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

[Khomutov]

Ovechkin-Crosby-Malkin

 

[VMBM]

Vladimir Krutov - Phil Esposito - Jaromir Jagr
tank line

Certainly a lot of strength on that line.

I don't know about Krutov and Esposito together, though; would they be 'wasted' on the same line together? Namely, as goal-scorers both were at their best in the slot/around the net. On the other hand, Krutov was very fast and good all over the ice and could let Espo take care most of the rebounds... But maybe I'd rather see someone like Kharlamov on the left wing.

 

[Staniowski]

I think what I heard was that Gretzky didn't want Shanahan on the Rangers.... or, I may be mis-remembering. Someone out there knows!

Sorry, my mistake, I assumed you were talking about the World Cup team.

 

[Staniowski]

Never heard that about Shanny to be honest. I know there was that whole thing with Craig Janney's wife (which turned into Shanny's wife). So I would suggest that Janney would have some honest things to say about the situation and Shanahan himself I would assume. But was it an issue in Detroit? Never heard that about him.



I always thought that never was given room to grow. Gretzky ends up on the Blues with about 20 games to go. There is no way he and Hull don't mesh if there isn't a full season to go by. Hull was the perfect formula for Gretzky. He was able to get into the open areas for one-timers. No one could find him better than Gretzky. I think that needed time to figure out.

"Although he was respected by his Red Wings teammates for his play, he wasn't the most popular guy in the room. Many thought it was too much 'Brendan Shanahan' and not enough 'Detroit Red Wings'."
- Art Regner, Fox Sports Detroit

I think I heard something similar from another source, but I can't find it right now.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Wonder what it could've been if the big trade never happened,
Clark-Lindros-Nolan on a powerhouse Nordiques team, while on Philly the Legion of Doom is
centered by Forsberg.
And don't laugh, but Ysebaert-Lemieux-Verbeek/Maclean, if Jersey got that #1 pick.

 

[Iapyi]

Yes, I think you've expressed your opinion on that already.

There is a difference between an opinion and stating a fact that someone tries to dispute even though it is not disputable.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Wrong. Gretzky and B Hull did play together in St Louis and they did not gell at all. They only lasted a handful of shifts together if memory serves me correct and it was clear they would not mesh.

Sometimes a "fantasy line" doesn't work out in reality.

It's hockey, if it were easy to figure this stuff out then we wouldn't need coaches.

 

[Iapyi]

Sometimes a "fantasy line" doesn't work out in reality.

It's hockey, if it were easy to figure this stuff out then we wouldn't need coaches.

Absolutely. What is silly is for some to ignore the reality of what happened and pretend that it could be different then what actually happened.

 

[Khomutov]

Bobby Hull-Gretzky-Makarov

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Bure - Crosby - Tikkanen just popped in to my mind for some reason.

because you saw my Tikkanen - Clarke - Bure line above, & decided to subconsciously sub Crosby for Clarke.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Ted Lindsay - Frank Nighbor - Bill Cook

 

[GMR]

I've never heard about Gretzky not wanting Shanahan on the '96 World Cup team, but I've heard that, in general, Shanahan was not well-liked by teammates.

Maybe Gretzky was upset that Shanahan would take his spot in the shootout lineup for Canada two years later in the Olympics.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

would've been awesome to see pre-injury Sergei Samsonov with David Krejci centering.

2 guys who are wizards with the puck in terms of stickhandling in a phone booth and the vision to see and complete crazy seeing eye passes.

that would've been some fun puck possession to watch

 

[David Bruce Banner]

I would have loved to see the Sedins play with a top tier front of net presence like Tim Kerr or premier mucker and digger like John Tonelli.

 

[The Panther]

There is a difference between an opinion and stating a fact that someone tries to dispute even though it is not disputable.

I hate to start getting pedantic, but since you're being difficult....

Let's analyze your two "facts" so far:

1) They only lasted a handful of shifts together if memory serves me correct...

So, this fact was already dis-proven by multiple posters. They were playing together when the Blues were eliminated in game 7 vs. Detroit.

2) ...and it was clear they would not mesh.
...the fact is that they did not mesh.

It's pretty well established that Gretzky and Hull didn't set the world on fire for the almighty 17 regular season games they played together, but they were hardly a disaster either, and it should certainly be far from indisputable that they wouldn't mesh. Bear in mind that 1995 and 1995-96 were probably Gretzky's two worst seasons and that Hull was already slowing down quite a bit by this point.

In the 18 games prior to being traded to St.Louis, Gretzky had 17 points. In 18 games in St.Louis (17 with Hull), he had 21 points.
In the 17 games he played before the Blues acquired Gretzky, Hull had 18 points. In the 17 games he played with Gretzky, Hull had 15 points.

Hull had 11 points in 13 playoff games; Gretzky 16 points. If memory serves, Gretzky was leading the playoffs in scoring until late in the Detroit series, if not until elimination in game seven.

I can't be arsed to go through all the game-by-game stats, but the numbers certainly don't make anything indisputable. Gretzky and Hull looked okay, not great, together, in the very brief time they played for the same team. But only a fool would call this evidence beyond any question that they "would not mesh". (Especially with Keenan coaching.)

​

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I would have loved to see the Sedins play with a top tier front of net presence like Tim Kerr or premier mucker and digger like John Tonelli.

despite moving one of them to their off side, in his prime Milan Lucic would've been the perfect linemate for them.

Big, nasty, bruising winger that had some skill and went to the dirty areas. he also would've been a physical protector for them and opened up a ton of space on the ice for them to operate (see what he did for Krejci)

 

[Iapyi]

I hate to start getting pedantic, but since you're being difficult....

Let's analyze your two "facts" so far:

1) They only lasted a handful of shifts together if memory serves me correct...

So, this fact was already dis-proven by multiple posters. They were playing together when the Blues were eliminated in game 7 vs. Detroit.

2) ...and it was clear they would not mesh.
...the fact is that they did not mesh.

It's pretty well established that Gretzky and Hull didn't set the world on fire for the almighty 17 regular season games they played together, but they were hardly a disaster either, and it should certainly be far from indisputable that they wouldn't mesh. Bear in mind that 1995 and 1995-96 were probably Gretzky's two worst seasons and that Hull was already slowing down quite a bit by this point.

In the 18 games prior to being traded to St.Louis, Gretzky had 17 points. In 18 games in St.Louis (17 with Hull), he had 21 points.
In the 17 games he played before the Blues acquired Gretzky, Hull had 18 points. In the 17 games he played with Gretzky, Hull had 15 points.

Hull had 11 points in 13 playoff games; Gretzky 16 points. If memory serves, Gretzky was leading the playoffs in scoring until late in the Detroit series, if not until elimination in game seven.

I can't be arsed to go through all the game-by-game stats, but the numbers certainly don't make anything indisputable. Gretzky and Hull looked okay, not great, together, in the very brief time they played for the same team. But only a fool would call this evidence beyond any question that they "would not mesh". (Especially with Keenan coaching.)

Most people understand that when someone else says "if memory serves me correct" they are not stating an unequivocal fact.

What is a fact is that they did not mesh. Many of us saw it and don't need to go though game-by-game analysis to remember what we witnessed.

You call me being difficult? Just because you are wrong is no reason to get in a huff.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I would have loved to see the Sedins play with a top tier front of net presence like Tim Kerr or premier mucker and digger like John Tonelli.

Tonelli wouldn't have worked on the right side. Now, Stan Smyl, there's a "premier mucker & digger" with a wicked slapshot & a devastating body check, to boot - dream line for a Canucks fan like me.

 

[Lukin1978]

Ovechkin Lemieux Gretzky

 

[JackSlater]

Gainey Yzerman Bure

 

[double5son10]

Before his premature retirement Lafleur approached coach Jacques Lemaire about putting him on a line with Mats Naslund and Guy Carbonneau. I would've liked to see how that would've worked.

 

[streitz]

C. Lemieux Linseman Verbeek

 

[Eye of Ra]

Lemiuex - Malkin - Jagr

 

[Nick Hansen]

Lehtinen - Bergeron - Kurri

Shutdown line for the ages.

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

McDavid-Crosby-Gretzky