I agree that it's probably is the 2nd Pair RHD for the next year 3yrs that is painfully missing at the moment.
Chariot is better suited playing the Left side, although they have used him on the right, Ghost isn't a longterm answer despite playing the Off-hand right side, he's a PP specialist and doesn't really play D. Holl has been a complete non-factor up until this point and seems better served to be playing 3rd pair/Pressbox as a depth D, unfortunately we added Petry to fill that role for us and he also can't do much more either.
Assuming some of this logjam clears up, really either pushing Petry to full-time inactive or casually suggesting he take a long look at retirement after he got his childhood dream season of playing for the Wings, letting Ghost walk, that still would leave us with:
Walman - Seider
Maatta - ?
Chiarot - Holl
Make room for Ed and/or AlJo for the callup - I expect to see one of them in lineup next year right out of camp, and that really forces the issue with Maatta probably being on the way out. Still doesn't solve our RHD 2nd Pair issue unless you want to move Holl up (woof), or Chiarot over to his off-hand (also woof).
In a perfect world, I would be look very hard at trying to score Pesce from Carolina. 29yo, great shutdown D, very strong two-way skater; isn't the sharpest in the offensive zone but is about as good of a defensive D as you're going to find.
If we could offload Petry (retirement), and move up AlJo as our 7th, in a rotation with Chiarot and Holl, move Maatta, that would have us looking at:
Walman - Seider
Edvinsson - Pesce
Chiarot - Johansson
Holl
Getting a Brett Pesce at what...5.5 for 4ish? (Dumba at 6Mx5 at 26 in 2018 as the comp); he is the perfect partner for someone like Edvinsson to let him flex, join the rush, make mistakes as Pesce is hardworking, fast, steady, positionally sound, can skate and keep up, but likes to block shots, and be a great defensive shutdown guy.
I would say that the TDL is also unlikely given CAR is going to make a run; but CAR is also a weirdo team in that they have a lot of internal scouting that deviates strongly from traditional league thinking, and a "New England Patriots" style - internal valuation in dollars for each player they won't exceed. So a guy like Pesce, who seems to have hit that in terms of what he wants and what they are willing to give him (hence they couldn't come to terms on an extension), they know he's walking for a bigger deal than they are comfortable allocated. So, they are crazy and strange enough to trade him at the deadline as long as they could secure an asset they value and replace him with something they value and could help them in their run. So I wouldn't rule out a TDL move either with them .
Anyway, that would be the move I would try to make with them if I were because of their own internal valuation. Could you get something like Pesce for Ghost or Holl plus picks and prospects with them?; Could you get them something like... Holl + Berggren for Pesce and they've be willing to make the move because they were going to lose Pesce this offseason regardless, it fills their massively depleted D core with a vet in his prime, Holl waives to go to the 2nd best team in the east, and CAR gets a cheap middle six winger with upside?