ujju2
Registered User
I don't disagree, I've been annoyed at them not trying him as a winger with McD or Leon, but I don't get why they don't want to acquire wingers to run all three C's. They'll get their ice time, the 4th line doens't need to play as much as it does.
Looking at top teams' 3rd lines, you see how much better they are than the Oilers. I'm just going in the team's past GDT and finding their third line or checking Daily Faceoff.
Pittburgh: Wilson-Cullen-Hornqvist.
Washington: Connolly-Eller-Sanford
Chicago: Kero-Hinostroza-Hartman
San Jose: Goldobin-Hertl-Ward
NYR: Grabner-Hayes-JT Miller
St. Louis: Barbashev-Lehtera-Perron
The Oilers third line of Caggiual-Letestu-Kassian/Slepyshev just doesn't cut it. That's not a playoff caliber third line. One key thing about most of these lines is there is usually only one rookie or lesser player on the line. The Oilers can't have both Caggiula/Kassian/Slepyshev taking both wings, and Letestu needs to be the fourth-line center.
As a part-time (mostly playoffss) Caps fake, I can tell you that Burakovsky is usually in Sanford's spot (Bura is injured). So Washington's 3rd line is actually even better.