Personally think strome is a better fit than monahan as UFA, righty.

The Monahan thing is more of a weaponizing capspace for the 2nd kinda deal (and moving on from pius who I don’t believe is a long term asset here). Also keeps us pretty limber and flexible as he’s got no term. After all we gotta hand out money to bert and Larkin after next year, and then both Raymond and Seider after that. Gotta keep flexible.

Personally I don’t see us getting a 2C out of this FA class, and prefer to continue to build through the draft. God help us if we don’t pick a possible centre at ~9oa though.

I’d give veleno a 20% chance at being a future good 2C but rn it’s looking much more like he’ll be a good 3C.

Sure on monahan, I mean why not. Might as well use some cap we know they aren't going to spend it anyways. Sure on pettersson or whatever vet ld we can trade for. I'd hope they do better than walman or staal on the 3rd pair but seems like what they'd do. Someone pays husso I think. Ill take whatever improvement we can get lets hope Yzerman does something really impactful.

I think you're wrong on Suter.

Since the 1st of January he's been on a scoring streak, scoring more (per 60 minutes of icetime) than Raymond. I think he deserves another year to prove himself, I don't see it as remarkable that he's taken time to fit in, he has yet to play two full seasons in the NHL and is still improving.

Monahan is a good choice but can be had without giving up Suter. There are other players more deserving of being chased out of town.

It’s not really chasing him out of town. It’s capitalizing on a ufa for assets. I just think the core that will win the cup for us in the long run is based around Seider and Raymond and there will be a few of the “old guard” (25 and up) left as the veterans.

I fully suspect we will trade Suter at TDL if we do not before then.

I have nothing against trading him at the TDL if he doesn't improve, I just think it's too early to do so this summer.