With respect, how is that not a comparison? Hence my confusion...
Panik played right wing last game but Hagelin was on the left (with Hathaway on his right). I agree with you that the Hagelin–Dowd–Hathaway line is being used as a checking line against top lines, which is what a lot of us hoped would happen last year (as the fourth line doesn't have the offensive firepower to allow Eller's usual third line to be defense-first, which is what the current form of Hagelin is built for). I'm not convinced we'll see them play 15-20 minutes a game once Kuzy, Ovi and Wilson are all back, but having that trio as a second option to take on top lines is very welcome. It's certainly what worked for us during/in the run up to the Cap.
What isn't clear right now, though, is what kind of identity a Panik or Eller line is meant to hold. Panik is pretty responsible in two-way play, at least compared to the Sprongs and Vranas, but I'm less convinced that he can be an effective point getter without two strongly offensive guys on his line (e.g. Backstrom and Oshie, or Kuzy and Vrana). But, as with Hagelin and perhaps Jensen, he's too expensive not to be at least capable at an all-round game, because it prevents us getting a guy who can put up numbers if we still only have 6/7 guys who are naturally offensively capable.
I think Panik is playing well, broadly, but we need three scoring lines. Having Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway as a shutdown line takes a lot of pressure off a guy like Vrana (and to a lesser extent Backstrom and Oshie/Wilson), but Panik–Eller–Sheary/Sprong isn't going to cut it as a third line when all the pieces are back together.
