I just take issue with people blaming our struggles on something as trivial as line combinations. Hockey is a fluid sport, where line combinations and positions are constantly in flux simply due to the nature of the game. To think you can break the game down into a series of discrete events, where a player only has to perform a few tasks repeatedly, is folly IMO. People get way too caught up in thinking a line needs a "passer" and a "shooter", or the even more ambiguous "skilled" player.
Player success is largely correlated to team success, because players interact with the team as a whole, not to simply the player immediately to their right and left on the bench. I don't mean to completely dismiss the effect linemates can have, but to think a player's success or failure lies entirely on that single aspect of the game is short-sighted. If Zibanejad can win faceoffs, make smart breakouts, drive the net and use his speed/shot, he will look good regardless of his linemates. Bobby Ryan has played on quite a few different line combinations so far this season, and he's looked good in every instance.
