Not saying I disagree with those thinking that a rebuild might be the best way to go right now. The team clearly doesn't have the elite players (at any position!) needed to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Maybe Tkachuk on the wing?
The problem is that this team is not rebuilding. Instead, they appear to be doing everything they can to make the playoffs (Sutter, Coleman, etc.). It just doesn't seem to be a serious possibility at this stage.
Because of that, they are almost certainly going to be no better, and likely no worse, than a bubble team this year. And unfortunately that means no top 10 draft pick. Same with next year. And that means very little chance of landing one of those high-end prospects. And the cycle continues!! Unless........
If a rebuild is off the table, then I think the next best alternative to status quo is to land Eichel. I don't mind a futures deal at all, plus some bottom-9 depth to balance salaries. Adding Eichel to this top 6 group could change everything, and could open a compete window that extends into the new arena time frame. It would likely give the team a better 5-year run than it's had in the last 32 years.
So if we're down to status quo and see how it goes, or an all-in play for Eichel, I really hope it's Eichel.
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