If we sign a UFA, I hope it's someone that fits in to that 2nd pairing LD spot. I would also be ok with replacing Gryba but it's pointless to have a high priced guy like Green on the bottom pairing and I would prefer to just give Wideman a shot.
I think everyone is always so caught up with which pairing people are playing on, maybe thinking outside the box will put us over the top?
Methot Karlsson
Ceci Wiercioch
Cowen Green
Boro Gryba
Philips
Obvious log jam that would need to be addressed to make this work and blah blah, but the point is.. if we are keeping Cowen then we are banking on him and signing Green would give us a PP specialist Veteran on the backend who scored 45 points this year.
If Cowen and Green are outplaying Ceci and Wier then you give them more minutes, if we are behind in a game and need more offence then you make the adjustments, it gives us more weapons and also could create 2a,2b pairing situation in Ottawa behind our obvious #1.
This is putting 2 people who COULD be 2nd pairing guys on the 3rd pairing.
I think our forward core that needs balanced scoring to succeed could benefit from an arrangement like this where any line could score at anytime
Lets get our forwards into the offensive zone, each pairing is more then capable of doing that, if Green and Karl could work together somehow on the PP then even better, 2 legit threats back there which should open up a lot of space
I understand giving Wideman a shot but we will always have someone knocking on the door in the minors and at some point we will have to shut the door on one of them even if temporarily.. if Green works then he turns into a tradeable asset, if Green doesn't work for us then we have someone waiting to take his spot and can move Green
