Great Players with Forgetful Stints

[kylee 727]

Olli Jokinen in any team.

Oddly, he's back w/ the flames. i always thought he had/has major potential

[eva unit zero 271]

Oddly, he's back w/ the flames. i always thought he had/has major potential

Jokinen has been one of the biggest scapegoats of the past decade. An example is how he was run out of Calgary, being blamed for the team missing the playoffs and for Iginla's lack of production, because the fact the two didn't hold on to the chemistry they had at the end of the previous season was Jokinen's fault, and Iginla clearly needs his center to be scoring huge points to have any success because he's not one of the league's top offensive players himself. And the fact that the Flames coach Brent Sutter rarely split the two up - Jokinen played 69.8% of his even-strength time with Iginla - until Jokinen was traded to the Rangers despite the "failed chemistry" brings many questions. Of course, with the Sutters bringing Jokinen back, it its a pretty strong suggestion that they don't agree with any of the blame that has been laid at his feet.

The question is... who does Iginla play with? Matt Stajan, Daymond Langkow, or Jokinen? Jokinen played almost 70% of his ES ice time in 09-10 with Iginla before his trade to New York, no more than 17% with any specific other forward (16.57% with Jamie Lundmark/Jokinen/Iginla the top mark). Stajan played just over 80% of his ES ice time after his trade to Calgary with Iginla, about half of which was Ales Kotalik/Stajan/Iginla. Langkow played less than 20 % of his time with Iginla, the most common being Curtis Glencross/Langkow/Iginla at 7.39%.

Jokinen was Iginla's most common linemate last season, so it seems to make sense that they would want to at least try to get some chemistry going on that pair. Stajan is a good forward, but not a true top-line center like Jokinen. Look for Jokinen centering Iginla and probably Tanguay at first, with Stajan centering the second line with Kotalik and Bourque. Glencross and Hagman flanking Langkow on the third, with Conroy centering two of Moss, Jackman, and Ivanans to round out what actually looks to be one of the better groups of forwards in the league.