Bickell – Jay McClement – Viktor Stalberg
xs:Phil Di Giuseppe
Jaccob Slavin – Justin Faulk
Noah Hanifin – Brett Pesce
Haydn Fleury – Ron Hainsey
xs: Ryan Murphy, Trevor Carrick
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Carolina could do themselves a favor by moving Elias Lindholm back to center permanently in a third line role.
Hurricanes fans still have high hopes for Lindholm, but he’s continued to fall just short of expectations. It could serve him well to play fewer minutes alongside a highly touted prospect in Sebastian Aho.
Truth be told, Victor Rask would be a third line center on a Stanley Cup contender. – the Canes aren’t even close.
The best way to mask a weak forward group is to scatter your talent. You won’t score goals like the Dallas Stars, but the odds are better that at least one line steps up on any given night to keep the team in close games.