3 vs 3 who has the biggest advantage?

[Pyrophorus]

1. Matthews-McDavid-MacKinnon - Two speed demons with Matthews choking probably giving up the puck, so nah.

What evidence do you have that this has happened once?
The truth is, he'll be the trigger man at 1st.

 

[JAK]

What evidence do you have that this has happened once?
The truth is, he'll be the trigger man at 1st.

He's been the trigger man for the Leafs and how far has that brought them when it counts the most? not even 4 wins every year.

 

[KIRK]

The Ovechkin trio has 22 goals combined in 3-on-3 OT since its inception

They should easily be winning this poll. MacK isn’t good in 3on3

Malkin isn't good at 3 on 3 either. I write that as a Pens fan.

As much as anything, 3 on 3 hockey is about playing smart without the puck. Especially defensively.

For group 1, Mac is a relatively weak link, at least according to you. Killer trio with the puck. Not so much without it. Close 2nd best trio with the puck and 2nd best without it.

For group 2, Malkin is a relatively weak link (and I'm not exactly enamored with Ovy's defensive game 3 on 3). IMHO the 3rd best trio with the puck and the 3rd best without it.

For group 3, IMHO they're the best with the puck. Love that first groups speed, but I'll go this group by a hair offensively. Defensively? The worst of the lot.

Group 4? Worst with the puck and best without it defensively.

Man, this is tough.

Me? Group 1 by a hair, then group3, group 4, and group 2 in that order.

 

[Stive Morgan]

I'd take Matthews-McDavid-MacKinnon specifically for McDavid and his speed.

 

[Varan]

Malkin isn't good at 3 on 3 either. I write that as a Pens fan.

As much as anything, 3 on 3 hockey is about playing smart without the puck. Especially defensively.

For group 1, Mac is a relatively weak link, at least according to you. Killer trio with the puck. Not so much without it. Close 2nd best trio with the puck and 2nd best without it.

For group 2, Malkin is a relatively weak link (and I'm not exactly enamored with Ovy's defensive game 3 on 3). IMHO the 3rd best trio with the puck and the 3rd best without it.

For group 3, IMHO they're the best with the puck. Love that first groups speed, but I'll go this group by a hair offensively. Defensively? The worst of the lot.

Group 4? Worst with the puck and best without it defensively.

Man, this is tough.

Me? Group 1 by a hair, then group3, group 4, and group 2 in that order.

To me what matters most are results, and the second trio have absolutely torched the 3-on-3 OT system. With the puck, they're practically impossible to get the puck off of. Their peak possession stats (especially OV) are video-game like.

The best defense is offense

 

[Xirik]

I think the the 3rd one is the best simply because the others 3s all seem to all have the same toolset while the 3rd one each player brings a different thing to the line.
Forsberg is one of the best passers to play the game
Lindros one of the greatest power-forwards who could force himself through other players
Jagr's ability to play keep away with the puck

And they all can score.

 

[AKL]

Give me Datsyuk-Bergeron-Fedorov as the best defensive trio by a massive landslide. Doesn't hurt that They're also among the best stick handlers/puck control guys. Not really worried about the McDavid lines speed when you have 9-10 Selke's between the three players.

 

[McRpro]

Let's be honest here, all four of those lines would be dominant. Flip a coin.

 

[Pyrophorus]

He's been the trigger man for the Leafs and how far has that brought them when it counts the most? not even 4 wins every year.

I forgot we have 3vs3 in the playoffs.

Keep moving the goalposts, even if its not the topic.
6pts in 5g, these playoffs
6pts in 7g, last playoffs...he's doing his job.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr

This trio could cycle the puck endlessly until someone scored an easy goal.

 

[Stamkos4life]

This is ovi - crosby - malkin and it isn't close.

 

[Stamkos4life]

OV, Crosby, Malkin. Not close either.

-3 of the 4 best players (Jagr)
-only trio in which each player has a ross, hart, lindsay and smythe
-only trio with a rocket winner (2/3)
-only trio in which each player has come top 10 in goals and assists in the same season (multiple times for each player)

Clearly the best offensive trio, by a country mile. Not sure if people's memory is fuzzy, but peak OV and Crosby were excellent skaters. OV brings goals, assists, speed, skill and physicality (200+ hits a season). Crosby brings goals, assists, speed, skill and 2 way play. Malkin brings goals, assists, skill and the most game breaking ability of anyone listed. Easy choice.

This. I think to many are voting option 1 based solely on mcdavid.

 

[authentic]

Malkin isn't good at 3 on 3 either. I write that as a Pens fan.

As much as anything, 3 on 3 hockey is about playing smart without the puck. Especially defensively.

For group 1, Mac is a relatively weak link, at least according to you. Killer trio with the puck. Not so much without it. Close 2nd best trio with the puck and 2nd best without it.

For group 2, Malkin is a relatively weak link (and I'm not exactly enamored with Ovy's defensive game 3 on 3). IMHO the 3rd best trio with the puck and the 3rd best without it.

For group 3, IMHO they're the best with the puck. Love that first groups speed, but I'll go this group by a hair offensively. Defensively? The worst of the lot.

Group 4? Worst with the puck and best without it defensively.

Man, this is tough.

Me? Group 1 by a hair, then group3, group 4, and group 2 in that order.

You think Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr would be the worst group without the puck? Am I reading this right? They are easily 2nd best here in that regard.

 

[authentic]

I forgot we have 3vs3 in the playoffs.

Keep moving the goalposts, even if its not the topic.
6pts in 5g, these playoffs
6pts in 7g, last playoffs...he's doing his job.

Not to mention he's an above average defensive player whether people believe it or not.

 

[authentic]

To me what matters most are results, and the second trio have absolutely torched the 3-on-3 OT system. With the puck, they're practically impossible to get the puck off of. Their peak possession stats (especially OV) are video-game like.

The best defense is offense

There's a good chance they are being very underrated here.

 

[wetcoast]

I gotta go with the Lindros line. Just way too physically dominant.

I went with them strictly on possession play but this is a hard poll as it's on paper and really any option might be the best real world option.

 

[wetcoast]

I get the feeling you haven't watched Bure. There's a lot of question. Tons.

When a guy's 'thing' is to take the puck behind his own net and go end to end, he's a pretty good skater. The shear number of breakaways Bure would get because of his speed, was ridiculous. And this is the in days of no two-line passes. What Bure did with the puck at top speed made entire lines look silly.

That goal early on against NJ is simply brilliant, even if there was a pick play on Nieds.

Bure was certainly one of the most electrifying and exciting players to ever play hockey but he does get under rated at times..

 

[KIRK]

You think Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr would be the worst group without the puck? Am I reading this right? They are easily 2nd best here in that regard.

No, I don't you're reading what I meant right, although the fault is with me for not using the phrase 'without the puck' consistently in my post . . .

For group 3, IMHO they're the best with the puck. Love that first groups speed, but I'll go this group by a hair offensively. Defensively? The worst of the lot.

Thing is, the phrase 'without the puck' can refer to offensively or defensively. For at least one of the groups, I think group 4, I used it to refer to both. BUT, for the Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr group, I specifically said their defense was the worst of the four options but in saying they're the best offensively I intended to imply that included without the puck (I preferred their possession game upon gaining entry to group 1's speed game).

BUT, it was that line without the puck defensively only that is why I picked group 1 first.

Apologies for the imprecise language.

 

[authentic]

No, I don't you're reading what I meant right, although the fault is with me for not using the phrase 'without the puck' consistently in my post . . .

For group 3, IMHO they're the best with the puck. Love that first groups speed, but I'll go this group by a hair offensively. Defensively? The worst of the lot.

Thing is, the phrase 'without the puck' can refer to offensively or defensively. For at least one of the groups, I think group 4, I used it to refer to both. BUT, for the Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr group, I specifically said their defense was the worst of the four options but in saying they're the best offensively I intended to imply that included without the puck (I preferred their possession game upon gaining entry to group 1's speed game).

BUT, it was that line without the puck defensively only that is why I picked group 1 first.

Apologies for the imprecise language.

Defensively Lindros and Forsberg are better than Crosby and Malkin though, or MacKinnon and McDavid or Matthews, so I still disagree.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I forgot we have 3vs3 in the playoffs.

Keep moving the goalposts, even if its not the topic.
6pts in 5g, these playoffs
6pts in 7g, last playoffs...he's doing his job.

Matthews also had 5 points in six games against Washington in the 2017 playoffs.

 

[Mez]

Here is an example of Matthews shot in overtime playing 3v3.

Such a beautiful wrist shot he has.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Such a beautiful wrist shot he has.

It reminds me of Joe Sakic's wrist shot.

 

[DFC]

Tough one. I keep looking the Lindros trio and thinking, "They would be impossible to defend," though. Three guys with very different styles.

 

[Thenameless]

Forsberg-Lindros-Jagr

Forsberg and Jagr are puck possession monsters that would wear opponents down. Lindros is the best of all players on faceoffs. Lindros and Forsberg are decent at checking, and the most physically intimidating of the bunch, along with peak Ovechkin. Peak Jagr is possibly the most offensively gifted of the bunch.

The Crosby group is also very good, and would win their fair share. And it would be fun to watch McDavid and MacKinnon flying around at speed, but I don't think they're as good as the other two trios.

And never mind the more defensive trio. They're in last place where they belong.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Ovi- Cros-Malkin

the first trio will win because people see “ZOMG SPEED!!!1” but MacKinnon stinks at 3on3 so it’s not just about speed