Begging for Jonatan Berggren’s villain era for the Grand Rapids Griffins

Balanced lineup approach should continue

I will say that Coach Watson balanced his lines and defensive pairs well in the first game of the series. Seemingly, all night, he rolled all lines and pairs equally. It’s refreshing from the Detroit Red Wings coaching staff playing the same two forward lines and two defensive pairs. 

It paid off for the Grand Rapids Griffins and will likely continue throughout the series. This type of usage helps ward off injuries from overuse and exhausting the best players, breeds confidence among the entire lineup, and unexpected heroes emerge from the depths.

I would have never put money on Shine starting the comeback for the Grand Rapids Griffins, but that’s a “me” problem. It has nothing to do with Shine. Now, I have to rethink my perspective, and I’m grateful for the chance to do so. In Contrast, the Detroit Red Wings season lived and died with its top players.

If other lines and pairings struggle for the Grand Rapids Griffins, I imagine coach Watson has no trouble playing certain lines or pairs for more minutes. However, given the team's performance, it would be tough for coach Watson to make any drastic changes to lineup usage.