Quoting: I_Know_Nothing_About_Hockey_Or_Any_Sport2
Johnson has had several amazing playoff performances, as has Palat. Palat had injury problems last year, but has looked like his old self again this year. Johnson isn’t amazing, but he did score 30g last year with Kucherov, so he’s a perfect supporting player who becomes even better in the playoffs.
As far as doing the dirty work is concerned, Gourde does that. So does Maroon, Witkowski, Smith, and Killorn. Maybe Joseph. Palat once did, but he has trouble staying healthy so that might change. So would Stephens if we need it. The question isn’t whether we have the talent - we do. It’s just a matter of whether we’d be holding stars back by giving them pretty good instead of elite linemates.
Like I said. Most of the players you listed before are of no help. They don't go to the dirty areas and when they do they can't win those battles.
So now you rattle off a list of other guys, who frankly, aren't really good and not even regulars. That doesn't bode well for this conversation and it's why I'm done with it.
You want to call this team the HBK line penguins. But that team had a guy on every line willing to battle. Hags was on the 3rd, Rust on the 2nd, and they dropped 5 foot nothing Sheary for Kunitz because much like your line up here he was to small to do a damn thing to help. And when healthy they had hornqvist who despite not being the biggest guy, is know to be a dirty areas player.
This team lacks that kind of help. Period. I don't know why you try to argue it. You can't go out there with 1/2 the top 9 under 6 feet and expect to win many board battles. It just doesn't work that way.