If the team ever gets fully healthy again, it will be interesting if Sutter goes back to the weird lines that started the season.
I'm not yearning for Ritchie to come back, he was the worst possession player on the team, but he did provide a more youthful energy that Lewis and Richardson don't provide.
I really do think this group is just tired. They've played a lot of games and at a high pace as demanded of them.
Secondary scoring should be there. Backlund, Coleman, Mangiapane and Monahan should be more than enough secondary scoring. Aside from Mangiapane, the others just aren't providing what is needed. Backlund is notoriously better in the second half of the season, hopefully that continues. Coleman is an unknown. Offensively he is definitely underperforming. Monahan is a season long wildcard and Mangiapane is the bread eater.
Even tertiary scoring should be there with Lucic and Dube. Lucic is living up to his end of the bargain. Dube is not.
In my mind the ingredients are there, but there's some line balance issues going on. Lines that look like they should work, just aren't. Backlund is slotted a bit too high and Monahan isn't deserving yet of an increased role.
It's a long season of ups and downs and I am fully confident in the management and coaching staff's ability to have this group where it needs to be.
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