Fjordy
Registered User
- Jun 20, 2018
- 15,411
- 8,299
Mitts needs some kind of physical player on the line who can play defensively and score some goals. I don’t know who would be his second wing, but one could experiment with Quinn, Peterka or Tuch, for example.I think Dahlin gets that, from the way everyone talks about his competitiveness and for the first time since Dom was a Sabre, hearing about someone who puts in as much work to get better as he does regularly.
Right now, they've learned some hard lessons in their record. The comment from Granato about them having a terrible practice prior to the Arizona game and then laying an egg - that's a teachable moment if some of these guys are as responsible as they've said they are. They've played some very good games in this losing streak and a couple of stinkers. Getting to the point where they are consistently in games or dictating play has to be part of the growth, and if someone shrinks away from doing what is necessary, that's going to be educational for the front office at least.
As for the wingers for Mitts... Krebs is not Asplund. He doesn't play the game the same way and not for nothing, that's an issue when you have someone who is a finesse shooter not known for his effort plays on the other wing. Vic is what he is - the cement is set. He's a complementary scoring winger who has a lot of warts but is a bonus option for a team that has need of a shooter on the PP who can also have some flashes at 5-on-5 in a depth rather than primary role. What that is worth in trade, I don't know but he's probably the most redundant player on the team since they have a couple of wingers who can do some of what he does (score finesse goals at range) in Peterka and especially Quinn who are also both more physically involved. Casey has to be the net-front guy on that line AND the defensively responsible one. With someone who doesn't go to the net and another player who is very much a pass-first player, the line is ill-constructed. With that said, without getting Okposo and even to a lesser extent Girgensons, they don't have the defensive blanket to put into that line unless it is Asplund and then Krebs is back in the middle on the "4th" line. Hinostroza won't really help that line - he's a bit like Krebs in that he will drive his wing with speed but is not a very good defensive player to cover for his teammates.