Quote:
Originally Posted by Trxjw
What's natural about him being a 4th line center when he spent the last two years as a #3? He's just fine in the role he plays. Is he ideal as a Stepan replacement if there's an injury? No, but not many teams have a 3rd line C who can double as a 2nd line center, unless they're sacrificing depth somewhere else.
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Boyle does not have the skating or the hands to be a scoring line center. With the strong top 6 the Rangers have Boyle is an adequate 3rd line center but should either Richards or Stepan become injured, the Rangers have issues.
Having just two scoring line NHL centers with no one who even has a hope of moving up the line-up and playing well in that role is not ideal.
Many of the top contenders do have 3rd line centers who can move up to a scoring line need be, the closest the Rangers have is Boyle and Halpern. Maybe Miller but he's probably not ready.