In an obscure manner, the line juggling in Seattle is pretty fascinating.

Assuming fully healthy (Tanev) of course, they have 13 solid NHL forwards plus a few guys that might make a push (Geekie, Kuhlman, Lind, True, Twarynski), healthy scratches, or be available for call-ups.

Eberle, Schwartz, Bjorkstrand, Burakovsky, McCann, Gourde, Wennberg, Donskoi, Tanev, Donato, Geekie, Beniers, and Wright.

So on the surface it seems like their forwards are easy to set; but the position alignment and chemistry on the lines is pretty intriguing:

Does Matty Beniers take over the #1 or #2 Center role full time?
Does Shane Wright start the year at Center, and if so which line does he pivot?

If both of those occur, then what do you do with incumbent centers Jared McCann, Yanni Gourde, and Alex Wennberg?

Beniers played with Eberle-Donato in his brief stint but that was at the end of the season and with some injuries factoring in. Was there enough chemistry to continue that line?

Does Hakstol put the "top scorers" together for a new top line: McCann centering Burakovsky and Bjorkstrand? Kinda feels a little heavy on the offensive zone impact and light on the defensive side. This is closer to a legit NHL top line than Seattle has had; but it still feels a stretch.

Do you continue to roll Gourde out as the "defensive zone" center along with players like Donskoi and Tanev as a forechecking force? I can't see Kuhlman starting over those 2 players on his wing.

If so then where does Jaden Schwartz fit in? Shane Wright? Alex Wennberg? Can they find chemistry together? Would moving Wennberg to the wing help Wright transition as an NHL center; or should he start the season on the wing with a couple of experienced NHL linemates. He is the only RH center on the squad so he could alternate in the faceoff dot with Wennberg.

Schwartz-Wennberg-Wright as a matchup line?

Guess that leaves Morgan Geekie in the press box with his $1.4 million salary. But with the injuries likely (Schwartz, Tanev, and Gourde all miss a decent amount of time); in addition to spelling the rookies throughout the long NHL campaign he should get his looks; along with Kuhlman.

Burakovsky - McCann - Bjorkstrand
Donato - Beniers - Eberle
Schwartz - Wennberg - Wright
Tanev - Gourde - Donskoi
Scratch: Geekie, Kuhlman

It's kind of hard to label them as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines as it probably comes down to the top 2 lines listed as being the "offensive zone" lines and the bottom two being the "defensive zone" lines; but all of them have some scoring punch.

I can't see Wright playing more than 9 games for Seattle, too many forwards and i think he could use the year to just rip it up

Delete double post

DailyFaceoff:
Schwartz-Beniers-Burakovsky
McCann-Gourde-Eberle
Donato-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand
Tanev-Wright-Donskoi

CapFriendly:
McCann-Beniers-Burakovsky
Gourde-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand
Donato-Wright-Eberle
Tanev-Geekie-Kuhlman
IR: Schwartz, Donskoi

The pre-season is over and the most reliable websites still don't know the positions and line combinations for the Kraken. Gourde, McCann, Eberle float anywhere in the top 9.

Beniers is #1 C on both.
McCann is either #1 or #2 LW (depends on Schwartz' health).
Wennberg is either #2 or #3 C and Shane Wright is always below him (either #3 C or # 4 C).
Eberle is either #2 or #3 RW.
Donato is #3 LW on both.
Tanev is #4 LW on both.

Is Schwartz and Donskoi healthy to start the season?
Is Gourde or McCann a Center?

The defensive pairs are unanimous:
Dunn-Larsson
Oleksiak-Schultz
Soucy-Borgen

Anyone have any insight on the forward line combinations?