Can’t Win Without Four Lines
At some point in time Coach Vigneault and his Assistants have to comprehend how ordinary the fourth line has been this season. They have to admit it is a huge issue going forward. With Brassard, Milller, Zuccarello, Kreider, Stepan, Staal, Nash, Stalberg and Fast on the top three lines they are OK. However Stalberg and Fast should be playing third line minutes. And I’m not so sure Fast is a better choice over Lindberg, but Lindberg could be the key to a new fourth line.
All the negativity and complaining about Tanner Glass holds no water with me. As far as I’m concerned he gives a honest effort every night, doing what he is supposed to. If it wasn’t for Glass no one on the fourth line would hit. In the playoffs he will do his job. Oscar Lindberg will help, he competes and battles, needed ingredients of a good fourth line player. He also has a ability to get under the skin of opponents, another good attribute in the playoffs. Kevin Hayes like Lindberg, affected by the lineup trickle down, caused by the return to health of Rick Nash, and the acquisition of Eric Staal, doesn’t play a effective fourth line player game. Contenders need quality minutes from its fourth line. Every shift must be a physical, grinding, dump it in, relentless wave. Simply put Hayes doesn’t play that way.