Forwards will get there- especially after adding another premier pick next year, and maybe another Wennberg-esque overpay. I hope we trade Granlund for a 1st, then offer him 2/3 $8-10M to come back. Failing that we'll find a 2nd liner to take a ton of money.
Defense however, we need 2-3 more guys ahead of Ferraro. I have no hope for a #2, let alone a #1 next year, but hopefully we can run a 3/4/4/4/5/5/6 type of well rounded capable guys, with no world beaters. Enough for Askarov to play behind a bad, but NHL caliber defense. Right now we've got a 4/5/5/6/7/8/8 group:
This year
#4 Walman
#5 Ferraro
#5 Ceci
#6 Thompson
(#6 Muk)
#7 Thrun
#8 Benning
#8/9 Vlasic
Next year best case:
#3- Walman (with growth if we're lucky)
#4- UFA (viable targets: Borgen, Fabbro; Ekblad is a 2/3 guy, Petterson/Gavrikov 3/4 but both LHD)
#5- Ferraro
#5- Cap dump like Ceci (Trouba/Liljigren as targets)
#5- Muk (if we're very lucky)
#6- Thompson (maybe he grows into a 4/5, more likely regresses to 7/8)
#6- Thrun (same as Thompson but less variance)
#8- Benning (waived to AHL)