Need some advice on line composition

[Paddyjack]

So, I looked through the forum and found a few hints but maybe there are some updated opinions about this.

I'm kind of unsure about how I should do my lines. My instinct tells me I should go with the first two lines with offensive stars, maybe also with a winger like Brendan Gallagher to retrieve pucks in the board, or Burrows with the Sedins, and that the next two lines should be with grinders and defensive guys (checking, hitting, Def read?), but this is a computer simulation and what seems to work in real life may not necessarily be effective here. And what about Defensemen? Skill and Grit on each line? Markov-Weber like?

I've seen people talking about complementing players playing with each others so I would put a scoring guy with a playmaker, but what about these checking lines, are you still looking for this kind of combo or you focus soloely of defensive traits?

And then the tactics.... lot of things to take into account!

Thanks for the tips,

[Harveytime]

Yeah I always think about that too. I usually roll with 2 of the 3 being a playmaker and a guy whose a good finisher and turn the playmakers passing up in tendancies and the shooters shooting up.

If the playmaker is a top tier talent I usually try to make sure the third player on that line in the "checking" role has a good shot so he can finish nice passes from the playmaker. If the playmaker is good but not great than I don't worry as much about the "checking" role players shot and getting open ratings so much.

TLDR

[crusadertsar]

I am still new to the game and still learning but so far this has been working well. I based this mostly on real life hockey concepts.

For my scoring lines (generally 3 out of 4 lines) I look for the following classic trio. It always includes a playmaker (usually a centre), sniper and the power forward/two way forward (so either a physical or jack-of-all trades kind of player).

Then there is my 4th line which I mostly use as my shut down, backchecking line to match up against the opposition's best line and as my main line for penalties. It is made up of all hard-working players with best checking, positioning, stick-checking and defensive read attributes. If they are physical and can hit that's always a bonus. But I mainly focus on their defensive abilities. I still like to include one player that a decent playmaker in there. So in my teams, I always try to have a good backbone of centres. IMHO that is essential in modern hockey.

I try to split time evenly for the three top lines and 4th line getting the least time.

Regarding my defenders I like to match one offensive, quarter-back type player *(or two-way if you do not have a very offensive one) with one less mobile stay-at-home defender. Also seems to be working quite well. Mind you I only tested this with Tampa Bay so far, so not too difficult a team to win with.

Good luck!

[SR000]

From the description, the individual passing slider is passing vs. skating while the individual shooting slider is shooting vs. passing.

[ExeR]

Originally Posted by Paddyjack

So, I looked through the forum and found a few hints but maybe there are some updated opinions about this.

Here
In my experience, best way is to ask two basic questions (for positional lines):
1) Do I have star forwards that can form one of the best 1st/2nd lines in the WHOLE league?
2) Do I have good composition for defensive pairings.
1)Sedins used to be regular season champions, so answer to 1st is obvious. Put them in 1st, match them against the 1st of opponent and outplay them. All you will have to do from there is to not screw up 3rd/4ths and lose games there.
2) Defenders are main offensive sacrifice pairing in unit/line. One of them can be dead weight on offense, but you can still perform great. So pair:
1 offensive 1 defensive
2 defensive for really talented forwards
2 mobile ones as a version of 2 offensive
never 2 truly offensive defenders
Also, defenders can never truly transfer defensive responsibilities to forwards. So try to cover your worst defender (usually attacking defender) with grinder/two-way types. Center with elite speed is also a good way to ease defensive load through good forecheck. Other than that forwards won't really compensate for them. You can make Wingers Down Low DZ units, but you will need defensive monsters on Wingers for that.

For 3rd/4th check tempo, ability to pass and ability to attack:
W/o skating playing with tempo is close to impossible. Maybe having good Dangler helps, but he won't have support with weak players so he will have to be really good, which is again close to impossible vs opp's defenders (who are mostly solid in def attributes).
Passing helps slow tempo teams survive. You can't have slow players who have bad off read and passing do anything. At least enter OZ, then use power to protect puck (like grinders, power forwards do).
Ability to attack is pretty much "should they even try to do something complicated in OZ?". If they have 13 to 15 passing & puckhandling & off read & get open, don't try anything. Slot overload, or whatever they can do, increase backchecking, decrease attacking. Play good defense as 5 all the time, offense is afterthought. If you have attacking youngsters there, do the reverse. Push tempo even with low stamina (low playing time, more rest etc). Minimize passing if they suck at it (so that increased attacking & tempo won't lead to 1000 giveaways).

Avoid slow Center AND slow wingers. Or weak defensive Center AND weak defensive wingers. Just played with Arizona in 2019-20 finished 2nd in West because of that. Brad Richardson went to 3rd, slow but good defensively so you can use him in forechecks and DZ tactics that rely on that. Build 4th around more mobile Center and defensive Wingers. That way you can rely on at least 1 part of forwards group to help defensively.