It's nice to see all the improvements since McLellan. But end of the day...Chiarot-Petry-Holl-Gustafsson are still getting 67% of our defensive minutes. And we are hopeless.
If ASP is ready to go at the start of next yr, great...but we shouldn't count on it.
Chiarot can SURVIVE one more season as a #4 D, but that's about it.
Two NHL HC's have now determined that Johansson is not better than Holl/Gustafsson. Maybe he will never be an NHL player.
Wallinder is at least an entire yr away, if ever. Buium is not half as promising as him.
We need a major defensive makeover between now and next season. And it'd better not be the same people who thought signing Holl, Gustafsson, etc. orchestrating it.
1) NEED to find a long-term top-4 LHD. Someone sound defensively. Big, physical, mean. Fast. Talented enough to move the puck.
2) NEED to find a 3rd Pair RHD. Just someone decent. Competent. Sound defensively and fast. Hopefully big and physical. At least okay enough to breakout and handle the puck a little. Can sign him to a 2-3yr deal.
3) NEED to find a 3rd Pair LHD. Ditto above...but just on a one yr deal.
???---Seider
Edvinsson---Chiarot (then ASP)
??? (then Chiarot, then Wallinder next yr)---???
If you can't move Holl and Gustafsson between now and next season...buy them out or send them to GR for the yr. Neither should touch LCA ice in Red Wing jerseys next yr.