[CGY12]

As somebody who's been super critical of this core and still under the belief that the current makeup of that core isn't a Stanley Cup winning one, Johnny is absolutely part of the solution and not even close to being an issue. Losing him would be an absolute dagger to this franchise. He is literally the only one on the team that has the skill and IQ to skate the puck up and gain the zone effectively almost every time he touches the puck.

I absolutely love Lindholm and believe he is part of the solution as well but I'd love to see Johnny play with another player that has that skill/IQ ability too, Tkachuk certainly can't with his weak skating skills. How we add that player? It probably has to be through the draft but getting Johnny a line mate, either at centre or wing that can lug the puck up the ice and has the IQ to intelligently gain the zone with either his skating ability, patience or smarts would be a game changer for Johnny I believe (in the playoffs).

You look at teams that made the final 4 and or have had recent playoff success, usually that top line/s has at least 2 players who can do that, whether its Kucherov/Point, Rantanen/Mckinnon, Panarin/Zibanejad, I'll even include McDoofus and Crysaitl.

When playing stiffer competition in intense, faster, playoff hockey, the top line becomes easier to contain because the opponents understand everything runs through Johnny. Resign him and find a player that can at least alleviate some of those responsibilities, since signing any of the above caliber players is next to impossible, management needs to find a 2nd tier player who possess those abilities.