This team is in business next year. Stanley cup business.
The lotto line remains. The dominant line might return to its brightest form and brighter. Boeser had his best season since his rookie season, and he didn't have Petey then. Petey was injured most of last year too. Imagine both of them having a good time. If Miller can regain his form then this line is killer. The end line will be no short. Garland is fast, he can shoot. He's Virtanen but 50x better and defensively good. Horvat can stop pretending to be a defensive centre. One of Horvat's biggest problems last year was that he barely got anytime with the Puck. That will change. With two elite wingers in Hoglander and Garland on his sides, he should have no problem in dominating the other team. This line is fast, and this line can score against tough defense. The third line is an all-round line. Highmore was showing top 6 potential last year. Podkolzin is also top 6 calibre. Both have a great defensive game. With Dickinson in the middle, this line isn't the true shutdown line, but it's one that can function defensively and still provide offense. Then comes the true shutdown line. Motte and Pearson are great players, who can both score. But the best part of their game is defense. Same with Wennberg. who completes this line. A shutdown line that still has that potential of goal scoring. We will have what we lacked last year, depth scoring.
The defense will be slightly improved. I don't know why we want Hamonic. He sucks at penalty killing. With Hughes gone, Barrie and Rathbone take the reins of offensive defenseman. Both can play defense slightly better than Huggy. OEL will pair with Barrie. He used to be league best in defense, and it's not like he's 35. He has a lot left in the tank. Schmidt partners Rathbone. He can also stop pretending to be a shutdown D. He plays offense and we need to let him do that. Joulevi will share time with Kulikov, who looked great as a shutdown with Edmonton. Once Joulevi can confidently kill penalties, he takes over. Ceci takes the other side. He's friends with Barrie, and he has a greta short. This year he looked great defensively too. Kulikov and sub for him too. The three of them will share bottom pair minutes, with Rielly coming in too. Holtz is in the wing depth.
Also, the trade. If it's unfair, then remove Holtz. If it's unfair the other way, then add Sharangovich. But Hughes will be too expensive for Vancouverz and with OEL here, Myers has to go.
No reason to trade Quinn. If we do for some reason, the starting talks is Ty Smith and a first round pick.
From NJ's perspective - in a fantasy scenario - Q. Hughes would essentially replace Smith so the deal starting with Smith + 2022 1st makes sense. I don't see Holtz getting added, but could see Mercer as being the 'significant prospect' supplementing the ready-now player (Smith) and the 2022 1st. Lesser picks in either direction to balance.
From NJ's perspective - in a fantasy scenario - Q. Hughes would essentially replace Smith so the deal starting with Smith + 2022 1st makes sense. I don't see Holtz getting added, but could see Mercer as being the 'significant prospect' supplementing the ready-now player (Smith) and the 2022 1st. Lesser picks in either direction to balance.
I’d like Ty Smith, Yegor Sharangovich, 2022 First, 2022 Conditional third
If Quinn Hughes scores 60+ points, 2022 Third because a 2022 second
Pearson is very bad? would like to see some stats on that statement...
6th percentile in GAR, 44th percentile in WAR (on a steep downward trajectory) plus he’s horrendous defensively. Miller should be in the top 6, leaving Pearson at the 3lw position, he just isn’t cut out for that role. He’s never repeating that 19/20 career season, he was over performing, and even then want that great.
6th percentile in GAR, 44th percentile in WAR (on a steep downward trajectory) plus he’s horrendous defensively. Miller should be in the top 6, leaving Pearson at the 3lw position, he just isn’t cut out for that role. He’s never repeating that 19/20 career season, he was over performing, and even then want that great.
Pearson still has some 2019/2020 Pearson in him. Last year his line was deployed terribly, mostly because the bottom 6 couldn't take tough minutes. Hence lack of production. But I think he will compliment Motte's game and Wennberg will too. Really how bad is a Pearson-Wennberg-Motte line for you?
Pearson still has some 2019/2020 Pearson in him. Last year his line was deployed terribly, mostly because the bottom 6 couldn't take tough minutes. Hence lack of production. But I think he will compliment Motte's game and Wennberg will too. Really how bad is a Pearson-Wennberg-Motte line for you?
Ideally our bottom 6 is more defensive, or atleast can play a two way game to allow the top 6 to thrive offensively. Motte and Dickinson are the only ones who can, wennberg and Pearson are defensive liabilities. Benning also said he wanted to add grit, so I doubt wennberg will be his guy. If they want grit hopefully they get tough guys who can actually play, and play well.
Ideally our bottom 6 is more defensive, or atleast can play a two way game to allow the top 6 to thrive offensively. Motte and Dickinson are the only ones who can, wennberg and Pearson are defensive liabilities. Benning also said he wanted to add grit, so I doubt wennberg will be his guy. If they want grit hopefully they get tough guys who can actually play, and play well.