Panthers Report: A Second Line Brewing?

[adam graves]

It will be weird to have kovalev on this team but assuming this is a cheap 1 year contract, why not, we need all the offense we can get. But it's true, the lines aren't complete due to injuries to Goc and Bergenheim. How quickly we forget how wonderfully Bergy-Goc-Samuelsson did as our second line. Still, I think we have enough depth to surprise a lot of people...again.

They were great especially 2nd half, but:

Sammy gone

Bergy out indefinitely

Goc day to day

this surprise line of kovy Mueller and Hubs may be just the lightning in a bottle we need.

 

[CHGoalie27]

They were great especially 2nd half, but:

Sammy gone

Bergy out indefinitely

Goc day to day

this surprise line of kovy Mueller and Hubs may be just the lightning in a bottle we need.

Sammy-Goc-Bergy doesn't sound half as juicy as anything with Huberdeau and Kovalev together.

For those who haven't seen Mueller in person, he was the most impressive looking player at the practice I went to, might he just not have had the line mates on his other teams to match his game?

Of all the linemates Kovalev ever had, it was Straka and Lang who complimented his game and then the stats matched the bottom of his potential. Kovalev still has the nastiest hands ever, yes even better than Datsyuk.

Bottom line is if the two youts next to him are willing to do most of the digger type skating, Kovy will be able to do his thing. And when Kovalev is covered, the kids can do their thing.

Just who are the other teams supposed to keep their eye on here?

 

[CoolburnIsGone]

Sammy-Goc-Bergy doesn't sound half as juicy as anything with Huberdeau and Kovalev together.

For those who haven't seen Mueller in person, he was the most impressive looking player at the practice I went to, might he just not have had the line mates on his other teams to match his game?

Of all the linemates Kovalev ever had, it was Straka and Lang who complimented his game and then the stats matched the bottom of his potential. Kovalev still has the nastiest hands ever, yes even better than Datsyuk.

Bottom line is if the two youts next to him are willing to do most of the digger type skating, Kovy will be able to do his thing. And when Kovalev is covered, the kids can do their thing.

Just who are the other teams supposed to keep their eye on here?

 

[Laus723]

Wow, that was awesome

 

[Prominence Problem]

Sammy-Goc-Bergy doesn't sound half as juicy as anything with Huberdeau and Kovalev together.

For those who haven't seen Mueller in person, he was the most impressive looking player at the practice I went to, might he just not have had the line mates on his other teams to match his game?

Of all the linemates Kovalev ever had, it was Straka and Lang who complimented his game and then the stats matched the bottom of his potential. Kovalev still has the nastiest hands ever, yes even better than Datsyuk.

Bottom line is if the two youts next to him are willing to do most of the digger type skating, Kovy will be able to do his thing. And when Kovalev is covered, the kids can do their thing.

Just who are the other teams supposed to keep their eye on here?

1) I do remember watching the one game either last year or the year before against the Av's where Mueller just tore us up. I think he netted two goals. I remember saying to myself he would look great in some Panther red.

2) I like these line mates with Kovalev. Hubs I've seen play a few games on Sportsnet for the SeaDogs and the previous two years of World Jr.'s for Canada. He is an excellent play-maker, especially down low with the puck, in the corners and behind the net. I can see a lot of feeds to Kovy and Mule.

 

[CoolburnIsGone]

Wow, that was awesome

I think if you had to put Datsyuk in his prime and Kovalev in his prime, it would still be damn close but I'd take Datsyuk's hands. Prepare to be amazed again at Datsyuk (the 4th & 5th moves he's actually done against NHL goaltenders in a game):

Just to show I'm not biased either against Kovalev, here's 2 videos showing off his skills:

This one shows his overall skills but pretty impressive what he can do with just 1 hand too

 

[CHGoalie27]

He is a very close second IMO...Kovy does that with more pucks without looking down as much. Check the AK27 DVD

Datsyuk is just the most magical SOB ever...

 

[Erick*]

Every time someone says "Kovy," I get rather excited, thinking that Ilya Kovalchuk is on the team.

 

[CatscratchFever]

It will be weird to have kovalev on this team but assuming this is a cheap 1 year contract, why not, we need all the offense we can get. But it's true, the lines aren't complete due to injuries to Goc and Bergenheim. How quickly we forget how wonderfully Bergy-Goc-Samuelsson did as our second line. Still, I think we have enough depth to surprise a lot of people...again.

I love this aspect, same old Panthers, slot them in at 12th or 13th in the East, they're a fluke, blah, blah, blah. Playing underdog as returning SE Champs, wonderful.

 

[Laus723]

I think if you had to put Datsyuk in his prime and Kovalev in his prime, it would still be damn close but I'd take Datsyuk's hands. Prepare to be amazed again at Datsyuk (the 4th & 5th moves he's actually done against NHL goaltenders in a game):

Just to show I'm not biased either against Kovalev, here's 2 videos showing off his skills:

This one shows his overall skills but pretty impressive what he can do with just 1 hand too

They're both bad ass, wish AK27 had a better rep throughout his career.