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Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
Were you watching him last year? Peters has a long history with Lindholm.
Why is he a good fit on the top line? Finishing, playmaking, puck protection, grit along the boards and in front of the net, hockey sense, can take right side face offs, is a right shot, good defensive play.
Why wouldn’t he be a good fit?
Czarnik is too small to play opposite Gaudreau, that line would never win a board battle.
Dube too inexperienced to play there yet and I’m not sure he’s ever played RW.
There’s 3 realistic options for that spot. It’s either Lindholm, Neal or Tkachuk. I don’t think anyone else makes sense.
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Agreed, Lindholm is 100% the 1RW for me, especially while Monahan strengthens his wrist. Good on faceoffs, right shot opens up many more shooting lanes than having all left shots on the line, and much faster and better in his 200 foot game. Neal is a reasonable extra forward on PP1, but I don't see him with Gaudreau and Monahan in any other role.
Plus Tkachuk-Backlund-Czarnik look like a great balanced line you can trust in any zone that can also rack up the points.
That leaves Neal with Bennett and Ryan, and there's a lot to like about that line, too, again with players that can take draws on both sides of the ice, as well as a lot of sandpaper, and playing a few minutes less each game could keep Neal at the top of his game a bit longer.
And who can complain about a 4th line of Dube-Janko-Frolik? I think Frolik will be able to keep up with the young guns on this line, and he could be a great teacher and example for the younger players on this line. The only concern here might be the lack of a right shot, but having no right shot on your 4th line is your biggest problem in the forward positions, you're in pretty good shape.