Quote:
Originally Posted by FanIn80
Generally speaking, the championship model is two scoring lines, a shutdown line and an energy/bruiser line. Fedorov allowed Detroit to have two scoring lines, two shutdown lines and an energy/bruiser line.
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That's just the model in general, ever since the NHL has had a 20-man lineup. Last-place teams are just as likely to follow it as championship teams. They have the same roles, just not the same quality of players to fill those roles.
What makes champions different is one of two things: either they have better talent than other teams at the top of the roster, or more depth at the bottom, so that the fourth line is contributing more than just ‘energy/bruiser’. Ideally, of course, you have both. (The '89 Flames had 50-goal scorers on each of the top two lines, and Theo Fleury playing on the fourth line.)
The Flames this year are in an odd position, because their best two offensive centres are also their best two defensive centres. The template for that looks a little different from the standard model, because the ‘checking line’ role doesn't really exist as such.
A one-dimensional offensive player usually gets a shot on the second line, which has plenty of scoring opportunities but isn't usually up against the opponent's top line. On a team constructed this way, a player like that is likely to slot on the third line. When it works, that gives you good secondary scoring punch, with minimal loss of defensive ability because the top two lines are good on both sides of the puck. When the Flames have been on their game, that's kind of what we've been seeing.
At present, Jarnkrok isn't performing well enough offensively to be a 3C in this arrangement, and Carpenter was never expected to. It's up to Dube and Ruzicka. If one of those two can grab the spot and keep it, secondary scoring will pick up and the team will be fine. If not, there will be trouble.