Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Random
Yes.
The problem with trying to put scorers on your fourth line is that you end up with a fourth line that can't check. (If they could do both, they would be on a higher line to begin with.) A fourth line that can't check doesn't get possession of the puck to do anything with it. You can't score by being hemmed in your own zone, or by fishing the puck out of your own net.
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All true, but even beyond possession a solid checking line just wears on the opposition. Games are won a shift at a time and rolling over the boards to be dealing with Clutterbuck/Martin/Cizikas was …… unpleasant, especially for the D.
Tying this into trade talk, some have suggested dealing Pospisil, but he is one of the few guys on the roster who’s a problem for the others in the sandbox. Clearly availability is an issue, but the Flames need to bolster the roster with guys like this, not move on from them.