Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
I think part of the concerns that some have is that the playoff series was a continuation of the main second half concern - the play of the top forwards.
The team was carried in the second half, by everyone else. The top line stopped producing.
So some of the theories are valid to propose
- There is a fitness issue with some of those players such that they trail off as the season goes on
- Teams adjusted to their play and they were unable to readjust
- Teams realized they can easily take those players off their game by frustrating them by being more physical
Either way, what happened in the playoffs was in some ways a continuation of things that were happening for the balance of the second half. So I don't fully buy that it was a small sample size.
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IMO i'm just as concerned about Backlund's ability to perform in the playoffs as I am with monahan or gaudreau's.
The other thing that happened to that top line was Lindholm's shooting percentage in the last 41 games of the year dropped by half.
Loved what he brought this year but IMO it looks like the Flames are still looking for a bonafide top 6 scorer.