Predicting line combinations for the home opener and start of the season
Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, Kucks fans, welcome to the line change. And in this video, we’re going to be going over some line combinations to start the season and in particular the home and season opener for for the Vancouver Canucks. Now, I just want to clarify that these are simply my own opinion and my predictions for what the line combinations will be uh to start the season. In particular, as I mentioned, the home opener. So, these are not official. These are just what I am predicting are going to be the starting lines for the Vancouver Canucks. But before we dive into that, as always, I want to give a quick shout out and thank you to my sponsor, Guestjack Art, maker of that amazing artwork you see up there and down here. And you guys can check him out yourselves at guestjackart.com. You can also find him on Instagram, guestjackart. There is a link to his website in the description down below. So without any further ado, let’s go ahead and take a look at the line combinations that I have come up with. I’m going to share the screen here. I went ahead and did it on Puckedia. So let’s go ahead and check that out. So here, as you can see, I have the first line being Aander Kane, Elias Person, and Brock Besser. I decided to have Evander Kane start off on the first line just simply because he is of course the Conucks’s big acquisition from this off season and also you know I just think Aander Kane will get a look on the first line. Now do I think this is going to be a full season a or a permanent thing? No. I I do think they might do some shuffling around, but I do think for the home opener, uh, they are going to have Evander Kane on a on the line with Elias Person just to see how they mesh and see what their chemistry is like. Obviously, we’ll find out for sure uh at training camp, what the line combinations could potentially look like in about uh, you know, little over a week or so when in training camp starts. But for now, I have Evander Kane on the first line on the on the left side, and of course, I have Brock Besser on the right side. I do think Brock Besser is a lock for that uh first line right-wing position simply because he is, of course, the longest tenur kox. He’s also just recently signed a $7.25 25 million contract for seven years. And I do think that is, you know, a permanent spot on that first line. Um, could we see, again, like I said earlier, could we see some shuffling? Absolutely. But I think it’s a lock that Brock Besser will be on the on the right hand side of the first line with Elias Patterson. And hopefully we can see some of that chemistry. We were just talking about chemistry between Evander Kane and Ias Patterson. Hope and hoping that blossoms. We already know that there is chemistry between IAS Patterson and Brock Besser. We’ve seen it in the past. Hopefully, we can see it again. Uh for your our second line, I have Jake De Brusk, Philip Pedle, and Connor Garland. Now, um some people might put Jake Deer Brusque ahead of Evander Kane on that on that top line. I do think they are going to at least like I mentioned have like let Kane have a look on the first line which obviously drops de Brusk down to the second line. I do really like the idea of having De Brusk and Heedle on a line together because we all know Philip Hedel has that speed and I think he can also help get Jake de Bruss the puck and I just think you know that is where Jake De Brusk slots in especially if Evander Kane ends up being you know on the first line and then on the rightanded side I have rightwing Connor Garland. Now, obviously, some people might have Connor Garland on the third line. I do think he has earned the right to be on the second line. I think he has proven himself to be a second line right winger, especially after the last few seasons he’s had with the Vancouver Conucks. And on top of that, he did just sign an extension with the Conucks. So, I think there is going to be a reward for that. And that is of course Garland being on the second line. So I do think Connor Garland will be on the second line uh to start the season. Again that is just my personal opinion and just my p prediction. Again as I mentioned earlier obviously these lines are going to be are going to shuffle and some people might move move around. For all we know, we could very well see Brock Besser and Connor Garland switch and and they could maybe see how Connor Garland does on the first line. We will see when the season starts. But for now, I have second line of Jake De Brass, Philip Pedo, and Connor Garland. Moving down to the third line, we have Neil Hoglander, Teddy Bluger, and Kefir Sherwood. Um, I do think obviously Teddy Bluger is a lock for the third for the 3C position. Perhaps depending on how training camp goes, uh, him and Ratu might switch as again it all comes down to how uh, Ratu performs during training camp. If he’s lights out, I no question think that Ratu will be the 3C and he will usurp Teddy Bluger and Bluger will drop down to 4C. Who knows? We shall see. But for now, I have Teddy Bluger as the as the 3C with Hoglander and Sherwood on on the wings. Um, do again, do I think Hoglander could bump up? Absolutely. But obviously last season was not a very good season for Neil’s Hoglander as he only had eight goals after scoring 24 the year prior to that. Um but so yeah, for now I have Neil’s Hoglander on the third line with Bluger and Sherwood. That brings us to the fourth line where I have Drew O’ Connor on the left wing centered by Atu Ratu and then of course I have Lenus Carlson on the right wing. Um, I do think Lenus Carlson is a lock to make the opening night roster, if not the opening night roster. I do think he’s a lock to at least make the roster as of course, you know, he really exploded during the Calic Cup playoffs was absolutely fantastic and I do feel as though he will be rewarded for that. I also think, as we’ve mentioned on this channel before, he I do feel as though he has the inside track to make the the uh team. So, that’s why I have Lenus Carlson on the right wing on the fourth line. Let’s look down at defense now. So, for right now, I have Quinn Hughes obviously on the left side and then I have Tom Wheelander um paired with Quinn Hughes. Um I for I forget exactly who mentioned this potential pairing and when they mentioned it, it fascinated me, you know, to have to pair Wheelander with Quinn Hughes. I do think it’s an interesting pairing and so yeah, that’s why I went with it. Obviously the the chances of Weander cracking the opening night roster, some could say they’re 50/50, but obviously the Conucks are very high on Tom Mulander and feel as though he is undoubtedly going to crack the roster for the start of the season. Some people have also said maybe he should get some experience in the AHL first, but for this I have Wheelander on a pairing with Quinn Hughes. Next up, we have Marcus Patterson paired with Philip Heronic. Now, I did notice recently some people did actually say that they think uh Quinn Hughes and Philip Pronic should, you know, be separated and they should, you know, be running their own pairings. Um, so I do think the Canucks are possibly might take a look at this. So that’s why I have Marcus Patterson and Heronic on a pairing together. Um, I do think that is a good pairing and it also really tests Philip Peronic and see if he if if he can, you know, get things done without Quinn Hughes as his partner. Um, it it’ll really help boost Philip Peronic, I feel. So, that is why I have him paired with Person. And then we, speaking of Person, I have DPD paired with Tyler Myers. I think that is going to be and actually correct me if I’m wrong. It’s been a long time since last season. Uh correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe DPD was on a pairing with Myers at one point or another towards the end of the season last year and it seemed to really work out. Again, correct me if I’m wrong, but I do really like the idea of having DPD with Tyler Myers as obviously DPD can soak in that experience from Tyler Myers who’s obviously a leader and has a lot of, you know, experience and he can perhaps shed that towards DPD. So, that is why I have uh DPD and Tyler Myers as the third pairing. And of course, uh, the oddman out is Derek Forbort, who I have as the seventh defenseman. So, there’s that. Obviously, nothing for the goalies. Goalies is not going to change. That’s your Demco and Kevin Lankin. That is, you know, pretty much a given there. Right now, I have in the press box are Steve Baines and Pio Joseph. Um, obviously some people are saying or are saying, you know, perhaps Archdep Benz could crack the roster, but between him and Carlson, I think, well, like I mentioned, Carlson has the inside track. But if RD Baines wants to crack this roster, he’s really going to have to shine in training camp. So, we’ll see if that happens or not. uh RGB is is a RFA. So we shall see about that. Then of course this is just the nonroster or you could technically say this is the Abbottzford connects roster. Uh, I have Neil Zaman on the left wing, Max Sassin at center, and then I have Vitali Krabs off, then you have McKenzie McKiran, Ty Mueller, and then Jonathan Laramaki. Obviously, Laramaki has been a big talking point for a lot of Kucks fans. Some are unsure if he’s going to crack the opening night roster or, you know, if it’s beneficial for him to start in Abbottzford, kind of get things going and then calling and then call him up at a later time. I do completely agree with that. I do think he needs some more time in in Abby and uh I would not be surprised at all if Laramaki is called up later in the season. And you got Josh Bloom, Joe Lebade, Dindellet Clamovich, Wilmer Alrikson. I do have uh Braden Coots. Obviously, Coots will most likely or most certainly be playing in Seattle. Could he get some looks in in either Abbottzford or on the big roster? Potentially, but that’s still a ways away. And obviously, you know, he’s going to be spending, as I mentioned, a lot more time in Seattle with the Thunderbirds. Then you have Chase Stillman. Then you have Henry Ravinskis. And then on defense, you have Gon Briezwallis and Victor Mancini. Obviously, there’s going to be a battle between Victor Mancini and Tom Millander to crack the uh main ro, not the main roster, but the big roster. I do think it would be beneficial if Mancini started in the AHL just because he can really um you know hunker down or bunker down on the defense. I think he’d be relied upon a lot if he started in Abbottzford. Then you have C uh Curio Kratzv and then Jimmy Schultz and of course goalies Nikita Tolapilo Tayang Aku Koskinvu Yuri Peter and then of course Alexi Medvidev and of course you have JetWoo and Sawyer Mo. So those are the line combinations in particular for the Vancouver Conucks not so much Abbottzford but I’m more focused on the Vancouver Conucks part of it. Uh so yeah, those are the line combinations I have and those are technically my predictions for the opening night roster. Uh you know, bar any you know, again, these are just predictions. These aren’t actually official. I’m the one who like moved things around and put people where they were, but obviously we will find out at training camp what the actual line combinations will look like come o uh opening night. Uh let me know in the comment section down below what you guys think and uh what are your line combinations for the Vancouver Conucks? Uh you know, do you guys agree with these line combinations? Would you tweak some things? Would you change some things? Are there is would you put Jonathan Laramaki on the big roster or would you keep him in Abbottzford? Let me know in the comment section down below. Let me know your thoughts. And as always, if you guys like this video, be sure to hit that like button. And if you want to stay up to date on all your Vancouver Connects content, be sure to smash that subscribe button and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss a single video. Uh you can find and interact with us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Tik Tok. 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In this video we go over and predict what the line combinations will be for the #Canucks on opening night and to start the 2025-2026 season.
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