Why Kreider Might Be Perfect with Suzuki and Caufield

There was a bit of fashion watching at the Montreal Canadiens' first official practice of training camp. The jersey colours were getting plenty of attention, and for good reason. When camp is this short, those colours can tell us something about what the coaching staff is thinking. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki were in red. So was Chris Kreider.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen were in white, suggesting the Canadiens may be looking at two very different combinations. And if Kreider really is getting the first crack at playing with Suzuki and Caufield, there might be more to it than simply putting a veteran on the top line.

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Kreider doesn't need to be the star.

That's probably the biggest reason this could work. Suzuki and Caufield don't need another player who wants to control the puck all night. They need somebody who can do some of the dirty work around them. Kreider has spent much of his career making a living around the net, creating traffic, winning battles and making life difficult for defencemen.

That could give Suzuki and Caufield a little more room. Caufield can shoot. Suzuki can make plays. Kreider can go to the places where somebody has to pay a price. That seems like a pretty sensible division of labour.

And there is something else that comes with Kreider that you don't get from a young player. He has been around the NHL a long time. He knows what it takes to play against top lines and understands that not every shift will look pretty.

It could also leave Montreal with two interesting lines.

The other jersey combination caught my attention, too. Slafkovsky, Demidov and Kapanen were together in white. That trio had some success last season, so there is a certain logic to giving them another opportunity to develop together.

If Kreider stays with Suzuki and Caufield, Montreal wouldn't necessarily be choosing one young combination over another. It would be creating two lines with very different personalities. One could have Suzuki's playmaking and Caufield's shooting, with Kreider providing the size and net presence. The other could give Slafkovsky, Demidov and Kapanen more room to grow together.

That's an interesting way to build a lineup. Nobody should make too much of one practice, especially this early in camp. Jersey colours aren't guarantees, and coaches change lines all the time.

It’s Easy to See What Montreal Might Be Thinking.

Kreider doesn't have to be the most talented player on the line. He just has to be the right player. And sometimes that's exactly what a first line needs.

This line could become a very strong first line—a pretty interesting mix of youth, skill and experience.

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