Swap Smith and Erne, Smith only plays LW.

Also swap Gagner and Namestnikov.

Bingo.

Also D pairings will likely start as:
Leddy-Hronek
Staal-Seider
Osterle-Stetcher
Lindstrom

I've read reports that DeKeyser had another setback with his back and there's even a chance he might hang then up...

I've suspected for a while that DDK is going to LTIR(etirement). Yzerman getting us 8 defenders is a dead giveaway. This is identical to when Zetterberg quit, Holland kept signing players even though we were over the cap.

Leddy - Hronek
Staal - Seider
Lindström - Stecher
Oesterle

Can't bench Stecher if you want to trade him at the deadline.

fair on erne and smith. For Gags/Vlad, we just resigned gagner, and as far as i can see, he is now the only real veteran forward. which is crazy to say. I don't think he doesn't play regularly. especially w the young line i have him on

I like this, solid. Definite improvement on last season, flip a couple players at the deadline and this team is comfortably bottom 5 despite having some of the young guys develop.

Namestnikov is supposed to be trade bait at the deadline, you have to play him ahead of Gagner (who won't even get us a 7th).

Source? I haven't seen this anywhere...

That was honestly just a brain fart, I meant Stetcher on the 3rd pair and Lindstrom as the extra... I actually really like Stetcher and think he's going to have a great year...

It's all rumor speculation I saw dating back to last season... it was based off the fact that he hasn't participated in the Eastside Elite summer league he traditionally had, nor had he been seen at the training facilities he frequents in the off season, combined with the nature of the surgery he had... think Zetterberg the final year he played and then called it quits the next season...

I also think it speaks volumes that Yzerman signed Osterle and Staal after trading for Leddy...

Yeah, I think "rumor" is the right word for that. It seems to be hearsay.

We lost Cholowski (& Staal) on the left side last year, so Leddy (& Staal) replace them. Oesterle is 7/8 dman depth. I'm not sure any of those signings affect DDK other than potentially putting him on the 3rd pair and limiting his minutes.

you raise a fair point. all this is very fair. however i just dont foresee it happening that he plays above gagner, being that we went out and resigned gagner. but never know what may happen

With Seider (who will make the team) we have 8 defenders. That's one more than what teams normally carry.

There are only two possible (realistic) scenarios:

1. DDK retires (LTIR).
2. Seider stays in Grand Rapids until the trade deadline when Stecher is traded.

Staal can't be waived and sent to GR, he has a NMC.
Leddy sure as hell won't be waived.
Oesterle was signed for two years to be a stabiliser next year in case we lose both Leddy and Stecher at the TDL.
Lindström was first protected and then signed to a one-way contract, he won't be waived.
Stecher won't be waived, he's one of the few trade bait players we have for the TDL.
Hronek won't be waived.

Out of the two possible scenarios the first one where DDK goes on LTIR is by far the most likely.

Namestnikov is being paid more than twice as much as Gagner, why does that make you think that Gagner is seen as the more valuable of the two?

Gagner was signed to a contract that barely reaches above the league minimum. He'll be the first one on waivers if any of the prospects command a roster spot.

I see where you're coming from, but I also see Oettinger as this year's Biega where he'll fill in very infrequently.

Oesterle (there is no Oettinger on the team) is signed to 50% more than Biega was paid. He is 4 years younger than Biega and 2 years younger than DDK.

Oesterle has been a regular NHL player the last 4 seasons. There's no way he is comparable to Biega. And he won't be waived to give room to someone on their last year of a contract that everybody knows won't be extended.

lol, I mixed up some of the leagues "oe's"

We shall see... That said, I was not aware that he's younger than DDK.

No Leddy on a PP unit?

wanted him on pp but couldnt figure out where to put him. Maybe hes pp1 instead of Seider, but i think they would want Seider there.

just a projection man. gagner was better than namestikov last year. Not sitting here saying anything about money, or whatnot, just seems unlikely that vlad plays over gagner to me. you still need vet here, or atleast, there will be one. Namestikov was not a star studded player by any merit, i don't think hes much trade bait no matter the season he has