Quote:
Originally Posted by heep223
I actually don't think the Flames need a top line RWer. There were plenty of holes on the stanley cup winning teams of the past 10 years. Not a single one of them had 6 legitimate "top 6" forwards.
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They did, but "top 6 production" is not "top line production". Second liners like Frolik and Backlund have top 6 production especially at 5v5. Now what you're talking about is top line production, and I would say you want
four 55-70 point forwards and at least one of them should shoot with different handedness from the others. Ideally two of the four should play centre. That is pretty consistent a trend IMO. If they don't hit 55+ that season they still have to be guys who have done it in the recent past/immediate future and can summon it up in the playoffs. If you only have three such forwards then you need even more elite capability from them.
2006 Hurricanes
C Brind'Amour L
C Staal L
W Williams R
W Stillman L
2007 Ducks
C McDonald L
W Selanne R
C Getzlaf R
W Kunitz L
2008 Red Wings
C Datsyuk L
C Zetterberg L
W Franzen L
W Holmstrom L
2009 Penguins
C Malkin L
C Crosby L
W Kunitz L
2010/13/15 Blackhawks
C Toews L
W Kane L
W Hossa L
C Sharp R (2010)
W Sharp R (2013/2015)
2011 Bruins
W Horton R
C Krejci R
W Lucic L
C Bergeron R
2012 Kings
C Kopitar L
W Carter R
W Williams R
W Brown R
2014 Kings
C Kopitar L
C Carter R
W Gaborik R
W Williams R
2016 Penguins
Crosby L
Malkin L
Kessel R
There are gonna be exceptions but I think that is the blueprint. I guess we're banking on guys like Brouwer and Chiasson to compensate the handed-ness, with Tkachuk/Bennett/Monahan/Gaudreau as our four expected 55+ point guys.