Which Oilers forward (past or present) would be the best linemate for McDavid?

[ujju2]

This team needs a Coffey more than another McWinger IMO. Maybe Holland looks at Barrie as UFA

Between Bear, Jones, Bouchard, Broberg, etc, I don't think that's a priority right now. I still think the biggest hole on the team is equally at 3C and a top line winger (unless AA can step it up).

 

[GOilers88]

Anson Carter popped into my head immediately. Not because I think it's true, but then I saw you had him listed so I had to vote for him at that point

 

[GOilers88]

Between Bear, Jones, Bouchard, Broberg, etc, I don't think that's a priority right now. I still think the biggest hole on the team is equally at 3C and a top line winger (unless AA can step it up).

I agree. Although I think Barrie would be a very nice fit here, I just don't see the money working.

 

[AM]

For compete my choice is esa. A player who can pull greater than his weight defensively and can play off the puck.

 

[McFlash97]

Something tells me Tikkanen would be absolute dynamite with McDavid. Highly talented agitating in your face type of forward who was extremely smart.

 

[KCC]

I went with Hemsky. He was just in the wrong era unfortunately. I firmly believe if he was in the league now in his prime he'd be crazy. lol

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Kurri has several things going for him, but there are definitely arguments to be made for others on the list I think.

Anderson, for example, was like Taylor Hall with better shooting, hands and hockey sense. And he didn't need the puck on his stick all the time to still drive the play.

I was thinking him too, but Kurri's hockey sense is clearly one of the highest and I have every confidence that he would absolutely find himself in the right spot for alot of ridiculous McDavid set ups. I just think he would score with McDavid like he scored with Gretzky.

 

[frag2]

Patrick O'Sullivan

Did Replacement suddenly create a new account?

 

[LTIR]

Between Bear, Jones, Bouchard, Broberg, etc, I don't think that's a priority right now. I still think the biggest hole on the team is equally at 3C and a top line winger (unless AA can step it up).

None of them are a legit scoring threat 5 on 5. Coffey was like a 4th forward on ice and after Gretzky the biggest scoring threat.
McDaivd with his speed would certainly get a lot more assists if he adds the option of dropping the puck to an offensive Dman. IMO gretz best linemate was Coffey.

For Oilers the long term solution for McDavid line should be RNH. Drai-Yama will have to settle for AA, Neal, Benson or someone else.

 

[qannon97979]

Did Replacement suddenly create a new account?

nawww, no idea who that is. i am actually a newbie i been reading the forums for years decided to join now

 

[Samus44]

Feel free to call me out for this, but I think prime Smytty is the ideal winger for McDavid. The retriever, guy who mixes it up in the corners, mixes it up in front of the net, and makes a living off garbage goals. Him + a guy like Kurri and you're in pretty damn good shape.

I think Kurri is the best fit but i dont think thats all that interesting of a pick given how obvious it is. I agree Smyths skillset would mesh the best besides Kurri or Messier because of everything you said and because he was an underrated passer. Mcdavid needs a guy to get pucks, create space by going to the net, and make consistent strong solid passes while being a good defensive player and thats Smyth to a tee. Smyth is crazy underrated because he wasnt flashy but at evens in his prime he was outstanding and consistently elevated his center. Lecavalier in the WC and Kopitar are a couple non Oiler examples of players who really benefited from playing with him.

 

[Dirt McGintty]

I think Kurri is the best fit but i dont think thats all that interesting of a pick given how obvious it is. I agree Smyths skillset would mesh the best besides Kurri or Messier because of everything you said and because he was an underrated passer. Mcdavid needs a guy to get pucks, create space by going to the net, and make consistent strong solid passes while being a good defensive player and thats Smyth to a tee. Smyth is crazy underrated because he wasnt flashy but at evens in his prime he was outstanding and consistently elevated his center. Lecavalier in the WC and Kopitar are a couple non Oiler examples of players who really benefited from playing with him.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Smyth was not great off the rush. Not cerebral enough. I could just see Smitty stepping one stride across the blue line and letting a weak clapper go while McDavid is exploding into open ice looking for the return pass.

 

[yukoner88]

I'd get behind the Ryan Smyth train too.

Bill Guerin would bring an interesting mix too as he was good all round offensively.

Had a lethal backhand that he could score off the rush with. He could snipe it. He could muck it up with a power forward type game too.

One of the 80s/dynasty players are the sexy picks but I never got to see them play in an Oilers uniform. I'm a 90s kid. Going off the best players I got to see in an Oilers uniform,

Smyth-McD-Guerin

Would be one hell of a line

 

[BudBundy]

I voted Messier to patrol the port side next to McDavid. The guy is a legend for a reason. He could play the game however the opposition wanted to play. All the speed, skill, and hockey sense you could ask for to compliment McDavid all in a bruising physical package. Clutch. Adept at faceoffs if McDavid got kicked out, superlative leadership, and was straight-up one of the meanest bastards to ever play. People were legitimately afraid of what Messier might do and it would help keep the rats of the league honest. Kurri or Anderson are honourable mentions.

 

[Senor Catface]

I'd get behind the Ryan Smyth train too.

Bill Guerin would bring an interesting mix too as he was good all round offensively.

Had a lethal backhand that he could score off the rush with. He could snipe it. He could muck it up with a power forward type game too.

One of the 80s/dynasty players are the sexy picks but I never got to see them play in an Oilers uniform. I'm a 90s kid. Going off the best players I got to see in an Oilers uniform,

Smyth-McD-Guerin

Would be one hell of a line

Man, I would kill for a Ryan Smyth on this team.

If Maroon can get 27 goals with McDavid, imagine what a superior player like Smyth could do.

I think answers like Messier and Anderson are pretty great, but there's just something abut how Smyth played the game and how smart he was around the net that I think would do very, very well with McDavid.

 

[fireantz]

Between Bear, Jones, Bouchard, Broberg, etc, I don't think that's a priority right now. I still think the biggest hole on the team is equally at 3C and a top line winger (unless AA can step it up).

Totally agree and suggesting Barrie as a Coffey comparable is bizzare

 

[Stoneman89]

Has to be Kurri, one of the purest snipers the league has ever seen.

 

[Samus44]

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Smyth was not great off the rush. Not cerebral enough. I could just see Smitty stepping one stride across the blue line and letting a weak clapper go while McDavid is exploding into open ice looking for the return pass.

In 9 years of his prime he broke 30 assists every season but once, and that one season he had 23 in 55. You don't do that being a poor passer. Understand half his career was also spent in the dead puck era where scoring was way down, yet he put up quality numbers many many times, often despite injury. The clapper stands out because it was kind of funny, not powerful and very few did it, but it actually wasn't something he did that often. He wasn't a one on one guy so he'd really only do it when he was alone gaining the zone. Pucks on net is rarely a bad play when nothing else is really there as linemates lagging behind or covered gain an opportunity to rush the net for loose pucks and sometimes he'd even get lucky and pot one. In fact I think the clapper shot would be somewhat effective with McDavid as getting pucks on net and behind the D would let McDavid use his superior speed to get to it.

Given the speed of the game you can't play and succeed with great players at the NHL level having poor hockey sense, especially given the fact he didn't have great wheels or hands (although his skill was very underrated). Many linemates either broke out or had career years beside him, including a terrific puck carrier in Hemsky who I'd say is much like a winger version of McDavid (great hands, speed, vision), and another elite Center in Kopitar. I'd also suggest McDavid doesn't need guys to help him that much on the rush, rather he needs a guy who can facilitate the rush by winning the puck on his boards and making a strong solid pass to him as he gets going through the neutral zone, which Smyth was great at. So I'd counter that coming out of his own zone his skillset would give McDavid many opportunities to succeed on the rush with his board work, and in the zone his board work could really help down low on puck retrieval. McDavid doesn't need to play with a guy who's going to be great on the rush, he needs a guy who facilitates the opportunities, can finish, and can retrieve pucks and that's what Smyth did at an elite level. That's why Maroon was a good fit and to the contrary is why Hall wasn't despite being a guy who's bread and butter is the rush.

No question McDavids other winger would ideally be a guy who can finish off the rush, but that guy is also better served being a RW given McDavid's a left shot. Draisaitl was so good with him because he could be the guy who springs him coming out of the zone, especially on the LW with him, and when on the RW he could be that guy who helps finish on the rush because of his great shot. But we aren't talking about the ideal LW and RW, we're talking about just one ideal winger. That's why I said Kurri would be the other ideal winger, a right shot sniper who can help down low in his own zone. Smyth was also capable of being effective on the back check and down low BTW, another ideal skill set.

I just don't get how an "un-cerebral" player could have had his track record of success while being trusted by coaches in all situations despite a lack of great skill. The fact he got so much out of his skillset to me screams excellent hockey sense, the fact that his linemates consistently had great seasons with him screams great hockey sense as the adaptibility and ability to play a game that suits them is a hall mark of hockey IQ. It didn't always look pretty but he consistently made the right play. Playing a smart, simple, and determined game with the hockey sense to get the most out of his skillset and those around him is why he's a legend. The player I often hear described couldn't have played above a 3rd or 4th line, yet most of it was spent in the top 6 and he made 2 best on best team Canada's. Great hockey sense isn't highlighted by great plays off the rush, it's highlighted by an ability to get the most out of yourself, a variety of linemates, and succeeding in a variety of situations. Smyth did all that.

I'll ask you this, if Smyth had poor IQ and was lacking great skill then why did he score so effectively? Why did he make best on best team Canada's, including the World Cup where his linemate in Lecavalier won MVP? Why did coaches trust him in all situations, including the odd fill in at center? Why did he play 1270 games and score 842 points with much of his career being in the dead puck era, including 805 points in 1100 games of his prime (I eliminated his first and final 2 seasons)? I'd say the guy people remember Smyth being is far less than what he actually was and the facts all suggest it.

 

[Samus44]

Double post.

 

[Samus44]

I went with Hemsky. He was just in the wrong era unfortunately. I firmly believe if he was in the league now in his prime he'd be crazy. lol

I think he'd be a better fit with Draisaitl as McDavid and him have too many duplicated skills, despite that I feel it would still be a strong combo just not ideal.

 

[Samus44]

I voted Messier to patrol the port side next to McDavid. The guy is a legend for a reason. He could play the game however the opposition wanted to play. All the speed, skill, and hockey sense you could ask for to compliment McDavid all in a bruising physical package. Clutch. Adept at faceoffs if McDavid got kicked out, superlative leadership, and was straight-up one of the meanest bastards to ever play. People were legitimately afraid of what Messier might do and it would help keep the rats of the league honest. Kurri or Anderson are honourable mentions.

Messier and Kurri for me are too easy to pick but given the option there is no shame in it. Go figure the 3rd leading scorer of all time would be a good pick. lol. As for Anderson I feel the match would lead to similar issues McDavid encountered with Hall.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Smyth was not great off the rush. Not cerebral enough. I could just see Smitty stepping one stride across the blue line and letting a weak clapper go while McDavid is exploding into open ice looking for the return pass.

Agreed. I don't think Penner and Smyth's skillsets were that similar, either.

Put Smyth with McDavid on the PP, sure. 5-on-5 there's probably 10 players on that list I'd have ahead of Smyth

 

[Wewillrise]

Delete

 

[AM]

Has to be Kurri, one of the purest snipers the league has ever seen.

You don’t need a sniper if two of the opposing team are looking out for esa or trying to maim him.

 

[MessierII]

Agreed. I don't think Penner and Smyth's skillsets were that similar, either.

Put Smyth with McDavid on the PP, sure. 5-on-5 there's probably 10 players on that list I'd have ahead of Smyth

Depends on the other winger. For example

Smyth McDavid Kurri would be a better line than say
Nuge McDavid Kurri

You need that mix and Smyth would compliment McDavid perfectly if the right winger was a skilled goal scorer. Smyths net front presence, nose around the net and high IQ in all 3 zones would make him super effective in that role.