Brodie is in an interesting spot - he plays well with Gio, but then has brain farts, which in the playoffs when Gio will face the toughest opposition actively gameplanning against any weakness, this could be exaggerated.
But if you don't play Brodie there, you play Andersson - who is a rookie. Is this a case of the devil you know vs the devil you don't?
That all being said, Brodie can play both sides a lot more competently than Andersson, who is playing well on the right, but looked out of position playing on Stone's left in the past. Brodie as a guy who can flex between 1RD and 3LD (or 3RD) is a great asset
I like the idea of exposing Andersson to top pairing time more and more as the season wears on, and given Peters' habit of shortening the bench, could the Flames play a few games down the stretch with 7D and 11F, to allow some in-game deployment management?
These are the pairings I like, some from seeing in action, others in theory:
Giordano - Brodie
Giordano - Andersson
Hanifin - Hamonic
Hanifin - Stone
Valimaki - Hamonic
Fantenberg - Andersson
Brodie - Stone
Brodie - Prout
Kylington - Andersson
Valimaki - Andersson
Fantenberg- Stone
Observations:
Gio is ALWAYS 1LD
Hamonic is ALWAYS 2RD - don't play him with Gio outside PK
Prout, Fantenberg, Kylington are only 3rd pairing
Valimaki could play 2LD if you wanted Hanifin's skating next to Stone - bit scratching Brodie or Andersson for Stone would be a big statement (and would depend on Stone coming back and being rock solid)
I think you start building the D corps by slotting in Giordano and Hamonic, Gio as the all-situations guy and Hamonic as a lock down PK guy.
Assuming Gio anchors PP1, for PP2, you best options are Hanifin and/or Andersson (4+1 vs 3+2 setup), as Brodie is a pass-only player with his shot lacking penetration. Stone can't hit the net, and guys like Kylington, Valimaki and Fantenberg are the next tier down.
Beyond Gio and Hamonic as PK1, your next best PK options would be Stone and Hanifin, followed by Brodie and Valimaki.
Hanifin coughs up the puck less, whereas Brodie creates more turnovers.
Given that Hanifin plays both ways on special teams as well, he is the next guy added.
Brodie, Valimaki and Andersson are at best the 4th option, at worst the 7th
Stone is bottom pairing, but offers a bit more than Kylington when he is fully fit IMO.
Kylington and Fantenberg are both bottom pairing, but offer vastly different styles - Kylington can have more impact, but Fantenberg is more of a low event player (the Derek Ryan of the D). In the playoffs, especially after his steady showing last year, he is likely ahead.
Prout likely does not factor unless there is a bloodbath game where he is the 7D/major injuries.
That to me sets the depth chart (handedness not considered) as:
Giordano
Hamonic
Hanifin
Brodie, Andersson, Valimaki
Stone
Fantenberg
Kylington
Prout
So here are some potential top 6s:
Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Valimaki - Andersson
Giordano - Andersson
Hanifin - Hamonic
Brodie - Stone
Giordano - Brodie
Valimaki - Hamonic
Hanifin - Stone
Giordano - Andersson
Hanifin - Hamonic
Fantenberg - Brodie
Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Fantenberg - Andersson
Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Fantenberg - Stone
Last edited by Imported_Aussie; 03-13-2019 at 11:43 AM.
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