When Alex Galchenyuk was first traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins this off season, the consensus seemed to be that he would fit into the line-up on the 2nd line with Evgeni Malkin. In fact, at the time, Pens GM Jim Rutherford said the team was looking for someone with a scoring touch to play along side the Russian star. However, a new report by Penguins Hockey Now says that may no longer be the case, and they have Galchenyuk slotted in on the first line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. If this is indeed the case, Galchenyuk is looking at the opportunity of a lifetime. Playing alongside Crosby would be any player's dream, and if one can't succeed playing with Crosby, they likely can't succeed period.
PHN is quoting sources within the team when showing the following line combinations to start the season:
Guentzel — Crosby — GalchenyukMcCann — Malkin — Hornqvist
Aston-Reese — Bjugstad — Rust
Tanev — Blueger — Kahun
Galchenyuk, a third overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 2012, has shown flashes of incredible talent over his career so far. However, except for one season with the Habs when he scored 30 goals, he's never fully lived up to the hype. Before the beginning of last season, he was flipped to Arizona in a one-for-one trade that saw Max Domi joining the Canadiens. In June of this year, Galchenyuk was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with Pierre-Olivier Joseph, in exchange for Phil Kessel, Dane Birks, and a fourth-round pick in 2021. If there was ever a chance for Galchenyuk to show what he's truly capable of, playing on a line with a generational talent like Sidney Crosby is it.
-
