GDT: Game 24: Sharks @ Coyotes - 7PM - FSAZ+

[Bonsai Tree]

Strome needs to be the 3rd line center if he comes up now. Next year he can push Stepan down and He and Dvorak can be 1/2 depending upon the matchups.

 

[Lilhoody]

Putting Keller with a strong FO and possession guy helps balance the lines and is a big part of why the team has had success lately. Keller has some defensive issues as well. Putting him with Strome isn't going to change that, teams will just abuse that line even more.

It seems to have diminished his production. Can anyone smarter or nerdier than me crunch the numbers since he moved lines?

 

[RemoAZ]

Who would Stromes wingers be if he is in the top 6? If Keller is one of them, they might generate more chances but what about giving up more goals too. In the top 6 they will have to defend one of the other teams top 2 lines. Think of it from a defensive perspective, who do you surround Strome with so he doesn't get killed on D. just looking at an AH< stat sheet, it doesn't tell us how Strome is playing without the puck on D. Is he playing PK minutes too?

In one of the interviews he said he was playing on the PK. He can be on a scoring line while still being sheltered a bit, getting more offensive zone starts. Point is playing him with 4th line wingers that don't score is stupid.

 

[XX]

It seems to have diminished his production. Can anyone smarter or nerdier than me crunch the numbers since he moved lines?

If you feed one line close to 70% ozone starts, that's easy enough to match up against with your best defenders. It robbed the rest of the lineup of any push. I don't think it's a coincidence that the team has gotten more push throughout the lineup since the move. It will hurt his ES production but it's necessary until he learns to be stronger on the puck in defense. Tippett would have benched him or demoted him. This way, they can shelter him a bit while still letting him breathe as an offensive weapon. The PP basically goes through Keller at this point.