Blinny
This is the Sway
1) Why would you have doubts about Perron, who put up 59 in 70, on a top line?
2) Do you not know who Mantha is? Gusev, in his debut season on a garbage Devils team, put up 33 points in his final 45 games. Ziba is not an island on this line.
3) Sanford-Nelson-Silfverberg isn't a shutdown line, but a physically powerful line for softer minutes. Silf is here as a defensive anchor.
4) Foligno-Staal-Donskoi is the shutdown line. Donskoi is here to rag the puck in o-zone. (Yes, maybe Silf should be here instead, but balance.)
5) Columbus' second line has half a line driver in Laine (his game is more than shooting). Monahan is a goalsuck, and Hoffman is a different kind of goal suck. It's a badly formed line.
6) Trocheck isn't that 75 point, super two-way forward that people thought he was going to be. He's a somewhat-selfish 50 point player with injury struggles.
He has a better top pair and marginally better third line, but that's it.
Hate to break it to you but Monahan is a 2x 30 goal scorer and a great 2 way player. Not sure when he became a “goal suck”. In the same vein, Mike Hoffman’s 29 goals in 69 games become a goal suck when? I’m sorry but your idea that is a “badly formed line” doesn’t hold any water.
also, Trochek doesn’t need to be the 75 point getter. Though with line mates like Lindholm and DeBrusk it’s certainly well within his reach. Also, let’s keep in mind he had a bad season last year. But back up to 40 points in 60 games. He is showing he still has an offensive ability and his real strength comes in shutting guys down.
My defense is deep and combined with Ben Bishop, I am more than positive we can keep McDavid in check. My “poorly formed 2nd line” complete with 3 guys who have scored 30+ goals is just that. MY 2nd LINE. I feel confident in my offense to light the lamp.