I would agree Burns is an improvement obviously but the way I see it is we replaced Tro with Kk and Nino with Martinook. Neither count as improved replacements, and KK was in a position where we couldve use improvement and really needed at least the same. Of course he improved but still pretty clearly is a Staal replacement.
We wanted to add a forward and we got Patches, but to me the overall net wasn’t an improvement even on paper. I’m fine with the argument the other way, I just didn’t see it. The hole created at 2C was a choice we made, and while I don’t see it as the one thing that sunk us I don’t think we would’ve went further even without injuries - and that spot is a big reason imo. I think our forward group is in flux and lacked the definition it had the previous couple of years.
I'll just say these two things.
1) Trocheck's season last year wasn't much better than KK's this year. As you know, I'm not a big KK fan and would agree that I'd like to see a 2C upgrade, but their 5v5 points were almost the same and Tro got 1st unit PP time which is why he scored more. I'm with you though that I would have liked to seen an upgrade and was pretty vocal about it from early on.
2) "On paper", I'd take this year's off-season lineup over last years without batting an eye.
Patches-Aho-Jarvis
Svech-KK-Necas
TT-Staal-Fast
Some combination of Kase, Martinook, Stepan, Drury, Noesen, Stastny
Slavin-Burns
Skjei-Pesce
CDH-Chatfield (even though I was unsure of this to start the season).
Give me that "on paper" over last year's line-up any day of the week.
Another year of tread off of our top four guys is something to be looking at next year. I think the third pair has to be solid.
Agree
I would shit or get off the pot about Rod’s style as well. Give him the type of player he needs instead of smaller offensive types or old dudes just willing to take orders. We go far with guys not necessarily playing the game they’re made for but they buy into the system. If we’re gonna grind - upgrade the grinders. They’ll excel at the system.
Yeah, kind of agree here as well. We either need skill with size or young guys that can go balls to the walls. I think the FO recognizes this though in who they went after initially. Tkachuk, Marchment, Meier.
I'm with you that this year is their window with Aho, Pesce, TT, Skjei all becoming UFAs. Going to be interesting to see what they do.