The Daily Habit: What Does Our Third Line Even Do?

Evans, Anderson, and Gallagher have been a terrible line so far this year.

Image by letsgohabs.com

With all the injuries the Habs have incurred, it's only natural that the lines would get shuffled up. With Dach getting injured, Evans was forced into the third-line center role. With Laine getting injured, Gallagher ended up on the line with Evans and Anderson.

While the fourth line is constantly changing players, the third line of Evans, Anderson, and Gallagher has remained mainly the same for a while now.

And while the fourth line isn't putting up numbers, neither is the third line. Instead, they're arguably worse. No one expects them to score every game, but they seem to get hemmed in every game and contribute very minimally offensively.

Jake Evans:

Evans was so good on the fourth line last year, and the penalty kill as well. He and Joel Armia were a menace on the penalty kill, and could contribute on offense from time to time.

This year, he was forced into a third-line center role... and it hasn't gone as well. His increased role has compromised his defensive play significantly.

While 4 goals and 8 points in 26 games isn't terrible for a 4th line center, it isn't good enough for a third-line center. However, a minus-15 goal differential is terrible, especially for someone as defensive-minded as he's supposed to be.

His faceoff percentage remains solid, but the penalty kill has taken a stepback. Although that's not his fault, as we lost Armia, Dvorak, and Savard, who were all important penalty killers last year.

Josh Anderson:

Every year, I have a feeling that Anderson will have a breakthrough and be the guy we envisioned he would be when he came over from Columbus. It hasn't happened this year.

He always has flashes, such as his two-goal performance against Toronto, but they're too little and far between. He doesn't use his speed enough as he should, and he is not great defensively.

5 goals and 8 points in 26 games is not good enough for a third-line winger, and neither is a minus-11 either.

Brendan Gallagher:

Gallagher tries; that is evident. While he only has one goal, he does have 10 points, which is more than Anderson and Evans. Plus, he is only a minus-two, which is mainly due to his time from playing with Dach as the center. That line put up respectable numbers.

But he is really slow. At the start of the year, with Dach and Bolduc, he was decent. But since he's been with Evans and Anderson, it's been a lot tougher to watch.

Conclusion:

The line of Evans, Anderson, and Gallagher isn't working right now. I know we have injuries, but they are a liability right now.

They are not creative, and every time I watch them, they always seem to be playing in our end. I think they're too old, honestly. Maybe they should put Texier on that line or something instead of Gallagher.

I don't expect them to put up great numbers, but they have to contribute now and then. The first line and second line can't carry the team for 20 games in a row.

Article by Jacksen MacLean.