GET THE NEXT ALEX OVECHKIN FROM THE TAXI SQUAD INTO THE LINEUP

secret weapons belong on the taxi squad until it's time

Very nice looking team -- but it could look a lot different next season with Kyrou, Thomas, Tarasenko, O'Reilly, Barbashev, and Sundqvist all needing new contracts.

I’d say Tarasenko is traded if request still stands. I’d look into moving Barbashev too considering he’s shooting 26%. Sundqvist pretty replaceable but I bet gets a pay cut. Will be interesting to see what Kyrou and Thomas run their numbers up to.

For sure. My only hope is that Armstrong doesn't rush into anything and takes his full time / postseason outcomes into account before potentially working out extensions for UFAs. His weakness as a GM has been extensions and especially doing them prematurely (Lehtera, Berglund (extended during a hot streak, scored one goal in his first 30 games, then 16 in next 30 games and got 5 yrs), Sobotka (wasn't the same after injuries/KHL), Faulk (created Pietrangelo mess), Scandella (about 7 good games got him 4x3.25), Schenn (extended a year early, til age 38, and is regressing already), possibly Parayko (8 yrs starts next yr ). Even inking Sanford and exposing Thomas to a potential holdout/OS situation was terrifying. He can work his way out of a hole, but he always seems to be the one digging the holes in the first place.

I’d love to find a way to bring Perron back, he seems to enjoy playing here so maybe he’d take a discount.

Man those 3rd-4th lines are tough. Definitely a downgrade from this season. And I think you are unfortunately a bit low on the price for Mikkola (guessing more like 1.25-1.5) and maybe Kostin. Husso will get more than that on the open market as well, I think more like 2.0.

It is going to be very tough sledding next season. I think the greater likelihood is that Tarasenko gets sent out, Perron resigned, and maybe one of the big 2 RFA deals get done (probably Thomas).

I just wanna see my boy Joshua play more. Dude is a unit who actually has functional physicality and plays mean but clean

Love the Lyubushkin signing, don't see any need for Cousins or Paquette. Also not interested in sending Neighbors off.

He needs to become a lot more useful with the puck, though. But he wins draws and hits people, so I'd imagine he'll play plenty once Bozak is gone.

I actually thought he made enough plays to stick around. I didn’t hate having a super simple player on L4. I’m hoping he can get more chances down the stretch because I think he’s more useful than Kostin/Bozak and more reliable defensively than Brown

Yeah, I think that comes down to whether they want Tarasenko at 1x7.5m or the assets he returns in a trade plus DP at 3x4m. It's a possibility. Personally I think Army has the leverage and should wait on DP until FA. He's showing up on the scoresheet but hasn't been playing very good lately. Everyone falls off at some point, I hope it isn't right now for DP but an extension could be a mistake if done prematurely. Maybe he'll finish strong and take a 1-2 yr friendly deal, otherwise it's gotta be the tough business move of letting him walk IMO.

Lybushkin would be a sweet Bortuzzo replacement. I love Bortuzzo for the sheer entertainment aspect, but he’s struggled this year and roster turnover isn’t a bad thing.

I honestly have very little attachment to Mikkola or Husso. Blues could probably replace them internally if their asks are too big. I think Hofer will be ready for the backup job sooner than later, and Mikkola has been a pro hockey player for 7 years now, he is what he is. He just happens to be the guy bleeding the least next to Parayko this season.

As for Tarasenko, if they haven't moved him yet, I really don't know if they'll move him at all. It's always seemed like an impossible move.

Agreed, his "annoying to play against" factor matches Bortz. Yeah, Bortz has been a little hot and cold. His 5v5 play is down a little, not huge but enough to notice. However, his passing and PK work have maybe never been better. Still, it's probably time to move on before he really slips.

Kostin looks incredibly useful, he's just not having finishing luck. He's plays smarter than I expected, uses his body positioning really well and has a nose for getting free into space. I don;t really understand why folks aren't a little higher on him. He looks very much to me like someone who will score 15-20 goals and hit everything that moves on the 3rd line once he has enough seasoning.

He’s alright, I enjoy him. I don’t think he plays a good enough possession game to be good defensively and doesn’t get to the slot enough on offense. I think he’s fine, just not much of a needle mover

Well, ya know he's only played 28 games. He's not a finished product. His possession game has been adequate, but yeah I would like him to get to the front of the net a little more often (even if he's really more of a rush and wrister type of offensive threat, at least for now).