Most 3rd line centers do - he's no different. And by "very specific" I assume you mean 2 way players - because that's what he had.
The main factor that doesn't get enough attention is the fact that he can do a lot of the hard things that the offense guys struggle with - he adds a nice mix to a bottom 6 line that has value.
You move him to the 4th line with a couple of plugs, he probably gets 6 - 8 minutes (plus PK) - and that goes against what I stated in my original reply to another poster.
But if you move him down with what we have, he's another plug and all the things he brings end up sitting on the bench.
I could be convinced other wise if we actually had the pcs to make up a scoring 3rd line - looks like we might have some scoring a couple of years away and that would be the time to move him down IMO.
I'm also assuming Stastny and Copp are on the way out -
I'm talking about needing a fast forechecker that can win pucks and yes another defensive guy like Copp. That's when he's had his most success.
It's a moot point because as you alluded two both Copp and Stastny are likely gone in a couple of weeks. It's just imo an opportunity lost while we had Ehelers, Stastny, Copp and Perfetti in the Frey with Conner, Mark, Blake and Dubois.