Plus if someone pushes him out of the lineup we can trade him for a late round pick. Did I do that right? Some people are talking about buying guys out at certain points even though they haven't even played a game yet for us. so I'm not sure if this is applicable here.
Signing Cotter and Noesen makes MacDermid even more unnecessary.
Im not againt Cotter, Noesen and Tatar as a bottom 6 pieces at once.
I would like to add top-6 forward to the wing for Jack, but may be Mercer will be more ready for top-6 role and we will see next step from him in his game. People are worry about him too much. He was good when team was good and partners were good. And he is still young player. Very young.
Just random example
Statistics of Carter Verhaeghe, a hockey player from Toronto, ONT born Aug 14 1995 who was active from 2011 to 2024.
www.hockeydb.com
People are talking about Mercer like he should be complete ready product in his age. He is not. Most of players from 2020 draft only started to play. Its WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY to early to tell words like "if he will not ready for top-6 role next year, he will not be ready for this role forever, lets trade him to Vegas for 4th round pick". Its unfair for him, he is talented player, mobile, very active on the short distances, he is only building his body(Holtz was bigger than him). He isnt ready product at all. And we can easily give him 2-3 years bridge deal and use him as a secondary scorer on the third line.
Or may be he will become better next year and will play better in top-6 role. In this case Cotter, Tatar and Noesen will only help as bottom line players.
or/and we can sign top-6 player on the market/make a trade/make a trade before the trade deadline.
Now it looks like
Timo Nico Bratt
Haula Jack Mercer
Palat Lazar Noesen
Tatar Cotter Bastian
or
Timo Nico Bratt
Palat\Tatar Jack Mercer
Tatar\Palat Haula Noesen
Cotter Lazar Bastian
or even
Tatar Nico Timo(finally)
Noesen\Palat Jack Bratt
Palat\Noesen Haula Mercer
Cotter Lazar Bastian
or
Tatar Nico Timo(finally)
Haula Jack Bratt
Palat Lazar Mercer
Noesen Cotter Bastian
or something like that. Pick whatever you like. You can add top-6 W now or before the deadline
Timo Nico Bratt
TOP-6 Jack Mercer
Palat Haula Noesen
Cotter Lazar Tatar
or
Tatar Nico Timo(finally)
TOP-6 Jack Bratt
Palat Haula Mercer
Cotter Lazar Noesen
No need to worry about, It looks like a quite normal roster.