What this team could look like

Really need to get Reichel over to the wing as you've shown here. I like Rinzel too, think he will take another season after this at least before he joins, maybe even another after that depending. Im also quite high on Vlasic.

I'm not convinced Top 6 is a bigger area of concern vs RD though. And I really don't like the "more immediate" thing there. (No offense, sorry if perceived that way) The build will take as long as it takes. If you have a top 3 pick, make sure you draft best available. I feel for Dach because he can't stay healthy which sucks, but that wasn't exactly a hit. We don't have a #1 RD. Levshunov looks like he's that guy. I'd actually argue the opposite to you, a #1 RD (IF that's what Levshunov turns out to be) is more important than a top 6 forward. You can find top 6 forwards in the NHL...#1 RD you won't find in the UFA market. They're locked up.

Oh, and I'd try to get as many picks as possible at the TDL and move up in the draft. Let's say you have (4) 2nd rounders. Per sound of hockey, of you take the average 2nd and multiply by 4...just because we don't know where they land yet...you can get a #13OA pick. I'd 100% do that if we had a taker. We need high end talent more that more picks imo.

I am definitely convinced top 6 is more important than RD. We have Jones for 7 more years, Murphy for 3 more, Rinzel is looking like he won't take as long as originally predicted, and Kelley is having a decent year. Some positions could always be addressed through free agency or trades, if/when it becomes necessary, and RD kind of fits the bill for that. Most of what have right now for forwards seem like 2nd liners tops. We need another BIG talent to play with Bedard on the top line, IMO. Someone who can think the game the way and speed he does. But, we'll see. I do certainly want to add RHD to our pool. But I don't think we need to use a top pick on an RHD right now. I'd strongly consider guys like Mews, Elick, Cristoforo, etc. with that TBL pick or in the early 2nd round, depending where the rankings end up and the picks land.

Side note: VAN has an absolute WEALTH of RHD out of the 2023 draft. Bruzcewicz, Willander, and A. Celebrini are ALL hitting for them. If we can figure out a way to steal one of them away, that would also help our RHD pool.

So you don't think Moore/Nazar/Reichel can play a top 6 role? If we're on the same page that Rinzel can be a 2nd pair guy...and at least I do believe so far he can do that....and...that Seth Jones is getting older. We don't have a #1 RD in 4 years. Is 34 Seth Jones a #1 RD? I just see that as a bigger need. I'm not saying if you get the #1 OA that you force yourself to Levshunov. You draft best available, but I don't see Demidov as a better choice than Levshunov.

I agree, the Reichel at center experiment has been a complete disaster, it’s time to move him back to the wing

And honestly I knew that experiment wasn’t going to work, he didn’t play center when he was called up last year so I thought it was quite a bad decision