Maybe the team just needs to be less rigid in their deployments if nothing materializes on the trade front..
Mix around the norm a bit:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Lindholm
Lucic-Bennett-Dube
Nordstrom-Ryan-Simon
Robinson
Gio-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Kylington
Petrovic
#19 could be the power forward type the top line needs. Get him away from defensively focused matchups and see what he can bring to the top line.
Lindholm can help form a great shutdown line in place of Tkachuk as he is our best all around player and might even have some chemistry with Backlund, it looks like it on the PK.
Keep the playoff line together.
Ryan can center an intriguing new look 4th line.
Petrovic can eat popcorn and Robinson can wait for his opportunity. First call ups would be Gawdin, Phillips, Mackey, Yelesin.
Cap would be tight and we couldn’t have a full 23 man roster but if no trades happen I at least hope they try and mix things up a bit with the lines, whatever that may be.
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