Should we be looking for a longterm 2c/3c instead of splitting up Matthews/Nylander?

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

breaking up 2 players with proven chemistry is profoundly stupid

 

[X66]

Matthews will dominate no matter who he is with.

Next years lines(without UFA signings just to keep it simple).

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Kapanen-Nylander-Brown
Marleau-Kadri-Leivo
Martin-Aaltonen-Soshnikov
Johnson

 

[Buds17]

breaking up 2 players with proven chemistry is profoundly stupid

The pairing definitely works. Question is, would they also be able to succeed just as much if apart? Are they together more because of need, or is it because we can? We obviously feel we're stronger with Bozak at C and Nylander at wing right now, but maybe that could be about a potential winger not fully being NHL ready yet just as much as it could be about whether Nylander is ready - or not - to be a C.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

The pairing definitely works. Question is, would they also be able to succeed just as much if apart? Are they together more because of need, or is it because we can? We obviously feel we're stronger with Bozak at C and Nylander at wing right now, but maybe that could be about a potential winger not fully being NHL ready yet just as much as it could be about whether Nylander is ready - or not - to be a C.

Maybe it could work if you paired Marner and Matthews together but I don't see that happening I think if Nylander and Matthews were split up full time then you are looking at Hyman Matthews Brown because that is what we saw last year.

i don't think that works long term I think you need a scorer on one side and if you put Matthews with Hyman and Brown you have him with 2 grinders and I don't think you get the most put of him that way.

I have always wanted to see Brown Mattheews Nylander myself

 

[Buds17]

I think it would work, but I agree that Babcock doesn't seem to want to pair Matthews and Marner. That's why I'm thinking maybe Marner flanks Nylander, when (if) the latter moves to centre. Don't see us re-signing Bozak, but it's still obviously possible that happens and Nylander remains a winger.

Understand your concern with Hyman-Matthews-Brown, but I don't believe we've seen Brown, and to a lesser degree Hyman, at their best yet, and Matthews can certainly elevate his linemates. Maybe your suggestion of Brown-Matthews-Nylander works well too. Hopefully we'll have many good options to ponder moving forward.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Honestly with Kadri playing as well as he's been, he's easily a low end 1C or a high end 2C. If Babs doesn't want Willy at C next year, I think it would be worth trying to get a defensively responsible 3C who can take over the shutdown job for Kadri, and let Kadri center another offensive line.

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Leivo - Kadri - Marner
Marleau- 3C - Brown ---> shutdown line
Martin - 4C - Kapanen

PKers: Hyman, Brown, 3C, 4C, Kapanen?

If the Blackhawks continue to get worse and maybe decide it's time for a retool, perhaps Anisimov?

 

[Dirty Dan]

Marner and Matthews is promising, I would like to see:

JVR-Kadri-Nylander
Marleau-Bozak-Brown - line would be good defensively

jvr needs kadris energy and if nylander can play a two way game they would be deadly.

i just dont wanna see jvr - bozak together anymore its cruel to expect marner or brown to pick up that slack

 

[rent free]

I see the lines being as such:

Hyman/Matthews/brown
Leivo/nylander/marner
Marleau/kadri/kapanen
Martin/fa/soshnikov

 

[Menzinger]

While I do favour an internal solution (mainly moving Nylander over to centre) i donwonder if they’ll make an offer to Backlund if he makes it to free agency.

 

[BlueBaron]

To me. with C being such an important position if Nylander can be a high end #2 C it's a no brainer. Chemistry is all well and good but wingers are far easier to come up with. What is it going to cost to get an upgrade on Bozak? Too much. We still have Marner, Kapanen and Brown to match up with them and Nylander and Kappy have proven chemistry. There is little doubt in my mind Marner can compliment Matthews leaving Brown for the Kadri line. It's almost as if they planned it.

Now if we get Taveres, well that is a different conversation.

 

[MJ65]

Look that way - so far Babcock has been pretty reluctant to play Willie in the middle

 

[1specter]

I would love to sign Backlund, think he would elevate our C group to one of the best 2-way groups in the league, and would really help balance the matchups for Kadri and Matthews.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I would love to sign Backlund, think he would elevate our C group to one of the best 2-way groups in the league, and would really help balance the matchups for Kadri and Matthews.

that would be a great solution if the price/term were reasonable. Much more ideal match up center than Kadri, and would let Kadri shine offensively. Wonder what he gets as a UFA...4.5mx4?

 

[1specter]

that would be a great solution if the price/term were reasonable. Much more ideal match up center than Kadri, and would let Kadri shine offensively. Wonder what he gets as a UFA...4.5mx4?

I don't see him getting less than 5M.

 

[Menzinger]

Backlund likely gets in the range of 5-6 mil over 5ish years.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I don't see him getting less than 5M.

might be tough to budget for that unless we're replacing Gardiner on the cheap with Dermott/Borgman. I really like the idea personnel-wise though:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Leivo-Kadri-Marner
Marleau-Backlund-Brown

that would be so hard to match up against

Backlund likely gets in the range of 5-6 mil over 5ish years.

that probably makes it unrealistic for us I guess

 

[Trapper]

I don't think it's a bad idea to zero in on another good C regardless. We are thin in the organization at this position. It's hard to say what impact Aaltonen will have when I haven't seen him the the NHL level.

 

[Menzinger]

might be tough to budget for that unless we're replacing Gardiner on the cheap with Dermott/Borgman. I really like the idea personnel-wise though:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Leivo-Kadri-Marner
Marleau-Backlund-Brown

that would be so hard to match up against


that probably makes it unrealistic for us I guess

It depends.

Signing him to that much would certainly mean JVR isn’t resigned. I think they could make it work if they really wanted him:

 

[kk87]

Can't afford Backlund, that's money that should be going to a top 4 dman. Matthews and Kadri will draw teams' top lines, and then we can send out Nylander to run roughshod over weaker opponents. Makes all the sense in the world. Having elite centre depth is a massive luxury, and we've got it staring us right in the face.

 

[Randy Randerson]

It depends.

Signing him to that much would certainly mean JVR isn’t resigned. I think they could make it work if they really wanted him:

I'd rather 5-6 years of Backlund than JVR coming back, but I think a lot of JVR's money gets absorbed by MNM's new contracts. If Marner and Nylander were re-signing today though, I think closer to $6M each is more likely than the $7-8M that we were talking about over the summer so maybe that factors in too. Would be great to get those 3 for $22-23M total, then get a bunch of big cap increases over the next few years