I like the forward group, though admittedly Faksa (when healthy) is a good middle 6 guy. One thing I am very confused about though is calling Severson "long term 1RD". I am not here to slander players, I'm not a NHL player. But I'm pretty sure Devils fans would tell you he isn't really supposed to be a 1RD. I think if Miller can bounce back to his Vegas form, he could be a decent 2RD. And I like Hakanpaa. But I don't really know if Severson moves the needle that much more than say...Klingberg, Neal Pionk, etc. Also, doesn't Heiskanen play on his off side? Or is that due to necessity?

I totally see your reasoning and I'm not saying Severson is bad, I'm just not sure if he is your long term 1RD answer if you're trying to compete.

Faksa has gotten progressively worse at defense since he signed his current contract. Really the only value he has right now is in the faceoff dots & for $3.25M, I can find someone else who is a good faceoff guy. I like him as a guy and if he were making $2M less than what he's currently making I'd have no issue leaving him on the roster, but I just can't justify his $3.25M cap hit given his play over the last 3 years. As always, just my opinion though. You're more than entitled to your own view on the player.

Devils fans may certainly have their own view of Severson, but from the (admittedly little) time I've seen him play, he's looked like he's strong both in the offensive and defensive ends. Doesn't seem to be a strong PP guy, but with Heiskanen and Harley Dallas doesn't need him to be. Of course my opinion on him could very well change over the next year, but as of now I would love to see him paired with someone like Heiskanen.

Aside from Severson, notable UFA RD next season include Klingberg, Weegar, Dumba, and Shattenkirk. If Klingberg is still set on getting near $8M per year until he's 37-38 years old, I don't see Dallas (or any team honestly) willing to match his wants. Weegar I expect to re-sign in Calgary and Shattenkirk will be 35 years old. It really comes down to Severson or Dumba and I honestly prefer Severson. I think he plays a bit better in both ends than Dumba does. Am I saying Severson will be an "Elite" 1RD? Nah, but paired with a guy like Heiskanen, he should be a safe, solid 1RD partner.

And in regard to Heiskanen, he can play the right side and he does so very well. Most Stars fans on this site are hellbent on getting back on his strong side when in reality, he plays the right side very well. I'm moreso trying to get a partner for him that will compliment his playstyle well. Just so happens that Severson allows him to play on his strong-side, but it isn't necessarily a prerequisite.

Appreciate the feedback!