Yeah, I do not disagree. That's why in my original post in which a 'drama queen' was found by another poster, I noted that he would be traded or benched. Unless Cup champ Bozak is a 4th liner, traded, or benched? Tank probably won't be back until the playoffs, if even then. I don't count on him returning at all. There is also the possibility of other injuries.
Blais, Clifford, Sanford and Bozak all get benched before Hoffman.
Blais hits everything that moves, but he's not great defensively. Most his hits come on the forecheck. I like Blais a lot, but in his 88 career games he has 23 points, adequate possession numbers and plays about 11 minutes a night. I think he can grow in to more, but he is a worse top 9 player than Hoffman and it isn't really close at this point in their careers.
Clifford has been doing pretty well in his role, but Berube might pull him out of the lineup to slide Blais down to the 4th line.
Bozak's ice time was slipping and he wasn't producing when given the chance to play top 6 this year. He got less than 14 minutes in each of his last full three games played and was below 13 in two of those three. In his 7 games, he has 1 primary assist and 1 secondary assist. His possession numbers have been brutal this year in somewhat sheltered usage and they have always been just okay in his time with the Blues. He's been a sub-40 point player both years with the Blues, turns 35 next month and our PK has improved without him. He didn't show up at all in the playoff last year and has been outplayed by Hoffman this year. Hoffman has been a noticeably better player in each of the last several years. Being on the Cup team in 2019 is not going to put him in the lineup over a consistent 25 goal guy with 30+ goal upside.
Sanford is sitting on 2 points in 10 games this year and has absolutely brutal underlying numbers. He has proven that he can be on the ROR/Perron line and not bring them down, but he hasn't demonstrated that he can be an active contributor. I think it is more likely that he would slide down to the 4th line instead of being scratched, but he is not going to stay in the top 9 over Hoffman if we get fully healthy.
Hoffman is currently tied with Thomas for 6th in scoring among Blues forwards. He's 7th in TOI per game. He's not getting healthy scratched when Tarasenko and a pushing-35-years-old Bozak return.