Here's where we are with 19 games left.
Marchand - Bergeron - DeBrusk
Hall - Haula - Pastrnak
Frederic - Coyle - Smith
Foligno - Nosek - Lazar
Lindholm - McAvoy
Grzelyck - Carlo
Forbort - Reilly
Clifton - Brown
Swayman
Ullmark
The aim for the rest of the season:
- Figure out where Lindholm fits best. I think the assumption is he'll go with McAvoy, but it's worth moving him around a bit. Close and late they could go with Grz/McAvoy when down a goal and Lindholm/Carlo when protecting a lead.
- Figure out the playoff 3rd pair. Someone from the Forbort/Reilly/Clifton trio will need to sit. I'd sit Forbort. They'll probably sit Clifton.
- I would tinker with the middle six. Hall - Haula - Pastrnak has been OK, but it could probably be better. The 3rd line is living on borrowed time. Frederic - Coyle - Smith are outscoring teams 12-2 when they are on the ice but that's against a 46% xGF%. They have like a 118 PDO so the roof will fall in at some point. I would try a few things over the remaining 19 games. Maybe bump Coyle up to the 2nd line for a look, maybe try Studnicka up there and Haula in Frederic's spot. Things like that.
- Work in the depth guys to keep them ready in case they are needed. Josh Brown, Jack Ahcan, Anton Blidh, maybe Oskar Steen.