Lindholm should bot be moved from center

They just spent so much time and so many resources trying to get Backlund to slot as the elite 3C he is, why would they ruin that 9 games into the season?

Why not give it a whirl for a game or two, just have Lindholm take the majority of the Faceoffs OR put Kadri @ RW and that would be the closest replication of last season's Top Line

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk =??? Huberdeau-Lindholm-Kadri

I Agree Backlund is Best at 3C, but when you're in a slump, you might as well switch things up for a game or few

I like it, time to switch things up by loading up the 1st line and going back to a proven line from last season.

I wonder is Dube would be a better Centre than Ruzicka and whether Toffoli should be slotted in at LW.

Only thing I don't like is Lucic being in. We play a Young Fast Team in NJD tonight, so I'd go with more Acceleration & Defense: Rooney-Lewis-Ritchie

Also, I believe Tanev will be out again

Nico Hischier is on pace to be a Selke finalist this year, stacking the 1st line and leaving the others out to dry is almost counterproductive. Also Lucic isn't a slow skater he just doesn't have great acceleration anymore. With the gameplan generally being to out grind teams, especially ones that rely so much on their speed like Jersey Lucic should definitely be in the lineup

I liken Lucic to a Train. Great Top-End Speed, it just takes a few strides to get there (oh and you don't want to get hit by them)

Lindholm is struggling, so shelter him a bit to help re-gain his form & confidence. Flames have lots of Depth/Talent, so I don't see anybody being left out to dry. Need to try different things out to see where the "Synergy" is right!? I think both Dube & Ruzicka can be decent C's, especially if they have talent to play with, which they haven't really been afforded. Dube looked okay at C with Mang last season, but Ritchie as their winger didn't work. I still like the idea of lining Toffoli up at LW and Mang at RW too

Rooney's a Grinder with better Acceleration and Defense, so I'd be going with him over Lucic, otherwise similar to EDM, NJD will just make him look like a standing pylon in our D-Zone. Lewis is a fine 4C and Grinder as well