Quote:
Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus
The bottom 4 forwards that are looking to be shaping up as the season openers for this group are god awful. I don't know what this equates to, but if it looks like below, Treliving is going to need to make a trade. As good as Backlund and Coleman are as 3rd liners, they won't be able to carry this group.
Eakin-Backlund-Coleman
Lucic-Rooney-Lewis
Ruzicka
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Disagree.
Backlund-Coleman, as you note, are above average third line players.
Ruzicka was effective in that role last year when given the opportunity, and is still young. Hasn't had a great camp or shown that he could stretch into a 2nd line role, but he wasn't horrid last year in the bottom 6.
Eakin is an effective bottom line player, very good faceoff guy, and good PK'er.
Lewis is a fine 4th liner and good PK'er.
Rooney has looked good in camp - big, decently fast and defensively responsible - exactly what you are looking for in the bottom 6 although the third line might be a bit of a stretch.
Lucic is a nuclear deterrent and perfectly fine in sheltered 4th line minutes.
Is it Huberdeau, Kadri, EatBread, etc? no.... but it is the 3rd/4th line.
What exactly are you expecting on your bottom lines given there is a salary cap? If that group is "god awful", what would be "acceptable" or even "great"? Have you had a look at what they will be rolling out up north in their bottom 6? How about Vancouver? Seattle? Vegas? LA? SJ? Ducks?
Which team in the Pacific has a significantly better bottom 6 than the Flames, and why?