You know never until they play, but I'm not sure that line would be that effective. They'd be great on the rush. Kapanen has great speed. Nylander is very good at zone exit/entry, and is a pretty good passer. You end up with two decent rushing options off of the wings, with Matthews able to slide around for the shot.

But who's going to battle for the puck? No one on that line likes to play on the wall. , and no one is a very aggressive forechecker . . . So once they've lost the puck, it's just coming back up ice. At least that's what I think. I'm certainly giving Johnsson more credit here than he deserves, but he does muck up a little more than Kapanen. I still think that's a weakness on that line. I wonder if a guy like Moore wouldn't create the mess and add some puck retrieval?

I can go from not wanting Hyman to play with anyone in the top 6 to wishing that somehow we had 2 of him!

You also like Aberg, too? I guess we'll see.
- Monkeypunk

I humbly submit that you underestimate Matthews.

You just don't notice as much because he is 100% stick-check.

But he's constantly stealing pucks. He just does it in "no checking mode."

not my ideal lineup, but more what is generally expected?
maybe moore instead of mikheyev on that first line with tavares and marner? or johnsson and moore/kapanen with matthews?

i do think mikheyev will get a chance to prove himself as a top6 fw while hyman is not back from injury
- MaximusAurelius

If mikheyev starts the year with Tavares and marner and excels, do we see hyman-matthews-nylander reunited? Their first year together was great. Hyman scored 21 last year so it seems like he wouldn't weigh them down anymore which is what a lot of people complained about. He's finally hitting those empty nets.

It would be nice if our lines ended up being

Hyman-matthews-nylander
Mikheyev-tavares-marner
Johnsson-kerfoot-kapanen
Moore-spezza-petan/aberg
Gauthier

If mikheyev starts the year with Tavares and marner and excels, do we see hyman-matthews-nylander reunited? Their first year together was great. Hyman scored 21 last year so it seems like he wouldn't weigh them down anymore which is what a lot of people complained about. He's finally hitting those empty nets.

It would be nice if our lines ended up being

Hyman-matthews-nylander
Mikheyev-tavares-marner
Johnsson-kerfoot-kapanen
Moore-spezza-petan/aberg
Gauthier
- matt1337

It will be lucky if Mikheyev has an NHL career.

It was "best" 1-2 punch, not "oldest" 1-2 punch.
- Atomic Wedgie

If mikheyev starts the year with Tavares and marner and excels, do we see hyman-matthews-nylander reunited? Their first year together was great. Hyman scored 21 last year so it seems like he wouldn't weigh them down anymore which is what a lot of people complained about. He's finally hitting those empty nets.

It would be nice if our lines ended up being

Hyman-matthews-nylander
Mikheyev-tavares-marner
Johnsson-kerfoot-kapanen
Moore-spezza-petan/aberg
Gauthier
- matt1337

sta minchiayev or whatever his name is must be the new kulemin or soshnikov or timashov, we've been down this road plenty of times before. he's heading straight to the marlies.