I was referring to GF%, not production. And before anyone claims I'm doing so, I'm not saying that RNH is better than Drai (he's not, and it's not close).
I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation for him to not be outscored while driving his own line. It's obvious that he's insanely skilled offensively, but his defensive abilities are practically nonexistent. Id be curious to see him paired with a winger who drives possession but doesn't produce a ton (like Pouliot from a few years back). Barring a massive improvement in his defense, having someone who can really drive possession and generate offensive zone time would let Drai work his magic in the offensive zone without getting his teeth kicked in. Although his production away from McDavid isnt stellar, it's his GF% that's really a problem. If you can find an undervalued winger who generates a ton of possession, you might be able to fix the latter and boost the former. Unfortunately, this would require our GM to think outside the box to solve a problem that he probably isn't even aware exists.
This team desperately needs a second line that can outscore the opposition. Our bottom 3 lines basically start our team down 1-0 and it's up to the top line to make up the difference. We can't just load up the top line and hope that they score 2-3 goals a game.
Reider, Chiasson, and Pulju aren't scrubs. They're by no means elite but they're decent players.