I mean, Dallas currently has 3 guys under 6'0 in their top6. NYR has two. Florida and Edmonton have none.
What I do see though is a lot of skill.
I feel like a recording, but priority is skill, then we can worry about grit.
Get a player that works with Newhook/Dach so that line can score and then look to fix the grit in the lineup.
You already said Suzuki and Slaf have grit so 1st line is fine.
If the 2nd line lack a bit of grit, make the 3rd line grittier (while still having skill).
You'll never have 4 perfect lines, so you just need to balance the lineup accordingly.
Unless I am missing something, the only forward for Dallas under 6’ is Stankoven. Dallas has 4 players in their top 6 with height at 6’2” and over compared to 2 for the Habs.
We can take a look at someone like Connor Garland that has a mix of skills, grit and tenacity and also performs well in the regular season. Unfortunately due to his small size, his effectiveness diminishes considerably in the playoffs.
I have been saying for a few years now to give Riley Tufte a chance. We are not winning at a high level for at least another 2 years.
Also, there are some players with size and toughness we could get this offseason.
Guys like Maroon, Carrick, Carrier, O’Brien or Greer.