i agree with this.. how quickly we're discounting Hronek's contributions is wild.
Not really, most of his points came from playing with Hughes, of his 48 points 29 were secondary assists and only 14 primary.
There is only one puck and if Hughes has it and is playing the majority of PP minutes does it matter who is dishing the puck to him?
Hronek contributed the same as most of the defence, a little less in some games a little more in others.
But with a now deeper defence and a forward squad needing a lot of help, well, quality for quality.
And the right trade could fill both ends, a top six winger and a larger bottom 4 dman.
With Demko and Silovs to back stop.
Who knows what Carolina will do now with a new GM, but that old GM is now in a place that has major issues and loads of AAA prospects.
Also there is Willander who will likely be ready after next season.
If or with Myers, Soucy, Zadorov, Hughes as a top 4 and Juulsen, Friedman and Pettersson for a bottom six for 2/3 years almost a perfect transition of aging players, Myers, being replaced with younger ones.
BUT SIZE MATTERS it always has in the playoffs.
There are a lot of fans/posters that have to relearn cap management or simply think that how badly Benning blew it every year and so got used to no imagination or forward planning.
This management group seems/appears to be from a different planet by comparisons. From the worst in league history, which most fans got used to and think that way to a savvy group that seem to hit the right notes.
Maybe think of a cap hit as a percentage of the cap that declines every year as the cap goes up by 5 mil or so for the next 4+ years.
With the big leap in OEL's buyout for the next 4 years it is important to get a few longer term, 6 year contracts to offset those hits and provide additional cap space for this group to exercise.
If there was a trade talk with Carolina that included Pettersson what was coming back? Necas has been mentioned but who else? Kotkaniemi at 50%, Pesce and a pick or two?
There is a Carolina connection with Rutherford. Lindholm gone, room for Guentzal now?