Why Stars' lineup of different parts might be perfect for this moment

The Stars are a gathering of miscellaneous parts.
But maybe that's why they're working so well right now.

The versatility of the forward group means fans at home want to tell interim coach Rick Bowness how to reassemble his lines pretty much every game. Player A might be a better fit with Player B. Player C should be getting more minutes than Player D. It's a real jigsaw puzzle when you sit down to try to piece it all together. And when you get right down to it, there might be 20 different right answers.
Then, you put that situation in the hands of a coaching staff that was rearranged in December -- a coaching staff where Bowness is in charge for the first time since 2004, and running a playoff bench for the first time since 1992 -- and that's just one more odd variable to consider.
But the thing about Bowness is he might be the best person to handle all of this, he might be the right man at the right time.
The 65-year-old NHL lifer is unflappable. He believes in the concept of the team. He believes that everybody contributes, and that extends to his coaching staff. So he isn't afraid to trust his assistant coaches to do important jobs. He oversees everything, he has a hand in everything, but John Stevens gets to run the defensemen, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson run the power play, Jeff Reese makes the majority of decisions concerning the goalies. It really is a democracy.

That communal feel extends to the players, as well.
During the playoffs, Joe Pavelski leads forwards in average time ice at 17:40 per game, while Andrew Cogliano is last at 12:22. That's balance. Fans were complaining that Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz weren't getting enough ice time, despite leading the team in regular season goal scoring with 20 and 19 goals, respectively -- pondering that the media in Montreal wouldn't stand for such decision-making.
But what would the Canadian writers think if they saw the minutes for the top line in recent games?
During a huge Game 2 win where Dallas had to face more than 11 minutes shorthanded, Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov each were in the 12-minute range. In an incredibly successful Game 1 where the top line combined for three goals among eight points, they each logged about 15 minutes.
In both wins, the decisions worked.

Bowness said he feels the minutes of the players while he is standing on the bench, but he also feels the game. Yes, he looks at ice time between periods, but mostly he looks at how the team played.
When he rolls four lines, the energy spreads. When he trusts what his players are doing, they play better. And players have said they like that approach.
Now, it's easy to like anything when you're winning. Dallas ran off five straight victories before losing in Game 3 Wednesday -- and even that was a game that they could have won.
Bottom line, the miscellaneous parts actually adjust pretty well to whatever situation presents itself. If the Stars are killing penalties, they have some great choices among their forwards in Radek Faksa, Blake Comeau, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark and Cogliano. They have even added Joe Pavelski to the mix. If they are looking for a power-play goal, they have two balanced units where players like Gurianov and Corey Perry have provided more options.
And everybody feels they have a role.

Pavelski and Perry struggled during the regular season to match the kind of offensive output they had in San Jose and Anaheim. Part of that is because they are older (36 and 35). Part of that is because they loved their old teams and were beloved in those cities. Sometimes, transition takes time.
But the addition of both parts sure looks like genius from Jim NIll. The Stars' general manager acquired both with the hope that they would be big in the playoffs, and right now both are.
Meanwhile, Anton Khudobin has stepped in nicely in goal with Ben Bishop injured, and Andrej Sekera and Taylor Fedun are filling in for the absence of Stephen Johns (who is hurt) and Roman Polak (who decided to stay in the Czech Republic when the NHL resumed play).
Attrition is a big part of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the team that handles injuries the best is oftentimes the team that moves on. Depth is huge, mental strength is even bigger.
And that's why these odd parts might be coming together at just the right time. Bowness likes to let his lines stay together and build chemistry. Bowness likes to spread his minutes. Bowness likes to trust that his players will handle any challenge.

That can be frustrating for fans who want more button pushing, who want mistakes to be punished. But Sekera struggled early in the playoffs, and Fedun looked nervous when he was asked to step in. Bowness and Stevens slowly gave each more responsibility, and each has improved his game.
The decisions of the coaching staff and the vibe of the team can be credited with those improvements.
These are unprecedented times. The playoffs are in a bubble in Edmonton, games are being scheduled and rescheduled at all hours of the day, the mental challenges are incredibly unique.
But maybe the Stars' odd little lineup is built just for this.
They bend but don't break, they dig out of holes, they live in the moment.
And, so far, that seems to be working out pretty well.

Game 4: Stars vs. Avalanche (Dallas leads 2-1)

Sunday, 5 p.m.
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton
TV:NBCSN
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.