Quote:
Originally Posted by 1qqaaz
Except players with zero skills can suck the offensive capabilities out of the entire line.
Remember when Chiasson played with Johnny and Monahan? The entire line suffered. because the puck always died on Chiasson's stick.
Plus, the league is very full of parity. Even the smallest differences can result in wins or losses.
Imagine a 4th line with 3 Tom Kostopulous's. He got 22 points (amazingly consistent) every year. That's 66 points coming from a 4th line.
Imagine a 4th line with 3 Peluso's. They each get 3 points a year. That's 9 points total.
In a league with parity, the team with 3 Kostopulous's can and will win a lot more games. The difference between a 92% goaltending and a 91% goaltender is huge. Same goes for the difference between a Peluso and a Jankowski.
|
Completely different situation. First line compared to the fourth.
Having a face puncher on the checking line has value in creating space for the smaller skilled players. It's the nuclear threat theory. I think it was a Netflix special that interviewed Big Ern about how Cammy told him that he could feel the difference in space on the ice when Ern was sitting on the bench.