The way you do it is you HAVE to get retention. We do have the pieces to give them that incentive. This upcoming offseason you have to trade Chytil. Or you trade Chytil in the first place and yes. you do need a C replacement but you can give Barron a go there. Hell, we’ve been playing Chytil at C when he’s disastrous from the dot anyway. Plus Rooney has played C and regularly took draws the last three years so if that isn’t working with Barron you can give Rooney a try. I don’t really want to touch the 4th line though.
I don’t play Miller at 3c though. I plant him with Strome and Panarin and that line becomes just insane. I drop Hunt down to the third, maybe give Alf some AHL time and hope that sparks him when they call him back up after the Olympic break, and you have Barron to take his roster spot for a bit.
Either way, you are using Miller in big spots from the dot or shifting him around where necessary.
My thing though is I do it sooner rather than later. I’d rather have a year and 2/3rds of Miller than waiting til the trade deadline and have less time.
Kreider Zibanejad Kakko
Panarin Strome Miller
Hunt Barron Gauthier
Rooney Goodrow Reaves