Quote:
Originally Posted by taxbuster
What better time to find out if he actually *can*?
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Ferland has one of the most dangerous shots on this team along with Hamilton and Monahan. After that you've probably got Giordano, Jankowski and Tkachuk. Then you've got Gaudreau, Backlund, and Bennett.
Even if Lazar isn't as bad as his numbers, he's shown no ability to beat goaltenders cleanly the way the above guys have. And I acknowledge Bennett's had a miserable season shooting the puck, but he's also previously scored more goals in one game than Lazar has all season. It's not really an opportunity thing, it's a beating goalies thing. Lazar can't. Compounding that with Bennett's poor season accomplishes nothing - it drags Bennett down and it drags Lazar down. Lazar's fit in well being a playmaker setting up Brouwer. He's earned a move up the lineup, perhaps replacing Frolik or Hathaway. Having him replace Ferland is just masochistic. Ferland's trailed off a bit not coincidentally as Monahan's play fell off the map with the injury - but he's a pure finisher who also brings a lot of other elements.