IceManCat
#TheFloridaPanthers
The money always matters, so saying that they are all overpaid (which isnt true of the youngsters) is just a deflection tactic. I would bet the team is going to balance the veteran talent among all 4 lines so that 2nd line wouldnt be how you have it. Here's how I see the lines rolling opening night (unless a trade is made) with the icetime being pretty well split among the top 3 lines:
Fleischmann - Bolland - Boyes
Huberdeau - Barkov - Jokinen
Pirri - Bjugstad - Bergenheim
Upshall - MacKenzie - Hayes
I'm sure changes will be made as guys either play well or struggle so its not like this will be the lines all season long (not to mention having 2 forwards as currently healthy scratches).
So your saying the forwards Tallon signed back in 2010 and the ones he signed this offseason are not overpaid? Obviously the youngsters are not they are on entry level deals, I didn't think I had to point that out. Chemistry is another thing your not accounting for with your lines. IMO it is much more important than having a vet on your wing. We know Huby and Barkov are not a match with each other and you have just taken the only trigger man off Barkov's wing.
What if we had this.
Bergenheim-Barkov-Boyes
Fleischmann-Bolland-Jokinen
Huberdeau-Bjugstad-Pirri
^In this situation line 3 has switched with line 2. The formerly ultra expensive 3rd line is now priced as a reasonable 2nd line. While the third line is dirt cheap. In reality it doesn't matter how we order the lines. No one in that top 9 other than Bolland and perhaps Barkov is fit to play a defensive shut down role they are all mostly scoring players therefore it doesn't matter how much is spent on a particular line. This team will roll the hot line like the Coyotes. The youngsters are too young to being playing top line minutes which is probably a big reason why the aforementioned free agents were brought in. We really are not going to have a line 1 or 2 or 3.