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July 27, 2011
The Blue Line
Role Players

by Matthew Coller

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In hockey, perhaps more than any other sport, role players are overvalued by head coaches and undeservedly celebrated by fans. It's not to say that good role players don't help a team or that bad role players don't hurt a team, but rather that their overall affect on whether a team wins or loses is overstated—this is particularly true of specialists like enforcers or players whose sole skill is winning faceoffs. That said, there are a select few role players in the NHL who deserve not only praise, but more playing time. By the same token, there are some who really belong in the AHL.

You might wonder:

-Which teams got the most out of their role players in 2010-11?

-Which role players deserve more playing time?

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<< Previous Article
Top 10 Prospects (07/26)
<< Previous Column
Premium Article The Blue Line (07/13)
Next Column >>
Premium Article The Blue Line (08/02)
Next Article >>
Top 10 Prospects (07/28)

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