Quoting: MisstheWhalers
K so they need a top 6 winger for the Nuge then. How do they get that guy now?
And yes they could use a top 4 D but I think they can get by with what they got till Bouchard and Broberg arrive, who knows maybe Bouchard will play this season.
Just need a serviceable 3C imo and it should be easy enough to fill that spot.
Holland hasn't done a very good job with this offseason so far aside from the Lucic trade.
I've got:
Draisaitl - McDavid - Kassian
Neal - Nuge - Chiasson
Granlund -
???? - Archibald
Nygard - Khaira - Gagner
Klefbom - Larsson
Nurse -
????
Russell - Benning
That's my lineup and you'll see that everybody on there is slotted where they're supposed to be. Lots of question marks in the top 6 but Kassian did play his role well last year so that solves that problem. Chiasson and Nuge had some chemistry and I think Neal is somewhere between last year and his career average so I'd be fine having Neal score 15 goals and 20 assists on that second line. Granlund and Archibald are both checking wingers who's scored 10 goals in the past, something the Oilers didn't have last year.
We also have enough depth from our AHL team to spot in for injuries. Benson, Marody, Haas and maybe Yamamoto for forwards, and then Jones, Persson, Bouchard, Bear, Lagesson on defence.
But yea if we fill those two holes, I think we'll be a competitive wild card team. We still have some cap space to play with and JP and some picks so I'm hoping Holland can fill those holes. If I were to grade Holland's offseason so far I'd probably give him a B. The small bets he's made and that Lucic trade did nothing but improve our team. But again, still two important holes to fill though.