darksabre

Someone who fits in on a checking line doesn't have to not be a goal scorer... I think some people are dreaming big about what is possible right now. I think a 15-20 goal guy is the best they could do given their cap situation. If they can add two of that type of player it would make a huge difference. But I don't think we're getting a 30 goal guy from anyone.

I'd like a player on that side that we can switch with Kyle depending on the game. I don't think he belongs in that slot full time, but I'd like the flexibility.

I wonder if we can't get someone from Nashville? They have a ton of players in the AHL who might be ready to make the jump and they have a ton of forwards on decent contracts with a couple ready to expire. Maybe we can get a winger/center from them so they can bring a kid up?

I wouldn't describe us as having jumped off a cliff. More just that we've seen enough of a number of these guys to know who they are and what their value is to this team right now. I don't think the roster is tenable anymore, it needs to be fixed.

Sheary, Mitts, Girgs, Larry, Vesey, Rodrigues, are all expendable in the quest for someone defensively responsible who has 30-40 point potential. Especially since they're all various forms of Free Agent at the end of the year. And then we need another good scoring winger on top of that.

I wish we could get a guy in here like Dainus Zubrus.

I don't know if it's possible to emphasize enough just how bad our forward group is right now at generating any kind of offense, but Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville could make the middle six better right now. Two old guys who don't even have teams.

I assume it's the latter. Our forwards just look outmatched in most areas of the ice.

It's definitely a symptom of the forwards failing to maintain possession or slow opponent's breakouts. D can be more aggressive stepping up if the forwards are getting back up ice, but I think that's not happening which is forcing the D to play conservative. It's a feedback loop.

It was the Around the NHL thread and it's as cringey as you'd expect.

The time for that was many embarrassing posts ago

I just don't see it. They're all playing good-enough hockey and the effectiveness of their forwards group is helping to cover up any deficiencies they have on D. I think if I were Winnipeg I would be hesitant to start removing goal scoring from the front end just to get a defenseman who is essentially Tyler Myers Redux.

I have looked at their defense. And what I see is that it's working just fine. Perhaps they'd like a depth piece on the right side as the season goes along, but I don't know if they need Risto.

I still struggle with seeing Winnipeg pulling the trigger on this. They really don't need Risto as bad as we need Ehlers.

If Risto gets us Nieto and Compher does that work? They immediately become our 7th and 8th best forwards.

Compher would be funny.

They would need to make room for him anyway. I think trading some D to another team to make cap space nets us a player we like other than Toffoli, and then Toffoli comes for picks or a budget player. I don't like LA as the primary trade partner. There's gotta be something else. I like Colorado.

I would be disappointed if Toffoli was the only move. He's a low risk piece that couldn't hurt, but i want more.

It's possible that Botterill missed his window, but there really haven't been any trades of note that would indicate this. It's not like other teams have been active in spite of him.

Bennett's defensive numbers aren't bad. He'd be an upgrade on Sobotka at least... (I'm not pushing this one very hard...)

That's kinda where I was going with it. It's just a cap dump for Calgary to make space and then it comes off of our books sooner or later.

That's a good question. I proposed Risto for Bennett and Hamonic as a general money in/money out trade, but I probably need a pick or a prospect coming back in that trade from Calgary too.

Colorado might be a sneaky candidate to trade with. Despite their injuries they've got depth scoring. And their defense is a little sketchy. Plus they have cap space. I think I'd like them as a trade partner.

I'm honestly amazed he made it this far into the 21st Century. He's been garbage for at least a decade.

Would anyone here give Sam Bennett a shot as second line RW?