Is There A Spot On This Team For Robertson?

[robertmac43]

My understanding, albeit not as apparently sophisticated as Lou Lamoriello's is that bottom 6 includes the third line. Per your quote, Lou said: "I think that what happened, simplistically, is that he's a top six, top nine forward, and..."

Are we in agreement that the third line includes bottom six players?

In the next sentence he literally says "he is not a bottom 6 player". Engvall is stuck in that spot of not having the skill for the top or middle 6, and not using his body and physical capabilities to be an effective bottom 6 player.

He is back in the show right now due to the Islanders injury struggles and hasn't looked great.

 

[Menzinger]

Clayton Keller is 5'10", 175 lbs.
Nic Robertson is 5'9", 178 lbs.

There are quite a few players their size who are effective, Bratt, Pointe, ... it isn't size.

It's ability.

Yep

Marco Rossi on the Wild is like 5'9/5'10 and is nearly ppg this year while looking great on the ice.

We reduce the discussions on these guys to size way too narrowly when the reality is the cream will always reach the top

 

[ITM]

In the next sentence he literally says "he is not a bottom 6 player". Engvall is stuck in that spot of not having the skill for the top or middle 6, and not using his body and physical capabilities to be an effective bottom 6 player.

He is back in the show right now due to the Islanders injury struggles and hasn't looked great.

Yep. I mean, its a tough inference to reconcile for some, but if you're a third line player, you are a bottom six forward, however elevated in that bottom six you may be perceived to be. Not to say certain players aren't top 9 players without being a fourth line player level of talent, but Engvall isn't one of them.

At any rate, small potatoes.

As the rest of the original post noted, Steeves and A.Nylander up couldn't hurt could it?

 

[robertmac43]

Yep. I mean, its a tough inference to reconcile for some, but if you're a third line player, you are a bottom six forward, however elevated in that bottom six you may be perceived to be. Not to say certain players aren't top 9 players without being a fourth line player level of talent, but Engvall isn't one of them.

At any rate, small potatoes.

As the rest of the original post noted, Steeves and A.Nylander up couldn't hurt could it?

I just think the Leafs would struggle ti fit Engvalls role on to this team. If we were going to add something to the bottom 6 I would want more of a defensive player that can reliably kill penalties and play 13 to 16 trusted minutes a night.

Steeves and Nylander are both interesting shouts. I don't think Nylander fits the bill that I described in the above paragraph, but who knows, he may have some more to offer.

I still think the solution to the bottom 6 lies in Järnkrok's return.