We have 8 quality forwards looking for playing time in our bottom 6 right now, including youngsters more valuable than Pierre Engvall like Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, Alex Iafallo and Arthur Kaliyev, so a rental forward doesn't make sense for us for even a future fifth. But it's fine if you meant LA to be a placeholder destination for him.

Fiala is "in the bottom 6 looking for ice time"? He is LA's leading point producer and goal scorer.

Yeah, believe it or not, he plays on the third line.

Moore and Arvidsson are fixtures on the second line with Danault when everyone is healthy. Kempe always plays with Kopitar. McLellan has been using Vilardi on the first line, but with him currently hors de combat, McLellan has been experimenting with Byfield on the left and Kempe on the right at all times (he's usually over there only on the power play). In Vilardi's absence, and Byfield's promotion from #3C, Lizotte has moved up there between Iafallo and Fiala. Even if Byfield comes back to #3C, it's more likely that Iafallo will move up to #1LW than Fiala.

Wow! That is pretty interesting. But I guess if it works, it works.

If you look at my esteemed friend @McSorley's most recent ACGM ("Does this team make it to the final"), that's a pretty typical lineup (although, as I've hinted, I would rotate the four #1 and #3 wingers one step counterclockwise).

Intersting. I mean... If Fiala thrives playing lower minutes with certain players, I don't see a point in changing anything. That just means more dangerous lines than just the top two.

Puljujärvi is literally just Engvall but worse. Anderson and Benn are decent depth options, you're really just making the bottom six worse with another guy who can't finish.

Leafs are keeping Holl.

Toews trade is whatever, I guess. Would need double retention.

Schenn is going to cost too much for what he's worth. Joshua seems fine.

Keep Engvall, see first sentence.

Sure for JVR.

Pittsburgh did this with Kessel and he left the team in points from the third line. It's not unheard of. Keefe has experimented with Nylander on the 3rd line as well in past years.

Yeah. Some guys thrive playing certain roles or sheltered minutes and get gassed too easily when they start playing more minutes. I've seen it before, as well. I just didn't know that about Fiala.