I still don't understand the defense. Aside from the weirdness that the Byram acquisition adds, I really don't get why Jacob Bryson is back if we also signed Gilbert. Shouldn't it have been one or the other? Johnson slips down to the 9th defenseman, with Clague as #10. The only way this makes sense is if a trade is going to move out a D-man.
Samuelsson-Dahlin
Power-Jokiharju
Byram-Clifton
Bryson
Gilbert
Johnson
Clague
I like the top 6. Adams acquired Byram to fill out the top 4 and push Joki/Clifton down for good (despite handedness). Is that not a league average 3rd pair?
I don't think Joki leaves without a different top 6er in. Having one of Johnson, Gilbert, or Bryson planned as a regular is unwise for me. EJ was a unique disaster last year, but still I imagine Adams is finished trying to hide a weak link on the third pair.
It is excellent depth. Relative both to the rest of the league and to what we've had in the past, the 7-10 you list are legit. D get hurt, so eliminating the chance of the season getting derailed by depth issues is smart due diligence to me.
RJ cooking another full season leading the young D corps at Roch while being the true 7 is ideal.
Bryson makes sense as a 7/8 tweener who's he's comfortable here. He's willing to stay and compete for an NHL spot even with the chance he ends up in Rochester (if Glibert is indeed the frontrunner for 7). Always a chance he has a great preseason here and gets plucked off waivers when we try to sneak him down to Roch too.