I might be missing something in your post/philosophy. I'm not sure making this team physically tougher necessarily makes it better. Chiarelli tried that to some extent. As currently constructed after three GM's and multiple rebuilds this team has a generational player whose in on about 60% of the team's goals. They have a second elite whose sublime skill set straddles him between elite goal scoring winger and power 2C with lesser talent and less consistent results. This team needs bigger skill top six forwards who give this team greater scoring balance to compete with playoff teams. And one addition needs to be a goal scorer with ability to pot 25+ goals who can supplement winger Draisaitl when this team chooses to stack its two best players.
The 80's template foundation was a top six forward group comprised of what became four Hall of Famers rolling out lethal pairings of Gretzky/Kurri and balanced by Messier/Anderson. They smartly complemented this top six firepower with hard edged support players.
Today's game is so different. I think it's less rugby style intimidation (which I don't think is a viable winning formula) and more balanced, bigger skilled top six talent that gives viable options when opposition want to play a trapping, collapse game against McDavid and little viable options for scoring when Draisailt is neutralized too through it. Still been a coin flip series despite McDavid and Draisaitl being shut down. Need more talent around them including a volume shooter/goal scoring option.
The problem with Chiarelli's teams was not general construction philosophy, it was talent.
You didn't see anyone in 2017 committing 5 skaters to collapsing in front of the net and hog-tying McDrai.