Voracek is playing the best hockey of his career the last 9 games, playing with Couts has made a big difference, and that's the difference between a good and great player, everyone plays better with Couts at center, whereas Voracek can't lift a line and Giroux's line has been awful with possession and defense. Which is why Giroux needs to move back to wing and Patrick has to step up and be the 2C next year and Frost the 3C.
Problem right now is they could field:
Giroux - Couts - Voracek
Lindblom - Patrick - TK
but JVR - ??? - Simmonds is not a good third line, Laughton isn't a 3C, Vorabyev isn't ready for that role, Rubtsov is hurt and Bunnaman a work in progress. That will be a key focus this offseason. Starting to think JVR might be one and done unless you move Lindblom to RW.
Hagg - Gudas is a bad pairing, MacDonald had a bad game but otherwise has been solid since his return, hopefully some team needs veteran depth for the playoff run. Myers, Friedman, Morin will make a difference here.
Stolarz needs a few more starts, but he's looking like a solid NHL backup goalie, given what is available in FA in veteran backup goalies, he's probably your best bet if he keeps this up, with Lyon at LHV if he gets through waivers (unlikely if he keeps playing this well). The solid veterans want to go where they can start and unless there's a Hart collapse, that ain't happening here.
Another game where they were flat out dominated the first two periods, forget shots, look at scoring chances and high danger scoring chances, they've been consistently outplayed by those measures during this win streak. You can blame some of that on Gordon, but the "miracle" HC isn't going to turn this around without personnel changes.
PS: Anyone still want to rag on me about TK not being a first line forward? He's still a work in progress, only 21, but there's a reason he was a late 1st rd pick, he's not the most instinctive player and is a bit straight line - and can't score on breakaways or shootouts for some reason. He'll get better with experience, but geez, what a surprise, he's only looked like a top player paired with Couts.