Quote:
Originally Posted by CGY12
McKinnon, Point, Crosby, Backstrom, Toews, Kopitar, Bergeron, Datsyuk and Getzlaf, all #1 centres on cup winning teams dating back 15 years.
Please tell me who he compares too and "even tops" on this list in terms of skillset? I'd literally rather have every single one of those players over Lindholm as my #1 centre. All of those players have the capability to step on the ice and control the pace of the game and the skillset to gain the o zone with relative ease.
Like I said Lindholm is an awesome player, he's very useful and produces statistically, but he lacks the ability to carry and control the puck, which is a vital skill to have for your #1 centre in the playoffs. You are seeing it this year without Johnny, he looks less dangerous playing with 2 guys who can't do it either and this is our #1 line. His ideal spot is 2nd line C on a championship caliber team, behind a player that's the caliber of anybody I mentioned above.
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He’s one of the best defensive forwards in the league, playing better on that side of the puck than bottom six guys who specialize in it (spends more time short handed than most of the league and still produces), and he’s a number one because he can bring the offence as well. He’s excellent on faceoffs and I think you’re wrong by about his ability to carry and control the puck. Of course he looks less dangerous offensively without two 100+ point players on his wing. Literally every guy you named looks less dangerous with weaker wingers, and few of them are exceptional enough to look completely dangerous on their own.
He’s comparable to Bergeron, Backstrom, O’Rielly, Toews, Kopitar, Getzlaf, Krejci, etc. I think when you balance out offence and defence, he’s better than Backstrom, O’Rielly, Toews, Kopitar, and Krejci. You can disagree, and that’s fine, but saying he can’t be a number one on a stanley cup winning team is lazy and dumb.