What I would do is:
1) Stick with the plan that I carefully crafted and not make any panic decisions based on the first 2 preseason games. My plan is to have the team playing well by game 1 of the regular season. Get all the rust, hit posts and adjustment to the rules out of the way early. Win the last 2 preseason games to be hot heading into the regular season. Home opener against the Leafs is a must win. MUST WIN!
2) I'd bench players for taking undisciplined penalties. No exceptions. It shouldn't matter who it is, we now have the depth that we can bench a Buff or Scheifele or Wheeler, etc. for part of a game without critically hurting our chances to win. The PK isn't good enough to deal with avoidable penalties.
3) on the power play I would focus on the low game. Once the puck goes to the goal line you can quickly create a 3 on 2 situation with the player on the half wall on the opposite side of the ice and the man in the high slot. Focusing on this should open Laine and Buff a bit. Right now everyone can tell we're just trying to feed Laine for the one-timer. It's very choreographed and we need to switch it up a bit to make that more effective.
4) On the PK I would be ultra aggressive. At the end of last season when the PK was good this was the tactic that we were using. We're pretty good at denying entry into the zone so hopefully be creating more pressure on players once they're set up we'd be able to cause a few more turnovers. If that doesn't work I'd just line all 4 guys up in the crease behind the goalie blocking the net until the goalie is able to smother the puck and get us a faceoff.
5) For Lines I would go:
Laine Scheif Wheeler - Scheif and Wheeler just need to be more selfish and stop trying to force feed Laine. We need goals, it doesn't matter who scores them.
Perrault Little Ehlers - Connor can take Perrault's spot once he earns it. No top 6 spots are given out.
Connor Lowry Armia - I like Lowry on the forecheck, Armia's defensive presence and Connor to be the finisher. Once Connor moves to the second line call up Rosolvic and roll Perrault Roslovic Armia. Can't have 2 rookies on one line and expect to win games.
Mathias Copp Dano - 4th line with skill that can score
Tanev - in the PB but his speed is an asset if we needed an extra forward in a pinch and couldn't make a callup
Hendricks - never to play unless an absolute emergency. There to be a room presence and work faceoffs with the team.
Petan - Injury callup for a top 9 spot.
I liked the looks of Myers and Kuli so you almost can't go wrong with the pairings but I'd play each pair 20 minutes just rolling them to keep everyone fresh.
Morrissey Trouba
Kuli Buff
Enstrom Myers
6) I'd make it so that on D we always deny the cross ice pass. Odd man rush. Let the goalie handle the shooter, just don't allow a cross ice pass. Tim Thomas and the Bruins at that time were great at this. Thomas would come out and be super aggressive knowing that his team would pick off any cross ice attempt.
) without surcease.
