Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
The fourth line is a cheap hockey player zone that won't ...
a) hurt you defensively (hopefully)
b) destroy the development of your prospects with limited opportunity.
If you want to play your top six forwards more you play your bottom three less.
If a prospect blows you away in camp you try and fit them in on the top three lines.
If that doesn't happen you break camp with the established players and hope that a prospect is ready when someone gets hurt.
We haven't seen the injury yet, but some kids are progressing very well.
What isn't practical (or a necessity) about all that?
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They issue is Sutter plays the 4th line more at the expense go the top two lines. If he was limiting them to 5-6 minutes a game it might be ok not to have prospects or players who provide offensive punch. When they get the amount of ice time they get they sort of have to produce something.
Even worse is Sutter doesn't play match ups and many times the pluggers get caught against the other teams top player's.