Line Combos: HFBoards Decides: Opening Lineup - Phil Kessel
- Thread starter Randy Butternubs
- Start date
So Dupuis doesn't have the IQ to play with Sid but people were fine with having Perron as his winger?
So Plonk is out. 2010 Kunitz would be perfect.
I mean, Parise would be perfect, but 2009 Kunitz making the defense's life Hell on the forecheck and using his physicality would be a very good pick as well.
Dipsy Doodle
Rent A Barn
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Gotta think our depth, averseness to youth, and his injury are gonna preclude him from that in his 1st year. Not that he doesn't have the potential.
True. But as much as I disliked Dupes as Sid's wing when Kunitz was the most talented guy who played on his other side, he could make for a good complement to Kessel.
He knows Sid's tendencies, plays great d, works hard along the boards, and yeah...being able to keep with those two speed-wise would help. That line could motor.
Penguinator
Kesselator
Mmm... If that line ever exist & actually works i propose to name it:
The MotorHeads. (they would be Aces of Spade!)
Dipsy Doodle
Rent A Barn
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Mmm... If that line ever exist & actually works i propose to name it:
The MotorHeads. (they would be Aces of Spade!)
Only if they all grow muttonchops and wear big fake moles.
Jacob
as seen on TV
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Penguinator
Kesselator
The Greatest 101
Registered User
Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
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And where on Earth do you get that idea from?
Perron has become the most underrated Penguin somehow this off season because a lot of clueless people think he's trash and should be jettisoned asap.
#66
Registered User
Yup... Malkin wants to play the euro pass around the perimeter game and Hornqvist is always in the middle of the ice.
I want Malkin to adjust though. He needs to put more pucks on nets and let Hornqvist gobble up rebounds.
Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
Just because Crosby and Kessel are penciled to play together, that doesn't mean Malkin and Hornqvist will be married together if for whatever reason Line 2 isn't working. Remember, JR wants four lines of scoring and has done everything towards that goal this off-season. And I highly doubt Hornqvist would have an issue playing on the third line if it came to that. He just doesn't seem like the type.
Personally, I think he'd be perfect in that role: third line five on five, first PP unit. Not unlike Tomas Holmstrom, in fact.
I would LOVE to see Sundqvist force the club to keep him and become the No. 3 center next to Hornqvist. Horny is exactly the type of player you want Sundqvist learning from. And with Fehr out for some time, and with Bonino capable of playing LW, I suppose it is possible that this happens.
I don't think it'd be disrespectful to use Hornqvist on the third line with a rookie countryman instead of either Crosby or Malkin. It's about finding the right mix, as well as the right balance. Four scoring lines (at least to me) means someone needs to play a bit below their talent level to make it work. So a top sixer like Horny plays third line, and a third liner or two (Cullen? Dupuis?) play on Line 4.
My ideal lines would be something like this:
Perron-Crosby-Kessel
Bennett-Malkin-Plotnikov (Johnston would undoubtedly invert the wingers)
Bonino-Sundqvist-Hornqvist
Cullen-Fehr-Dupuis
This would require trading Kunitz, which I am still all in favor of.
OR
Bonino-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Plotnikov
Bennett-Sundqvist-Hornqvist
In either scenario, it doesn't change the power play's top unit imo:
Kessel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Letang/Pouliot-Malkin
Personally, I think he'd be perfect in that role: third line five on five, first PP unit. Not unlike Tomas Holmstrom, in fact.
I would LOVE to see Sundqvist force the club to keep him and become the No. 3 center next to Hornqvist. Horny is exactly the type of player you want Sundqvist learning from. And with Fehr out for some time, and with Bonino capable of playing LW, I suppose it is possible that this happens.
I don't think it'd be disrespectful to use Hornqvist on the third line with a rookie countryman instead of either Crosby or Malkin. It's about finding the right mix, as well as the right balance. Four scoring lines (at least to me) means someone needs to play a bit below their talent level to make it work. So a top sixer like Horny plays third line, and a third liner or two (Cullen? Dupuis?) play on Line 4.
My ideal lines would be something like this:
Perron-Crosby-Kessel
Bennett-Malkin-Plotnikov (Johnston would undoubtedly invert the wingers)
Bonino-Sundqvist-Hornqvist
Cullen-Fehr-Dupuis
This would require trading Kunitz, which I am still all in favor of.
OR
Bonino-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Plotnikov
Bennett-Sundqvist-Hornqvist
In either scenario, it doesn't change the power play's top unit imo:
Kessel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Letang/Pouliot-Malkin
Asuna
Lvl 94 Sub-Leader
Perron/Plotnikov would still be good wingers for a second line.
Not saying they should do that though.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
Perron-Crosby-Kessel would be an awful line, Perron brings nothing to the table that Kessel doesn't and his pitiful defensive play would just become even worse when he's playing on a line with Kessel. Bennett has done nothing at this point to suggest he should play in our top-6. Hell, I'd be reluctant to even play him on the 3rd line, we have 9 better forwards than him without a doubt. Playing Hornqvist, who we traded our best winger for slightly over a year ago, on the 3rd line would be Iginla on his offwing level stupid. Just awful ideas all around.
Speaking Moistly
What a terrible image.
Throw Bennett in there, if he can stay healthy.
Perron-Malkin-Bennett/Plotnikov
It could be good.
Or we commence with operation: kidnap Boedker.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
If Hornqvist were able to play LW at the same level he plays at RW, I think a Perron-Malkin-Plotnikov line would work well. It's just that I'm almost positive he doesn't play LW at all.
Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
Who cares who we traded Neal for at this point? We now have Phil the Thrill Kessel. Now, it's about balancing out lines and finding the right mix. And winning. Anything else is over-thinking.
Perron-Crosby-Kessel might work. When you have an elite scorer like Kessel, having TWO playmakers on his line isn't a terrible idea. Way back when, Cam Neely was an elite scorer with the Bruins and he briefly played with two elite playmakers in Adam Oates and Joe Juneau. Juneau brought nothing different on the line than what Oates brought, yet the trio was dominant offensively.
If there is chemistry between Perron, Crosby and Kessel, then let them ride the wave. They'd all benefit offensively, and force the other team to retreat and play on their heels. THAT's the best defense for Line 1.
Penguinator
Kesselator
I kinda like the fact that trading Neal landed us the Horny Beast AND the Spaling Thing which in turn helped us land The Phil!
mpp9
Registered User
- Dec 5, 2010
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Id do it just so I can stop hearing about how Sid only works with grinders.
In reality though, Sid would need to be selke level to keep that trio from giving up goals left and right.
tom_servo
Registered User
I like that Hornqvist opened up a spot for a skilled sniper, but I doubt Spaling really helped much at all.
Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
Every season Crosby looks for a new challenge, right? So, playing with two one-way skilled wingers could be his next one.
Coach Travis
Back2Back!!!
The Rossi has spoken. Kessel should play with Malkin because Crosby is better with grinders. All Hail The Rossi.
