Occasions like these are when Scotty Bowman branches beyond the boundaries of mere coach, the legend overwhelming the man. The Red Wings must survive without captain Steve Yzerman this weekend against Los Angeles. Provided the Wings get there, of course. It's how we've gotten to where we are.
Injuries become an adjustment.
But in a series like this, it's a matter of making up your lines and creating different options. We have guys that play on different lines. And where once was confusion comes clarity. This is why Scotty juggles the forward lines, occasionally leaving players scratching their heads, and curtails the minutes of his stars, often to their consternation. It's done to create as much interchangeability as possible so that when one or two of the most important cogs suddenly are missing, the parts are replaced with as little disruption as possible.