Some observations from the season so far.
The top line is ineffective because they are not getting the puck to Huberdeau and because Lindholm is playing with his head in his hockey pants. All too often the one player with the most touches on a rush is Tyler Toffoli, who is not a great puck handler nor a good skater. He's a finisher, but not the guy you want handling the puck. Get the luck to Huberdeau and let him do his thing. Lindholm has to step up and get it together. He's the worst player on his line by a big margin.
Trevor Lewis needs to go away. He's a fine 13th forward, but he is killing the third line. He handles the puck like a its a live grenade and never seems to make a crisp pass. This is the line where Toffoli should be lining up. He plays the same north-south game as Backlund and Coleman and would likely benefit from their style of game. Coleman needs to get his damn stick under control and start playing some smart hockey. I think his struggles are directly linked to Lewis and his inability to play with any flow. Coleman looks frustrated and I think it's because that line is missing a player that can do something other than bump along the boards and get in the way.
The second line has so much potential to be killer. Mangiapane is struggling and not playing his best right now, but it is still the best line on the team. Kadri and Dube have some serious chemistry. Don't mess with this mix, let Mangiapane get rolling and profit.
Defense has been really good. Zadorov continues to surprise with his play. Not the weakness I think some would believe he was going to be. Weegar is finding his way and needs a little bit of time, but the blueline looks great.
Markstrom is concerning. He's giving up softies and making bad decisions when leaving his crease. Frankly, he should never leave his crease. He is such a poor puck handler that there is no benefit from him wandering around. He's not Mike Smith dumb, but he should not be taking chances when he can't handle the puck worth a damn. Focus on stopping pucks and leave the dump in retrieval to the defensemen. He needs to get his head right and build some confidence.
Biggest take away is this team needs another RW with some skill to play on the top line. If you have to give Matthew Phillips a shot because of the cap, make it happen. It is painful to watch the top line continue to struggle at generating any offense 5-on-5.
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