Quoting: STLBlues17
Ignore the 1st round pick, but we basically got O’Reilly for nothing. Berglund and Sobotka are having awful years and Tage Thompson was our 5th best prospect. I’m not saying you guys suck, I’m just saying the only guy who I’d want in a Tarasenko trade is Kotkaniemi who you’re obviously not trading.
love Kotkanemi and no i dont see him being traded as long as MB is GM atleast but honestly i value Poehling more as a Center then Kotkanemi who plays the boards like a winger digging out pucks , drives the net like a winger and takes faceoffs as poor as a winger . Poehling a Possession Center and in international play even in games he wasnt producing and everyone around him was it was always him taking the DZ draws and bulk faceoffs . Poehling's conditioning /speed was in question so he went later in the 1st but since then the reason for this was discovered to be a breathing issue that was surgically repaired and since this Defensive Possession Center to 17 points in 16 games as his teams top Center , top PP Center and top PK Center (granted time off between games being so long is a factor but still if this stuff is impressive for Hughes then it is for all )
Hughes and Poehling set to take on the worlds youth as USA top 2 centers this year and to be honest Canada's gotta bring its A game this year because winning based on 2-3 players effort wont work vs USA's depth this tourny .(it leans USA's way this time around even though usually it always leans Canada's way especially in the U 20 and World Cup )
Suzuki and Evans are going to be great RW's for us to . Both can play Center but both play a style better served on the wing especially Evans who trains at tip in's and deflections constantly. (his game is going to be played inside 5 feet of the goalie ) . He's strong, has great hustle and with time and better conditioning maybe he'll be able to maintain speed longer like a Byron . Suzuki is just a stud and IMO the missing link to Drouin-Domi
I look at who Armstrong tends to favor and its always Character guys who hate losing.he goes hard for as there isnt any other reason i'd throw Gallaghers name in so lightly beside a couple 1st's and a 2nd to go with the WHL's best D
wait until boxing day when the IIHF team Canada wins gold then you'll know what he offers leadership and skill wise .
personally any GM in todays NHL would take this , hell WPG built the team they have today based off something similar to this and STL could do the same without having to sacrifice multiple pieces to become a Cup Finalist . if Armstrong thought he could move VT today and increase his odds at a cup the next 3 years then i'm sure he'd take it given how lethal Brook looks on special teams he's gonna be a real gem (our best D at camp bar none and one of the last cuts but like Suzuki he needed to add size which by next camp i'm sure they'll have accomplished )