Many years ago, NHL teams had three lines of hockey players and a line of limited function penalty killers and goons. Those days are of course gone, and good teams stock all 12 forward slots with players capable of putting the puck in the net. But find true four line depth can be elusive. Injuries disrupt things. There is still sometimes a need to reserve a slot or two for penalty killers who might be lighter on offensive ability. And it just is not easy to get everything clicking at the same time.

Today’s Daily Cup Joe takes a look at the Hurricanes’ current efforts to build out a forward group that is four lines deep.

The constant evolution of the situation itself over the past few weeks has been fascinating. Very recently, the Hurricanes were very much a one line team with Teravainen/Aho/Svechnikov on fire but nothing else really working. And in the middle of that the Hurricanes traded away two centers but received only one in return. So the team seemed to be desperately trying combinations seeking something that could work past the top line.

Fast forward only a week or so to today, and the situation is almost reversed. Despite Aho’s two goals that both came on special teams, the top line has been struggling a bit of late. But driven by an unlikely source in Morgan Geekie, the Hurricanes seem to be making great strides on the depth front.

 

Teravainen/Aho/Svechnikov

Other than leading the Canes special teams outburst on Tuesday, Aho’s line has actually hit a short-term slump in terms of 5-on-5 play. The trio had a really tough night against Detroit’s top line and was also quiet against the Penguins on Sunday. But I would chalk the slowdown up to just being overdue. The line was red hot for an extending period of time and maybe just overdue for a short lull. The volume of offensive talent between Aho, Teravainen and Svechnikov is just too much to not produce offense if they do the work.

I feel like even two of these three is enough to be the foundation for a scoring line.

If Brind’Amour does tinker a bit as he did in the third period on Tuesday, could Teravainen be a good addition to the Staal/Williams combination? Staal’s line has been the team’s best in a few recent games. Staal seems to be finding a higher gear. Justin Williams is making home out of the ice at the top of the crease and scoring goals because of it. If Brind’Amour wants to go a bit more in the match up line direction at home, Teravainen would be a great fit defensively and also have the potential to add playmaking.

 

McGinn/Staal/Williams

Jordan Staal is playing his best hockey of the season. Justin Williams is hitting stride after a slow start. And McGinn seems be a decent complementary player as an aggressive forechecker with decent ability to defend. Right now, Williams’ ability to score off of other players’ shots either via tips or rebound chances fits well with Staal who when playing well can drive play to the offensive zone and cycle the pucks on the walls. Commonly the outcome is a shot from the point. Every one of those right now seems to find Williams in front of the net trying to convert it to a goal.

 

Foegele/Geekie/Martinook

The most surprising development in terms of offensive depth has been Morgan Geekie. He now has two goals and two assists in two game. But even that understates his offensive contribution as he has played a key role in two more goals as a screen/net front presence. Foegele and Geekie seemed to have decent chemistry on Tuesday but as much as anything this trio rates really high for just buzzing around the offensive zone and/or on the forecheck and creating a bit of chaos. That can be challenging to defend.

The continued success of this line could be critical to the Canes depth scoring. One could argue that this is the fourth line though they were utilized more like a third line for much of Tuesday’s game.  I feel like if this line can produce even at a modest clip that it leaves enough scoring talent to build another scoring line and truly be four lines deep offensively.

 

Dzingel or Niederreiter/Trocheck/Necas

That leaves a bit of a line of misfit toys. Ryan Dzingel who is out short-term with injury has shown a good knack for intermittently generating offense with heady passing plays. But he is underperforming his recent history in terms of scoring goals. Nino Niederreiter is similarly a goal scorer who just had not found his higher gear yet this season. Trocheck has been doing other things and did chip in a huge overtime game-winner versus the Islanders, but in total he has yet to find his stride offensively. And finally, Martin Necas has provided decent depth scoring all season but of late has been in a bit of a slump. If at least for now one considers this to be the fourth line, that is a TON of offensive fire power. If Trocheck can get settled offensively and play the role of puck distributor, there is enough finishing talent to get much more than depth scoring from the wings.

 

What say you Canes fans?

 

1) Have or will the Hurricanes find the elusive forward dept scoring that is common on great hockey teams?

 

2) For the top two lines (Aho’s and Staal’s) would you continue to ride them as is? Or would you consider limited tinkering?

 

3) Who do you like with Vincent Trocheck to try to get a couple more scorers going?

 

Go Canes!

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