Pike and Bouchard are each listed as LW/D.
We need to figure out which is better to fill in the 7th dman role.
Research time! Scouting reports to come...
ALF PIKE
Alf Pike was CENTER on a Memorial Cup championship team.
He captained a ECHL championship team next, presumably still at center.
He
played CENTER on the Rangers third line of their 1940 Stanley Cup championship team, scoring the Finals GWG in game 1 and game tying goal in game 6, both key to their cup victory.
He played center his most productive season, with 19 assists, 27 points in 1941/42.
He was converted to DEFENSEMAN for 1942/43.
After the war "He played two more seasons with the Rangers, the final one as a left winger in 1946–47, becoming one of the very few individuals in professional hockey history to play three different positions. His final NHL totals were 119 points (42 goals, 77 assists) in 234 games."
So C/D/LW with championships at three levels of play as CENTER. Fourth line center for the Nuggets? He has the championship experience, clutch scoring, leadership. At the very least he seems like a better extra forward than seventh dman.
BILLY BELL
"... a solid defensive forward with three different teams during the last four years of the NHA and the first six campaigns of the NHL between 1918 and 1924. He was
equally effective at centre or right-wing and rarely took a penalty... a solid checker... retired after helping the team win its second Stanley Cup overall and first in the NHL in 1924."
EDMOND BOUCHARD
"...a versatile player who lined up at left wing and defence during a career that lasted more than 200 games in the 1920s. He was
best known as a checker but also demonstrated astute passing on occasion...
The most controversial move of the season was the trading away of star forward Joe Malone to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Bert Corbeau and Edmond Bouchard. The controversy quickly quieted; as Malone would only go on to score 1 goal in 20 games with the Habs in 1922/23, while
Bouchard led the league with 12 assists in 24 games..."
so.... logically (based on the aforementioned research):
Edmond Bouchard-Alf Pike-Billy Bell
Bouchard can pass, Pike can score some clutch goals, and yet a defensive-oriented line. Yahoo!
extra forwards: Moreau, Nilan (note-when a 7th dman is needed, Bouchard slides down there easily; if injury or suspension then Moreau can cover 4th lw and Bouchard can be in the starting 6 on d)(Nilan I think is needed in the starting line-up but not at the expense of losing penalty killing Bell. But of course Nilan would see ice time when playing a particularly rough team.)
