Most important forward?

[Nordic*]

I find it interesting that Columbus can be so dominant without any true superstar forwards (reputation wise) in the lineup.

Most other fans would probably answer the following question with ease - and with pretty much the same answer in most cases.

But who is the most important forward on the team?

Click to read more...

 

[Jackets16]

Wennberg - He is the the best playmaker (by far) on a team that lacks playmakers.

 

[major major]

Saad

I can see Wennberg given that the team needs his playmaking contribution the most. Atkinson the most consistent scorer. Foligno is whatever we need at the time.

5 on 5 it's still Saad in my book, so he gets my vote. He had a bad slump but nobody tilts the ice like Saader. He was leading the league in ES points at one point in December, IIRC.

 

[Inquiring Minds]

Atkinson.

Most consistent scorer, most consistent effort.
(And my wife calls him "Little Brother" which I find hilarious)

 

[NotWendell]

To make this even LESS clear, Dubinsky is the heart of the team

 

[stevo61]

Id say Atkinson or Foligno. Foligno can play anywhere you ask him and I think really stepped up as a leader this year. As for Atkinson yes hes consistant and a non stop worker but hes also a point producer playing on a line with 2 guys who arent big scorers. Hes a player that can offensively carry his line and really helps the depth of a team that relies on its depth and matchup problems for the other team

 

[stevo61]

You can really tell when a team relies on a team effort vs a couple stars when you ask who is the most important and get 5 names

 

[vertigo1061]

I'd say most nights it's Brandon Dubinsky. I feel like he's the true engine of this team and as he goes so goes the rest of the guys.

That said, Wennberg is the most important playmaker and Jenner the most important future imho.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Hmm.. Most important forward. That's an interesting question. I guess I would say Wennberg, because when he's going we seem to be going as a team. But Dubinsky and Atkinson were very close.

 

[Viqsi]

I'd go with Atkinson, but strong cases can be made for Foligno, Saad, and increasingly Wennberg.

 

[The Wheelchair]

Foligno. Not the best at any one skill, but near the top in all of them. Great possession player, good goal-scorer, good playmaker, good defensively, and he's really grown into the captaincy this season. The Jackets are at their best when they can maintain possessions in the offensive zone, and no forward is more crucial to that than Foligno. He's the guy the team would miss most if he got injured.

 

[cbj21]

Wennberg

 

[CBJx614]

That's a really hard one to answer...

It's a tie between Wennberg and Dubinsky for me.

When Wennberg catches fire everyone around seems to catch fire. But then when he cools down Dubinsky is there to keep the team going. Dubinsky seemed to be having a relatively quiet season until after the streak, then a new beast was unleashed and he's been tearing it up ever since. If Dubinsky and Wennberg catch fire just before the playoffs and get their wingers going... Jackets are gonna be a hard team to beat. Especially if Bob is in form and one of Jones or Werenski is generating offense... Oh boy. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it..



Giggity Giggity

 

[JacketsDavid]

Great question. Generally I think as others have said there are 3-4 guys who are all as important. But if we do get matched up with Pittsburgh in the first round then I think it's Dubi is the most important in that match-up. But on any given night Wenny, Foligno, Saad, Dubi it's tough to choose.

 

[EspenK]

I'm going to go with there is no most important. No one stands out that much above the others. I'd say Jenner is not one of the 5 most important but in the right role he is important.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

I'm going to go with there is no most important. No one stands out that much above the others. I'd say Jenner is not one of the 5 most important but in the right role he is important.

I think we have articulated the OP"s point: we don't have a superstar on this team, we have emerging stars. I expect them all to continue to take steps forward but there is no Kane or Toews that are the go too, no Ovi or Cindy that are going to take the shot.

Our closest person to that status was added to the allstar game by his coach and that player is Cam Atkinson. He lit up the all star game, and should have been the mVP of the game. He is the poster boy of good natured hockey stars - great character, charismatic personality, slight of stature... but dude is an ice in the veins sniper..

I think Wennberg could be our star.. whats he got 40 assists and a dozen goals? I think our stars may even be in Jr's yet. Don't discount that, I can point to at least a dozen people that wanted to expose Cam Atkinson to Las Vegas.. so really what the hell do we know.

 

[Dexter20]

Even strength goals this year

1. Atkinson 18
2. Saad 17
3. Anderson 13

interesting..........

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Even strength goals this year

1. Atkinson 18
2. Saad 17
3. Anderson 13

interesting..........

Exactly.. I see some real parallels with some of our players to former stars for example could you envision Wennberg Anderson becoming a version of Naslund Bertuzzi. Wennberg isn't as much of a shooter as Marcus was, but Anderson isn't the meathead that Bertuzzi was either

Or could we see PLD and Atkinson playing a similar game to Lecavalier and St Louis? I know I am really stretching the imagination but I think coach's can look for that old time magic and now we have Torts the strategist at the helm.

Bet you folks want some of what i've been smoking eh?

 

[We Want Ten]

You can really tell when a team relies on a team effort vs a couple stars when you ask who is the most important and get 5 names

For real.


I'm gonna cast my vote for Foligno. On most nights he drives the team one way or the other. He rarely has a quiet night.

I think there are about 5 "right" answers though. This would have made a good poll.

 

[MoeBartoli]

My first instinct was Cam. He's been excellent this year and not only our leading goal scorer, but maybe our most consistent one. Though I am not comparing their accomplishements, Cam reminds me of one of my all-time favorite players, Yvan Cournoyer. (Sorry, too many years ago for many of you). But like Cournoyer, there are aspects to Cam's game that make him one of the team's best... but maybe not THE best. This brings me around to what many of us have believed all season about this team. It's strength is driven by a group of really good players - not one standout.

I think if you picked Cam, you might be right. Same if you picked Filigno. Or Wennberg. Or maybe Dubi or even Saad. Regardless, I really like this group.

As an aside....I mentioned this as being a strength of our team. But I would add that not having that one clear standout is a weakness when it comes to ramping up one more level. But that's a whole other discussion, maybe for after the season ends. I'm bent on enjoying this season which has been great.

 

[LoveCBJ]

To make this even LESS clear, Dubinsky is the heart of the team

This.

 

[Crede777]

This.

From what I've heard about Dubinsky, I don't think that's actually the case.

Supposedly he's a loner in the locker room and wasn't a consideration for being captain.

 

[NotWendell]

Torts couldn't do what he does with this team without Dubinsky and the assistant coaches

 

[major major]

From what I've heard about Dubinsky, I don't think that's actually the case.

Supposedly he's a loner in the locker room and wasn't a consideration for being captain.

I think of him as simultaneously a brooding loner who is too nutty to be captain, and as a real leader who can be called the heart and soul of the team along with Foligno. No contradiction there, in my opinion.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

The correct answer is "my favorite forward."