Quote:
Originally Posted by The Cobra
Well, this year, Backlund hasn't been producing much offense in a top 6 role, same for Mangi.
Dube is a goal scorer in the minors getting top 6 minutes. He's done little offensively in the bottom 6.
At the end of the day, the Flames offense from the bottom 6 is likely as responsible for their large deficit in goal differential as the top 6 decreased production.
it's been a total team effort, and will require a total team effort to improve.
I agree that adding 2 new top 6 players is a step in the right direction.
But I'll need to see those results before I anoint the team with 2 first lines and 2 3rd lines, which is generally what the top Stanley Cup contenders have going for them.
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You are looking at this year where players aren't slotted optimally. Backlund will produce more from the centre. Mangiapane - fair enough, though I suspect he's going to be a lot like Frolik, who produced enough to be called a good 3rd line winger at the very least.
And Dube is going to produce. You can just tell. He's got 4 goals, 10 points in 26 games at age 21, in his first real season in the NHL. That's something like a 32 point pace and he's only getting better. It's 4 times his goals and double his points from last year.
Sure, results are what determines it, but I don't think anyone in the league thinks Tkachuk, Lindholm, Gaudreau and Monahan are "second line" NHLers, no matter what this year's stats say.