Not a fan of the bottom 6 (outside of Frost, assuming he keeps developing). Need more production. Simmonds doesn't stick around for 5.5M/year and, even if he does, I'm not paying a 3rd liner that much $$$.

If you wouldn't want to pay Simmonds to be a solid 3rd liner then you have no clue what you are doing. He is a key piece on the powerplay, in the dressing room and would help us get 3 solid scoring lines. You know, how the teams that win Cups go about building a roster...

I couldn't agree more! If Simmonds is on your 3rd line and putting up decent numbers, this is a great team. Phil Kessel is on the 3rd line for the Penguins. I'd say that works for him and their success.

DD has it right. Simmonds as your 3rd line winger at that price tag is going to help you win games, not lose games. Since you suggest $5.5M doesn't keep Simmer, what do you suggest it takes? At 4 years and anything under $7M and you do it. By the time he is entering his last year, you have to sign Couts and G (if you elect to keep him or if he chooses to still play). If you need to sign both of them, you do so and move Simmer. If you don't, Simmer stays and you still have a pretty solid team.

The Pens have three solid scoring lines and how did that work out for them the past two years? We can only wish to be that lucky!