Ryan Wilson: Kasperi Kapanen will be playing with...

Will this be Crosbys best RW he's played with as in talent wise?

Also, if so, this makes it his best line in his career right? Same can be said with Malkin, correct? Given that they (Sid, Geno) are both aging, this is the best case scenario for both of them right?

Breaking news! Let's not all flood this topic.

Will this be Crosbys best RW he's played with as in talent wise?

Also, if so, this makes it his best line in his career right? Same can be said with Malkin, correct? Given that they (Sid, Geno) are both aging, this is the best case scenario for both of them right?
- nateca44

I dont understand why Zucker is with Geno and not Sid. Showed much better with Sid. Guentzel is great with either right

I'll bet Kessel was terrible on those charts too, but he scores so it was fine. Kapanen scored 1.9 points per 60 last year so if he gets any type of bump from the better talent he's playing with there will be no complaints.

I dont understand why Zucker is with Geno and not Sid. Showed much better with Sid. Guentzel is great with either right
- MHurl

There were some of us here who thought Sully should swap Zucker and Jake.

Will this be Crosbys best RW he's played with as in talent wise?

Also, if so, this makes it his best line in his career right? Same can be said with Malkin, correct? Given that they (Sid, Geno) are both aging, this is the best case scenario for both of them right?
- nateca44

Hossa

I dont understand why Zucker is with Geno and not Sid. Showed much better with Sid. Guentzel is great with either right
- MHurl

Yeah, Jake-Geno-Rust was one of the best lines in the league this past season and Zucker totally works with Sid.

I'd say lines, as per usual, will be blended as the games go on, unless of course they all play together too damn good to F with it.

I'll wait to pass judgement once I see Kapanen play a game for the Pens. I think he'll be fine though. Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, and Zucker are a step up from the Leafs top forwards and Letang is better than any defenseman they have. Looking forward to a full season of Zucker too.

He played in the leafs top 6 lots and never seemed to be able to handle it. Crosby and Malkin are great but the leafs top 6 is hardly much of a downgrade really though. I like Kapanen and hope he figures it out but I see 3rd line winger with top 6 fill in player. Seems like his feet work faster then his brain but maybe it will click for him there.

I'll bet Kessel was terrible on those charts too, but he scores so it was fine. Kapanen scored 1.9 points per 60 last year so if he gets any type of bump from the better talent he's playing with there will be no complaints.
- Tojo.

One thing that was blatantly obvious about Kappy is any time he was placed with good talent he sucked.

He’s always been a guy that’s better in a 3rd line scoring role against average comp. hope he works out for you guys but you will be disappointed if you think he will have a boom in production.

He played in the leafs top 6 lots and never seemed to be able to handle it. Crosby and Malkin are great but the leafs top 6 is hardly much of a downgrade really though. I like Kapanen and hope he figures it out but I see 3rd line winger with top 6 fill in player. Seems like his feet work faster then his brain but maybe it will click for him there.
- Hatt

This.

He sucked when playing with skilled players.

He’s a speedy annoying guy to play against that can PK.

Those top lines lines will need to produce however they are configured. The third line looks like a train wreck unless McCann can find his lost scoring touch and the fourth line, which will be counted on more for their defensive proficiency, doesn’t show much offensive potential unless Tanev can chip in more than expected.

Wait, was that a positive blog by RW?

He played in the leafs top 6 lots and never seemed to be able to handle it. Crosby and Malkin are great but the leafs top 6 is hardly much of a downgrade really though. I like Kapanen and hope he figures it out but I see 3rd line winger with top 6 fill in player. Seems like his feet work faster then his brain but maybe it will click for him there.
- Hatt

This worries me more than anything. Hockey IQ is way underrated, IMO. Seems we have stocked up on talented players with questionable / slow decision-making this off-season (Kap, Matheson, Ceci). We also added guys who are probably smart players but lack talent (Jankowski, Rodrigues, Sceviour).

Yeah, Jake-Geno-Rust was one of the best lines in the league this past season and Zucker totally works with Sid.

I'd say lines, as per usual, will be blended as the games go on, unless of course they all play together too damn good to F with it.
- MattStrat

On the flip side, Crosby, Guentzel, and whomever were absolutely dominant at 5v5 the prior season.

He played in the leafs top 6 lots and never seemed to be able to handle it. Crosby and Malkin are great but the leafs top 6 is hardly much of a downgrade really though. I like Kapanen and hope he figures it out but I see 3rd line winger with top 6 fill in player. Seems like his feet work faster then his brain but maybe it will click for him there.
- Hatt

The big difference between here and Toronto though is you have much better RW and RH options, so he'll get a longer look here. He's going to compete with Bryan Rust for top PP time and Evan Rodrigues for top 6 time. Easier than Marner and Nylander.

Both teams are great at top 2 center. Toronto has the better RWs, while Pens are stronger at LW.

One thing that was blatantly obvious about Kappy is any time he was placed with good talent he sucked.

He’s always been a guy that’s better in a 3rd line scoring role against average comp. hope he works out for you guys but you will be disappointed if you think he will have a boom in production.
- Santo_44

Scoring boom no, bump yes.

This worries me more than anything. Hockey IQ is way underrated, IMO. Seems we have stocked up on talented players with questionable / slow decision-making this off-season (Kap, Matheson, Ceci). We also added guys who are probably smart players but lack talent (Jankowski, Rodrigues, Sceviour).
- Hockey66

That's fair and it's becoming a bigger deal to many scouts as the most important attribute. Guentzel is a good example as a lot of guys who skate faster and shoot harder accomplish less than him because he has great hockey sense.

The beauty of this statement is that some of Crosby’s best line mates were more naturally third liners. Dupois, army, etc. this might work out perfectly

This worries me more than anything. Hockey IQ is way underrated, IMO. Seems we have stocked up on talented players with questionable / slow decision-making this off-season (Kap, Matheson, Ceci). We also added guys who are probably smart players but lack talent (Jankowski, Rodrigues, Sceviour).
- Hockey66

I thought he played well with Matthews. He had some good stretches there but when the guy he was filling in for came back from injury he'd be pushed down again. He's similar to Grabner, he can skate like the wind but doesn't have the best hands. He's scored the odd breakaway but flubbed way more. Loved watching him on the PK, getting around the attacking defense. Would have loved it a lot more if he had some more shorties though. If there's anyone who can help him out though, it's Crosby.

There were some of us here who thought Sully should swap Zucker and Jake.

Yeah, Jake-Geno-Rust was one of the best lines in the league this past season and Zucker totally works with Sid.

I'd say lines, as per usual, will be blended as the games go on, unless of course they all play together too damn good to F with it.
- MattStrat

I just like to see the "more" defensively responsible forwards split up (zuck/rust). But wasn't there an article that claimed Kap was very responsible in his own end? If so, i would try to keep zuck and Kap split up.

@MattStrat also if you want to disqualify Hossa because he was barely here, the answer is still Dupuis until proven otherwise.

- joecool2931

Almost all of us I think. I think we all scratched our heads at the top 6 make up in the playoffs.

He played in the leafs top 6 lots and never seemed to be able to handle it. Crosby and Malkin are great but the leafs top 6 is hardly much of a downgrade really though. I like Kapanen and hope he figures it out but I see 3rd line winger with top 6 fill in player. Seems like his feet work faster then his brain but maybe it will click for him there.
- Hatt

The bar is pretty low here. The last guy only scored 6 goals. Thirteen would be a major upgrade.