Zacha Krejci Pastrnak
Marchand Bergeron DeBrusk
Hall Coyle Frederic
Foligno Nosek Smith
Gryz McAvoy
Lindholm Carlo
Forbort Clifton
That was a record paced team at the TDL and fastest to 100 points ever.
You are replacing Foligno, Nosek and Smith with Lucic, Geekie and McLaughlin.
You are replacing Clifton with Shattenkirk.
So far, so good, honestly. Hard to argue they got worse with those moves.
You are replacing Hall with JVR. A downgrade for sure, but a maybe a better fit. JVR is essentially a poor man’s Bertuzzi: good hands around the net and big enough to shield the puck around the net, but pretty mediocre on the rest of the ice.
Krejci for Lauko…well can’t put any good spin on that. But if Bergeron is back…this is still a VERY good team. Less offensive depth, but some more size in the bottom six. The D is basically the same. Clifton for Shatty shouldn’t matter much at 5 on 5 and there is PP upside. The G are obviously the same.
If Bergeron doesn’t come back it’s dicier. Still a top 5 goals allowed team but hard to see how they score enough. You essentially become the Islanders.
But, they will have a LOT of cash next summer and by then Lysell and Lorhei should be ready play or be trade assets. I would have loved to see them flip Ullmark now and make some hay, but if people were not going to pay up, wait until next year when more teams will have cash.
Still wonder what is gonna happen with Gryz and wonder if there could be something that could happen with Calgary.