I was curious.. if Hags comes back in this series... what do you guys think the chances are we see similar lines to last years playoffs? Maybe...

Guentzal-Sid-Horny
Kunitz-Geno-Rust
Hagelin-Bones-Kessel
Wilson-Cullen-Sheary
Kuhnackl

Kunitz played will with Geno and Rust last playoffs... And that could be 4 nightmare lines for opposing teams.
- j.boyd919

Whatever the line combos its going to be scary but I'm a little weary of Kunitz getting second line minutes right now. If he gets 4th line minutes he's going to have good energy all game. The more you can roll 4 lines the more it pays off later in the series.

I would go with:

Guentz-Sid-Horn
Rust-Malkin- Kessel
Hagelin-Bonino-Sheary
Kunitz-Cullen-Wilson

Sheary and Horn could be easily flipped there as well.

That would go against everything athletes are. I highly doubt any player would sand bag that, regardless of league. Athletes are competitive by nature, I think you say that now, but if you had the chance to win a Memorial Cup, I'd bet you'd be thinking otherwise.
- j.boyd919

What the hells a memorial Cup. Is that like winning my local YMCA winter basketball league?

I was curious.. if Hags comes back in this series... what do you guys think the chances are we see similar lines to last years playoffs? Maybe...

Guentzal-Sid-Horny
Kunitz-Geno-Rust
Hagelin-Bones-Kessel
Wilson-Cullen-Sheary
Kuhnackl

Kunitz played will with Geno and Rust last playoffs... And that could be 4 nightmare lines for opposing teams.
- j.boyd919

I just don't think you can separate Rust-Malkin-Kessel right now, especially when HBK hasn't been super effective all season. I think putting Sheary on the third line with Hagelin and Bonino, who at this point is a bonafide top 6 scoring speedster, can create an effect similar to putting Kessel on a third line. Obviously Kessel >>>> Sheary, but Kessel and Malkin are producing crazily together, having Sheary on the third line will force Washington to pay attention to it, even if The Phil isn't there. In fact, having Sheary instead of Kessel on that line could potentially create a sneak attack effect where Washington is focusing too much on our top two lines and forget about Sheary.

I just don't think you can separate Rust-Malkin-Kessel right now, especially when HBK hasn't been super effective all season. I think putting Sheary on the third line with Hagelin and Bonino, who at this point is a bonafide top 6 scoring speedster, can create an effect similar to putting Kessel on a third line. Obviously Kessel >>>> Sheary, but Kessel and Malkin are producing crazily together, having Sheary on the third line will force Washington to pay attention to it, even if The Phil isn't there. In fact, having Sheary instead of Kessel on that line could potentially create a sneak attack effect where Washington is focusing too much on our top two lines and forget about Sheary.
- Victoro311

Pretty sure they were, or definitely one of, the most productive lines during the first round of playoffs out of all teams. No way I separate that.

Pretty sure they were, or definitely one of, the most productive lines during the first round of playoffs out of all teams. No way I separate that.
- MattStrat

Well Malkin is #1 in playoff scoring right now, Kessel is tied for 2nd, and Rust is tied for 2nd in playoff goals, and these guys have all only played 5 games compared to the 6 most everyone else has. Yeah, I'd say they're probably the single most productive line on a per game basis without looking at more specific numbers.

What the hells a memorial Cup. Is that like winning my local YMCA winter basketball league?
- sditulli

Mem cup is a 4 team tourny with the 3 best teams from the Q, CHL, and WHL and the host team (this season it's the Windsor Spitfires). So if Sprong's team wins the Q championship, they play in the Mem cup tourney.

I just don't think you can separate Rust-Malkin-Kessel right now, especially when HBK hasn't been super effective all season. I think putting Sheary on the third line with Hagelin and Bonino, who at this point is a bonafide top 6 scoring speedster, can create an effect similar to putting Kessel on a third line. Obviously Kessel >>>> Sheary, but Kessel and Malkin are producing crazily together, having Sheary on the third line will force Washington to pay attention to it, even if The Phil isn't there. In fact, having Sheary instead of Kessel on that line could potentially create a sneak attack effect where Washington is focusing too much on our top two lines and forget about Sheary.
- Victoro311

Yeah, that makes sense. Hags/Sheary flanking Bones could be similar to HBKs attack. Sheary is pretty good at finding those soft spots on the ice too.

Jesse of the Pensblog broke down the X's and O's

http://thesportsdaily.com...akdown-what-to-watch-for/

If I were sprong I wouldn't be playing hard at all for Charlotte.
- sditulli

Well, you ain't a hockey player.

Well, you ain't a hockey player.
- Blackstrom2

exactly lol that poop's comical.

Jesse of the Pensblog broke down the X's and O's

http://thesportsdaily.com...akdown-what-to-watch-for/
- j.boyd919

not one graph