Imagine a lineup like this:
JVR - Couturier - Konecny
Laughton - Hayes - Farabee
Cates - Frost - Atkinson
Lindblom - Laczynski - Allison
No assets shipped out, a sink or swim mentality with certain young players, 4 switchable lines. I see real
usable toughness, without a deficit of skill (at least in the lower part). Now, I won't do the "Add Gaudreau" game, which would bump everyone down and improve it drastically, while also getting rid of mediocre defenders and adding picks back.......but I just did.
No one can tell me with a straight face this isn't better than what they'll ice. It cost nothing. That doesn't mean it's playoff caliber, but there's an actual step-back and evaluate plan to this one, with further asset collecting.