When/If Malkin Returns This Season

[PFiDC]

This has been a point of discussion since the team started to get hot. Hegelin-Bonino-Kessel is a fantastic line and that may be because Malkin doesn't work as well with them because of his east/west neutral zone behavior. That second line is north/south the whole way down the rink.

I don't think the staff moves Malkin to a different line. I don't think Malkin would take it well if they suggested it. If he does come back and that line starts to take a nose dive what does the team do?

Personally I don't care about feelings but Malkin being the way he is (emotional and a bit of a baby from what I understand) would probably hurt the team if they put him with, for instance, Bennett and Rust (and taking Rust off that 3rd line would be a bad idea as well).

[LeopardLetang]

Crosby and Malkin on the same line.

[large garlic]

Yeah, I've heard Madden beat the move Malkin drum the past week or two. At first I thought it was crazy to suggest that one of the best players in the league get stuck with Kuhnhackl and Bennett (or whomever) in order to keep Bonino as the 2nd line center, but that Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel line is killing it right now and would be really hard to break up.

Does anyone know the stat difference for Hagelin and Kessel when playing with Malkin as opposed to Bonino? I'm too sick and lazy today to figure this out. I kind of remember Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel being really good for a while too.

I'd consider the two-headed monster line too, but my memory is that they never really produced as well as one would expect for any significant length of time.

[Silentom]

...get stuck with Kuhnhackl and Bennett (or whomever)...

Lest we forget he once had success with Talbot and Fedetenko(sp?).

[Gaucho]

Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel

Sorry, Nick.

[mikey]

Sorry, Phil*

[Morkle]

Does this inevitably open up the trade Malkin discussion even further if they remain incredibly successful, what happens if they lose out in the play-offs?

I'm super intrigued to see how this season ends.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I wouldn't be opposed to putting him with Sid and Horny

[Staggy]

I wouldn't be opposed to putting him with Sid and Horny

This or put him with Kuhn and Rust. 62-13-81 has been running over teams and I like the defensive responsibility Bonino brings to the line.

[Algernon]

Kunitz - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kuhnhackl - Malkin - Rust
Haglien - Bonino - Kessel

[Silentom]

Kunitz - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kuhnhackl - Malkin - Rust
Haglien - Bonino - Kessel

I'm okay with that.

[Algernon]

I'm okay with it too, Malkin just needs guys to open up space for him and feed him the puck.

[Avyran]

I'd rather keep Cullen with the two rookies - both have shared multiple times about Cullen's influence on them - and give Malkin Fehr & Bennett/Sheary. Fehr has proven to have some scoring ability, and could play the Malone-esque role for him. Bennett (or Sheary) has skill. Next year it could be Fehr, Malkin, & Sprong.

This is a good problem to have.

[NTP66]

I wouldn't put Geno and Sid on the same line, and I probably wouldn't break up the current Kessel line.

[shmenguin]

i wouldn't touch the 2nd line until it goes stale.

[Pavement]

I would be ok with Malkin having Kuhnhackl and Rust. He's so good, he could make it work i think.

[the wicked child]

I like the idea of not touching the current second line, and not putting him with Sid. Assuming that you can pick a set of wingers besides Kunitz (Sid's bff), Hagelin and Kessel that work with him, could be a scenario like '09 where there were 3 lines that could get it done, and one of those lines would be getting a favorable match-up.

[mikey]

Sheary-Malkin-Fehr

Fehr assumes center duties in the defensive zone to allow Malkin to go out high. Fehr is a better faceoff man, and he's RHS - Malkin struggles on his wrong side considerably (not that he's good on his left either, but still...) so any icing/forced faceoff can be alleviated by Fehr's presence. Malkin can hang out high in the defensive zone and attack point men a la Lemieux, as opposed to getting down in the weeds which can be left to the much slower Fehr...Sheary and Malkin form a speed attack and the third man is likely Letang or Daley, who have the wheels to cover the entire rink...Fehr has a better-than-average shot from mid-range and could come in late as a trailer or drive the net for rebounds or join the cycle.

Just an idea...not a lock for success, but it's Sheary's best chance at survival in this league probably...Fehr and Bonino down the middle is a considerable lack of foot speed, so Fehr on the wing in all but defensive situations takes a bite out of that...over the last several years, the worst player on the roster has ended up as Geno's LW...Tangradi, Boychuk, etc. so even if Sheary doesn't work, it won't slow Malkin down any...

Just an idea until the Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel thing cools off...with their foot speed (minus Bones), they seem somewhat sustainable as a donut line...

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Sheary-Malkin-Fehr

eh

Geno has made a career out of being successful with nobodies on his wings but I am a bit hesitant about this combination. I think Sheary and Fehr wouldn't be able to keep up with Geno's offensive capabilities and lower his ceiling.

I think Cullen and Rust (with Cullen taking the place of Fehr in the defensive zone in your scenario) is much more appetizing. Depending on how long Rust is out, Kuhnhackl can take his place.

Then our fourth line would be some combination of Kuhn, Fehr, Bennett and Sheary would work out (assuming we end up being fully healthy at whatever point)

[mikey]

I was working under the guise of Cullen sticking with the kids...I also forgot Beau Bennett existed...

But yes, it's not an ideal deal...it's just an idea...ripe for rejection...

[Algernon]

I don't like the idea of sticking Cullen on a scoring line at all

[Rx6687]

I think they can have the best of both worlds here. I mean, it is nowhere written that Bonino can't continue to get shifts on the Kessel-Hagelin line. Sullivan had Crosby out there with Sheary and Bennett last night. I love the idea of keeping the opposition guessing.....

...I also like the idea of either Crosby, Malkin, or Kessel going up against the opposing team's third defense pairing, which is what will happen if they each have their own line.

[shafnutz05]

Yeah, I am on the side that the 2nd line is absolutely untouchable until, as shmenguin said, it goes stale. Figure something else out.

[willeyeam]

Geno-Sid-Hornqvist??

[slappybrown]

Sheary-Malkin-Fehr

Fehr assumes center duties in the defensive zone to allow Malkin to go out high. Fehr is a better faceoff man, and he's RHS - Malkin struggles on his wrong side considerably (not that he's good on his left either, but still...) so any icing/forced faceoff can be alleviated by Fehr's presence. Malkin can hang out high in the defensive zone and attack point men a la Lemieux, as opposed to getting down in the weeds which can be left to the much slower Fehr...Sheary and Malkin form a speed attack and the third man is likely Letang or Daley, who have the wheels to cover the entire rink...Fehr has a better-than-average shot from mid-range and could come in late as a trailer or drive the net for rebounds or join the cycle.

Just an idea...not a lock for success, but it's Sheary's best chance at survival in this league probably...Fehr and Bonino down the middle is a considerable lack of foot speed, so Fehr on the wing in all but defensive situations takes a bite out of that...over the last several years, the worst player on the roster has ended up as Geno's LW...Tangradi, Boychuk, etc. so even if Sheary doesn't work, it won't slow Malkin down any...

Just an idea until the Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel thing cools off...with their foot speed (minus Bones), they seem somewhat sustainable as a donut line...

i think you sold me on this