Moving Hintz to the third line when he finally got a linemate he gelled well with (not Robertson) would be a good way to get him to request a trade.
I really don’t get the 8+ million dollar 3C plan, whether it’s keeping Johnston there, or moving Hintz there instead.
I’d even go so far as to suggest that the lack of chemistry between Hintz and Robertson directly relates to Hintz’ short-shifting. The most dramatic (and I mean dramatic, because Hintz is very demonstrative in body language when he’s frustrated, to a fault) instances of Hintz curling back from the forecheck and cutting a shift short is when Robertson fails to get him the puck or dumps it in without momentum to retrieve it.
Hintz and Rantanen carried the Stars offence in the playoffs and Robertson was on the fourth line – and attributing that to his injury is disingenuous if you ask me. Robertson wasn’t playing well and does have a history of playoff shortcomings.
21-95-91 makes so much sense to me, I donno why they wouldn’t start there.
If keeping 53 at C is the priority then 24 to LW makes sense, just to keep him with 96.