You are more optimistic than me, I’m not convinced.
understandable.
i'm just sick of seeing people complain about individual moves (or proposed moves) on the grounds of it not being enough to make the team a competitor. there's not a single move that can do that for any team – it is, by definition, a culmination of moves.
so far, it's:
- getting werenski back
- getting provorov + putting him in a more suitable role
- getting severson to help out werenski
- giving one of jiricek/boqvist a real d-partner in provorov
- going from larsen to babcock
- in-house bottom six upgrades (voronkov/texier)
- getting a future 1C with the 3rd overall pick (2024 ETA)
- experience/an offseason of growth for the young guys
- the expectation of better injury luck next year
they've transformed the top four without actually giving any players up or putting themselves in a cap crunch. they still have a
ton of surplus assets – especially young right-handed defenseman now, which they can use to address the center position.
it's a bit harder to see it right now, but assuming they're not done making moves, whatever they do next will make them immensely better in 23-24.
then, in 24-25, without any other moves being made:
- 2023 3OA will be ready
- mateychuk will likely be NHL ready
- same with svozil (who i expect to be an NHL regular by the end of this season)
- another year of growth for young guys
instead of putting that all on those young guys, though, they'll be on a better team with way more solid veterans around the lineup.
you said you don't know what the long-term plan is – this is it. it's pretty clear. they don't have all of the pieces in place yet, but they're adding some of those pieces now, and have the means to add the rest later.
