Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandman
If you have a team full of Ewoks, you will get steamrolled, especially in the playoffs. Whether some fans like it or not, hockey is a contact sport, with 50/50 battles in all 3 zones. As long as it remains a contact sport, size will always be important- and NHL GM’s think like me. Skill and speed are still the most important traits, but you need size too.
Every draft, the small guys fall, and the big guys rise. Every trade deadline, teams are looking for size and physicality, see Tanner Jeannot, Barclay Goodrow,etc. How many guys are in the league that are Stankoven’s size? Not that many.
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You need both. Take the Tampa Bay Lightning, they had a good mix. Average forward height in the NHL is 6'1. They won the Stanley Cup twice. The 20/21 roster broke down like this in the playoffs by points scored
Kucherov - 5'11
Point - 5'11
Stamkos -6'0
Killorn - 6'1
Palat - 6'0
Cirelli - 6'0
Coleman -5'11
Gourde - 5'9
Johnson - 5'8
Colten - 6'0
Goodrow -6'2
Maroon -6'3
Joseph -6'1
When they wanted goals they put out the small guys. When the small guys needed a rest in the playoffs they put out the big guys. Everyone plays a part. If the big guys were not on that team, the small guys would get steamrolled because they would be tired from playing too much. Need the big guys to take some minutes.