If they draft 3 quality, impact players in the first round this year that are good enough to be considered 'core' guys, then they'll shave a ton of time off the rebuild. This draft year is deep and talented enough that they could do so.
It'll be important to avoid any smaller players especially. Guys already of NHL stature will make the jump with much more ease, and likely sooner, too. They also need to not focus so much on one position. Take three variations in the first 3 picks and go from there. A center, a defenseman and a right winger (weaker prospect pool than center).
As for free agency, their main focus should be a physical, 2-way forward who has size, and is not a 4th liner. (eg. Bolland) This is the main reason we can't compete with bigger, physically imposing teams. Having all our size in the bottom 3 does very little to help us. Two-way players are important also in that we have a few too many one-dimensional vets who are not good on the backcheck (Cammalleri, Cervenka, Hudler, even Tanguay), and I think it's an important part of how we want to mentor some new young kids.. to be responsible as much as to excel offensively. That's part of the issue with the team this year, too many one-dimensional forwards (and d-men who aren't known as stay at home guys) playing a free flowing, offense and forechecking oriented game. It's bound to create lots of holes and thus quality opportunities for the opponent, just as we've seen so much this season.
And I can't emphasize enough how much we need a stay at home defenseman who's physically able to shut down larger or skilled guys coming through our zone. When there's a guy like Kane, or the Sedins playing keep away with the puck in our end, our d-men are always waiting for a poke-check, to block a shot, or for them to cough it up, we need a guy (or two) in the top four unafraid to crunch these guys, not allowing them to skate around and stop the play in its tracks. That's the worst part about watching our play without the puck. We waste so much time watching the cycle in our end cause nobody makes a consistent effort to 'take the man' if they can't take the puck. Also, the inability to keep guys off the front of our net (and our goalies) is the other big issue. A top four, physical shut down player can help with this.
Anyways... just some of my laundry list if I'm Feaster and Co.
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