Fistfullofbeer
Moderator
More of an argument of how they performed in the playoffs versus their skill level. My point is that this was not a bottom 6 with guys like Spaling, Zubrus, Wingels, Sheppard, Brown, etc. that we have iced in basically every playoff year prior to this one where we knew they were going to get dominated and you had to rely on the top guys to score. Sure, Haley was not good but the rest of the group in the bottom 6 are guys that on paper should have been fine (or even advantageous in regard to the 3rd line). They just did not put up points or perform how they should due to their many of the guys' skillsets not being made for teams like Vegas or STL who are big and physical (which is the issue).
Outside of Haley, the bottom 6 was not littered with guys that you held your breath every time they were on the ice because they stunk. They were just very meh and did not bring a ton to the table either positively or negatively for the most part. Melker for example is not a bad hockey player. However, he does not really fit the role of what the 4th line should be against the Blues or Vegas in terms of bringing energy and physical play. He was usually always in proper position and stuff and could PK, but he is just very average at everything and not a difference maker. I want a 4th line of guys that make a difference as opposed to just not being bad. For the longest time, we just had a bad 4th line. Now we need to go from "not bad" to good.
But that is my exact point. Players who don't stink aren't enough for the playoffs. You need players that give you the best chance of out-scoring the other teams bottom-6. Jumbo-Labanc is a really good start but like I said, Jumbo's age and Labanc's streakiness hurt us as the playoffs went on.
Sorensen, Karlsson or Goodrow don't make me hold my breath but I have zero expectations that they do anything in the offensive zone. Plus our dumbass coach continues to ice them against other teams top lines as well. But that is a different story altogether.
My point is that you need prospective tweeners playing in 'most' of the bottom-6. You cannot fill those spots with UFA's. You need to give the young kids who have offensive skill that chance so that they can step into the bottom-6 and move their way up to the middle-6. The problem here again comes down to how PDB rates his 4th line and what he sees in them.