Not good enough to forecheck, backcheck, and go to the front of the net? I disagree.
He's not a prototypical 1st liner, that's for sure, but it's about finding balance on your lines.
The big thing is that these guys will play the majority of their ice time with Karlsson. I don't think Ryan is really the type of goal scorer who needs a set up guy like Spezza but he definitely thrives off of a good break out. Same goes for Michalek. The transition game will be the most fun part to watch.
Am I the only one who thinks this is an unlikely line? As good as Spezza is defensively atm, I still think you throw Greening in there to be the defensive conscience of the group so that Spez can turn and go as soon as we establish possession.
Let Spezza and Ryan form some chemistry and allow Greening to create space.
lol at least 2 guys can't read. Blame the system!
Conacher - Zibanejad - Ryan
Greening - Spezza - Michalek
MacArthur - Turris - Condra
Hoffman - Smith - Neil
oh yeah
Mick is gone after this year
Here is my lineup using the secret cloning machine:
Malkin-Crosby-Ryan
MacArthur-Giroux-Kane
Greening-Turris-Zibanejad
Condra-Smith-Neil
Chara-Karlsson
Methot-Keith
Phillips-Wericoch
Lundqvist
Lehner
Waterboy: Alfredsson
Maybe a forbidden clone.You have a cloning machine, and you only have 1 Karlsson? Why not 6?
And that is why I randomly got this weird idea...
Petersson-Spezza-Michalek
MacArthur-Turris-Ryan
Conacher-Zibanejad-Condra
Greening-Smith-Neil
O'Brien/Kassian
PP1 : Ryan-Spezza-Michalek
PP2 : MacArthur-Turris-Zibanejad/Petersson
Split time at ES of the first 2 lines evenly, same for line 3 and 4. Like 18/17 & 13/12 (that's if no special units at all)
Or just trade Spezza
PS : O'Brien has to disappear to leave the space for call-ups (i.e Hoffman, Pageau, Stone, Prince and Da Costa). Of course I am assuming Petersson makes the team out of camp which is not likely to happen but I don't care... I love it
===============
hey I am going to predict forwards paces (per 82 games, so assuming they stay 100% healthy)
Spezza 33-55 = 88 pts
Ryan 34-37 = 71 Pts
Michalek 30-31 = 61 Pts
Turris 25-31 = 56 Pts
Macarthur 20-32 = 52 Pts
Conacher 21-27 = 48 Pts
Zibanejad 18-24 = 42 Pts
Greening 15-18 = 33 Pts
Smith 11-20 = 31 Pts
Condra 10-15 = 25 Pts
Neil 8-10 = 18 Pts
Kassian 2-3 = 5 Pts