So against Brooklyn I'd suggest the following lineup to Arbour, at home (road can stay something like what's posted).
Tikkanen • Yzerman • Kurri
Goulet • Lindros • Larmer
Nash • Hawerchuk • Mogilny
Walker • Sanderson • Foyston
Potvin • Quackenbush
Tinordi • Hatcher/Egan
Ramsey • Svehla/Egan
Taking advantage of getting Potvin and Quackenbush together a lot against the Production Line at home.
I don't think Seattle needs Duchesne's firepower as much against Brooklyn, just play it close and counterattack.
In general, I feel my team is well built to handle Gordie Howe. I know in the original six days, the winger/winger matchup was big, whereas in the more modern game, it is the defense itself, but either way, my left wing and left defense goes deep in guys who would matchup as well as you could with Howe.
Sanderson of course is well known for not being intimidated by Howe and would pester him, so that's why he's gonna be in the lineup at least at home where he can get some matchups to shadow him. As Tom Johnson said
"There was one player Gordie was not sure how to take — this was after I was finished and involved with the Bruins. That was Derek Sanderson, he wasn’t sure how to take him because he didn’t know whether Sanderson was going to hit him over the head, or spear him, or punch his eyes out. But Howe was the ultimate in physical play in the league at that time."
I'm looking to Tikkanen as well as being a super pest here, and Goulet and Nash in the roles they got on my team should at least be responsible enough defensively.
If Gordie wants to play down the middle, I'm more than happy in my top two centers (players really) Lindros and Yzerman being matched up against him, power (which was Gordie's nickname, but Lindros would be the one guy even more deserving) or silk.
Of course on defense, there are the tough mofos Potvin and Tinordi to have to beat, as well as Ramsey (or Quackenbush even on the road where I think he'd be best split up from Potvin).
Despite everything written about Walker's renowned defense, on the road, I like him and Foyston against Brooklyn's speedy but smaller second line, as the size issue won't be there as much.
I will point out that whereas the Production Line guys did what they did in real life playing with each other (and no Kelly on the backend), my guys generally are seeing an upgrade to their real linemates and at the blueline, except of course Kurri, but hey, it certainly doesn't seem that Kurri's stats are taken at face value given where he goes in this thing, because in the mid eighties you're looking at a 65-80 goal, 135-150 point player (per 80 game season) who was excellent defensively and only scored an extremely low 20ish% of his points on the powerplay. If peak Kurri is just a 50 goal, 110 point guy with Yzerman instead of Gretzky (and I think I'm being conservative dropping 15-30 goals, 25-40 points), that's still real good.
Same thing with Bergeron's line, I think he's taking a downgrade on Brooklyn as compared to guys he really plays with.
Lastly, while I made it a point to take good road performers mainly because the traits that factor into that were what I was looking for in this team style, I was cognizant that my teams would generally get voted lower in these things and have to win on the road as well lol
To review:
NHL Stats
Lindros in his peak first five years from 1992-1993 to 1996-1997, was second in road even strength points with 150, three behind Jagr who played 175 games as compared to Lindros playing 149 (Lindros is obviously tops in this stat per game). Despite playing 26 less games, Lindros led the way with 73 goals as compared to Jagr's 70 too. Of course, his +54 was top notch, only behind Fedorov +66 and Yzerman +58 in terms of forwards (add Konstantinov +65, Bourque and Chelios +55 if you want to include defensemen).
NHL Stats
The number three guy in the Lindros timeframe was none other than Yzerman with 144 even strength points in 175 road games. To stretch it back some, Yzerman scored a league leading 334 even strength points in 366 road games in a ten year span from 1987-1988 to 1996-1997 (stats are even more flattering if you pick the shorter timeframe of his best offensive years), leading Gretzky who had 313 in 350 games (Lemieux had 265 in 257 games in that same timeframe which was pretty much his prime). His road +67 is also the best in that time frame until you get down to number 43 on that list Ray Bourque with +88 (Gretzky is -35 in that span, Lemieux +9). More impressively I think, Yzerman also co-led in road even strength goals with 151 of them, he tied none other than the premier goal scorer of that time, Brett Hull (Brett played one less game, but Yzerman also had 21 shorties compared to Brett's 11). Way above third place Stephane Richer (yes I got him too lol) with 120 and Mario with 113.
Of course, aside from those top guys, I spoke about the road performance of various players I picked when I drafted them. This team is built to win when not at home.