I'm still not sold on this idea of Hamhuis deteriorating quickly, so much as he maybe just can't carry a garbage partner to the degree being asked of him, in "2nd pairing" type minutes.
But i think the bolded is absolutely the problem here. And it's been a glaring issue since well before the season started. This team is, and always was one solid "top-4D" short of a blueline you could feel good about.
Edler-Tanev
Hamhuis-#4
Hutton-Sbisa7
...would be a blueline i think you could feel pretty good about most nights. That's not a bad group. And having a guy like Bartkowski (or even Weber i guess) in reserve isn't that bad.
Not asking the world for a solid, proven #4D there either. But without that as we are...it just slides everybody else up and juggles them around in roles they're not ready or suited for, or capable of. Just puts everybody out of sorts and out of place.
And when injuries strike, even to a Luca Sbisa as they have...it goes from "suspect" to "bad".
Not really sure how much can be done about it now though, in season. Time has really passed to shore things up without expending assets.