<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Trev" data-cid="215966" data-time="1386205700">
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The only reason Q splits up Kane and Toews is so the other team has to be more careful with their d pairing. If Toews and Kane are on the same line, you toss out your best defensive pair. Now you have to decide which pair gets who. Not that Sharp and Hossa are some scrubs, but if I have to chose who me best d pairing gets, Toews and Kane or Hossa and Sharp, those two are out any time Toews and Kane step out.
I didn't think Pirri was that bad defensively, and while I get that Q wants all his players to be "two-way", you've had very good success with Pirri centering Kane, so much so Kaner was 1st star of the month in the NHL.
The old saying goes "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it". The team has played unbelievably well so far this season and even better of late.
I like Q, but I don't get this one.</p>
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I don't think Kane was the first star due to only Pirri being his Center, that's quite a stretch.</p>
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In fact if you asked Kane, he'd say he likes both Pirri and Zus in that role. For two very opposite reasons, of which I'm not getting into unless he's asked and answers it some day.</p>
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That said with no Zus, now no Shaw, there is zero reason to send Pirri down, now once again leaving a hole straight down the middle.</p>
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Again there are many times this team wins on Talent, in that having several future HOF players on it. Pirri was also brutal on FO's yesterday but if that was criteria we'd have zero Centers but Toews. </p>