Keep Brassard and Hagelin for sure. The others are tougher.
Who plays where?
We now have 3 RW's locked in:
Nash, MSL, Zucc
We have 1 C locked in:
Stepan
We have 2 LW's locked in:
Kreider
Hagelin
We have:
2 RW's that can potentially make a difference as soon as next year: Fast, Kristo (in that order).
2 C's that can potentially make a difference as soon as next year: Miller, Lindberg (in that order).
We will also require a higher end center than Miller and Brassard. I'll be willing to be a lot of money that that center will be Stastny.
If we keep Hagelin, he should be with Stepan and Nash. That line, as a whole, had good chemistry. Hags will come back stronger and will have more chemistry with whoever his linemates are.
Kreider-Stastny-MSL... that's fast. Stastny has good vision on the ice to feed the wingers. MSL has even better vision. Kreider has above average vision. That line has the makings to be unreal. I'll hate Stastny's contract but win-now mode. I highly doubt Sather will pass up the opportunity to cut the older and less productive Richards for someone who is younger and will cost roughly the same.
That leaves the bottom 6.
Miller will be the center. Zucc the RW. Brassard the LW? That makes sense to me.
And 4th line? I think Lindberg can be a more effective version of Moore... but is he physical? Is he gritty? I think you resign Boyle at a comparable contract to his one now. I think you allow Lindberg to assume Moore's role. I think you
need to sign or trade for someone who's a tough as nails, forechecker, who can stand up for his team mates as the last player to that 4th line. Someone
like a Curtis Glencross. Doesn't have to be him.
As for the defense:
Either you don't resign Stralman or you trade Klein.
McIlrath needs to be part of the fold for next year. The team's grit is pathetic. We just took steps in improving our offense. Now we need to get slightly bigger and tougher.
