Quote:
Originally Posted by mdubz
They need someone who can finish.
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Not especially. They need someone who can drive play and get them the puck so
they can finish.
That would be someone with
1) Puck skills to enter the zone cleanly (which Ferland has to a very underrated extent)
2) Speed, size, and forechecking skill for when they are forced to dump the puck to enter the zone (Which Ferland is the best player on this roster at, as his foot speed is quite a few levels ahead of the likes of Chiasson and Versteeg)
3) The ability to support the breakout along the walls and get Monny, Johnny, or Brodie the puck to start the rush (Which Ferland has shown capable of doing, thanks to his strength in wall battles and his awareness to find the open man down the middle)
4) Tight passing skills out of corners on the cycle (Which Ferland showed is a strength of his) so that Gaudreau and Monahan can get in better areas to create plays.
Ferland, barring the acquisition of actual star wingers like Ondrej Palat, Mark Stone, Tyler Toffoli, or Blake Wheeler, is the best winger for them.