What I would Do

Run out a worse version of the team that's going to miss the playoffs by 10 points?

alexeyev needs to play this year. there is no point in going out and getting a below average defensemen to replace your future. they also will go out and get at least one top 6 forward for some secondary scoring.

You don't want to run out a younger faster version of a team that was 2nd in the division till we started playing old and slow guys over youth?? Look at Tomisino in Nashville's identical arch to McMichael and hes scoring at a 55-point pace since his call-up. Ethan Frank is the fastest player in the AHL and is leading rookies in scoring so id give him a shot too. Id rather not waste money signing middle-tier replacement-level players to 2-4 million dollar deals as we have done the last 3/4 years and it hasn't worked out at all. Time to go young and fast.

Yeah I think Alexeyev has played fine, would personally like a better 6/7 D than Irwin think Bayruther is a slight upgrade and can alternate him and Alexeyev. Secondly, everyone keeps saying we need to sign a top 6 forward when Mcmihael is basically following the same points/career path as Tomisino in Nashville whose scoring at a 55-point pace since his mid-season call up, along with Ethen Frank setting the fastest skater record in the AHL and leading all rookies in scoring. Id much rather inject speed and youth into the lineup than pay 3-5 million dollars for an older slower player who would probably produce the same. Tarasenko however is one player I wouldnt mind on like a 3X5 outside of that id rather stay young.

Don't get me wrong I would definitely give McMichael and Frank shots to make the team but the old and slow players that have been problems are all still in the lineup. I love Sandin but he's also not going to be as good as Orlov was last year. This team needs much bigger changes to remain seriously competitive -- at least one of Kuz, Mantha, or Oshie needs to be moved out and ideally an actual impact forward moved in.