If the chemistry between him and Kucherov continues like this preseason then they need to be playing more then 3rd line minutes. Stamkos is set at 1C, can't see Johnson staying at RW all year so he'll most likely drop to 3C. Filppula can play wing but with Palat and Drouin as possible top 2 LW'S we get a logjam. A 3rd line of Filppula-Johnson-Connolly would be awesome but is pretty expensive then Killorn is your 4th line LW making 2.5. I don't expect Namestnikov to keep this form up all season so will be only a 3C but if he improves like expected he should be our 2C next year when we'd have to decide if we want to pay Filppula 5mil as a 3rd liner.
I like having this much depth but in a salary cap world you can't be paying big money to bottom 6 player's. Killorn would be my first move because Erne will replace him next year and probably Drouin does this year. Filppula is just going to become a victim of a cap crunch soon.
I think vladdy can be a 2 c one day but taking over and pushing out flip by next year? I say no way in hell
flip vladdy johnson are the types you keep cause of two way play I see none of them moved myself for a long time.
I dont see us having a cap crunch either where we have to lose anything major I have faith in the stevie plan. He planned every move with care and he will continue to do it.
Guys like killorn panik connolly others who do not play great two way games? They really need to work hard to keep their jobs in the long run. I know they are but right now killorn or connolly is basically our sixth best defensive forward. PK wise etc.. vladdy think will pass those two but that will take some time. I am unsure if kucherov can pass or drouin etc..
A team is made by being diverse having both aspects cooper talked about it in his interview ideally we will have 6-8 guys for power play and 6-8 guys on pk
Those that can flat out pk centers or forwards they are the ones we will keep. Flipper tyjo and vladdy all have that ability. To play high end PK etc..
I also am not sure on erne being up in a year still think odonnell is the guy getting lower line minutes over even paquette when its all said and done so erne should probably get a year in syracuse if we keep guys like panik and connolly etc.. which might just happen