The only positive about this trade, and I'm really stretching the use of the word, is that it shows, for once, a firm commitment from the team towards a coaching direction. Don Granato is still Adams' guy, and he's building a team in Don's image. I think Don's strategy is bad, but it is actually good to have the FO and coaching on the same page, and to have a commitment to the coach. Continuity is good. I'd say Don has until the end of next season at least.
Id say there are a few more positives:
1) Byram could be Dahlin's long term partner, which probably holds more value than what Mitts brings, though it depends on how impactful that pair comes
2) Cup experience is nice.
3) This one's a big IF at this point, but if this mean Adams is going for a culture shock similar to Philly and LA shake up trade, then that's something Ive backed for a bit now.
I have been a Krebs skeptic. But, I do think he has shown potential to be a good playmaking 3C, especially with the winger depth they have if they want the 3rd line to be like the Roy-Vanek 3rd line was back in the post-lockout CoCaps era with Briere and Drury as the 1-2 combination.
Thompson-Cozens-Krebs as your top three centers depends way more on Thompson and Cozens getting closer to their ceilings than Krebs hitting his, IMO.
Exactly. My biggest concern is Cozens and Thompson will never put in the work, or be demanded by the coaching staff to put in the work, to become better two way players. Neither are growing in that area at a rate that makes me comfortable with the thought of them being our top-Cs going forward.
I actually was coming around to Thompson-Mitts-Krebs being the top-3 Cs next year (depending on how Krebs finishes the season), and moving Cozens to wind so we aren't so reliant on two inept Cs defensively progressing in that area of the game.
Obviously they are not as playoff team right now, and they won't be again next season without a major add at C...not Sturm or one of my other preferred 4Cs, but a guy in his prime and able to play up and down the FW line-up. Krebs isn't that guy, and I don't think he will be either.
And yes, they're getting younger still, which is more of my point.
I'm not a fan of adding more youth and uncertainty to our d core. At least the potential is there, and Dahlin is a damn good partner to pair with.
As for the roster construction in the forward core- Adams either needs to completely revamp the wings to bring in support for our young Cs who struggle with the more nuanced parts of the game + a veteran bottom 6 C who can fill in if Krebs sruggles at 3C or find a veteran, two-way C to play in the top-6 and move Cozens to wing.
I'm talking a big time trade for the wings. If Crouse is available, ante up. He'd make life a lot easier for Cozens as opposed to someone like Peterka. We can't have Skinner, Peterka, Cozens, Thompson making up 4/6 of our top-6 new year. Lots of skill, but as I said, they all lack in the more nuanced part of the game.
The forward core is all out of whack, and it has been all season. Trading Mitts amplifies the issue. If Adams is really going to go for a big culture shock meaning at least one more big time trade that shakes up the top-6 and brings in a top-6 role player this team lacks, then Ill feel way more content, and actually give him props for being bold.
