I find it odd, that despite year after year after year of watching teams win the Stanley cup while rolling 3 scoring lines, people still label guys as top 6 and bottom 6. Lines are built on tandems that generally have a 3rd guy on the line who isn't much by himself, but can play a role and capitalize on what chances his superior line mates can generate for him.
I never knew Phil Kessel was a 3rd line shutdown player.
Chiasson gets brought up as a potential player on Monahan and Gaudreau's line because we don't want to split up other tandems.
Gaudreau - Monahan - ?
? - Bennett - Brouwer
? - Backlund - Frolik
It's up to the GM to fill in those questions marks with bargain contracts, rookie/players on ELC, veterans willing to take a discount to perhaps win, or role players who have enough ability to finish the chances their superior line mates generate for them.
Right now, we lack the depth to fill all of those spots. Tkachuk may fill one, and Ferland will most likely fill one. That still leaves one spot, Chiassion as a reclamation project seems like one worth trying in my eyes.
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