Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
To some extent it's changing for sure, but it can only go so far.
The average NHL game has only 47 minutes of five on five hockey. Last year the Flames had a rough split of the following, and I doubt it's too off from other teams.
Top three forwards - 14 minutes
Next three - 13 minutes
Next three - 11 minutes
Bottom three - 9 minutes
That adds up to 47 so it seems right.
You can't really blend the lines and have three guys only playing 9 minutes unless they're your stalwarts on the PK.
So I still think you have a cut off after three lines to some degree.
I get that the Flames have 10 top 9 forwards technically, so Jankowski may be the odd man out and center that line unless he proves he should be moved up.
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The Flames did have Brouwer and Stajan, who were everyday players that shouldn't have had jobs last season. There are much more competent players playing down the lineup that should make that spread much more even this year. Maybe a 13, 12, 11, 11 average E/S split is attainable with a line juggler like Peters.