Modifié 8 déc. 2022 à 15 h 8
I would absolutely shake the Top-6 up again. Lindholm, Huberdeau & Toffoli are fine together on the Power Play (or when the opponents net is empty), but 5on5/Even Strength, they just aren't producing much. Dube -2, Mang -2 with Kadri -1 was once again a very weak line defensively at Even Strength last night.
I really don't understand why we would remove our Best Producer out of the Top-6, let alone the Top-9. Ruzicka is absolutely on Fire with 15 Points in 16 GP = 0.94PPG, if anything you want to be giving this guy MORE ICE TIME, not less. Note, Ruzicka assisted on both Even Strength Goals last night with the opponents having a Goalie in Net.
I personally would run lines more like this:
Huberdeau-Lindholm-Ruzicka
Zohorna-Kadri-Toffoli
Coleman-Backlund-Lewis/Ritchie
"SHUT DOWN LINE"
Mangiapane/Pelletier-Dube-Phillips/Mangiapane
"ENERGY LINE"
The 4th Line doesn't have to be a "Checking Line" and Sutter will simply reduce the minutes of any line that isn't performing well, but Dube will win just as many FaceOffs and probably more than Rooney or Lewis and he & Mang are magic together Short Handed, so starts in their own D-Zone shouldn't be a huge problem compared to Lucic-Rooney/Lewis-Ritchie who are a complete disaster together in their own zone when they lose the FaceOff (which happens far too often, especially if it was icing, they're tired and one of the Opponents Top Lines comes out).
Until Ruzicka's Play/Production falls off and/or Dube, Mangiapane, Pelletier and/or Phillips start producing more efficiently, this is how it should be. Dube & Mang need to re-earn a spot in the Top-6, both are under performing and need a bit of a demotion/kick in the pants to get going, but they should stay together on the same line.
I'd have put Coleman with Kadri, but we typically like to keep Backlund & Coleman together. Similar to Ruzicka, Zohorna brings More Size and Physicality to the Top-6. He'd be Good at Retrieving & Protecting the Puck and he's a Good Passer, leading the Wranglers with 9 Even Strength Assists; he has a Decent Shot too shooting 14.3% right now.