koteka
Registered User
That's one possibility, but when you pencil it out it looks like we'd need to upgrade at veteran top 4 anyways. So we might as well get an LD upgrade.
Werenski - Peeke would be our shutdown pair in this scenario. I'm fine with that.
In this no acquisitions hypothetical I'd go:
Werenski - Peeke
Blanks - Jiricek
Bean - Boqvist
Blanks and Boqy need to play with someone bigger and Jiricek with someone better than Guddy, and to start on his natural side.
I'm not okay with going without a top 4 upgrade.
My guess, assuming no deals, is
Werenski - Peeke
Bean - Gudbranson
Blanks - Boqvist
Berni
Jiricek in the AHL but also called up when there are injuries
If Blanks is injured:
Werenski - Peeke
Bean - Jiricek
Gudbranson - Boqvist
Berni
Let Ceulemans play in Cleveland the whole year. Jiricek and Ceulemans pairing with Christiansen, Knazko, and Dillon Simpson next year would not be a bad thing, with Jiricek maybe getting 30+ NHL games too. Maybe trade Peeke or Boqvist (whomever has more value) at the deadline next season. Do something similar the next year where Ceulemans and Knazko are the guys between Cleveland and Columbus. Trade the other one of Peeke/Boqvist at the deadline in 2025. That gets a long way towards something like:
Werenski - Jiricek
Knazko - Ceulemans
Mateychuk - Gudbranson/Blankenburg/someone else
in the future.
Berni