One of the things I loved about our 2011-12 team, right up until the trade deadline, was that we were a 3 scoring line team. Our play dropped off after we went back to Vigneault's model of having a 3rd line that was built to check and shutdown the opponents.Betamax wrote:Jensen's role on the team shouldn't really depend on what Hansen does. Hansen is a bottom six winger, while for Jensen to be effective, he has to be in the top-6. Only way Hansen get's top six minutes is if there are a lot of injuries to the top 6 and he's a stop gap. Other than that, he's put in a mis-casted role.SKYO wrote:Trade Hansen in a package deal with Edler for something good, that enables Jensen to play full time up front RW along with Burrows and Kassian.
That's the model we should go back to.
1-2A-2B-3 or 1A-1B-2-3
There's nothing wrong with trying to build a team that has a 4th line that can play 12 minutes per game in a shutdown role. The 4th line doesn't need to be all scrappers and bangers who are just there to eat 5 minutes per night.
That model also would help develop guys like Jensen who are NHL ready, but not top-6 regulars quite yet. They still get to contribute, and they still get minutes and experience.....but they are generally going to be matching up against the opponent's weaker forwards and bottom pairing defensemen. When you have a forward like Kesler, your 2nd and 4th lines become shutdown lines, Kesler is just too good in that role. Look at Boston, Bergeron is probably the best shutdown center in the game right now, and he's playing on the 2nd line.....same place Kesler was playing when he won his Selke.
