Carolina Hurricanes: Way Too Early 2020-2021 Potential Lines

The Carolina Hurricanes used a plethora of line combinations up until the 2019-2020 season’s pause. Even with some unknowns, it’s never too early to ponder how next season’s lines could look.

Hey Canes fans! I hope this article finds you in good health and a safe six feet away from your peers. The Carolina Hurricanes line combinations are often a hot topic of debate. We watched the lines go through the blender as various skaters hit their peaks and valleys. We saw them shuffled when injuries plagued the roster.

I feel as though the pandemic has us all yearning for how things were before, and that’s definitely a mood we experience when our beloved Canes are going through a tough stretch. The fact of the matter is that we can’t go back. We can only go forward.

With that in mind, I want to look forward to when hockey will be back and we won’t be social distancing. In order for these potential lines to work, you’ll have to bear with me while I make a set of assumptions. I’m also going to not going to crunch the numbers against the salary cap at this time.

1. Haydn Fleury and Warren Foegele will both be re-signed.
2. Justin Williams will retire for good.
3. Trevor van Riemsdyk and Joel Edmundson test free agency.
4. Morgan Geekie sticks with the NHL club.
5. Sami Vatanen isn’t coming back.
6. The Carolina Hurricanes don’t sign any new, pending unrestricted free agents.
7. None of the current prospects ‘WOW’ at training camp enough to steal a spot.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s conjure up some potential 2020-2021 lines!

Forwards

Teuvo Teravainen – Sebastian Aho – Andrei Svechnikov 

I doubt that I need to go into too much detail on why this line should return. Yes, it is possible it could hinder scoring depth. The hope is that come next season the second line has had more time to mature into a true top-6 group, and we won’t notice the Canes having all their superstars on one line.

Ryan Dzingel – Vincent Trocheck – Martin Necas

A couple of things here. I’m a firm believer that Dzingel can contribute to this lineup. He’s had a tough go of it this season, but there are tangible skills there and he’s got another year on his contract. I like him opposite Necas because of the compatibility of their speed. Having Trocheck in the middle creates a comfortable L-R-R handedness match.

Also, how can you not love Dzingel’s vision from behind the net? Remember this set up when he and Necas flew in on opposite wings?

On Trocheck, some fans were WAY too quick to jump to conclusions on his acquisition. Saying the trade wouldn’t pan out after a handful of games is premature. Trocheck is very skilled, and he’s actually the right-handed center I had kept an eye on the past few years. Give him longer than a week’s worth of games.

Necas is going to be special. I’ve got him at 2RW only because I think they’ll give him a second year on the wing like they did with Aho when he first broke in. I’d like to see him at center eventually, but this is good for now.

Nino Niederreiter – Morgan Geekie – Warren Foegele

Some regression was to be expected for Nino after his incredible start to his Carolina Hurricanes tenure. I still think he can reach 50 points when he’s at his best, and he’s playing his heaviest game. I like him in the Canes middle six for his size and his release. When he’s playing confidently, and hitting the net, his shot is his best asset.

ALL ABOARD the Morgan Geekie hype train! Obviously, it’s still very early in his career, but I like what I’ve seen from the kid thus far.

Two-way play, hockey sense, and a good release are all checked off. I get that it’s still possible for him to stumble, sort of like Foegele did, but we’re not speaking that into existence. I really like his potential as a long-term 3C for the Carolina Hurricanes.

At one time, I wondered out loud if Foegele was expendable because of a serious rut he was in. But, I definitely jumped the gun on that idea. He has since proven his value in the bottom-6. His tenacity pairs well with Nino’s forechecking, and even if he himself can’t finish consistently, he’s got two line mates who go to the net.

This line would be bound to get some bounces. The clip below is a FoeGOAL in every sense.

Brock McGinn – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

McGinn’s value to this team cannot be understated. He’s the best pure grinder on the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s the best penalty killing forward in a traditional sense. He always seems to pop up in clutch moments, too. Whether that’s a big hit, shot block, goal, or getting a puck out. He’s reliable.

Staal has been a serviceable captain, but he’s also been over-slotted for far too long now. He still has value, but he’s declining, especially offensively. He plays like a shutdown 3C. In my opinion, conceptually, the difference between 3rd and 4th line center is negligible. If you want to flip Staal and Geekie in these mock lines, go right ahead.

I like Martinook and the energy he brings. He has his fans for good reason. With a year left on his deal, I think we can pencil him into the bottom-6. His ability to be a gadget fourth liner means he’ll always have someone calling for his services. Will that be the Carolina Hurricanes after this upcoming season? I doubt it. But, we’re living in the moment, and I love what he brings right now.

Defense

Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton

These two form arguably the most complete defensive pairing in the NHL. Like our elite forwards, I probably don’t need to speak much on these guys. The only thing Slavin isn’t is a power play quarterback. Other than that, this pair is flawless.

Brady Skjei – Haydn Fleury

Other than his first ten seconds in a Carolina Hurricanes sweater, he’s been really good. He drives offense and skates well, and his breakouts are good too. I know many are still skeptical of giving up a 1st round pick for him, but I think this is going to pan out.

By now, we know not to question the Canes’ front office if they like a guy. I’m curious to see how he fares in his first full season as a Hurricane.

I know Svechinkov and Necas exist, but as far as I’m concerned, no one has taken more encouraging steps this season than Fleury. If he isn’t signed to some type of bridge deal this summer, we riot.

There’s frankly no reason he shouldn’t start next season as one of the six. I could see him losing out to one of the prospects, but one of the assumptions I’m operating under is that none of them steal the spotlight. That, and Fleury has ideal size and speed for defensemen. Our prospects are smaller.

Jake Gardiner – Brett Pesce

Ah yes, my personal favorite Carolina Hurricanes defensive pair from a conceptual standpoint. They balance each other perfectly.

It’s disappointing that some are still hating on Gardiner. But, that probably won’t ever change. He’s been nothing short of awesome since Dougie went down, and he really seemed to be settling in. I don’t see a scenario we let him go yet because he’s valuable on the power play, and his puck distribution is elite. As you can see below, he’s found himself recently.

Pesce is my favorite defenseman on the team for all of the little things he contributes to a complete team game. Also, how can you not love his contract? He consistently shuts down top lines in his own end. His offensive game has grown each season, even if it’s not always reflected in his point totals.

Goalies

Petr Mrazek – Alex Nedeljkovic 

Given the choice between Mrazek and James Reimer, I’m taking Mrazek. It’s my opinion that when Petr is in top form, he’s harder to beat than James.

I know I said that I wasn’t considering salary in this exercise, but I simply cannot see a scenario in which the Carolina Hurricanes don’t attempt to save cap in the crease this coming season. They do that by bringing up Nedeljkovic who will be entering the one-way year of his two-year, two-way deal.

I’ve seen a lot of people saying they don’t think Nedeljkovic has NHL chops based on his games this season. But, his numbers don’t fall squarely at his feet. The fact of the matter is that this kid has demonstrated he has NHL-quality tools. Namely, his athleticism, puck playing, and recovery. All of that makes up for his size.

Honestly, we’re still in goaltender limbo while we wait for some of the other prospects to develop. Our best goaltending days are still ahead of us. Could the Hurricanes bring a different goalie in? Maybe. But for now, this feels like the most realistic projection for 2020-2021.

While we wait for our goaltending to shake out and to be released from quarantine, maybe check out Ned’s stream for your source of entertainment! He does things other than tend net, guys.