It's a centre problem imo.
There is no other legitimate option for ANY coach other than to keep gaudreau and Monahan together.
Tkachuk works on line 2 with Backlund because he doesn't leave him high and dry. Tkachuk wants to make the same defensive reads and plays on the defensive zone as backline and frolik do. That's the essence of their chemistry together and why they are so good at outchancing their opponents even though they are relatively under skilled.
You HAVE to play gaudreau and moanahan together because splitting them up means having to elevate a player like Bennett or mangiapane to 17-19 minutes a night and those guys can't handle those kinds of minutes without burning you.
Playing gaudreau with backlund just isn't an option in my mind, neither player is going to play to their potential and you're going to really neuter their individual strengths to the team makeup.
It's why I brought up the centre comparison, having good centres helps you build your roster easier than having good wingers.
Their top winger was point per game this year before going out of the lineup, but the team can keep going because their centres can drive the bus. What do the flames look like with a tkachuk or gaudreau injury?
Since tarasenko went down O'Reilly has 11 points in 8 games and Schenn has 5 in his last 8.
Monahan is already getting filled in terms of fancy stats, imagine life without gaudreau.
Having good centres just gives you so much more flexibility than having to work around 2 guys with big, opposite, holes in their games.
Imo, that's what has to give.
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