with them having committed to tippett (which they probably shouldn't have), i'd say trading TK is the best option. frees up a spot in top 6 for foerster/brink and could get someone who has potential to be a 1C someday

Imo you guys should aim for Adam Jiricek as the defensive Dmen so Bonk and Drysdale can create offence

drysdale would be the more offensive type, not fully sold on bonk's offensive ability just yet. playinig in london and playing bumper on the powerplay certainly helps his production, but has potential to be good defense first 2 way 3D imo. if york keeps playing like he has the last few weeks, he could be the 1D with drysdale/bonk as the RHD with sanheim and the other holding down the second pair

imo best possible case is somehow figure out a konecny-necas deal and have this as top 9/top 4

farabee-necas-michkov
tippett-frost-brink
cates-couturier-foerster (which would prob be best defensive line in hockey)

york-drysdale
sanheim (or other via trade or draft)-bonk

Sanheim at this point is 100% a RHD in our system. Even without a true high end 1D I think our right side is fine, the real question is getting a long term partner for Dysdale.

As for 1C.... yeah that's a huge problem. I don't even think they'll need a particularly high end one with Frost being a better 2C than he gets credit for and our winger core being so strong. I've gone on long tangents before about this, but if Zegras is truly available this summer, Briere can't afford to be outbid by WAS/MTL etc. For him. We desperately need him.

Looking at 2 years from now, what I'd kind of expect:

Foerster-Trade-Michkov

Farabee-Frost-TK

Barkey-Coots-Tippett

Cates-Poehling-Trade/FA

Trade/FA - Drysdale

York-Bonk

McDonald/Zamula - Sanheim

I think Andrae and Brink both end up traded and that we don't see anyone drafted from here onwards on the 2026 opening night roster with Michkov barring some crazy circumstances

im high on zegras too, but I can't lie the season he's having makes me nervous to overpay for him.

Sanheim is a RD so what they really need is a high end LD.

That's why they should send us Cates and a pick for Chyhchrun