I think Horner is 2L RW until they make a decision on Stonehouse and or Korbler gets back.
If/when we have moved past the point where we have the goal to compete with the Conference leaders, we then move into the territory of making player development the priority. The lines will be constructed to maximize the ability to develop our younger players. Players like Horner would then become protection devices. It is not like Horner is going to help a young forward get better. I like Horner but that is not his role. So, if his role is to go crash and bang things and step up when things get out of hand and he isn’t doing those things, there is no reason to have him participate in the development of the younger players.
Don’t get it twisted though. Although I think we should be at that point now, I understand why the management and coaches still believe this team can compete at the top of the Conference. They are paid to compete so I want them to keep pushing until the writing is on the wall. I think that point comes for them around December 1.
When that point comes, I think Boyd needs to go to the graduating players and let them know the plan and that is when you give those players an opportunity to either participate in the retool/refocused strategy or see if they’d prefer an opportunity on another team to try to win a Championship.
For those of you that may think next year would be a better year to do a sell off, keep in mind that if Mews ends up traded because of his desire to not be here, we won’t really have anything of value to sell. I like Marrelli but he really isn’t of significant value. Foster as an OA isn’t worth much (2nd x2 + 3rd) and that is if he actually returns. It is not like we will have an opportunity to add a key young player in any deals next year. This year, we have three players that could return very attractive assets (Mews, Pinelli, and Foster).
We will see how the next month goes, but if the next month goes how I think it will, I think our conversations will shift.