If I were an 08 the Petes wouldn’t be the team I’d want to be drafted to. I don’t see more than 1 forward and maybe a denfencman making the team next year.
I can see where you're coming from in some of your arguments here but this to this I would say there are going to be quite a lot of spots up for grabs on next year's roster. The players to fill some of those spots may be on the current roster and they still have 1/3 of a season to prove that they should be! But there will be healthy competition in camp and I think from an opportunity perspective saying players won't want to be drafted here is a MASSIVE stretch
The reality is that for locks for next season at this moment in time, the list is probably something like:
F
Melee - captain, best forward
Lefevbre - hopefully can take a Dubois esque leap next year
Page - he'll finish the year with 10+ goals, that will be enough
McCallum - '06, part of young core, 2nd on the team in scoring
Taylor - '07, traded for as part of new young core
Young - '07, traded for as part of new young core
Addy - '07, traded for as part of new young core
Cadorin - '07, I could see someone debating him as a lock but he has age and draft pedigree on his size and I personally like his game, he just needs to fill out.
D
Matejicek - has looked good since arrival, will be an import spot there
Strohack - '06, traded for as part of new core
Cameron - '07, future star
Ladds - '07, developing nicely with more ice time
G
Bowen - he'll be the goalie that is somewhat proven and a lock to be back
That's 13 players there, leaving 10 spots open...
I don't mean to slight any of the players but to run through them:
McIntrye - depends what they want to do with OAs as it does every year
Purdeller - depends what they want to do with OAs as it does every year, plus as an import it becomes less likely on both player and team end that he returns.
Binnie - won't be an OA with zero goals this year
Faulkner - 2 points, see what he does with more ice down the stretch
Partridge - 1 point, see what he does with more ice down the stretch
Haley - I actually like what I've seen from him so far and would lean towards him returning at this point.
Velliaris - obviously behind Haley in pecking order now with his reassignment
Woulds - I think playing his best hockey lately, hopefully it continues
Gauvreau - graduates
Sztuska - depends what they want to do with OAs as it does every year - the way he's played lately we should probably consider this possibility, at least at the start of the year
Rye - see what he does down the stretch
All of that is to say there will be plenty of spots for players to come in next year. Hell, even if you say they 100% bring back Haley, Woulds, Patridge and Faulkner, there are still 5 skater spots and potentially a goalie spot to fill.