As usual, BB88, some good stuff in here. And also as usual, we're not disagreeing on a whole lot.
It's sort of funny that previously, when I thought Hamilton was going to be locked down long term, I thought fixing the D group was the easiest task, as all we needed to find was a "stay at home" type D with top 4 D quality, and we were good. Now, fixing the D is the most difficult task.
If the post a few lines up is accurate, sounds like Franson may have just been signed with the B's so... there's at least one D for the top 4... But Franson isn't a good enough Hamilton replacement.
It would be great to draft an elite D next year in the top 5, and then an elite F in top 5-8... But you're absolutely right. The clock is ticking on this, big time. The longer we take to find out future #1D, the longer we waste prime Bergy/Krejci/Marchy and whatever Chara has left in the tank.
Yep, fixing the D is damm hard because we need that top pairing future #1D, teams won't just give those away, I'm thinking that 2nd overall should be our target, pay the price and get him, if it takes longer than that find then we are going to waste our core players prime.
The potential is there but it's just missing that 1 piece and sadly it's the big one
I hope C.Miller can really step up next year and Morrow allowing us to only focus on finding that 1st pairing D.
To me it's just becoming clear that after next year Seids has to be traded, Zboril, Linus, Morrow, Carlo, C.Miller are trying to push into lineup and they have the potential to be 2nd pairing D's soon. I don't want to keep them out of the lineup because/if we can't say goodbye to our vets. And if we add a D-player then we are going to have 5-7 strong prospects fighting for 1 roster spot.
It's funny how things have changed, now when you look at next season as a re-tool year and not as a must be in the playoffs year then you can see the potential in our forward group and how great the depth is, I don't think we have to worry about that for a long time, but then you look at the D and see it full with question marks and see it missing that 1st pairing D. I trust one of our prospects is able to step up and take that 2nd pairing role, that's why I don't think we should be after a new 2nd pairing D and waste assets on that, use everything you have and can use without hurting the team and find that topD.
975k in bonus penalty, 13th forward, 7th D make it 3.5ish.
https://www.hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/15667
We have 5.6M now and Franson would be then that 7th D leaving us 1 winger short.
Shawn Hutcheon @ShawnHutcheon 53 s53 sekuntia sitten
Have been told by more than one source that, as of now, Cody Franson has not signed with any NHL team.
