Quote:
Originally Posted by Saqe
I don't like Neal on the third line.
|
Some Penguins fans initially didn't like Kessel on the third line in 2016, the year they stomped their way through the playoffs.
Neal is not as good as Kessel, but conceptually you want a team where opponents are constantly picking their poison. Send your top pair out against Gaudreau and your second pair out against Tkachuk's line? Neal's line scores on your third pair.
Kessel needed two very solid linemates in Bonino and Hagelin for that to work, as well as a top six that didn't need to rely on Kessel. I think we've got that second part down as our top six looks solid without Neal. The other part is for Dube and Bennett and Neal to become a dangerous line together. It won't work if Neal is playing with plugs, just as it hasn't worked with Bennett playing with plugs.