Quote:
Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix
Colborne holds onto the puck too long and doesn't do enough with it to play with a guy like Johnny IMO. Gaudreau needs linemates that will let him hold on to the puck and control the offensive tempo. Colborne and Gaudreau aren't well-suited to play with each other in my view.
|
While I do agree that Colborne can hold onto the puck too long, I don't think they are as bad of a pair as you think.
Gaudreau's talents suit that of a playmaker. Sure, he leads out team in goals, but that's because he often has people like Ferland or Jones on his line. Gaudreau, as we all know, prefers to pass than shoot.
Colborne is tripling Ferland in goals with only about 10% more minutes played. I think Gaudreau needs to be paired with people that can actually finish. He needs to be paired with large and skillful people.
I don't think Colborne is anything more than a third liner, maybe a second liner when he's playing well. He doesn't use his size enough, and he can't bring the puck into the offensive zone. But at least he has has a level of offensive awareness that separates him from Ferland, Bouma, and Jooris.
But frankly, I don't actually mind Ferland being on the top line. He's young, so there's always a chance that a great opportunity can spark some of his apparent upside. A top 3 pick is what matters in the long term. So this is actually a good situation.