The Montreal Canadiens offence has left something to be desired due to the lack of production from the second line.
But if you watch the Habs on the power play, especially since Lane Hutson has been running the top unit, there is a need. Juraj Slafkovsky has proven he can fill that need by using his quick release for one-touch shots. But he hesitates most of the time, which has decreased the number of high-danger scoring chances.
If Slafkovsky were more willing to fire the puck on the net, then things would be much different, but until then, something needs to shift. In my opinion, Slafkovsky belongs on the power play, but I think he is better suited at the net front. I would take Kirby Dach, who has struggled to shake off the rust, completely off the top unit for a little while.
Whether it be Alex Newhook or maybe even a promotion to rookie Emil Heineman, the Canadiens could use a left-shot winger. But not just any, one who is willing to shoot the puck without hesitation. The rest of the unit has been doing their best to generate offence, but taking away Hutson's bread and butter has been an issue.
Give the fans what they want
If the Habs want the power play to be less predictable, then having somebody other than Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield firing the puck would go a long way. Personally, my pick would be Heineman, I like Newhook's speed, but Heineman has a wicked release. It comes off his stick quick and it has some weight to it, almost like he is trying to put it through the goalie.
Caufield has been off to a hot start, and he finds ways to score goals, so I am not too worried about that aspect of the unit. But teams will look to game plan and take away that option, so opening up a new one will make the Habs more difficult to defend against. it's not ideal to put a fourth-line player on the power play, but Heineman is the strongest and purest shooter after Caufield.
If Slafkovsky isn't going to shoot the puck more, then he is going to have to shift to a different spot. At the end of the day, the most important thing is for the team to be scoring more goals. The confidence that Heineman would gain from playing on the top unit would be huge for the unit, but also for him at five-on-five.