If I was coaching, I probably would have experimented with the bottom six a little more. It feels a bit absurd to not play one of the most efficient scorers at 5v5 and one who has important playmaking characteristics and aligns very well with the offensive approach in-zone. However, JvR's on-ice metrics since the TDL haven't been particularly good. CBJ is getting outscored and outchanced while he is on the ice whereas ZAR has been winning minutes (though I think Danforth and Olivier are carrying the results pretty hard).
Evason is pretty strict about lines and roles and JvR doesn't fit in the top 9 given the return to health, that's not even mentioning Yegor Chinakhov who hasn't found a role. On the 4th line JvR feels better to me but ZAR penalty kills (not particularly well imo) and ultimately that line plays 10 minutes a game. Ultimately, doesn't seem like there's a clear good decision to be made and even still it's likely low-impact.
If Evason wants to change a bunch of his lines, there are certainly some angles to get JvR involved in a sheltered offensive role. On one hand, I love that Evason wants to let the players figure it out and doesn't want to blend the lines the moment they stutter. On the other, I wish he wasn't so stuck on certain players in the bottom six.
What do you think about JVR being scratched?
If I was coaching, I probably would have experimented with the bottom six a little more. It feels a bit absurd to not play one of the most efficient scorers at 5v5 and one who has important playmaking characteristics and aligns very well with the offensive approach in-zone. However, JvR's on-ice metrics since the TDL haven't been particularly good. CBJ is getting outscored and outchanced while he is on the ice whereas ZAR has been winning minutes (though I think Danforth and Olivier are carrying the results pretty hard).
Evason is pretty strict about lines and roles and JvR doesn't fit in the top 9 given the return to health, that's not even mentioning Yegor Chinakhov who hasn't found a role. On the 4th line JvR feels better to me but ZAR penalty kills (not particularly well imo) and ultimately that line plays 10 minutes a game. Ultimately, doesn't seem like there's a clear good decision to be made and even still it's likely low-impact.
If Evason wants to change a bunch of his lines, there are certainly some angles to get JvR involved in a sheltered offensive role. On one hand, I love that Evason wants to let the players figure it out and doesn't want to blend the lines the moment they stutter. On the other, I wish he wasn't so stuck on certain players in the bottom six.