There was plenty to be disappointed with from the Dallas Stars’ 2020-21 NHL season, but topping the list would be the team’s checking line of Radek Faksa, Blake Comeau, and Andrew Cogliano. Long heralded as a staple of the Stars’ identify, the FCC line drastically underperformed this season, both visually and analytically.
Long standing critics of the line will point out that it’s a bit outdated to have a true “checking” line, and that they need to be able to provide sufficient offense as well. Just look at the Tampa Bay Lightning, who boast a third line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow:
The issue isn’t just that on a roster with plenty of talent, the third line is hogging most of the playing time; it’s that their play on the ice doesn’t even warrant that ice time.