HabzSauce
Registered User
- Jun 10, 2022
- 1,728
- 2,373
MathesonI really like all of our LHD's so it will be tough to lose any of them.
I think trading Struble will come back to bite us as he has elite shut down potential while also having some intriguing PMD skills and has playoff warrior written all over him.
From a building strategy perspective we really need to get our young RHD's some NHL ice time as well as only Barron has any NHL experience (Mailloux's one game aside). Even after moving Savard, Reinbacher and Mailloux will immediately block any thoughts of trying LHD's to the right side.
It is going to be difficult to get the value that Struble deserves in a trade without him having the opportunity to showcase his play. If he does earn the playing time it will mean that we either have injury issues or that Xhekaj and/or Hutson are struggling which is far fromn ideal as you don't want to trade them either especially with diminished value if they struggle. It becomes enticing to consider trading Matheson as he is older but I really like his game and leadership and I have a difficult time seeing Hughes wanting to do that.
I could see Struble straight up beating out Xhekaj and Hutson in pre-season and making HuGo's decision really tough. I think most people will default to the idea of sending Struble down and that may happen but he will make that decision extremely difficult imo.
Hutson
Guhle
Xhekaj
Struble
Engstrom
Lol 6 LDs. Bold are keepers, and then the remaining 4 have to fight it out for last spot. Pain we can't keep em all but great problem to have tho
I like Matheson a lot too but out of all of them, he's clear odd man out here. He would fetch a solid return if we traded him. It would be foolish to extend him at 32 over the young guys we got especially with Huston