-Buyout Jarry and Hayes
-Re-sign Glass ($2 million), Tomasino ($2 million), Hallander ($1 million), Ponomarev ($900k) and POJ ($1 million)
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-XXXX
Heinen-Glass-Tomasino
Hallander-Lizotte-Acciari
Ponomarev-Hayes
XXXX-Karlsson
POJ-Letang
Koly-Desharnais
Graves
Nedjelkovic-Blomqvist
You have $20 million in cap space with a $95.5 million cap if you do this, and I'd probably try to see if I can move Hayes by retaining another 50% on him for a draft pick to open up another $1.8 million. That's definitely enough money for Marner and probably enough money for Marner and Chychrun combined.
The fourth line looks about right, although I have a feeling Imama will also be in the mix. I think he has been a positive. No. 13 or 14 forward in all likelihood but suddenly Sullivan seems to want a tough guy in his lineup (where has this been?).
I don't understand the logic in buying out Hayes to give Glass his roster spot. Hayes is better than Glass. Glass is not going to magically pan out now. He is Colin White. Colin White was here for a bit, he was everywhere for a bit. Now he is an AHLer. He got a shot earlier this season with the worst team in the league, and is now back in the minors. That is Glass if we fast forward to next season. $2 million for Glass is a brutal take.
I am not spending big money on Karlsson's partner. We have Owen Pickering. He has looked good on the left side. Why are we suddenly burying him in the AHL for another season like we do for every goddamn prospect in this organization. You have to see what we have in this kid, who at 20 is miles more advanced than most prospects. Is he the right partner for Karlsson? I don't know. I prefer him with Letang, personally. But we have the Graves issue that is not going away. Graves was signed to be either Karlsson's partner or Letang's partner. If he can't be that, then that is one expensive No. 7 D. So until we solve the Graves question, we cannot double down and add more expensive LD contracts.
AND, I think that is what Dubas is thinking because his actions suggest this:
- recalling Pickering earlier this season.
- reacquiring Joseph for future considerations (i.e. nothing).
- claiming Kolyachonok off waivers.
I suspect these three and Graves are the LDs next season. They love Shea (Sullivan does anyway), so I suspect he will be re-signed too. We now have the RD depth so that we don't have to rush Brunicke, but Pickering wouldn't be rushed if he is in the NHL next season. The question is who replaces Pettersson next to Karlsson. That is the key to everything, and what to do with Graves. I suspect nothing is the answer, so he remains the No. 6-7 D until further notice.
Also, we have to move on from one of Heinen or Bunting, preferably the latter because I believe he holds way more current trade value. We need to open up a spot for one of the young wingers to earn in camp. If they are battling each other, that is good. If there is a veteran in front of them, nothing they do in camp will matter. We need to avoid that scenario.
I am also not buying out Jarry. Trade Ned now if there is a market for him. Blomqvist needs to be in the NHL next season, and Murashov needs to be in the AHL. If we keep Ned, he is the starter. If we go back to Jarry, Blomqvist has a much greater opportunity.
So other than the expiring contracts, the two guys I would try to trade before this deadline are Ned and Bunting. Because that gets us more future assets AND it also helps the likes of Koivunen, McGroarty and Blomqvist, specifically, and others as well.
Keeping our best prospects in the AHL another season does nothing for us. They need to develop under this head coach or else it is an epic failure.
Rakell-Crosby-Marner
*Ponomarev-Malkin-Rust
Heinen-Hayes-Tomasino**
Hallander-Lizotte-Acciari
Imama
Pickering-Karlsson
Joseph-Letang
Kolyachonok-Desharnais
Graves
Blomqvist
Jarry
*- or McGroarty
**-or Koivunen