I was hoping for instant chemistry too, but sometimes things take a little longer. Right now, there is no need to panic. Flames have been winning, and winning against top teams at that. This takes the bulk of the pressure off.
Let's look at the lines in general.
Huberdeau - Lindholm - Toffoli: Ok, this line is not 'clicking', but I also don't think they have been awful. Huberdeau is coughing up the puck quite a lot, Lindholm has certainly looked lost quite often, and Toffoli either doesn't get into the right spots that Huberdeau is looking for, or is taking too long to shoot. However, we have all seen this line 'click' in short spurts, and it was glorious. Lindholm has had a few monster shifts from preseason until now that nobody wants to talk about, and Toffoli has been scoring. So this is either players that clash and won't fit, or it is a chemistry issue. Flames are winning, so let's just be patient and see if chemistry can develop.
Dube - Kadri - Mangiapane: This has been performing like a top line some nights. I would hate to break them up. The easy rotation is either Kadri and Lindholm switch spots, or Mangiapane and Toffoli switch spots. However, because this line seems to work well together, let's leave them alone, especially since the Flames are winning.
Lewis - Backlund - Coleman: None of these players are a fit for the top line in my opinion (maybe Backlund, but I always found it strange to try and convert one of the NHL's best defensive centers to the wing). This line is doing well, and Lewis has been better than I thought he would be in this spot. Don't have an issue here. Tough match-up line.
Lucic - Rooney - Ritchie: This line is also contributing in many ways. Until they don't, you ride this line. They are helping this team win.
You have one disjointed line, and 3 fairly good lines. Having your top line performing well is crucial, so if this continues, of course you look at breaking up another line and seeing if the pieces can fit better. I just think that at this point, it is still a bit early to break up anything else that seems to be working, especially considering that the top line has 3 players who have never played together. The same can be said for most of the lines, and Sutter even made mention of that a few days ago stating that only one pair is still together (winger - centre combo - and that would be Backlund-Coleman).
I think you wait until after the first road trip to break them up, unless the Flames go on a losing skid. Chemistry seems to develop more on the road. That's what I am personally waiting for. There is simply no need to press the panic button yet. Winning makes this a minor issue, not a glaring one.
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