Quoting: oneX
Why are you assuming he will get moved just because he requested a trade?
With the losses on the wings, he should get a chance at a top six spot especially if Dubas and company believe in balancing the lines so that not one single line can be keyed on to be shutdown.
At least that's the smart way of approaching the season initially anyway.
Well, you can't just say we had losses on the wing without saying that we brought in replacements. I absolutely don't see a chance for Mikheyev in the top six. He has had his chances, but hasn't proved he is a top six calibre player. Still doesn't make him a bad player, just not somebody that should be put on a scoring line. We lost Hyman, Galchenyuk, Thornton, Foligno that played on the wings and replaced them with Bunting, Ritchie, Kerfoot (Dubas said on his press conference that adding Kämpf would allow them to move a player to the wing, which should be Kerfoot) and Kase. I like the 2nd grouping much better and think the competition for spots are equally as hard in if not harder for a winger this year.
I don't think they will build a so called shut down line initially. They will balance the lines and see what they got. I currently have Mikheyev slotted in on my 4LW spot, so it's not like it is impossible to replace him. My opinion on him requesting a trade is that he doesn't want to be in Toronto. Why are you going to keep a guy around that doesn't want to be there with all the guys and isnt focused on achieving the same goals? I don't think that is good for anyone. If he wants out, then move him.
My current lines are the following:
Ritchie-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Nylander
Kerfoot-Kämpf-Kase
Mikheyev/Engvall-Spezza-Simmonds