Forget about Buff and co.
We really need a PPQB. But we should go after a young kid that can grow into the role. A right shooting Troey Krug. There are many out there with a ton of offensive talent, but needs a position to play in. These kids develop when they get to play for better teams, look for Krug in Boston. A kid like that never makes it playing for like Columbus, or Florida, or any grinding hard pressed teams. You need to be able to let them play to their strengths, then they take of like Krug.
We haven't had a PPQB since Leetch, not even remotely. Poti? We have much depth in other areas, and I see -- no -- reason for us to not make a side-ways deals with those assets for a young right shooting PPQB that we can groom and ease in behind Girardi and Strålman. I mean, I love Miller, Moore, Fast, Lindberg, Kristo, I think we will miss 1st round picks if we start moving them, but what is the argument to at least move when asset with potential for another asset a little further ahead with potential to become that PPQB we have missed? And it is REALISTIC to hope to find someone. These guys are more environment, opertunity etc then any other position. Rafalski in NJ, there are so many examples. Its not like looking for our Crosby II in other teams rejects, its the opposite.
David Rundblad is caught in a great log-jam in PHX. They have 3 D's who got more than 10 pts already, that would rank 1, 2 and 3 in scoring for us. He isn't getting much of a shot there. Watch his highlights at nhl.com, look at his game-log when he scores points and search out those plays in the old game highlights. He can run a PP in the NHL, no doubt about it. Is he good defensively, no, but who cares. We have Girardi and Strålman, we have McIlrath in the ranks. Rundblad is getting better and better defensively, what he needs is a PP to run and OEL owns that PP in PHX.
Ryan Murphy in Carolina got so much talent. Had he played for a better team, he would really raise some eye browns. Now he isn't allowed to play to his strengths. He is the type of kid who you can play a perfect defense against, but he has the ability to just blow it open. These D's who can challenge forecheckers and organized D's on a play by play basis are the future of the game. Id give up a ton to get him.
How good is Ryan Ellis in Nashville? I haven't seen much of him, but on paper he might fit the bill.
We won't find what we aren't looking for. Maloney got us "Hank", nobody else. Maloney made it clear to everyone that NYR needed a strong goaltender to get some consitency. A few 1st rounders, a few trades and UFA signings later, Hank fell into his lap. We would have looked until we found our Hank. Its time to get a PPQB and an offensive punch from the blueline. We could strike and miss a few times, but I don't see the point while looking at our depth chart to like hang on to a forward with 2-3 line potential if that is the price to get an equally good young right shooting offensive minded D. And we have the team to develop that kid on. A PP that we just can hand over to that kid.
