I imagine if an injury free scenario ever exists (please), we're probably looking at a lineup of:
Zucker-Crosby-Simon*
McCann-Malkin-Rust
Kahun-Bjugstad-Hornqvist*
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev
Dumo-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Johnson-Marino
I would still like to jettison Jugs into the sun (probably an offseason move) and would like to see a depth move that puts us further away from Angello or Agozzino making a playoff appearance (preferably a RH center who can takes faceoffs on the PK), but that's a deep lineup with essentially two third lines operating in your bottom six.
How does (if it happens) 59's return for the playoffs change this?
His injury timeline would put him back like conference finals at the earliest, correct? I think in a vacuum you would look at:
Guentzel-Crosby-Simon*
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
Kahun-Cans-Hornqvist*
Jugs-Blueger-Tanev
but Sid's potential for chemistry with Zucker plus the likelihood of conditioning issues with Guentzel probably puts him on a third line while getting spot duty with Sid.
In my perfect world GMJR finds a way to add Luke Glendening, Trevor Lewis, Ryan Carpenter, or Nick Shore (bargain bin option) to that forward group. Injuries notwithstanding I like the 8 defensemen we have and short of finding a way to add Sami Vantanen or Brenden Dillon, I don't know that there's a tangible difference maker on defense who can be added, though adding a degree of separation between Trotman would be nice.