Kessel, at least short term would be EXACTLY what this team needs. Long term? Extremely questionable, especially for the king's ransom that the Leafs apparently want. I don't think it would be worth mortgaging our future for that one player. Been there, done that.
What we do need are three things to really get things into high gear.
- A top pairing veteran defenseman (which should be easy enough to find. Johnny O, Mike Green, Erhoff...all options)
- A complimentary top six winger. - Frolik has been mentioned, I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Chris Stewart, who would come at a much cheaper price however. Stafford, as much as it would please me on a shallow level, because I interviewed the guy, I think we should stay away from.
Lastly, we need a legitimate top line RW. You can make the case for a top line C as well, but hopefully Zacha lives up to his potential. The reason I advocate for someone like MSL is pretty simple:
Extremely cap space and budget friendly. At the worst possible case, he bombs and we either choose not to re-sign him or flip him for whatever return his humanly possible. A 1 year, no risk/high reward deal is something that I would make 10/10 times.
Last year MSL had a 50 point season (around that number anyway), I don't believe that he will decline and turn to a sloth on the ice in the span of a year. The logistics are there and are in the favor of MSL being a top contributor for the Devils if the choose to give him the 1 year flyer.
Next year's UFA class will be much stronger and we can address a more permanent fixture for our top line RW then, in the mean time a no risk/high reward deal for a single season just makes too much sense to me. What else would you do? Trade assets for Sharp? Who is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, trade a king's ransom for Kessel and pay for it in the long run?
No thank you.
Cam-Zajac-MSL
Henrique-Elias-Frolik
Ruutu-JJ-Palmieri
Zubrus-Gionta-Tootoo.
It's a start. That bottom line is a complete dumpster fire, yes. But I don't want to rush Zacha, I think another year or so of development would do wonders. Zubrus, UNLESS they buy out will logicially stay on the team, plus I don't think Boucher is NHL ready as of yet to take Zubrus' spot and you could always slot in Matteau or Boucher over Zubrus in time. Tootoo though? great 4th line RW.
I'm a fan of Ruutu and think he's vastly underrated on this team, I see the contracts of Gionta and Zubrus being rode out to the end of next year and then then more suitable options will be on our forth line (Matteau/Boucher, Kalinin..etc)
Those lines above would be a great step in the right direction.
Next year's UFA RWs
-Grabner
-Okposo
-Voracek
-Versteeg
-Vrbata
We will definitely have options for 2016
There are a lot of pipe dreams for UFA Centers but some I don't think aren't completely unrealistic. For example, David Backes.
We are definitely in better shape than we were a season or two (or three) ago. No one can deny that.