I do agree this team is likely to take a step back at least a year considering we will be losing quality depth in Graves, Severson, Tatar, Haula, and potentially Wood as UFAs. I think the kids will replace their impact, but it’ll likely take a year or two for them to do so.
I have a lingering feeling that we should at least prepare for Bratt's name to be on that list. I think he's going to Chucky us and aim for the open market, forcing Fitz's hand. People keep smack talking his agent, but the agent does what the player wants. Every negotiation with this player has been a chore, suggesting that no matter what he brings on the ice and in the locker room, he's going to get (what he considers) his due. We could easily end up with a Makar/MacKinnon situation where the best paid player on the team is far from the best player on the team (in fairness, we're already there with Hamilton/Hughes, but Bratt would likely eclipse Dougie too if he gets what he reportedly wants).
I generally have a bad feeling about our FA situation next summer. Of the UFAs, Tatar, Johnsson and Bernier should all be gone, no questions asked. Haula and Graves I could see Fitz working out deals for, both being his trade aquisitions and core system players in our current team.
Severson is tricky. He'll want term, and even if he's taken a dive to 3rd pairing D, and he'll want UFA RHD money (see also Pulock, Weegar). Someone's going to give him that. Similarly, Wood is playing his way into a 5x5 deal from some Du(m)bas(s), and there is no way in hell we should be giving that man five million American dollars per year, least of all for several years.
And then there's the heap of RFAs. Bratt, see above. I hope I'm wrong, but everything I see, read and hear tells me otherwise. Bratt is gonna Zach on us. Blackwood should be let go and not qualified. Trade his rights to Alberta for a fifth. Rango, Zetterlund and Bahl are no-brainers in my world, all should be renewed, especially the forwards. Bahl should remain as Severson/Smith insurance, unless he's expecting a huge deal.
That leaves Boqvist, Bastian and McLeod, and this is where the tough conversations begin. If Wood is gone, how much is left of the dynamic of the BMW line? Can we count on McLeod long term (looking at you, Hockey Canada)? How many of them are trade bait or part of the Bratt package for Meier (boom, there it is)? I can easily see the third and fourth line being 3 to 5 players changed next season.
I think this team is going to look radically different next season. So far, Fitz has given me zero reason not to trust him, and the summer after next we only have Mercer and Schmid coming up, so we're pretty set to make long term moves.
There it is, my FA predictions. Save for future humiliation/praise.
