The original question to me on this team is about the production to salary ratio. This team has an overpayment problem. The obvious one is Lucic, but he was one of a few that actually played hard this year. So my answer wouldn't be Lucic. Instead I think the team would be best to move on salary-wise from Backlund. He'd be my number one based on salary as you probably wouldn't get a high return anyway. He doesn't disgust me or anything - it's just his salary. I do think two of Tkachuk, Gaudreau and Monahan need to be explored to see who would get the best return to rebuild for the near term. I'd lean to keeping Tkachuk, based on skillset, but that $9MM is a high price tag for a guy who won't carry the team like true skillset superstars like MacKinnon or McDavid would.
|