[Proposal] Vancouver and Washington

[Smashian Kassian]

"I think our physicality issues were overrated?"

Easy to make that statement after watching us play the Oilers. LOL, particularly one without Eager...

You just got the Centre Ice Pack (awsome isn't it?) yeah?

Go back and watch the two games against the Ducks. Watch also how we barely scraped through against Chicago. Thank goodness for Lou being hot!

Go back and specifically watch the first two shifts, then the balance of the San Jose game. Burrows was wiped from centre ice on the opening draw and SJ forced a face off in our end. As much as you like Schroeder, no way was AV sending his line out against Jumbo Joe and Pavelski. So the Twins got wiped (who should not be taking D zone draws), and the Sharks scored.

Yes we do need some more size to equalize match up problems, even when Kess and Booth are back.

[Ferlands_Head]

Semi recently, we became a cup contending team when we iced a big, physical and fast 3rd line of Manny between Torres and Hansen. It was capable of taking on any and all comers as the top defensive stopper line, including lines like Getzlaf/Perry/Ryan ahead of Kesler's line. Last year our 3rd line had a scoring presence instead behind the puck distribution and scoring wizardry of Cody Hodgson. Even then, that was scrapped, in part, to ensure we could ice that physically imposing defensive 3rd line which was viewed as key. For all the support Schroeder gets on CDC, he is neither generating any offence like CoHo nor capable of lining up for a defensive draw against, say, Joe Thornton?

Ultimately when Booth and Kesler return, the logical 3rd line looks like;

Higgins/Schroeder/Hansen

Anybody want to bet we don't go to play off's with that as a defensive statement???

And even at that Raymond is currently out playing Higgins. Hey, speed to burn if we play Schroeder between Hansen & Raymond but combined they don't add up to the weight of Dustin Byfuglien or most twigs.

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