Love how Grier has rebuilt the defense. It's not good, but it's gone from amongst the worst in history to bad NHL-level, and he's done it for effectively no assets. Liljigren will be a really nice pick-up for the next two years. He and Ferraro will compliment each other really well I think. Both are 4/5 guys at their best, but they have been in really poor situations for their abilities.
After the moves of Burns and Karlsson (which had to happen), the d core was headlined by Ferraro and included Benning, Burroughs, Megna, Vlasic, Pouliot, Simek, and Knyzhov. Going out and getting Walman, Ceci, Liljigren, Thompson, Thrun, and a 2nd for UFA Duclair, Benning, waiver pick-up Emberson, and a 6th, while also adding Dickinson, Muk, Cagnoni, Pohlkamp, Roberts, Misskey to the prospect pool from late round picks and must trade assets (Karlsson, Meier). That is quite the overhaul is two years! Playing ahead of that crew would have been demoralising for the forwards, and maybe negatively career altering for Askarov.
I'd like to see us pick up Trouba off waivers next year, and sign a top 4 guy like Ekblad, Borgen, or Gavrikov (LH but plays both sides), while adding Muk into the top 6. If you can acquire someone better or younger than Borgen via secondary assets (RHD always go for 2nds), that works great too. Gives the team 5 4/5 guys and good prospect (3 off, 3 def/physical). Again minimal assets invested, if Walman (#2 LHD) or Liljigren (#3 RHD) look like long-term fits you can sign them. Ceci, Ferraro, and Trouba will be the type of guys who get overpaid for at their respective deadlines. Liljigren will at least get the 3rd back at next years deadline (if desired). He had minimal value due to the second year. Also, with more ice time, trust, less Toronto insanity, and increased opportunity, I expect he'll boost his trade value. I'd much rather have Liljigren than one of the bargain basement RHD UFAs I was wanting this summer.
Come 2027, Dickinson, Muk, UFA/trade, and Walman/Liljigren are your long term top 4 with the goal of acquiring/have acquired a #1 or at least #2 D via trade, free agency, or a draft pick. If we can draft one piece in the next 3 years let it be a Brock Faber in the 2nd round (or Dupont in the first in 2027).
We are still going to be bottom 2-3 this year, and bottom 3-5 next, but the young forwards won't be stuck in their zone nearly as much, and the team will be more competitive. Thanks to Liljigren and Walman we don't have to shell out 4-5 year contracts to two UFAs this summer. Just need one (and Trouba or another quality cap dump). We get long trials of each where one (or maybe both) can earn said 4-5 year contract. In the meantime, we add one of Misa/Martone/Hagens/Schaefer this year and McKenna or another top prospect next.
The only possible downside I see is that this move costs Thompson, who's looked pretty good. However, he is even younger than Muk, and a RHD spot will be available after Ceci gets traded. He'll probably still get 25-30 games this year between injury and post deadline. Next year, he'd be behind (Lilijigren, Trouba, and a UFA signing/trade), but again he'd get 25-30 from post deadline, injuries, and probably an extra 5-10 for Trouba suspensions. Next years deadline and he either establishes himself for good, or we find someone better.
Lastly, whether they have/are prove right or wrong, I've liked nearly every move Grier has made. If I think something we should do, Grier pretty much does. With Wilson I was so often questioning the moves (though I loved the EK65 trade!) The only one I didn't like was the Burns move and even if nothing came back, it still started the chain reaction that moved Hertl, Meier, and Karlsson resulting directly (or indirectly) in Celebrini, Smith, Askarov, Dickinson, Muk, Musty, and Zetterlund.
