[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

IMO, elite teams will have in their top 9,

Two 1st Line Centers (#1 + #1B)
One 2nd Line Center (or a comparable converted center playing wing)
Two 1st Line Wingers (at least one power winger)
Two 2nd Line Wingers
One Burrows-Typer Middle 6 grind-winger who can play up the lineup

For the Flames, IMO we have:

Two 1st Line Wingers (Bennett/Gaudreau. If Bennett moves to center then that's down to 1)
Zero 1st Line Centers (Bennett and Monahanb could be that, but aren't now)
Two 2nd Line Centers (Monahan/Backlund)
Two 2nd Line Wingers (Hudler/Frolik, and Hudler might be gone)
1 Burrows-Typer (Ferland)
A really good 3rd liner (Bouma)

So to fill our top 9 we're missing essentially 3.5 players. A 1st line winger and/or two 1st line centers and a 2nd line winger. I'm gonna put my money that Sam Bennett will become #1 center. And assumption that Monahan is trending towards a #1B at least of the level of Jeff Carter. And let's assume we keep Hudler around and he gets back to Jiri Hudler of 2012-2014 (2015 Hudler is too good and 2016 Hudler is too horrible)

Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland
X-Monahan-Hudler
Bouma-Backlund-Frolik

Based on that, "X" is the hole - a 1st Line Winger. Now if we lose Hudler, that will mean two holes. If Monahan and Bennett fail to develop as #1 centers, that's three holes (Bennett would fill the Hudler-left hole) and one extra 2nd line center.

Are we missing 3 top 6 forwards? That's a bit simplistic. Ferland in a Burrows role playing like he's played before his injury is a legitimate top 6 forward even if he's not a top 6 forward in a true individual ability sense.

We've got a lot of role-definitions filled out, but the ones we're missing are not 2nd liners, they're 1st liners. In a world where Monahan and Bennett perfectly develop and Hudler sticks around, we're only short one top line (power) winger.

Now if Hudler leaves, filling his role (2nd Line Winger) is something I want to see a Granlund, Poirier, Klimchuk, or Mangiapane do. But no guaruntees. It could be we're someday the "buyer" in a deadline trade to pick up that piece.

But that genuine top line winger is the most elusive piece, along with our centers developing properly. The idea that having a Ferland or Frolik in our top 6 is a problem, I don't agree with. They're role players who fill their niche.

However the pessimist GM should brace for none of our centers turning into anything special ::and:: Hudler leaving. That means being very careful on Monahan's contract, and not buying anyone out this offseason because you need the extra cap space the year after to make some aggressive signing(s). Patience for another year unfortunately is what the Engelland/Raymond contracts force us into.

You lost me at "Burrows-typer". Nobody needs that and I'm not kidding. You couldn't find a better player to model that slot after than Alexandre freaking Burrows?