Flames Projected Lines:
Jiri Hudler - Mikael Backlund - Lee Stempniak
Mike Cammalleri - Sean Monahan - Joe Colborne
Lance Bouma - Matt Stajan - David Jones
Kevin Westgarth - TJ Galiardi - Brian McGrattan
TJ Brodie - Mark Giordano
Kris Russell - Chris Butler
Ladislav Smid - Dennis Wideman
Reto Berra
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fischy13
I may be be looking with rose colored glasses, but looking closely at this lineup I really like it, and am not really surprised they have won 5 in a row. With Backs playing the way he is, that fits well, Mony fits #2 right now, Stajan is a good #3, and I like the wingers there. I dig this.
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I agree that the center situation is probably the best it's been in years, but the wingers are out of position or just not up to snuff. Being honest, Backlund is probably a 2nd line center and Monahan might project to being a top line center, but isn't there now. Stajan is fine at 3rd line center, but I wouldn't mind a bit more size at that position. Colborne is fine as the 4th line center, but Knight is a very real possibility there as well.
Hudler and Cammalleri are both realistically 2nd line LWers but have been playing above position all year and are very undersized. Bouma has elevated his play to deserve 3rd line winger, but could be just as easily on the 4th line.
The right wing situation is terrible. Stempniak is realistically a 3rd line winger who gets hot streaks a couple times a year. Colborne is a natural center playing out of position, but is passable as a winger…just not a 2nd line winger. Jones has the style of game to be a 3rd line banger, but not the finish. Not enough offense from that line for my liking.
Westgarth and McGrattan on the 4th line is ok when they get 5-10 mins. a night, but good teams need defensive players with the odd offensive outburst. We can get by with one of them long term, but not both. Galiardi is passable as a 4th line winger, but not at center, and ideally is not an NHL regular on a good team.
Basically we have way too many guys playing above their natural position and guys that are borderline players. Don't get me started on the defense and goaltending.
I like the way they are playing, for sure, but we still have a lot of holes to fill to make a playoff team, mostly at the top of the lineup.