Quote:
Originally Posted by bigrangy
There's no such thing as a 4th line role in the NHL in 2023.
Every player on every line is expected to outperform the guys he goes up against on the ice. The best way to outperform the other guy is to be better at hockey, faster, bigger, smarter, better hands, whatever combination of those that you need. Phillips can hypothetically be good using his good passing and good puck pursuit.
The Flames 4th line gets easy zone starts, easy matchups, and sheltered ice time. That Lewis and Lucic are still failing says that they're not very good at hockey anymore, and that they're still being allowed to fail says that the coach and management group don't understand that it is possible to have all 12 of your forwards be actual good players.
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Lucic, sure. Lewis is just fine.