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					Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL  I never once said to pencil Phillips in on the 3rd line next season. I was speaking in general terms. | 
	
 
Forgive me for thinking you did.  You were pretty specific in what you said.
"If Phillips on the 3rd line gives you a great third scoring line, there's no problem with him being there. He'd still get solid time on the PP."
So specific you mentioned that he would also get PP time.  But if you want to claim you we speaking in generalities then I will take that as what you meant.
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		| But if Phillips were to come into training camp next season and earn his spot, there's absolutely zero problem playing him on the third line. | 
	
 
That's a massive "if."  Phillips hasn't shown anything that indicates he can play at this level to date, so that may be having expectations he will struggle to meet.  We'll wait until training camp.  I'd be more inclined to look at Gawdin stepping up more so than Phillips.
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		| Time have changed. You don't have just big grinders playing your bottom 6 anywhere. | 
	
 
Have they?  If we were to look at the bottom six line ups around the league, based on Cap Friendly's depth charts, what do you think we would find?  How many bottom six forwards would fall below the league average of 6'0, 200 lbs (from The Athletic).  How many would fall outside the margin of error and be classified a small forward (below 5'10, 185 pounds)?  Basically looking at number of players that are in the average band (5'10, 185 to 6'2, 210) and where the extremes are (small and big).  Also, we'll identify the smallest player and where they shake out on the depth chart.
Anaheim 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Three  
Smallest player on team:  Sam Steel (5'11, 189)
Arizona  
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Three  
Smallest player on team:  Vinnie Hinostroza (5'9, 173 - 2nd line). 
Boston 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two 
Smallest player on team:  Brad Marchand (5'9, 181 - 1st line).
Buffalo 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  JS Dea (5'11, 168 - 4th line).
Calgary 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two 
Smallest player on team:  Johnny Gaudreau (5'9, 165 - 1st line).
Carolina 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  One 
Smallest player on team:  Vincent Trochek (5'10, 183 - 2nd line).
Chicago 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Alex Debrincat (5'7, 165 - 1st line).
Colorado 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  One
Smallest player on team:  Matt Nieto (5'11, 185 - 4th line).
Columbus 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Cam Atkinson (5'8, 175 - 2nd line).
Dallas 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Two 
Smallest player on team:  Andrew Coglinao (5'10, 175 - 3rd line).
Detroit 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two
Smallest player on team:  Dmytro Timashov (5'10, 192 - 2nd line).
Edmonton 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Four
Smallest player on team:  Kailer Yamamoto (5'8, 153 - 2nd line).
Florida 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Aleski Saarela (5'10, 200 - 3rd line).
Los Angeles
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Zero  
Smallest player on team:  Blake Lizotte (5'7, 172 - 3rd line).
Minnesota 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Two
Smallest player on team:  Matt Zuccarello (5'8, 178 - 4th line).
Montreal 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Paul Byron (5'9, 158 - 4th line).
Nashville 
Number of small forwards:  
Two 
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Rocco Grimaldi (5'6, 180 - 4th line).
New Jersey 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two
Smallest player on team:  Nikita Gusev (5'9, 163 - 2nd line).
Islanders 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  One
Smallest player on team:  JG Pageau (5'10, 180 - 3rd line).
Rangers 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  One
Smallest player on team:  Artemi Panarin (5'11, 170 - 1st line).
Ottawa 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Four
Smallest player on team:  Rudolfs Balcers (5'11, 175 - 2nd line).
Philadelphia 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two  
Smallest player on team:  Travis Konecy (5'10, 175 - 2nd line).
Pittsburgh 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Conor Sheary (5'8, 179 - 1st line).
San Jose 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Marcus Sorensen (5'11, 175 - 2nd line).
St. Louis 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Jaden Schwartz (5'10, 190 - 1st line).
Tampa 
Number of small forwards:  
Two  
Number of big forwards:  Two
Smallest player on team:  Tyler Johnson (5'8, 182 - 3rd line).
Toronto 
Number of small forwards:  
One  
Number of big forwards:  Three
Smallest player on team:  Nicholas Robertson (5'9, 162 - 3rd line).
Vancouver 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Zero
Smallest player on team:  Tyler Toffoli (6'0, 197 - 1st line).
Vegas 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Three
Smallest player on team:  Jonathan Marchessault (5'9, 180 - 2nd line).
Washington 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  Two
Smallest player on team:  Carl Hagelin (6'0, 185 - 3rd line).
Winnipeg 
Number of small forwards:  Zero  
Number of big forwards:  One
Smallest player on team:  Mathieu Perreault (5'10, 188 - 4th line).
Of all the bottom six player on these rosters (186 players) only 11 (5%) were considered small players.  Conversely, 43 (23%) were considered big players.  Looking regular distribution, seems the numbers are skewed on those bottom lines to bring the beef.  I don't think your claim is accurate or reflective of the league.