I look around, and think what we need the most, is a C, someone who can be a 3C. I'd prefer some size, and physicality... for teams who might be out of the playoffs, it's Laughton who comes up first. 10th in the league in hits.
Depending on how their season goes, Mark Kastelic in Boston is having a good year, after mostly being a clear cut 4C. He's only 25, 6'4", 226 lbs... He has 7 points, though his shooting percentage isn't sustainable, but on Boston he's a +9, and also has 56 hits. Maybe there is a chance he can grow into the 3C role.. given he has been fairly productive with Boston as a 3/4C. Kastelic makes $835k on the cap, and is a RFA after this season. Second in the league in hits.
Of course, I'm always going to bring up Jack McBain, but I just don't think he will be available, and Utah is having a decent season for now, with a young up and coming team. 16th in the league in hits.
I wonder about adding Mathieu Olivier RW from Columbus. 27 Yo, UFA at the end of the year, $1.1 mil. 6'1" 226lbs. 11th in the league in hits.
All of these bring size, physicality, have a decent defensive side to their game, are being used heavily in the dzone, and are outscoring our bottom six.
This would end up being the forward group.
Knies Matthews Marner
Pacioretty Tavares Nylander
McMann Laughton Domi
Lorentz Kastelic Mathieu
Dewar.
It would have six players, in the top 31 in the NHL in hits for forwards. If you are going to run a top heavy team, make the bottom half of the team brutal to play against, a group who will wear the opposition down... and really we don't give up anything defensively, and perhaps improve offensively over where we are now.
This is an exception third line, built on size, speed...
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