So not only did he have to learn to play an unfamiliar position, he had do it with new linemates. Quite often this year Jon Coleman has had to switch throughout a game from defense to forward or vice versa. It's more difficult than it may sound. A center's defensive responsibilities are different from a winger's. A center, therefore, typically has a more difficult assignment.
Centers also take faceoffs, and there is a definite art to winning draws.
There are a variety of techniques, and wingers, who are unaccustomed to taking faceoffs, can struggle when thrust into that role. Due to the number of player changes we have had, our special teams have had quite a few different looks. Here again, things can become difficult when bodies are out of the lineup. Special teams, particularly the power play, rely upon quick movement and execution. It helps immeasurably when a unit can stay together, because the players know where each of them is going to be, making it much easier to move the puck quickly.