This should be a key offseason.
He’s retooling now.
Last year he added Laine, Johnson, Sillinger& Boqvist.
Are you happy with that or mehh about it?
This year they’ll have the 5th or 6th overall from Chicago and their own 12th overall.
That could be another top C prospect or Dprospect+ added into the pool
Would you be happy with it or not?
Columbus is in a tough spot because they don’t have it easy when it comes to getting players stay and sign there.
But building a legit team is the best cure for it
I think they are in a pretty good spot and in great spot if they are able to add one of those top prospects mentioned before moving forward
The adds from last year looked good on paper and some worked out and some didn't to a certain extent so far.
Laine - Good/Great add! Goes from Good to Great when he signs long-term. Sniper type ability but needs a elite playmaker with him. He is a finisher so need someone to carry the play and draw defenders away from him. Like a 1C - that is an elite playmaker, defensively responsible, face-offs and can carry the play (sounds like a 1C - unicorn for Columbus) To truly unlock Laine's greatness we need that playmaker - Voracek/Nyquist/Jenner did wonders for him this year but imagine a player in their prime
Sillinger - Great add! I do see him as a 2C maybe possibly as a 1C had an up and down season. Very responsible defensively, great release/shot, good hockey vision/IQ, good in the face-off, physical and seems to have an iron constitution and he is only 18 years old - so I call this a win. Looks like he will be a very good player. Needs to continue working on his skating in off-season to get more explosive.
Johnson - Great add? you can see flashes of the Hockey Vision/IQ & skill but this fall will tell what he worked on in the off-season. Too early but hopeful. Also very young but needs a lot of strength training.
Bean - Good add
? Thought is was a good pick-up now Meh. There is some offensive upside ,but not physical and mediocre at defending & board battles. Also is too hesitant at times. He is young as well so an off-season strength training and defensive coaching will help.
Boqvist - Good add? Great offensive skills for a defensemen but not physical and borderline bad at defending & board battles. Again young guy but his constitution worries me and do we have a more complete product in Blankenburg? I say this again he is young so let's see what an off-season can do for him.
Blankenburg - Great add! Short sample size but saw him play 10 or so games with UM the very same way. Very decisive, good board battles, physical, great defending and some offensive upside. I thought when we signed him his defensive skills would shine and his offensive game wouldn't transfer. Very high on him and could see him in the top 4. He needs an off-season of strength training but I predict he will supplant Bean, Boqvist and possibly Peeke.
Chinnakov - Good add! This was a good find. Great shot, skills and Hockey IQ/Vision but I agree with most that he should have spent the season in Cleveland. He isn't very physical and his defense is okay. I think he will have a big jump in the off-season and see him in the top 9. He needs to strength train and work on the defensive side of his game.
Roslovic - Good/Great add! Thought is was a good add especially being from Columbus. Great skills, speed but severely lacked defensive capabilities and was bad in the face-off. Then started trending to Meh and he changed his game. He started becoming a lot better at defending and in the face-off. He stopped skating himself into a corner and passing blindly (Hockey Vision/IQ). He game started to round out further to becoming a more complete player and went from Meh-Good-Great? If he continues to work on defense/face-offs in the off-season he could be 2C and maybe 1C?
So to some it up
Bean and Boqvist are Meh - this partially sums up the record number GA
Chinnakov and Laine are Good
Sillinger and Blankenburg are Great
Johnson has the bones to be great but too early
Roslovic is my biggest comeback of the year Good to Great?