Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
I think the goal has to be to build 4 effective lines, and Ferly is a good "3rd wheel" on that 1st line, which then means that Treliving needs to find a top tier RW'er to play with Bennett and Jankowski. On top of that, I'd also want them to get another "3rd wheel" that we could use on the Backlund line, pushing Frolik to the 4th to help make that line stronger, alongside a new 4th line centre.
Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - New addition
Bennett - Jankowski - New addition
Frolik - New addition - Lazar
Shore
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I agree with that the goal is to build 4 effective lines. I also agree that Ferland fits just fine on the 1st line.
Where we differ I guess is that I think Backlund should be anchoring an elite two-way checking line. I don't think Backlund's offensive ceiling is as high as Jankowski/Bennett's. I think Backlund in an ideal world is an elite 3rd line centre. Therefore I'd want Jankowski fast tracked into being a #2 centre (unless they decide Bennett is up to the task). The way to do that IMO is to put Tkachuk as the offensive driver on that 2nd line. Who plays RW on that line? It'd have to be a new guy, Foo, or you could put both Tkachuk and Bennett on Janko's wing but that is a very inexperienced line.
My point was that the fastest way to get Bennett and Jankowski contributing may be to split them up and put them on lines when they aren't being asked to be the main offensive driver of the line.
For example imagine we got a guy like Kessel (but substitute whatever RW you want). You could have
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Kessel
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Klimchuk-Shore-Lazar
That puts both Jankowski and Bennett in easy situations to succeed. Jankowski would centre two elite offensive wingers making his job a lot easier and probably raising his confidence level quickly and permanently. Bennett with Backlund-Frolik isn't asking Bennett to be a star but he'd likely gain a lot of confidence playing on a strong, fast, two-way line like that.
Frolik is fine as a 3rd line winger. He's a bit too far up in the lineup to be a 2nd line winger IMO. I don't think he needs to be pushed to the 4th line.
In your scenario Bennett-Jankowski-new guy still pairs two young skilled guys who struggled with offensive confidence for most of last season. Why not make things easier on them and split them up? Its easier for them to succeed surrounded by proven offensive contributors rather than keeping them together and hoping they gain offensive confidence when that's what they struggled with last year. I see more potential for them to struggle in you keep them together as if they go through a dry spell they can both lose confidence at the same time. Splitting them up and surrounding them with proven talent makes it more likely they gain offensive confidence early and keep it.