Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandman
I'm glad the team is working hard, and I'm even happier than we're playing entertaining hockey-I wouldn't expect the team to mail it in every night in an effort to tank on purpose. Our goaltending is one reason we aren't in the basement, and I don't think the coaching staff gets enough credit for how we're playing.
I do believe however, that it is important to finish bottom-5 this year and next to fill in our roster for the future. We've had some top-2 regular season finishes in the last 10 years, but I think it's time to do something different, other than having the goal of just simply making 2-4 games of playoff revenue, or surviving long enough to lose in the second round. It's time we try to build a real contender, and the way to do that is through the draft. You can still finish near the top of the league and be in the "mushy middle" if you lose in the first round, or get wasted in the second.
We are set on D (although I tend to think that we could use another big stud), we have a young goalie doing well in the NHL, so our goal should be to aquire a superstar Center through the draft, and perhaps another one next year. THIS IS OUR CHANCE!
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The problem is how do they get worse to get into that top 5 pick - they have to play sub-.375 hockey the rest of the season to even have a chance.
The only real immediate moveable asset is Andersson, but you don't want to rush that trade if you don't have to because you should be able to get a great package of assets for him.
Coleman and Kadri could maybe be moved, but also control their fates and you don't want to just give them away.
Moving pieces like Kuzmenko, Rooney, etc isn't going to move the needle much and I think you could argue that AHL pieces could bring energy and even help the team.