Now there is a great debate for the summer.
Do you think either kid is ready? Why?
(Personally I am all for playing prospects. How else do you know what you have. How else are they supposed to know what they need to learn at the NHL level just watching up stairs?)
Do I think they're ready? I honestly have no idea as I don't pay enough attention to the guys in providence to have a real opinion. Both seemed to have decent seasons. I would think Merkulov would be the more ready of the two.
But what I do know is you have to give these guys a chance at some point and they need to be put in a position to succeed and not be benched over every little mistake.
These aren't the kind of guys like Marchand or Lucic where you can play them on the 4th line and they can work their way up, they just don't have that kind of toughness or tenacity. Play them with the skilled guys so they can work with what will make them successful. Let them take their lumps, if they're playing scared not to make a mistake all the time they'll never become anything.
Cheap contracts like theirs is what can keep contending teams contenders year after year, a few of these guys that are contributing sprinkled throughout the lineup is so important to have
TT is an interesting idea. Not sure the cost, but he has performed at a high lev In the past. Thoughts on the contract value?
Gotta think TT is at $6.5M minimum. Not sure the cap would work if they got Lindholm plus added to the D(which apparently they want to) but he's definitely a guy I'd look at if it were possible to add him.
