When their pace of 80 goals between them inevitably dips and you need a third guy on that line to start producing it won’t be Sobotka.
- sbroads24

Sobotka has done an admirable job manning the post. But, with a tough stretch ahead he needs to pull a Wally Pipp by maybe taking a shot off the ankle resulting in a day to day status, opening the door for Tage to hip hop his way into his permanent spot in the top six.

U keep saying how Sobotka is holding that line back, but he really isn’t
They’re doing well as a group

And sure, this pace is likely to drop
But it would be likely to drop no matter who was on that line with them
- jdfitz77

Skinner is an elite goal scorer. Using his numbers to validate Sobotka's presence on that line is unfair to Skinner. Imagine having an actual 40-50 point player there

Skinner is an elite goal scorer. Using his numbers to validate Sobotka's presence on that line is unfair to Skinner. Imagine having an actual 40-50 point player there
- jcragcrumple

Answer these questions please...


Is it possible that a player can contribute to the success of a line without showing up on the scoresheet?

How is that line scoring at a pace they can’t keep up with if Sobotka is “holding them back”?

If they put a 45-50point scorer on the RW, would they score even more?

Answer these questions please...


Is it possible that a player can contribute to the success of a line without showing up on the scoresheet?

How is that line scoring at a pace they can’t keep up with if Sobotka is “holding them back”?

If they put a 45-50point scorer on the RW, would they score even more?
- jdfitz77

1.) Yes, but intangible qualities (or whatever name you'd give to those aspects) can only justify someone's presence to a certain point.

2.) Skinner is an elite goal scorer. He's going to do his thing. Adding a 40-50 point RW is about upgrading the RW position, not about helping Skinner

3.) Yes, if they added a 45-50 point winger, theyd likely be adding 15 or so goals as an upgrade over the 7-10 goals Sobotka will score. It could also lead to more goals for Mojo

Skinner is an elite goal scorer. Using his numbers to validate Sobotka's presence on that line is unfair to Skinner. Imagine having an actual 40-50 point player there
- jcragcrumple

Skinner has always been a do it himself player. That’s how he had success in Carolina as well.

1.) Yes, but intangible qualities (or whatever name you'd give to those aspects) can only justify someone's presence to a certain point.

2.) Skinner is an elite goal scorer. He's going to do his thing. Adding a 40-50 point RW is about upgrading the RW position, not about helping Skinner

3.) Yes, if they added a 45-50 point winger, theyd likely be adding 15 or so goals as an upgrade over the 7-10 goals Sobotka will score. It could also lead to more goals for Mojo
- jcragcrumple

If they added a legit top 6 player, or even a guy like Toffoli, they’d be able to sustain the current success of that line.

I love Skinner, he ain’t scoring 40 EV goals.

His individual expected goals is at 3.27 right now. Which is 5th in the NHL. He’s scored 7. It’s bound to dip and then we’re going to be a one line team.

On that note, Toffoli individual expected goal is at 2.73 which is 14th best in the league and his coach scratched him.

I’d try and trade for him today

Skinner has always been a do it himself player. That’s how he had success in Carolina as well.
- Swedish_Jesus

He has always played on teams that lacked depth but succeeded anyway.

He had career bests playing with Jack you blind narrative telling something or other.

1.) Yes, but intangible qualities (or whatever name you'd give to those aspects) can only justify someone's presence to a certain point.

2.) Skinner is an elite goal scorer. He's going to do his thing. Adding a 40-50 point RW is about upgrading the RW position, not about helping Skinner

3.) Yes, if they added a 45-50 point winger, theyd likely be adding 15 or so goals as an upgrade over the 7-10 goals Sobotka will score. It could also lead to more goals for Mojo
- jcragcrumple

Idk...
only 3 points are given out among a group of 5 players on any given 5v5 goal

Let’s just say they put Sam on that line
Isn’t Sam just gonna take away some assists that are currently going to a defenseman?

Current example:
Skinner goal
Mojo assist
Defenseman assist

With a more skilled guy on that line,
I’ll just use Sam:
Skinner goal
Sam assist
Mojo assist


If 80 even strength goals between Skinner & MoJo is an unsustainable pace...
then it’s going to be unsustainable no matter who the 3rd linemate is

I get it
It doesn’t make sense that Skinner is scoring at a higher pace then when he played with Jack & Sam
But it’s working
It’s undeniably working with Sobotka

And this is coming from the guy who trashed Sobotka more than anyone else here when that (still horrible) trade was made

But it seems like the assumption being made is that a more skilled guy on that line will help that line score even more
And if they’re already scoring at an unsustainable pace, then i just don’t see how that can be true?

He has always played on teams that lacked depth but succeeded anyway.

He had career bests playing with Jack you blind narrative telling something or other.
- Der Kaiser

I mean yea everyone has career seasons with Jack. That’s what you get when you play with a top 10 offensive player in the NHL.

If they added a legit top 6 player, or even a guy like Toffoli, they’d be able to sustain the current success of that line.

I love Skinner, he ain’t scoring 40 EV goals.

His individual expected goals is at 3.27 right now. Which is 5th in the NHL. He’s scored 7. It’s bound to dip and then we’re going to be a one line team.

On that note, Toffoli individual expected goal is at 2.73 which is 14th best in the league and his coach scratched him.

I’d try and trade for him today
- sbroads24

Would they though?
Idk that i buy that
And frankly, it’s just a guess on your part

You know i hate Sobotka
But for whatever reason, it’s working

I don’t feel the need to fix something that isn’t broken

And let’s just say that lines success drastically dips
Can’t we just try Sheary, or Vesey, or Olofsson, or E Rod, or Tage there?
Those guys all have more offensive talent than Sobotka
So they should theoretically help then... right?

I just don’t think it’s as simple as:
Put more skill on the line & it'll score more
I understand what Sobotka brings to that line isn’t necessarily quantifiable
But again...
somehow, it is working
And it’s undeniable

I mean yea everyone has career seasons with Jack. That’s what you get when you play with a top 10 offensive player in the NHL.
- Swedish_Jesus

And if he gets another line mate who can get him the puck - top 10 offensive would be nice or just better than Sobotka would be great - we can expect him to continue producing.

Idk...
only 3 points are given out among a group of 5 players on any given 5v5 goal

Let’s just say they put Sam on that line
Isn’t Sam just gonna take away some assists that are currently going to a defenseman?

Current example:
Skinner goal
Mojo assist
Defenseman assist

With a more skilled guy on that line,
I’ll just use Sam:
Skinner goal
Sam assist
Mojo assist


If 80 even strength goals between Skinner & MoJo is an unsustainable pace...
then it’s going to be unsustainable no matter who the 3rd linemate is

I get it
It doesn’t make sense that Skinner is scoring at a higher pace then when he played with Jack & Sam
But it’s working
It’s undeniably working with Sobotka

And this is coming from the guy who trashed Sobotka more than anyone else here when that (still horrible) trade was made

But it seems like the assumption being made is that a more skilled guy on that line will help that line score even more
And if they’re already scoring at an unsustainable pace, then i just don’t see how that can be true?
- jdfitz77

In spite of.

In spite of.
- sbroads24

Is there something specific that u can point to that backs this up?

I specifically pointed out an example early in the season about how he drove to the net,
backing up a defenseman to open up the cross ice passing lane for the MoJo to Skinner goal

Skinner himself was even saying how Sobotka is helping play a role on that line being successful

Is there something specific that u can point to that backs this up?

I specifically pointed out an example early in the season about how he drove to the net,
backing up a defenseman to open up the cross ice passing lane for the MoJo to Skinner goal

Skinner himself was even saying how Sobotka is helping play a role on that line being successful
- jdfitz77

Nothing I will post will satisfy this so I’ll concede.

I just hope when Skinner and Mojo inevitably start to get unlucky or just not as fortunate , we don’t pretend it’s a mystery why that line all the sudden isn’t working.

Nothing I will post will satisfy this so I’ll concede.

I just hope when Skinner and Mojo inevitably start to get unlucky or just not as fortunate , we don’t pretend it’s a mystery why that line all the sudden isn’t working.
- sbroads24

I was asking sincerely
U know I’ve hated Sobotka from the second that trade happened

Was it Jack & Sam’s faults when Skinner had his scoring drought last season?
Just seems like the blame is automatically gonna be Sobotka’s fault

pilut throwing out juicy breakout passes and tage using his size effectively down in roch tonight

HMMMMMM

Is there something specific that u can point to that backs this up?

I specifically pointed out an example early in the season about how he drove to the net,
backing up a defenseman to open up the cross ice passing lane for the MoJo to Skinner goal

Skinner himself was even saying how Sobotka is helping play a role on that line being successful
- jdfitz77

There are many other players - dozens probably - who can provide all the “intangibles” Sobotka is right now AND, more importantly, produce at a level higher than 18 points this season or provide enough of a marginal offensive threat to open up the ice more for his line mates.

For a lower cap hit, too.

There are many other players - dozens probably - who can provide all the “intangibles” Sobotka is right now AND, more importantly, produce at a level higher than 18 points this season or provide enough of a marginal offensive threat to open up the ice more for his line mates.

For a lower cap hit, too.
- Der Kaiser

Like the bar is so low too

swap eichel and larsson so larsson can make space for oloffson by driving to the net

There are many other players - dozens probably - who can provide all the “intangibles” Sobotka is right now AND, more importantly, produce at a level higher than 18 points this season or provide enough of a marginal offensive threat to open up the ice more for his line mates.

For a lower cap hit, too.
- Der Kaiser

Sure, but...
1) are they available?
2) what do we have to give up to get them?
3) assuming we make a trade, will that guy have chemistry & fit on that line? What if we trade for a guy that doesn’t work (for whatever reason) on that line?

Again... just adding a guy who has more skill, doesn’t necessarily mean that line will do better as a group

And if he gets another line mate who can get him the puck - top 10 offensive would be nice or just better than Sobotka would be great - we can expect him to continue producing.
- Der Kaiser

I never said i was against the argument. If anything I lie in the middle. We need to upgrade from Sobotka that is obvious, but Fitz’ point about a player bringing intangibles to a line is also true.

Zach Hyman is an example. He’s not an offensive player by any means but he isn’t completely useless either.

i just absolutely love the sobotka nuts can specifically recall the one time he drove to the net or won a battle because he does almost nothing at all positively that those little wins are just legendary for him

and then they always ask for you to specifically point out why hes bad as if its as easy to point out him being totally out of position as it is to point out when he checks a guy

i just absolutely love the sobotka nuts can specifically recall the one time he drove to the net or won a battle because he does almost nothing at all positively that those little wins are just legendary for him
- robz228

Seriously

I can’t remember all 7 of Skinner’s goals

I legit can remember all 3 plays Sobotka made that stood out, because they were that surprising

"but skinner complimented him!", i shriek from the warmth of my vladimir onesie, recalling that time i ran oreilly out of town for actually being honest in an interview