I understand that goal was on the PP and that backdoor play is seen more on the PP than at ES but it's not like they don't try it at ES, and it's not like he's not getting chances coming in from the off-wing. His breakaway against MTL was at ES and he came in from the off-wing on that scoring chance.
I don't know. I'm certainly not above being wrong, and would listen to arguments, but all I keep reading is that he's bad on the wing, without any examples or reasons why. To my eyes...
He's covering his point well in the Dzone. His D hasn't gotten loose to cause any problems or score any goals.
On breakouts, he's been very good at making that second pass to the center. In fact I'd say his natural playmaking ability serves him well in that situation because he's able to make sneaky little short passes to beat attackers coming at him. I can't remember a single time he turned it over but I can remember him springing Krejci and Backes, and when the breakout goes the other way, he's very good at using his speed to come across and be that stretch threat like they're trying to incorporate.
Offensively, he has more shots per game than any player on the team. On the whole team. At wing. He's had breakaways and been part of odd man rushes. He drew a penalty against WPG in a 2on1 with Krejci. From the red line in, all forwards are interchangeable, so it's not like making him a center is going to keep him out of the corners. All players rotate and cycle.
All that said, I'm not against him playing center and think he will play more games at center than wing this year. To me, that LW spot should eventually go to Vatrano. But all the reasons I think (and have thought for years) that Spooner can play wing, also apply to Czarnik. I'd like to see Providence use him on the wing so that he's comfortable there and because I don't think they're going to drop Pasta to the 3rd line any time soon. When healthy, I'd like to see a healthy top9 that looks like this...
Marsh - Bergeron - Pasta
Vatrano - Krejci - Backes
Beleskey - Spooner - Czarnik
I think Lil Z can bring a lot of the same elements that made Spooner-Pasta so dynamic. Speed, both in terms of their skating and how they think the game, creativity, skill... And Beleskey as the banger. Of course, all this depends on Spooner proving he's no longer a liability as a center 5on5. It doesn't really help this team win if he can't help score more than he helps prevent.
(That's not to box Heinen out or dismiss him either, I think he can still continue to improve and I think getting scratched and watching one was a good thing that could help him take another step forward tonight. But until he makes himself indispensable, I think those lines fit together better.)
