Build a line - what line would you have loved to seen in the NHL?

[Bluesguru]

Pavel Bure - Mario Lemieux - Mike Bossy

or

Bobby Hull - Wayne Gretzky - Gordie Howe

 

[Batis]

The first line that popped up in my head was Gilbert Perreault centering Sergei Kapustin and Helmuts Balderis. That line would have had some incredible skating skills.

Another line on the same theme (Canadian center on a line with two contemporary Soviet wingers) would be Wayne Gretzky centering Vladimir Krutov and Sergei Makarov. Imagining the passing plays that line would have been able to make just boggles the mind.

 

[Merya]

Bure - McDavid - (young) Selänne

There would be exceptional speed. There might also be Selänne at the redline and Bure at the opposing blueline, while poor McDavid and the D would desperately try to get the puck out.

 

[The Panther]

Pavel Bure - Mario Lemieux - Mike Bossy

It sounds good, but who's gonna be the set-up guy?

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Esa Tikkanen - Bobby Clarke - Pavel Bure
pest line with excellent defensive play & explosive offense, irritating & befuddling opponents

Michel Goulet - Bryan Trottier - Jari Kurri
ultimate two-way line

Bob Gainey - Wayne Gretzky - Mike Bossy
Bossy sniping Gretzky's passes, speedy defensive coverage by Gainey

Clark Gillies - Mark Messier - Gordie Howe
intimidation factor alone has opponents beat psychologically before they even set foot on the ice

Dave Andreychuk - Phil Esposito - Tim Kerr
super garbage goal line

Kent Nilsson - Ulf Nilsson - Anders Hedberg
should've had a run as a line on the Rangers, Kent the only missing piece

 

[Ofuzz]

Iginla-Sedin-Sedin All in their prime, Jarome may have potted 70 playing with them

 

[The Panther]

Bob Gainey - Wayne Gretzky - Mike Bossy
Bossy sniping Gretzky's passes, speedy defensive coverage by Gainey

I wish to hell we could have seen Bossy on a line with Gretzky, just for a few months even. They were teammates on Canada Cup '84, but Sather played Bossy with (I think) Tonelli and Gretzky with Goulet, and ne'er the twain did meet (maybe they did on a power-play? I dunno).

Gretzky said once -- around the time of his retirement -- that he and Bossy would have been a great combination and scored a bunch of goals, etc. Bossy responded something churlish like, "I didn't need him; I already had Trottier" or words to that effect. Kind of a frosty relationship there, I think.

 

[Boxscore]

Another line on the same theme (Canadian center on a line with two contemporary Soviet wingers) would be Wayne Gretzky centering Vladimir Krutov and Sergei Makarov. Imagining the passing plays that line would have been able to make just boggles the mind.

I like this. Gretzky was one of the few North American players that could center Krutov and Makarov without looking out of place. In fact, he would make them even better after a few practices together. This is no slight on Larionov, however.

 

[Boxscore]

Goulet said in the Legends of Hockey films, "If I played with Gretzky, I think I could have scored 100 goals in a season. I really believe that."

 

[DowntownBooster]

Would have loved the opportunity to see the line of Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull and Ulf Nilsson play in the NHL.

 

[Bluesguru]

It sounds good, but who's gonna be the set-up guy?

You wouldn't consider Lemieux as the set up guy? Gretzky, all time assists per game leader at 1.320 per game and 2nd is Super Mario at 1.129. The only 2 players in history to crack 1+. 3rd is Bobby Orr at .982 per game and the next forward at number 4 is Peter Forsberg at .898 per game.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Gretzky - Brett Hull

The third guy doesn't really matter, Gretzky and Hull would win all the scoring races by themselves.

 

[BlueBull]

Underrated lineup.
Going off my Bobby Smith thread I would love to see this line play out:
Prime Jamie Benn (mid 2010s) - Prime Mike Modano (early 00s, late 90s) - Prime Bobby Smith (early 80s)
I know, basically all time Stars line, but it would be very interesting to see how their play sets could work out and intertwine in the NHL today.

 

[Thenameless]

I wish to hell we could have seen Bossy on a line with Gretzky, just for a few months even. They were teammates on Canada Cup '84, but Sather played Bossy with (I think) Tonelli and Gretzky with Goulet, and ne'er the twain did meet (maybe they did on a power-play? I dunno).

Gretzky said once -- around the time of his retirement -- that he and Bossy would have been a great combination and scored a bunch of goals, etc. Bossy responded something churlish like, "I didn't need him; I already had Trottier" or words to that effect. Kind of a frosty relationship there, I think.

It hurts to have your dynasty taken away by the younger, better team. It must bring about a feeling of hopelessness akin to "we might beat 'em now, but they're eventually gonna beat us, and when they do, it's over - forever". I can see why it would harbor bad blood. In this case specifically, Bossy to this day feels that his Islanders are underappreciated. It's always about the 50's Habs, 70's Habs, and 80's Oilers, when if fact, those Islanders may have had the most dominant run in history.

 

[Boxscore]

Underrated lineup.
Going off my Bobby Smith thread I would love to see this line play out:
Prime Jamie Benn (mid 2010s) - Prime Mike Modano (early 00s, late 90s) - Prime Bobby Smith (early 80s)
I know, basically all time Stars line, but it would be very interesting to see how their play sets could work out and intertwine in the NHL today.

This would have been fun to see. All 3 players are big, skilled and very creative.

 

[danincanada]

It was already built. KLM.

As a Wings fan I wish I could see my favourite forwards together in their primes. Datsyuk and Fedorov and take your pick for the other winger. Zetterberg, Yzerman, or Shanahan would all work out fine.

 

[brachyrynchos]

I would've liked to see if Peter Forsberg-Markus Naslund-Niklas Sundstrom could replicate the success and chemistry they had in their junior years with MODO.
In the 1993 WJC, as a line they had 69 points in 7 games.
Forsberg- 7-7-24-31
Naslund-7-13-11-24
Sundstrom-7-10-4-14

 

[Thenameless]

I would have liked to see Gretzky, Lemieux, and Lafleur at their very peaks all together on a line for one season. All three are playmakers first, yet all three are fantastic finishers.

Would be fun to see them to go up against a team that had Orr, Harvey, and Hasek at their very peaks on the back end.

 

[Crosbyfan]

 

[Boxscore]

I would've liked to see if Peter Forsberg-Markus Naslund-Niklas Sundstrom could replicate the success and chemistry they had in their junior years with MODO.
In the 1993 WJC, as a line they had 69 points in 7 games.
Forsberg- 7-7-24-31
Naslund-7-13-11-24
Sundstrom-7-10-4-14

I always wanted to see a Forsberg-Sundin combo in the NHL... to bad the Nords traded Mats for Wendel.

 

[brachyrynchos]

I always wanted to see a Forsberg-Sundin combo in the NHL... to bad the Nords traded Mats for Wendel.

Nice combo of hockey sense and skill. Just curious, who do you have to complete the line?

 

[GlitchMarner]

Young Ovechkin (when he was faster and more physical) - McDavid - Young Stamkos


How the f*** do you defend against that?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Young Ovechkin (when he was faster and more physical) - McDavid - Young Stamkos


How the **** do you defend against that?

with their respective foils: tomas vokoun, cole cassels, and the playoffs.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

I'd like to see an all-star two-way forward lineup. Something like Hossa-Datsyuk-Modano. I'd love to see how they functioned on both the offensive and defensive front.

Having three playmakers/passers on the same line would be interesting. Something like Crosby-Thornton-Sedin.

 

[BL92]

Bure - Lemieux - Selänne