Notable at practice on Wednesday was a shuffle to the third and fourth lines. On Monday, Kyle Brodziak was at centre with Jujhar Khaira on the left side and Zack Kassian on the right while Ryan Strome centred Jesse Puljujarvi and Tobias Rieder.
On Wednesday, Strome was centring Rieder and Kassian while Khaira was in the middle between Puljujarvi and Drake Caggiula.
"He played in the middle today, didn't play in the middle the other day," McLellan said of Khaira. "We shuffled those guys around. We need more. We need more from our third and fourth lines. They didn't give us much (on Saturday)."
McLellan added that he needed those third and fourth lines to help steal some momentum during the game, even if they weren't necessarily finding the scoresheet.
"It's a four-line league right now and they have to be more productive. I'm not just talking about offence, I'm talking about momentum, physicality, defending, pace, energy. We need more from those lines."
During practice, who was the so-called third and fourth lines between the two units was unclear. When asked, McLellan said that's because it should be unclear.
"When I look at those 'blue' lines -- because they were wearing blue jerseys -- I couldn't tell you who our third and fourth line was. They'll dictate that. When they get into a game situation where their minutes are distributed, we have to go to three lines which one of those lines play. Because the other day there wasn't a real distinguished separation between the players who played there," McLellan continued. "I don't know if Strome moved down a line, if Khaira's centring the fourth line, I can't tell you that. They'll dictate that."
Kyle Brodziak rotating in on Strome's line but McLellan also added that it doesn't necessarily mean Brodziak is out for Thursday.
"We can't tell you that, either. We've got to wait and see so we'll make some decisions."
BLOG: McLellan looks for more from lines three and four
The third and fourth lines saw some shuffling at practice Wednesday
