I agree about Marchessault i just suggest VGK has been using him wrong
Case and Point is the MSL when he came in to a mostly AHL team to the point half our Laval roster was ineligible for the playoffs (still made ECF on half ECHL/Junior guys)
Now that i set the scene Marty came in day 1 moved Anderson to LW for the 1st time in MTL and Caufield beside him went 25 pts in 22 games on fire.
Asked why he we put there Marty Cited "he uses his size to win battles and protect teammates, i like that option "

How can he justify it ?
2/3 players on each line is played where they're suppose to be with the 3rd acting like a Sparkplug basically.

(Anderson ) Suzuki-Caufield
Lehkonen- (Evans) -Pitlick
(Hoffman)-Dvorak-Gallagher
(Pezetta)-Poehling-Armia

Thos isn "()" are out of their regular spot carried by those who are regulars.
Lehkonen-Pitlick were amazing with Lehkonen scoring 9pts in 9 games whcih was basically all he played before traded
Pitlcik scored something like 22 pts in 35 games under MSL on second line and was this close to his second Hat Trick of the year in OTT

Dvorak went 18 points in 22 games with a 57% win rate playing 3rd line Center with Gally on his wing primarily
Gally had 14 points in 28 games under MSL including 10pts in his final 13 games
It took Gally 5 games under MSL to adjust and become the new managements biggest Cheerleader but it quickly paid off

Evans i had 12 in 37 under Ducharme and 17 in 35 under MSL with really his offensive numbers remaining the same with 6 goals vs 7 goals in similar time.
Like Suzuki he remained laregly uneffected by the Coaching change offensively or minutes wise. But how he was used did change and those around him succeeded at higher levels.What MSL did do was work on Evans Faceoffs and got him above 50% average for the first time by addressing his consistentcy issues

Armia stuggled and i wont trying BSing about that as there's no numbers that can quntify his struggles.
I will say this though he was on the line 2nd only to our top line in Goal Production and points in our SCF run in which he was banged up.
Had a short summer and a bad start with Covid isolation despite not testing positive, then injured before Christmas staying with the team in hopes of a quick return, Got Covid from Caufield forced to isolate in Wisconsin then you arrive back with a new coach who is busy juggling and scratches you until he can sort out your issues.

That said MSL did eventually get to him and he even had a 5 pts in 5 games hot streak towards in March that MSL built on.
Then Armia used that momentium to go beat out Josh Anderson in the Finals head to head where he scored the game tying goal in the Gold Medal Game.
I expect he'll come back and build on that momentium under MSL but even if he doesnt he's a 4th liner even at last years production he's still NHL worthy just a bit of a cap nightmare.

I think he'll continue this same system as it got the most out of Lehkonen and Chiarot who were both 9 points in their final 9 games getting MTL much more then expected in both cases.Even Hoffman finished 3 in scoring and actually played a ton as MSL older version of Claude Juliens approach to Byron (starts on 3rd or 4th but if injuries happen can play top 6 while playing on special teams)



So while i get your point about sending over the highly skilled Frenchmen
I just dont see how he fits into MTL although we'd gladly take him at that price and just figure out who to move to offset difference later if needed.
Nor is there a rule saying we have to keep him as he could become a piece in a PLD trade

I just ultimately think Coaching could ultimately change all that.
MSL was a guy with no experience who got hired because he had vision
Everyone under him overachieved even Poehling who no one wanted last 2 TDL found a suitor.
You guys just need to find that guy and IMO its Steve Ott thats the guy who can bring VGK to a Cup and get the most out of everyone espeically Eichel

I wasnt a believer in a Coach can change everything before i saw MSL in action.
I've always just seen MTL settling for less to get someone french so seeing someone that good threw me off.
But i wont pretend i couldnt be wrong after seeing what MSL got out of everyone from Caufiled to Pitlick to even Dauphin or Wideman (the extra FW/D)
VGK needs Steve Ott cause he's the closest thing i can think of capable of this level of impact