Yeah,  the trip would be a snap if I skipped the Poohbah/Wink sidetrip.  Would probably have time to base camp a night or two and just meander and explore for a couple lazy days.  I mean, our objective is to enjoy ourselves, not to set up some canoe equivalent of doing 200 pushups.  In five minutes.
And if we base-camped a couple days, and did some little circle routes from there, the double portage thing would become totally moot.  I could forget Wink Lake (at least for those two days), and use this little winking guy instead:   8-)
By the way, our primary route is Beaverhouse, Quetico, Jean, Sturgeon, and Maligne River.  It'll be wonderful.

Thanks, Snow Dog, for the advice.