We lost Marchment, Giroux/Tippett, and Duclair due to internal salary raises (Barkov and Verhaeghe), if Hornqvist is out for the season then at least we’ll be able to fit Duclair in. But either way, he’s been out the entire season so far.
Barkov has been injured, sick, or when he has been playing has not been good enough. Shooting 7% and only 6 goals.
Bennett also not playing up to standards, has 7 goals with 7% shooting, has had time as the 1st center with Barkov out yet has scored in one game in the past 20.
Lundell has 4 goals and is rarely ever a threat when he’s on the ice this season. Losing Marchment on his line didn’t help.
Reinhart started crazy snakebitten but has worked his way back up.
Verhaeghe and tkachuk have been great. But the tkachuk trade came in a season too early as he was due a contract while Huberdeau had one year left on his cheap deal. No one expected that opportunity to pop up and had to jump on it when the chance was there.
Ekblad’s been injured or bad as well when playing. No replacement for Weegar, and while I’m not heartbroken giving him up, not having a replacement is rough as Marc staal is a #6 at best. Forsling, montour, and Mahura have been great. Gudas has been out the past several games.
Bob and knight both have been rough and inconsistent and knight just came back from illness.
Maurice has a different style but between the lost depth vs last year, the injuries and illness hitting the team, and players not playing up to their standards, it’s been a whirlwind of bad situations all hitting at once.