Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
You need a blend of talent on the blueline. You can't just give positions up on the back end until a player proves he's ready to step in. Inexperienced bluelines almost always guarantee missed playoffs. There is a reason why veterans get snapped up at the trade deadline, experience matters. I would prefer to have five defensemen on the team with more than a couple seasons under their belts. If the kids step up and show they are capable, you have an attractive commodity you can move. You can never have too many defensemen, especially defensemen than have proven they can be effective at the NHL level. Kylington is the only defenseman we have that we can honestly say is ready to step in and play a regular shift. Valimaki is coming back from a rebuilt knee, so we have no idea where he stands. Yelesin played four games in the NHL last season and looked every bit of that. You don't win many games with a blueline that is comprised on players with no experience. You can sit there and say you would be happy watching Yelesin and company getting walked multiple times a game, but as the losses pile up I suspect you quickly change your tune and demand change.
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Hamonic would get walked too. It's more frustrating because he's a vet and you pay him millions. I can put up with a lot from a rookie. I'm not saying go with 6 rookies, but there is no reason valimaki-yelesin/kylington can't be our bottom pair. They will improve, Forbort, Hamonic and Gus will not. Yelesin looked surprisingly good last year I think he will be a bottom pairing guy for us soon. You have to remember these young guys improve. Forbort etc are out of the NHL in 2-3 years and will provide diminishing returns.