Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Who is defending it? He probably should have stayed with Backlund.
Though I can see the logic in trying to develop him and Jankowski as the top forwards together. And they had their new supposedly 20 goal every year guy with him. It did t pan out but you can see the thinking.
I think he is way better in Fla- he skates better and uses linemates a hell of a lot better.
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And I do not. Both of those things just happen to appear better because the quality of his linemates is not dragging him down. In Calgary he used linemates like Gaudreau, Frolik, Jagr, and Backlund just fine.
And his skating is virtually identical. Playing centre does help his skating though for obvious reasons.
Do you really believe he magically started skating better and using his linemates better because of a change of scenery?
Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Except there is no example of a successful team where the shutdown centre is buried on the third line.
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Sure there is. What ends up happening though is the first line center's reputation gets wildly boosted in these cases despite the actual nature of their performance.
Just look at the 2013 Blackhawks
1st line
Saad - Toews - Hossa
A Calgary equivalent might be:
Tkachuk - Bennett - Lindholm
2nd line
Kane - Handzus - Sharp
A Calgary equivalent might be:
Gaudreau - Monahan - Mangiapane
Shutdown Line
Stahlberg - Kruger - Frolik
A Calgary equivalent might be:
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
I know, you're going to tell me Toews won the Selke that year. And... I don't think it matters. He wasn't the best defensive center on his own team that year. He wasn't playing a shutdown role, Kruger was. He wasn't an offensive powerhouse either, he centered some great wingers. (Kane was often on his line too and Hossa is a HOF talent in his own right)