skroonk2002*
Guest
One player who I'm having huge doubts about at this point in time is Claude Giroux. His skill set - high end puck skills and passing - isn't adding an extra dimension to the lineup and perhaps a player with an added dimension would be a better option.
Duchene and Hall provide world class speed, Benn and Lucic would play the powerforward role, and guys like Marleau and Couture are better finishers. Kunitz and Sharp also might provide more synergy with key players in the roster (Crosby and Toews).
Thornton, St. Louis, Crosby, and Getzlaf are elite set-up men. Getzlaf and Thornton provide a lot more strength than Giroux and St. Louis is more agile and has existing synergy with another key member of the offense in Steven Stamkos assuming he is good to go. Stamkos, Tavares and Perry are all high-end finishers and Sharp, Kunitz, Marleau and Couture are likely better finishers than Giroux. Toews and Bergeron are better on the draw and provide better defensive play.
This is all coming from a Flyers fan, so I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible. Giroux would likely be one of my final cuts.
Giroux does everything well, and is one of the best "big-game" players in the NHL.
Look at his playoff resume. Look at his international resume.
He is a top producer, and is capable of playing almost any role and all three forward positions.