GDT: Game 63: Sharks @ Sabres 4:00pm NBCSCA

[Pinkfloyd]

Yes I miscounted. They would have only 4 definitive future top 6 forwards with Misa. That still should not be reason to add a legit top 6 FW in FA even if it takes a 7 year overpay.

I'm more inclined to give a player like Chernyshov or Musty that sort of opportunity. If we're going to do a 7 year overpay, it should only be on defense if that's what it takes. We don't need that risk up front. If it's on the team's terms then I can accept that but it should be similar to Toffoli and not a full overpay.

 

[Wedontneedroads]

I just want the audio from the bench after Toffoli scores that EN and Smith and Celebrini are chirping him. You love to see it.

It’s better than I thought it would be…

 

[pappaf2]

It’s better than I thought it would be…

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This is the good stuff right here.

 

[weastern bias]

The plan is to improve the team. Next season this team should be playing meaningful hockey into April.

This simply isn't happening, we still lack the foundational pieces to make this happen without MASSIVE jumps from our second year players

4 things need to happen at the same time for a 40 win season to be somewhat realistic next year:

19 year old Celebrini explodes into a 100+ point 2-way Hart candidate

20 year old Smith immediately becomes a P/G player and can manage 2C responsibilities

23 year old Askarov is in the Vezina conversation

We sign or trade for a legitimate top-pair D in the off season and they carry the load for the rest of the back end

It is more likely that none of these happen than that all of these happen

It really doesn't matter if we were to sign a Marner/Rantanen level UFA forward, we're only going as far as the young players can carry us, and expecting these guys who should still be in college to carry a last place team into playoff contention is unreasonable and unrealistic