Perhaps not a popular view but I would like to see a one off season retool with BT at the helm. Might be a blessing in disguise for us in long run (eternal optimist).
I feel like he has learned from his UFA signing and trade mistakes and is now a seasoned GM. His salary negotiation skills are elite. I have liked every one of his RFA signings (almost always lower than expected). Also really like the draft and development program he has built.
Most recently his recent UFA signings since Neal have been fine/great and his most recent major trade for Lucic has turned out fine.
This down year opens a window for the organization to move Gaudreau and Monahan at the trade deadline (when value is highest) if we are out of the playoff picture. Not possible if we are in the playoff picture as would create a revolt from fan base.
My greatest fear is that we get nothing for Gaudreau before he moves out East at free agency. The team might as well offer up Gio as well for something given he is entering the steep decline stage of his career anyways. Gio would come at a premium at trade deadline as a sure top 4 only a year removed from Norris. D depth for a contender.
Also sell if you can any depth forwards and even Rittich (since free agent anyways at end of season) for late round picks. Bennett, Ryan and possibly Leivo? Bennett most likely to fetch a 2nd at trade deadline given his playoff pedigree.
The cap space created could also be parlayed into another pick. The wild card in all this is expansion draft. But perhaps BT can figure out how to help some other teams in a deal by taking something back with high salary for a year while our cap can accommodate.
For all his limitations I do have faith in BT to get the most out of each move (by working the phones tirelessly). Would be interesting to see BT wizardry at work if green light to retool.
Chucky/Lindy/Backlund/Mang/Dube/Ras/Valimaki/Hanifan/Tanev/Markstrom are plenty core pieces to retool around. Pelletier very likely fits into top 9 by next year and there is Lucic for two more years who is exceeding expectations this season. No sense doing the full blowup and rebuild.
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