Who's spot is Tuch taking next year? Or do you see Hugjes making a trade to create a spot for him?
Caufield- Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Gallagher - Newhook - Anderson
Heineman - Kapanen - Roy
Beck? Evans?
Even without Dvo and Armia we're looking pretty full.
Ah this is where I think KH will need to show he's a top tier GM. Of all the players you listed, only these are penciled in for next year
CC - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - Dach - Demidov
Gally - [Evans] - XXX
XXX - XXX - XXX
I put Evans in square brackets because he's UFA, and that we should resign him if the price is right. I think that Beck and Kapanen can/should play in Laval next year.
So that means that all the other players need to find a "chair" and to be honest, of all of them, none are typical 3rd/4th line players. As such, I would hope that KH can package some of them for upgrade on the roster (i.e. Newhook + Roy vs 25yold-ish 2C).
Odds are that Anderson can't be traded, so that one less spot to fill... meaning that there is room for Tuch to get a job on the 4th line, but also for KH to get some vet/sandpaper.
CC - Suzuki - Slaf
Laine - [Trade] - Demidov
Gally - Dach - UFA
Tuch - Evans - Anderson