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Originally Posted by Fire
Ramage is in tough to make the parent club. He's 23 already so he'll probably need to make the jump in the next two seasons or become a AHL lifer.
...Smid and Engelland are all sign for another 2 seasons after this one...
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That's where I think Treliving has to make some moves. Both those guys are creating a log jam, and not the good kind that drives competition, but the bad kind that rewards veterans for being on long contracts.
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I would rank Culkin, Kulak and Hickey higher than Ramage for NHL potential. Sieloff would be battling Ramage for a bottom pairing spot as well.
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All three of those guys are offensive-guys, but Ramage is probably the best "stocky, hard-hitting defensive guy" among that pack. Sieloff.. well.. he's going to be a project at this point - I think he has a higher ceiling than Ramage but also a much lower floor. Ramage seems like a steady poorman's Regehr replacement. Maybe he's not in the long term plans, but he ought to get a chance to show whether or not he belongs.
It seems to me that Hartley/Treliving are really committed to letting these guys stay in the A and really hone their game. I hope that means they retain Ramage's rights at the very least if he goes to Europe.