We wrap up the Becoming Contenders series with what I see as the third and final pressing item on the Flames’ offseason agenda: the bottom six.
Every contender has a quality offensive engine. The Monahan line got a ton of offensive zone starts – and though they started slow usually created a number of quality scoring chances per game. Overall, they were the team’s best offensive line. Check.
Every contending team has a great shutdown line. 3M was monstrous for most the season, shoving the puck down their opposition’s best line’s throat on a nightly basis, and finishing shifts which began in the defensive zone at the opposite end of the rink with regularity.