3 Questions: What changes would you make to the roster? How long do you think it would take us to compete again if we made those changes? Is becoming Edmonton/Florida/Buffalo etc. worth the risk?
Well I'm not about contending right away so I'm totally fine with a mini rebuild where we pick high this year and next, especially since it's an amazing draft. If we're able to draft top 10 picks both years, and maybe add another with a Kesler or Edler trade… if they agree to waive, then we've finally got some high end prospects in the system. Right now its very dry, people talk about Horvat, Shinkaruk, Gaunce, it was ranked the 24th system by hockey futures for a reason, our prospect pool absolutely sucks so it's vital to improve that area for sure.
I'd load up the line up with youth next year, we can go out overpay some free agents but it won't be enough to compete for a cup so I'd rather develop the young players we do have like Jensen, Horvat and maybe one of Shinkaruk(if fully recovered and able to train all summer) or Gaunce along with more minutes for Kassian and the full time workload for Lack, give Corrado a chance. It's a development year, we won't be very good and will hopefully pick in the top 5-7 in a loaded draft.
That way we're going into the 2015 offseason with some partially developed NHL youth, a few really good prospects, a goalie who's played a full season as a starter, a whole bunch of cap space to be creative with, and go from there. But the win now mentality where we just barely make or miss the playoffs will only lead to prolonged mediocrity until the current core guys are 2-3 years older and we completely fall apart.
And I know prospects don't always pan out, which is why its incredibly dangerous to bank on the very few we have now because odds are they won't all become what people are expecting(Shinkaruk first line sniper, Horvat elite 2nd line two way C, gaunce great third line shutdown C). We desperately need some young high end talent, some skill in the line up over the next few years.
