Quoting: Bickellai_Khabibulin
Nyquist is skating and was also protected in the expansion draft, so assume he can be ready to start in October. I think 7.5 is Laine's qualifying offer, and in 1 year he is still RFA. If he has a good season he can be signed to a longer deal for sure. The talent is there, just needs to prove it again. Jenner will also be re-signed, very consistant player and can score goals (or hit the post a lot), AAV would not grow by much as he cant consistently play the whole season through injuries. I don't think the team needs a rebuild, just waiting now for the centers drafted today to have an impact. If anywhere is urgent then it's a top RHD, but by the time Sillinger and Kent Johnson arrive, so will Vorenkov and Marchenko. This is already a good team, just don't expect good defense.
I think this is very optimistic thinking.
There isn't a whole lot of talent around Laine right now to help. I also think his value is higher now than it will be next year.
Those centers they just drafted, they are 2-3 years away.
I don't think this team is trying to rush anything. They know trying to land 1st OA in the next 2 drafts is worth it. It could give them something they have lacked for years. A legit 1C who can take a game over.
They will build this team around the players they have started drafting last year.
You got last years draft, this years draft, and probably the next 2 years draft. They will try to load up on picks. 1st rounders. To bring in some talent.
Which is why I think you see Laine go. If he can bring in 1st and good prospect +, great. Because I don't see him sticking around as a UFA.
Jenner I can see them keeping for "culture." on top of it his return probably isn't that high. But you can bet a team offers a 1st for him, he's out the door.
Voracek they will dump just to get rid of the cap hit. They are probably hoping if they feed him the puck he'll turn it around and they can move him for a return. They might even be willing to retain on it.
Bjorkstrand is really the hardest piece for them to move. I'm sure deep down they would like to keep him. But by the time the team is competitive he'll be close to 30 and on the decline.
This team will have to make a choice on keeping him, in hopes he's the "vet" presence on the team, or moving him for what would probably be a killing in the draft.
My guess is he gets at least 2 1st rounders and a good prospect right now.
That's gonna be a hard choice to make. Truth is, holding him is probably not the best choice. In 3 years this team will be competitive again.
They set those wheels in motion this offseason and last year. But it's not going to be over night and they aren't going to be competitive right away.
A. The division is way to hard. B. the rest of the conference is still improving to the point where the days of 2 WC coming out the metro is probably coming to an end.
MTL, FL, OTT are on the rise. There will be 4 teams out the other division this year.
CAR, NYI, WSH, PIT are all still likely playoff teams this year. With NYR chopping at the bit and PHL doing god knows what.
It's simply math. They aren't going to be competitive till that youth comes in, and it's a few years away.