Ovechkin - MacKinnon - Kucherov Or Kariya - Lindros - Jagr?

[DitchMarner]

Unbelievable combinations of skill, strength and speed.

Which line would be better if every player was at his best? Consider overall impact, not just scoring.

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[blundluntman]

Skill wise, you could argue it's a wash between the two trios. Chemistry-wise, I think the 90s trio works a bit better. The main problem with the modern trio is Ovi and Mackinnon afaic.

Peak Ovi and peak Mackinnon stylistically have a lot of overlaps which basically means one will have to take the backseat and won't be able to utilize their skills quite as effectively (likely Mackinnon). They both like to occupy the same area of the ice on PPs, both attack the ice similarly on the rush when they have enough space, and both use their skillset to create space in a similar fashion. If one was to take the backseat (and occupy a different area of the ice), I wonder if the other would be quite as effective from shift to shift rhythm wise. Kucherov would work well with either player though.

On the other hand, while Jagr and Lindros are both strong and surprisingly skilled players, I think the spacing for the two would work better positionally and transition-wise. I also think Kariya's skillset would force defenses to respect all three players equally, especially considering they could all coexist positionally.

 

[bobholly39]

This one is so much closer than the other poll with McDavid, Bure etc.

In terms of "best players" I could legitimately rationalize either/or. Kariya didn't have as good a career as some of these guys, but in terms of skills/ability I don't really have any issue seeing him here, I don't think he'd be any type of weak link, he'd hold his own.

I feel as though line 2 would have better chemistry, so voted for that one. Close though

 

[JackSlater]

Pretty comfortably the second line in terms of effectiveness, Jag and Lindros would keep the puck most of the time.

 

[Caps8112]

depends heavily on which era and rules that are being used. If they played todays game the first line skates circles around the 2nd and feasts on lindros's "now dirty play". If you use the 90s rules Ovi may be able to hold his own but the other two likely are manhandled by the Scott Stevens type players that dont exist today. 3rd and 4th lines of the 90s were pretty much there to cheat as much as possible. different eras.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Kariya - Lindros - Jagr for me.. the other line would have no answer for Lindros and Jagr hanging onto the puck forever and Kariya gives them a super fast and skilled guy to complement them..

 

[Janvonpobben]

eh how is not lindros, jagr and kariya winning?

 

[Nemesis Prime]

eh how is not lindros, jagr and kariya winning?

recency bias

 

[Midnight Judges]

If you use the 90s rules Ovi may be able to hold his own...

IMO Ovie would thrive. None of those 80s/90s goons could skate with Ovie, and anyone who could skate with him is far smaller and less powerful. Ovie has also demonstrated excellent on-ice awareness. It's not uncommon that a player thinks they are going to hit him and they end up taking the worst of it.

Recall that the NHL suspended Ovie repeatedly for hits that, in the 90s, are not suspendable offenses.

 

[Mirka the Turka]

Ovechkin >>> Kariya

Mackinnon > Lindros

Kucherov = Jagr (prime for prime)

 

[GeeoffBrown]

I feel like with that Kariya-Lindros-Jagr line, the other team would never touch the puck

 

[Fataldogg]

Lindros and Jagr would be a nightmare for defenders. I don't think there is a pair in the league that would be able to handle it. They would absolutely wear their opponents down physically. Kariya is a good complimentary piece as well. If this is at their peak, clutching, grabbing, checking, etc not much is slowing down Lindros and Jagr.

 

[tabness]

90s players ainec

 

[Arthuros]

Peak vs peak makes this the 90's trio pretty comfortably.

 

[centipede2233]

Gonna go with 90’s line. Lindros in his prime came as advertised. A dominant power forward. I also think kariya and Jagr compliment lindros better then the modern line. Also the modern line has 2 Russians on it which by default internationally they would suck.

 

[Sky04]

Skill wise is a wash, Mackinnon/Ovechkin - Kucherov could create some dangerous rush chances but the cycle and possession game of the 2nd line would be significantly better.

 

[um]

nvm.

 

[Janvonpobben]

Gonna go with 90’s line. Lindros in his prime came as advertised. A dominant power forward. I also think kariya and Jagr compliment lindros better then the modern line. Also the modern line has 2 Russians on it which by default internationally they would suck.

Yeah the russians are overrates for sure

 

[rogking65]

IMO Ovie would thrive. None of those 80s/90s goons could skate with Ovie, and anyone who could skate with him is far smaller and less powerful. Ovie has also demonstrated excellent on-ice awareness. It's not uncommon that a player thinks they are going to hit him and they end up taking the worst of it.

Recall that the NHL suspended Ovie repeatedly for hits that, in the 90s, are not suspendable offenses.

I guarantee that Linbdros hitting Ovechkin would generally not result in Lindros getting the worst of it

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Good poll.

depends heavily on which era and rules that are being used. If they played todays game the first line skates circles around the 2nd and feasts on lindros's "now dirty play". If you use the 90s rules Ovi may be able to hold his own but the other two likely are manhandled by the Scott Stevens type players that dont exist today. 3rd and 4th lines of the 90s were pretty much there to cheat as much as possible. different eras.

I had a different reaction, in that it'd be even easier for the 90s trio to dominate the puck today since teams could use less obstruction/hacking to take it away from them. And then Kariya in particular is a player who was built for today's NHL.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Ovechkin >>> Kariya

Mackinnon > Lindros

Kucherov = Jagr (prime for prime)

Eh Jagr is pretty obviously a superior player to Kucherov IMO.

I guarantee that Linbdros hitting Ovechkin would generally not result in Lindros getting the worst of it

Indeed there are players who are larger and stronger than Ovechkin. Not many, but Lindros is among them.

Thing is, Lindros is not able to skate with peak Ovechkin, and Ovie has demonstrated supreme on-ice awareness over the course of his career. He's not so easy to line up. It's not for a lack of trying.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Kariya, Lindros, and Jagr would absolutely dominate this era. It would be a close match, but Jagr and Lindros were machines with the puck; it was hard to get it off of them. Kariya, with the speed, smarts, and awareness, it would be magical to see them together.

 

[McPoyle]

Good comparison. Would vote tie if I could.

 

[dahrougem2]

Pretty easily the Ovechkin - MacKinnon - Kucherov line.

The blend of Kucherov's insane vision/sense/passing, MacKinnon's speed/strength, and the greatest goal scorer in NHL history would be too much to handle.

 

[Craig Button]

Replace Kariya with Brendan Shanahan.

Shanahan - Lindros - Jagr