I wouldn’t be too gutted if they deal any of Dzingel/Gardiner/Niederreiter. I’d personally think Gardiner is the most likely to stay or maybe more succinctly, the hardest to move so they’re stuck with him. If they do somehow find a way to move Gardiner, I think Vatanen is signed 5 minutes later. I won’t be holding my breath for that though. I’m expecting a rebound season from Gardiner. When he was paired with Fleury during the playoffs, he looked really good, at least to my eyes. If he can get back to 30pts+ and play to the level he was playing right before the Covid break, I don’t really have an issue with him or his salary.
Dzingel is an interesting case, and I think the most likely Cane to rebound if given a chance. I also think he’s the most movable given his impending ufa status and his style of play not really fitting in. I don’t see him being moved prior to the season starting, whenever that ends up being, but I don’t see him finishing the season in a Canes sweater.
18-19 Niederreiter is exactly the type of player the Canes need, but I doubt he ever gets back to that level. I’d love to eat crow here.
Agreed. If the front office can find a deal for Gardiner that doesn't cost the team a prospect or draft pick, I think they take it and immediately sign Vatanen to a short-term deal. If I recall correctly, it's been said that Brind'Amour doesn't care too much about the handedness of his defenders; however, I believe there is merit in having your defensive pairings matched up with one left handed and one right handed defender. Even ignoring that, I much prefer the way Vatanen plays with the puck compared to Gardiner. As much as I'd like us to have a defender or two similar to Tim Gleason, Josh Manson, or Scott Mayfield (serviceable player with a mean streak that isn't afraid to stand up for a teammate), it would be difficult to argue this isn't a well balanced, top tier defensive corps:
Slavin // Hamilton
Skjei // Pesce
Fleury // Vatanen
With the first call ups being Bean, McKeown (assuming he's re-signed), and Ryan.
As for Dzingel and Niederreiter, I agree once again with your assessment. Dzingel has a lot more to give, but it simply hasn't worked out thus far. He deserves some credit though -- when the going got tough for Haula, we all heard how he responded; however, we haven't heard anything similar with Dzingel. It appears to me, from my outsiders view, that Dzingel wants to make it work or, at the very least, will try to make it work. Niederreiter, I haven't a clue what's up with him. This, clearly, isn't the first time he started off hot with a team and then flamed out. If he can find his physical game and a hard-nose for the front of the net, he'd be an incredible power forward, a la Erik Cole and Tuomo Ruutu.
Now, in my opinion, which I have already alluded to, the biggest issue with the current roster is the lack of a player with a legitimate mean streak. We desperately need a Ferland-, Scott Walker-, Tim Gleason-esque player on the team. Not a fake, concocted up mean streak (like I'd argue Edmundson has) but a guy who will hit and drop the gloves without any hesitation. Give me someone like Nicolas Deslauriers, Kyle Clifford, or Brenden Lemieux. I'm not advocating for a pure enforcer (Langdon, Boulerice, Brookbank, or Westgarth when he wanted to be), because I realize that ship has sailed in the NHL. Just someone that isn't afraid to mix it up on his behalf or the team's, but also isn't a total liability on the ice.
