Why does everyone want us to get more forwards?

[ElfanuReinhard*]

We have one of he deepest forward depth both quantity and quality wise in the league, what we need is more defense. We have bad NHL goaltending, but we have excellent goalie prospects, although one or two more goalie prospects can't hurt. But we need more defensive prospects especially LHD, so I hope we either trade for LHD, or draft some.

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[heretik27]

In what sense are we speaking? At the draft, in trades, in general?

From the draft, fans are highest on the forwards as defensemen take longer to develop. A top 3 pick would mean we take the best pick available which ends up being a forward. Below that, and it depends where we land and who has been taken ahead of us. There are 3 LHD we could reliably choose from, but it's uncertain how long they would spend developing for us.

From trades/free agency? Probably looking for a forward in the top 6 to replace Ladd at least short term, especially if we don't get a Matthews/Finn who might be NHL ready now. Kyle Connor hasn't secured a spot on the team yet, let alone proven he can handle top 6 minutes against top competition. He'll get the Ehlers treatment on the 3rd line until he's ready if he plays with the club.

So basically, I'd say it's because we have so much youth that we don't have enough high end developed talent ready to play big minutes. Ignoring the draft, we have Wheeler/Scheifele/Ehlers/Little up front in our top 6. Supported by a ton of middle six/bottom six types (currently) like Perreault/Stafford/Petan/Dano/Armia/Burmi/Lowry/Copp and more. Connor projects to fit into the top 6, but I doubt it happens right away, even if it does they're still stuck using Perreault or Stafford in the top 6 to compliment the second line. Perreault's fine, but any injury to the top 6 and a guy like Stafford who's seemingly on the downswing moves up which doesn't help us much. I liken it to the usage of Thorburn above a 4th line role, he just shouldn't be playing there on our team.

Short term, defensively.. Trouba moves to the left side and then Stu gets moved to 7th D. Morrissey or Chiarot on the left side with Trouba+Enstrom completed by Buff/Myers/Postma on the right side. Most of that top core isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Enstrom can be replaced in a few years by our 1st pick this summer if there's no high quality forward left to choose from.

 

[ps241]

We have one of he deepest forward depth both quantity and quality wise in the league, what we need is more defense. We have bad NHL goaltending, but we have excellent goalie prospects, although one or two more goalie prospects can't hurt. But we need more defensive prospects especially LHD, so I hope we either trade for LHD, or draft some.

I think people would love us to trade for a top 4 LHD.

When it comes to the draft I want best player available and there are some game breakers at the top of this draft. Don't get me wrong if there was a kid I was as excited about as Provorov I would be so jacked but the top end of the D in this draft leaves me a bit concerned. There are some decent D men in the mid first round early second though so here's to getting lucky.

 

[mcpw]

We have one of he deepest forward depth both quantity and quality wise in the league

Legit top6 options:
Little
Wheeler
Scheifele
Perreault
Ehlers barring sophomore slumpiness

Middle 6 options that bring at least some offense:
Stafford
Dano
Armia

Maybe NHL players, but kill offense:
Lowry
Burmistrov
Copp

Maybe ready for some role, maybe not, maybe a defenseman:
Petan
Connor
2016 1st round pick

Medium to long shots:
De Leo
Lipon
Kosmachuk
Lemieux

Useless:
Thorburn
Peluso

Yeah, no. We have 8 players that can score 25+ points (and that's being optimistic about Dano and Armia), plus a couple of prospects.

 

[Hunter368]

Mcpw has it right.

Some think we have some great prospects.....we do if we're talking low end guys, bottom 6 guys. We have very little high end top 6 prospects with high skill.

 

[Duke749]

Mcpw has it right.

Some think we have some great prospects.....we do if we're talking low end guys, bottom 6 guys. We have very little high end top 6 prospects with high skill.

I mean, how many more high end guys can we possibly get? Maybe 2-3 more tops but if they were so easy to get they wouldn't be top 6 guys to begin with. I here you though that we mostly have bottom 6 guys with 2nd liners kinda being the best case scenarios.

I feel like the OP is confusing prospects with NHL players. We great prospect depth but we need NHL players to compete going forward. And high end guys are always a need.

 

[puck stoppa]

Mcpw has it right.

Some think we have some great prospects.....we do if we're talking low end guys, bottom 6 guys. We have very little high end top 6 prospects with high skill.

Petan, Connor and Ehlers fit this bill for me. Two of them may start the year off slowly but I think they all get more than 25 pts next season. They are top six players very soon for me and all have very high skill especially Connor and Ehlers. If you add forward with the first rounder this year it's adding another skilled guy.
We are just knocking on the door here.

At end of year you may have:
Ehlers Scheif Wheeler
Connor Little MP
Dano Burmi Armia
Lowry Copp Petan

That top six looks good to me going forward and I think that third line will contribute offensively at a third line rate like Jets have not seen before that may be close to what other good teams have contributing on that line.

 

[mcpw]

Petan, Connor and Ehlers fit this bill for me. Two of them may start the year off slowly but I think they all get more than 25 pts next season. They are top six players very soon for me and all have very high skill especially Connor and Ehlers. If you add forward with the first rounder this year it's adding another skilled guy.
We are just knocking on the door here.

Could turn out just fine, could go wrong. I prefer having a backup plan which doesn't involve playing Thorburn-Copp-Peluso 6-8 minutes per game like early this season.

 

[Hunter368]

Petan, Connor and Ehlers fit this bill for me. Two of them may start the year off slowly but I think they all get more than 25 pts next season. They are top six players very soon for me and all have very high skill especially Connor and Ehlers. If you add forward with the first rounder this year it's adding another skilled guy.
We are just knocking on the door here.

I'm not counting Ehlers as a prospect in his second full year.

Connor agree.

Petan, we will see if he ever makes it as a real top 6.

It's going to be another bad year next season. Drafting about 10th overall in no man's land.

 

[Hunter368]

Could turn out just fine, could go wrong. I prefer having a backup plan which doesn't involve playing Thorburn-Copp-Peluso 6-8 minutes per game like early this season.

Agree, but we know they will be pushed out there. Ugh

 

[puck stoppa]

Could turn out just fine, could go wrong. I prefer having a backup plan which doesn't involve playing Thorburn-Copp-Peluso 6-8 minutes per game like early this season.

I agree but I have this feeling that Pmo loves to run three lines anyway, that's just how he coaches, I mentioned this before but those who followed him in CAR or TOR did he ever play his fourth line more than 6 min? I think even if you have Lowry Copp Lemieux he may not play them 10 min as he likes to ride his top six quite a bit.

 

[Duke749]

Could turn out just fine, could go wrong. I prefer having a backup plan which doesn't involve playing Thorburn-Copp-Peluso 6-8 minutes per game like early this season.

I really don't see a scenario where Peluso is a regular in the lineup before injuries. Think we might finally be seeing the end of that.

 

[MardyBum]

In regards to the draft, it's BPA. If it's a forward, then we take the forward.

I don't have any interest in signing a FA forward unless its a bottom 6er to take Thorbs spot.

 

[puck stoppa]

I'm not counting Ehlers as a prospect in his second full year.

Connor agree.

Petan, we will see if he ever makes it as a real top 6.

It's going to be another bad year next season. Drafting about 10th overall in no man's land.

You could be right in your last sentance but would you agree that the following year seems to be our year over the hump? I think it will be and we will be a force, Helly will be in the net full time and we will finally be thru the youth movement and ready to win playoff rounds.

 

[Hunter368]

I really don't see a scenario where Peluso is a regular in the lineup before injuries. Think we might finally be seeing the end of that.

Agree on Peluso, but I expect to see Thor way too much.

 

[Duke749]

^^^ Agreed. Just he way it'll be. Seems we're pretty much in agreement. Lol

Agree, but we know they will be pushed out there. Ugh

We have a glut of young talent far superior to Thor and Tony. I think you're being naive to think both will play regularly. Granted, you probably think I'm naive to think otherwise until it actually happens. Only time will tell to see what happens.

 

[puck stoppa]

Agree on Peluso, but I expect to see Thor way too much.

I think he's fine number 12-13, and I think the days of him moving up the third line are done, we have enough skilled depth now to do that, especially with one of Armia, Dano and Petan being odd man out on the third line.

 

[MardyBum]

I really don't see a scenario where Peluso is a regular in the lineup before injuries. Think we might finally be seeing the end of that.

Unless 4-5 guys get injured he's nowhere near the lineup.

Ignoring possible lines, just filling spots :

Ehlers Scheif Wheeler
Connor Little Perreault
Armia Burmi Dano
Lowry Copp Stafford

Not including Petan, Kosmachuk, De Leo, Lipon, Thorburn, etc.

Peluso draws in for a "nuclear option", but thats less to do with depth and more to do with Maurice thinking we need a goon for certain games.

 

[Hunter368]

You could be right in your last sentance but would you agree that the following year seems to be our year over the hump? I think it will be and we will be a force, Helly will be in the net full time and we will finally be thru the youth movement and ready to win playoff rounds.

Hard to say, a lot depends on Helle development. Maybe.....maybe not. A lot can change in two years, development, draft, FA, trades, trade demands, etc

 

[Flair Hay]

If we get more good forwards we can improve our top six and our bottom six by drafting them and pushing out weaker players and also keeping our forwards more cost effective over the long term.

We don't necessarily need more as much as better forwards.

 

[Hunter368]

^^^ Agreed. Just he way it'll be. Seems we're pretty much in agreement. Lol

We have a glut of young talent far superior to Thor and Tony. I think you're being naive to think both will play regularly. Granted, you probably think I'm naive to think otherwise until it actually happens. Only time will tell to see what happens.

You missed my second post where I clarified. We always had or could get great skill talent to both, it was a choice they made....

I think he's fine number 12-13, and I think the days of him moving up the third line are done, we have enough skilled depth now to do that, especially with one of Armia, Dano and Petan being odd man out on the third line.

Thor will play a full season, barring injury.

 

[AWSAA]

You could be right in your last sentance but would you agree that the following year seems to be our year over the hump? I think it will be and we will be a force, Helly will be in the net full time and we will finally be thru the youth movement and ready to win playoff rounds.

That following season you refer to... Perreault may not be returning for it. They will have lost a decent player in the expansion draft and Little + Enstrom will be pending UFAs. Can't help but think Wheeler's future is directly tied to how it all plays out. That's a lot of pressure, potential distractions for a young team.

If you hope to see Little & Wheeler extended then Chevy can't rely solely on the youth. He has to be active, make a push forward. They can't afford to lose key players for nothing, @ rentals rates and face more setbacks entering year eight.

 

[SKODEN]

Unless 4-5 guys get injured he's nowhere near the lineup.

Ignoring possible lines, just filling spots :

Ehlers Scheif Wheeler
Connor Little Perreault
Armia Burmi Dano
Lowry Copp Stafford

Not including Petan, Kosmachuk, De Leo, Lipon, Thorburn, etc.

Peluso draws in for a "nuclear option", but thats less to do with depth and more to do with Maurice thinking we need a goon for certain games.

I love that line up. It blows my mind that we are even talking about Thorburn in the line up next year though. We have alot better options with upside. I wish i had more faith in my coach/gm reguarding player usage but i dont. Imo Thor is on the fourth line

 

[MardyBum]

I love that line up. It blows my mind that we are even talking about Thorburn in the line up next year though. We have alot better options with upside. I wish i had more faith in my coach/gm reguarding player usage but i dont. Imo Thor is on the fourth line

We do have much better options, but we all know third line jesus is going to make an appearanve at some point lol.

 

[ElfanuReinhard*]

One LHD we should pursue should be Mattias Ekholm. Two trades I propose:

Enstrom, Chicago 1st rounder, Armia/Dano/Lowry/Copp (You get the point), and maybe another player, and in return we get Ekholm and a cap dump from them.

Or

Myers, and a player for Ekholm.