Why is Brassard an offensive player playing on the 4th line, much less over Miller who hasn't shown much offensively. That makes zero sense.
I don't look at it as rank, but just having 4 lines that can finally be rolled. 4 lines, 6 D. The Rangers in 11-12 were 3 lines, and 5 D deep and that was what ultimately cost the team against the Devils.
I'd like to see Miller be given a chance to be molded into a David Backes, Ryan Kesler type two way center that can elevate Cally's game and the teams by being a number 1 checking option.
Now this may very well be too soon, but if Callahan is on the top checking unit, that frees up all the skill players from having to play hard d-zone minutes, leading to mismatches on several shifts per game, rather than just off of icings.
As far as Pouliot-Brassard-Dorsett. I think playing the softest perimeter players on your team with some grit will help them drive pucks and bodies to the net. Dorsett will drop em with anyone, so being afraid of contact can't be an excuse for top ten draft disappointments out of Quebec.
Besides Pouliot-Brassard-Dorsett has been a favorable match up the last few games against team's bottom 6, really advantageous to have guys that can make plays with the puck versus guys that can't from the last two games so far.
The reason why I stay away from Pouliot-Brassard-Callahan is because there is no way am I going to count on Pouliot or Brassard to go up against teams' top lines. Pouliot takes penalty after penalty after losing his one on one battles, and both he and Brassard turn it over when feeling pressured. Recipe for disaster against the best skaters on the opposition.