If the NHL were a league for 2nd line forwards and 3-4 pairing defensemen, then this team would be able to compete with the best of them. Unfortunately that is not the reality here. That is the difference between us and upper echelon teams. We have no equivalents to Toews, Kane, Sedin, Gaborik, Giroux type players to occupy our first line. This is why we seem to hold up well against opposition depth lines, yet get dominated on the first line match ups. We need not 20 goal, 50 points players, but 80+ PPG, true "Elite" players in their prime to constitute our core. I don't disagree that Hudler, Stemp, Gio, Glencross are all great pieces, but they are the kind of guys you'd "fill in the gaps" with, on a good team. And the issue i we've got a team full of these filler-type players. With the exceptions of Backlund, Brodie and Baertschi. Giordano could be in that group, but he's got to prove that he can be as good and consistent as he was a couple seasons ago. Until we have 2 top pairing defensemen, 3 legitimate first line forwards, and a goalie that can be considered a capable starter and log at least league average numbers to make up the core of our team, then we can't be considered just a few players (or Glencross, Tanguay, Stempniak, scoring depth guys) away.
We'll get there, but we've got to draft our own 1st line, 1st D pairing players, and develop them. Because in today's NHL you don't acquire core guys for cup contention through trades or free agency, it just doesn't happen that way. Especially when you look at the past decade of cup winners. We need to grow our own stars. And I believe we will, starting with the upcoming top 3 pick in this draft. As for this current group, they won't compete for anything more than an 8th place finish.. and really, you couldn't expect them to.
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