Yeah, I agree, but he just isn’t that good though.
He has benefitted from getting weaker opponents and been put in that center spot where he as a RHS can just skate to the net and bang home lose pucks at the far left point. Sure those goals count as much as any other goals, but “anyone” can score them in that role and you want some more.
I have nothing against Ryan Strome, but he is just never any kind of difference maker on the ice. He never causes any concerns for a defense, he isn’t any kind of significant factor defensively, he isn’t very smart on the ice, he isn’t clutch or battles hard and so on.
Those are critiques that are separate from the shooting %. And those may well be legitimate concerns for Strome, although I think he is sound defensively.
I think what I am getting at is the bias we cultivate. The averages that work against the player we gang up on are harped on, but the averages that may benefit the same player are ignored. And vice versa for the favorite son.
Bottom line: we are capped out. We pushed our chips in July 1, 2019 to grab a guy that may help in 2021 when the team comes together. We did that knowing that certain needs will have to be addressed later or ultimately ignored by nature of a cap league. Strome is the de facto #2 center because the hopefuls are just that, until they do it. His shooting percentage most likely drops based on regression models, I think his point totals at worst stay the same based on a full season here instead of the chaos in Edmonton. We don't have many options because I don't see an answer within. A trade at this point has to be for futures so even if we land a future top 6 center, he's a few years away.
We chose to have strength on the wings, so let's use it. They have to prop up a guy like Strome until another option imposes itself. Chytil and Andersson need to take a big step forward to earn that slot because Quinn isn't the type to hand out responsibility lightly.
