Quote:
Originally Posted by topfiverecords
I do agree 100% it’s still part of the game and that’s why our team isn’t having playoff success. Our roster construction is too early for the game of the future.
Right now you still need your speed/skill players to have some size and strength as well as we saw was greatly exposed by Colorado. Sure the pure goon and 4th line mucker days are gone but adding a 3rd liner who adds toughness doesn’t make us materially any better. Lucic is not going to have any impact on our top line (right now Gaudreau - Monahan- Lindholm) being able to drive play in the playoffs and being strong enough to counteract teams with, fast heavy and skilled top lines.
Games aren’t won in scrums and by having an intimidating face on the bench.
Which is why Hathaway was so valuable. He added grit along with motor, penalty kill, and was able to produce a decent amount for the ice time, position and linemates he was given.
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Part of the issue is that keeping Hathaway would have cost $1.5MM per year, while getting Lucic saved $500K per year, for a net difference of $2MM per year. Cap space is very valuable.
This is before taking into account the
thought that Lucic on the bottom 6 is better than Neal on the bottom 6.
I still do not like adding Lucic, but understand where the logic is coming from, when looking at all of the variables.