#3C vs #2LW/RW
- Thread starter Drew4u
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A1LeafNation
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VoluntaryDom
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LeafingTheWay
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A player who has already peaked out > A player who just played his first full NHL season ??? Woah no way
Sens of Anarchy
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Lays
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jetsforever
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Kinda depends on who that team already has... If they have two very good centers already, the choice is obvious. If they have three good wingers but poor centers, the choice is again obvious...
In general though, it's the 2W. You take a 2nd liner over a 3rd liner.
In general though, it's the 2W. You take a 2nd liner over a 3rd liner.
As the question is "more important" in building I think that's pretty clearly 3C. Your C depth will go a long way toward playing through injuries and will also allow you to mix and match lines better if your 3C is more capable offensively.
Where as a 2nd line winger might be a better player in an abstract sense, most teams simply have more options there than they do C. It's also easier to move up a hot #3 winger up to #2 for awhile. And certainly we've seen some big time centers around the league perform just fine without top level wing depth. But the amount of successful teams in the playoffs without C depth is pretty small and usually are just hot at the right time.
But I'm also thinking of it more as your 4th best winger. If you're taking my 3rd best winger for a 3C I'd have to rethink it.
Where as a 2nd line winger might be a better player in an abstract sense, most teams simply have more options there than they do C. It's also easier to move up a hot #3 winger up to #2 for awhile. And certainly we've seen some big time centers around the league perform just fine without top level wing depth. But the amount of successful teams in the playoffs without C depth is pretty small and usually are just hot at the right time.
But I'm also thinking of it more as your 4th best winger. If you're taking my 3rd best winger for a 3C I'd have to rethink it.
Sens of Anarchy
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KingsHockey24
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biturbo19
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Yeah. It's hard to generalize without knowing the particular players in question and how they enhance a lineup overall. As well as overall team composition.
But typically, i lean a lot more toward saying 3C. It's the position i'd rather build a team around. If you can ice 3 solid lines you don't have to worry about defensively because of a strong 3rd line Center, that's a huge matchup advantage. Especially if they can elevate the game of others around them on the wing.
Plus...more often than not these days, i think a quality high-end #3Center is also a capable 2nd line Winger. The reverse is NOT often true. Typically, those Middle-6 wingers are largely interchangeable...frankly, even Top-9 Wingers are often swapped around more on fit and depth/balance than pure talent.
It depends on the players obviously but a 2nd liner is going to be more important and play more minutes. There are too many variables to make this a black and white answer. Back in 2009 Jordan Staal was more important to the Penguins than their 2nd line wingers.
edguy
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A great PKing 3C is one of the most valuable (to their team not on the market) positions in the league.
I'll take the center
I'll take the center
tony d
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VoluntaryDom
Formerly DominicBoltsFan / Ⓐ / ✞
Agree to disagree there.
But assuming he isn't, then not even a 2w is better than 3c flip and my point still stands.
