No Comtois?

I know others will probably disagree, but I like it. We could use a top 4 RD, but you've also got to think about what is available. Myers could be signed for a tonne of money (I don't like), but anyone else that is good is going to cost you in a trade. Therefore, if you're giving up assets for a #4 RD, what do you in 2 years at the Seattle expansion draft? I guess with Getzlaf and Kesler having NMCs, we're probably going to be paying Seattle something to draft XX for us anyway.

We'll see. Wouldn't be against adding Risto to the roster, assuming the price was reasonable.



Exactly! So stacked we can't even get them all in.

You're right, I disagree. I'm fine-ish with our forwards. I'd like to remove Ritchie and make room for Comtois and I think Sprong beats out Sherwood otherwise he needs to go. But we can't go with that as our D-core. Unless Larsson takes a huge jump, Guhle is actually good and Holzer suddenly transforms into an everyday, NHL d-man. We have a surplus of talented young forwards and there are teams with too many d-men. We need at least one top-4 RHD otherwise we're going to relying on Gibby big time again and I'd rather we didn't.

No need to worry about the expansion draft. Getzlaf's contract ends, so they can just expose him and resign him after, and Kesler's contract changes to a modified NMC that year so he can also be exposed.

I think moving Ritchie makes sense. Assuming he'd form part of a package for a quality top 4 RD like a Risto, Hamilton, Faulk, etc. I'd be game. However, I fear he'd only return a player like Colin Miller. Although better than our current situation, Miller doesn't stand out as a top 4 talent. More like a bottom pairing PP specialist.

In terms of Sprong, I think I hold onto him until we have a better idea of Kase's health. If Kase continues to get injured on a consistent basis, I would look to move him over Sprong. Kase brings more to the table than Sprong, but that's irrelevant if he can't stay healthy.



Good shout. Didn't think about that. Thanks!

What I mean about Sprong is if he's being scratched in favor of Sherwood then he's not worthy of remaining on this team and we should maximize a return for him. Personally, I'd like to see him have a real opportunity to prove he can be a 20-goal scorer. I like Sherwood and all but he doesn't provide the kind of offense Sprong can. But if Sherwood legitimately beats him for that spot then we should cut bait on him. I doubt that'll happen though. Sprong is just better than Sherwood.

I think people are sleeping on Jordie Benn, though he is stronger on LD than RD. McQuaid and Heed are also available and relatively decent veteran RD. But the long term solution is investing drafting and acquiring young RD. We have so few in the system so we are going to be in bad shape sooner rather than later.