Juraj Slafkovsky has faded, and Martin St-Louis suddenly has a real problem on Montreal's top line.
The shift in this series has been hard to miss.
After his hat trick in Game 1, Slafkovsky has not recorded a point since the fight with Brandon Hagel in Game 2.
That dry spell has changed the feel around Montreal's attack.
A winger who looked dangerous every touch early in the matchup has gone quiet at the worst time.
The article's central concern is simple: Slafkovsky does not look like himself.
The numbers back that up, with no points and a -3 rating since that punch from Hagel.
Then came another jolt in Game 4.
Max Crozier caught him with a dangerous hit through center ice, and that only added more heat to the conversation around Slafkovsky's condition.
That matters because this is not just about one winger going cold. When Slafkovsky loses his edge, Montreal's entire first unit starts to look easier to handle.
"The guy isn't in his right mind and isn't at his best.
On Sunday night, we saw a guy who didn't protect himself, something he'd been doing perfectly for the past two years.
I'm worried about the state he's been in since Hagel's right-hand break."
Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have also gone quiet since Game 2, which leaves St-Louis staring at a major decision before Game 5 in Tampa.
Montreal's Canadiens biggest line is losing its push in Lightning series
The Canadiens are tied 2-2 in the series, so this is no longer a side story.
Their top guys need to drive play, win touches off the rush, and create something on the power play.
What makes this more troubling is the eye test.
Slafkovsky has looked less sharp in traffic, less forceful on puck protection, and less ready for contact than he usually does.
That is why the noise around him keeps growing.
When a player stops protecting himself the way he normally does, people in the market start asking whether he is really at full capacity.
St-Louis now has one job before the next puck drop: find out whether Slafkovsky can still handle top-line minutes or whether Montreal needs a different look.
Because if Slafkovsky stays stuck where he is, this series can turn fast.
And for the Canadiens, that changes everything.
Should Juraj Slafkovsky be removed from Montreal's top line for Game 5?
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