Ok I'm not sure what you're trying to prove with this wall of text, I've already conceded the point that Linden made the switch to center during the 96 season, where he had is best pt production.
Your research is sloppy. I like how you conveniently left out Nathan Lafayette, who played 27 games for the Canucks that season.
I like how you can't even get the game totals straight. The true totals are.
93/94 - play offs around 20 games
94/95 - 12 games - going by your reasoning and actually counting Lafayette.
95/96 - 82 regular season - 6 playoffs.
That's 120 games, a season and a half.
I'm assuming you know hockey, so you should know that part of the job of a center is to distribute the puck. When you do that, you're not shooting as much, and you start to develop a pass first mentality. Sometimes that's good for a player. Other times, it's bad. After the 96 season his shot totals begin to drop, reflecting his change in mindset.
When he was playing wing, his shot totals were usually over 200. His previous two seasons before 96 his shot totals were 234 and 129 in 48 games a 220 shot pace over 82 games. In 96 it was 202. In 97 it was 84 in 49 games a 140 shot pace over 82 games. In 98 he was on pace for 144 shots. Other than a 167 shot spike in 99, his shot totals don't get any better.
All the facts I've presented support my opinion, his point total drop, his shot total drop coincide with his move to center. In addition, I'm using the accounts and information you provided to support my opinion. From number of games played at center, and when he made that switch.
Now I'm going to do it again and use that site, Canucks legends, that you provide for me to support my claim again. I'm assuming you believe that the writer knows what he's talking about. Doing some poking around on him, he apparently wrote for Sports Illustrated and Hockey news and published some books on hockey.
So now, if you look at that site's entry on Trevor Linden (
Vancouver Canucks Legends: Trevor Linden) It has this little gem of a paragraph.
"Linden, a natural right winger, was shifted to center ice later in his career in Vancouver and has played there ever since. He excelled on face-offs and was usually in sound defensive position, but the move changed his game immensely. He was much more physical on right wing. Moving up and down the wall, Linden excelled by hitting and banging. He was always at his best when he was playing physically. However at center ice, Linden did not get the chance to play the same physical game, as he remained disciplined and rarely strayed from the middle of the ice, so that he was not caught out of position should the other team get the puck. This defensive discipline also hurt Trevor's offensive output. He no longer drove to the net as hard as he would if he were on the wing, again sacrificing his offensive output so that someone remains high to help out the defensemen."
Your logic is flawed. It's like saying those four birds are blue, so all birds are blue. Just because some players can switch and do well doesn't mean they all will.
Also, I don't have to show that switching position only results in a decline in production. I just have to show that it can affect production. It doesn't matter if it's negative or positive. And you just showed me the bread crumbs leading to information supporting my claim, a player who switched position and saw a change in production and level of play.
Byfuglien was drafted as a D man, and had a 44pt season in the AHL, and was an AHL All-Star. He had 7pts in 8 AHL games the year he got call up for good. In CHI they then moved him to wing. He was a middling winger until he got moved back to D in ATL, where all of a sudden he turns into a 50pt defenseman, who finished 7th in Norris voting.
And speaking of Blackhawks, another example is Patrick Kane. In the 11/12 season, they tried him at center, and that resulted in a drop in his production and play as documented in the links below. Other than his first two seasons, the 11/12 season is the only season where he didn't average at least a point a game.
Patrick Kane Dilemma and Possible Solutions for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks: Will Patrick Kane Ever Adapt as a Center?
Blackhawks end experiment of Kane at center
The cases above are examples of how switching position can affects production and level of play. In addition, here's an article talking about 5 players this year who switched position's and who are either thriving or struggling. So there are your examples.
5 NHL players thriving or stumbling after switching positions this season - Sportsnet.ca
Honestly, It'd be silly to think that a switch in position only results in positive results. If that's the case, then teams would be switching positions of star players all the time. A 50 goal 230 pound center is more valuable than a 50 goal winger, so why don't they switch Ovechkin to center?
I mean hell, a defensman switching sides is a huge thing. And since there's a shortage of Right shot d-men, why not move a forward back there if switching positions doesn't affect how a player performs. I mean a 30pt, right shot d-man is more valuable than a 30pt forward, right?